Outram Lutherie

Outram Lutherie Stringed instrument service, repair, customisation and manufacture.

'"One over to the rest under" ... Start by cutting the string off 2" past the machine head. Poke the end through, bend, ...
20/04/2026

'"One over to the rest under" ...

Start by cutting the string off 2" past the machine head. Poke the end through, bend, then wind 1 turn over the protruding end, then let the rest wind underneath. Once it gets up to tension, it traps the end, so tuning is stable.

A technique that I use every time. Nice and neat, no silly knots, and never causes issues!

Today's installment of "Do you really use that tiny plane?" Violin fingerboard shaping and fitting. I've shown a blank a...
14/04/2026

Today's installment of "Do you really use that tiny plane?"

Violin fingerboard shaping and fitting. I've shown a blank as supplied so you can get an idea of how much has to come off.

The top surface isn't totally finished in these pics. I like to do the final scraping once it's fitted. All done with planes and scrapers.

Reinforcing a bass neck with 20 x 11 mm ebony this afternoon.
23/03/2026

Reinforcing a bass neck with 20 x 11 mm ebony this afternoon.

A bit out of the usual, but we took pity on a bass recorder. So far it's had a damn good clean, liberal application of b...
25/01/2026

A bit out of the usual, but we took pity on a bass recorder. So far it's had a damn good clean, liberal application of bore oil (it's been out of use for decades!) cleaned up the key work and cut and fitted some cork pads. I'm sure I'll end up changing the joint corks, but I'm letting the oil soak in first to see if anything either takes up or the slight ovaling gets better (or worse!)

I'm sure there'll be updates, but not necessarily straight away!

Much as I made this for myself years ago and I've gigged it loads, the fretwork has been annoying me (fingerboard shrink...
21/01/2026

Much as I made this for myself years ago and I've gigged it loads, the fretwork has been annoying me (fingerboard shrinkage after a life over the radiator!) so I took the frets out, reprofiled the fingerboard to "vintage" fender radius, re fretted it and re finished the neck.

Much as you can't tell from the rubbish phone recording, it plays lovely now!

Back together, working nicely and sounding lovely! Just looked the serial number up and it looks like it's a 1954. Only ...
27/12/2025

Back together, working nicely and sounding lovely! Just looked the serial number up and it looks like it's a 1954. Only a b&h regent, but still nice to be getting it back to life and out to an enthusiastic young owner!

Clarinet is coming together. Bottom joint is together and just needs regulating. Top joint is just starting to go togeth...
24/12/2025

Clarinet is coming together. Bottom joint is together and just needs regulating. Top joint is just starting to go together, so the pile of bits is getting smaller!

It's a clarinet day. Full recommission of an old wooden b&h regent. So it's been fully stripped down, the body oiled, ke...
22/12/2025

It's a clarinet day. Full recommission of an old wooden b&h regent.

So it's been fully stripped down, the body oiled, keys cleaned and pads and joint corks removed ready for replacement. Some of the old key corks can live again, as can the springs (which is nice!)

To be continued....

19/12/2025

A quick phone recording of bit of Bach on the cello now it's back together. The eagle eyed/eared may spot a wolf note but it's just an eliminator that won't screw up tight enough. I'll change it before it goes back to the owner!

Other than that, it seems to work quite nicely!

Cello is starting to look lovely! There certainly wasn't a reflection in the front before! Still a couple of bits of det...
17/12/2025

Cello is starting to look lovely! There certainly wasn't a reflection in the front before!

Still a couple of bits of detail to attend to, but I wanted to get it playing as soon as possible.

I turned a sound post for it from scratch. A bit of adjustment to that and to the bridge should leave me happier with the sound - it's just a bit "closed" at the moment, especially for such a lightweight instrument!

There was a random rusty undersized (1/4") spike fitted to the cello. I've polished the original endpin unit ready to re...
15/12/2025

There was a random rusty undersized (1/4") spike fitted to the cello. I've polished the original endpin unit ready to re fit, then made a nice new stainless 8mm spike up (to suit the original 5/16" hole) with a brass ferrule. That'll look lovely and feel nice and secure to play!

The fingerboard is back on too. The end is getting closer!

Project cello coming together. All the cracks repaired and reinforced and the box glued back together. A bit of cleanin...
02/12/2025

Project cello coming together. All the cracks repaired and reinforced and the box glued back together. A bit of cleaning up once this has dried overnight, then the fingerboard can go back on. It'll quickly look like an instrument again then!

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101, HIghfield Street
Coalville
LE673

Telephone

07816171205

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