James Flinn: Building the Balalaika

Table I

Balalaika Measurements

Except where noted, all dimensions are in inches.

Gibbia, S.W., Wood Finishing and Refinishing.

New York; Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1971

Guild of American Luthiers, Data Sheets. Tacoma, Washington

Hoadly, R. Bruce, Understanding Wood.

Newton, Conn.; Taunton Press, 1980

Model and Allied Publications Ltd., Making Your Own Spanish Guitar. Balalaika and Violin.

Hemel Hempstead, Herts, England

Panshin, A. J. and de Zeeuw, Carl, Textbook of Wood Technology. New York; Me Graw-Hill 1980

Prokopenko, N., The Construction. Preservation and Repair of Folk Musical Instruments. Moscow, 1977

Sloane, Irving, Classical Guitar Construction New York; E.P.Dutton. 1966

Vertkov, K. A., Atlas of Musical Instruments of the Nationalities of the Soviet Union. Moscow, 1963

Wood Handbook. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

Information on Balalaika Music

Balalaika and Domra Association Of America c/o Carlen & Carlen, Ltd.

14 Perimeter Fark Dr. Suite 111-A Atlanta, Georgia 30341

Information on Lutherie

Guild of American Luthiers 8222 South Park Ave.

Tacoma, Washington 98408

Where to get materials.

I have listed below the addresses of a few companies which stock material for musical instrument makers. Unfortunately,

I cannot list all of them but this is a representative list in case you have no place to turn.

Luthiers supplies:

The Luthiers Mercantile International Luthiers Supply

P.0. Box 774 P.0. Box 15444

412 Moore Lane 1415 South 70t hEast Ave.

Healdsburg, CA 95448 Tulsa, OK 74112

Elderly Instruments International Violin Co.,Ltd.

P.0. Box 1795 4026 West Belvedere Ave.

541 East Grand River Baltimore, MD 21215

East Lansing, MI 48823

Strings, tuning machines and fretwire for balalaikas:

Joseph Valentich 105 Hemlock Lane Monroeville, PA 15146

Soundboards: (Special cuts if required)

Santa Fe Spruce Co. Fred Mayer

129 Kearney Ave. Fred Mayer

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87301 Alaska Music Spruce

(Enge Ioann spruce) Juneau, AK 99801 9901

(Sitka & other spruce)

Finishing materials:

Trendlines

170 Commercial St.

Malden, Mass. 02148

Hardware St tools:

The Woodworkers Store Leichtung

21801 Industrial Blvd. 4944 Commerce Parkway

Rogers, Minn. 55374 Cleveland, Ohio 44128

Vertov, K.A. Atlas of Musical Instruments of the Nationalities of the Soviet Union. Moscow. 1963.

Panshin, A.J. and deZeeuw,U., Textbook of Wood Technology (McGraw-Hill New York. 1980)

Prokopenko, N, The Construction. Preservation and Repair of Folk Musical Instruments.. Moscow, Izdatel'stro, 1977