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Post by John B on Dec 18, 2023 6:36:05 GMT -5
Per Gryphon Strings' Facebook page, Frank Ford has died.
We are devastated to announce that Frank Ford, the co-founder of Gryphon Stringed Instruments, passed away Sunday afternoon after a brief illness. He was loved by those who were fortunate to know him and work beside him and he was respected by those in the wider luthier community who benefited from his generous spirit. He will be missed.
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Post by howard lee on Dec 18, 2023 7:02:44 GMT -5
Sad news. Not just a guitar repair giant, Frank was also a skilled and talented machinist. If he couldn't find a part to repair an instrument, he made the part himself. I own one of "Frank's Cranks," and it is a brilliantly designed string-winding tool, designed with a 7° cant to compensate for the movement of the human wrist.
Good-bye, Mr. Ford.
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Post by drlj on Dec 18, 2023 7:18:58 GMT -5
This is very sad news. Frank was an amazingly innovative repairman and one of the true experts in his field.
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Post by PaulKay on Dec 18, 2023 8:45:43 GMT -5
Most of my interactions with Frank Ford was way back when people hung out in newsgroups.
Remember RMMGA? rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
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Post by majorminor on Dec 18, 2023 8:47:31 GMT -5
Got to meet him once and chat a little. He made a good life doing what he loved. RIP.
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Post by TKennedy on Dec 18, 2023 9:09:16 GMT -5
That is really sad. He left a massive legacy and helped millions of aspiring repair folks enormously with his Frets website. One of the greats.
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Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
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Post by Dub on Dec 18, 2023 9:28:02 GMT -5
Sad news indeed. A great loss. I never interacted with him but spent a lot of time on frets.com.
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Post by Marty on Dec 18, 2023 9:31:40 GMT -5
A Giant in our trade. I have used the Frets site many times for ideas or solutions to a repair.
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Tamarack
Administrator
Ancient Citizen
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Post by Tamarack on Dec 18, 2023 9:54:45 GMT -5
My condolences to Frank's family and friends. Friends include all luthiers and all guitarists.
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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Dec 18, 2023 10:05:13 GMT -5
Sigh.
Mike
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Post by jdd2 on Dec 18, 2023 17:40:55 GMT -5
This is a guitar he worked on, a '76 that had the tuning issues of the strike-era guitars. He filled and the re-routed the saddle slot in the right place, bone nut & saddle, neck reset, refret, and also due to a pick guard crack, lifted that off and put it back on, releasing the tension there. IIRC, the neck reset was warranty, the rest on my dime. He added a small card on the inside of the top, repaired by Frank Ford, dated--which is reverse printed so readable with a mirror.  |
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Post by Marshall on Dec 18, 2023 20:51:05 GMT -5
How old was he. I can't find any info.
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Post by John B on Dec 18, 2023 22:13:29 GMT -5
How old was he. I can't find any info. He was 79. www.gryphonstrings.com/blogs/news/frank-ford-1944-2023I spent a number of hours hanging out at Gryphon, talking to Frank on occasion; he also lectured at Roberto-Venn, usually demonstrating a neck reset and setup on an old Martin. I last spoke to him at the beginning of this year when I bought pieces of a banjo from Gryphon. A truly nice guy who was always patient with my questions; I know he wouldn't remember me in our various interactions, so I also knew that's just the way he was - a patient teacher to anyone, friend or stranger, who wanted to know more. |
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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Dec 18, 2023 22:41:55 GMT -5
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Post by howard lee on Dec 19, 2023 7:30:39 GMT -5
Frank Ford in the shop at Gryphon Stringed Instruments:
An example of Frank's Cranks:
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Post by drlj on Dec 19, 2023 8:33:44 GMT -5
Frank was tremendous but that is totally unnecessary way of winding strings on the headstock. The repairmen I know hate trying to remove strings that have been tied on like that. There are much easier methods that are just as secure and the strings come off much quicker and easier. Also, it creates a big, globby looking wind on the headstock. Oh well. He didn’t ask my opinion. He was still great. |
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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Dec 19, 2023 9:05:03 GMT -5
Frank was tremendous but that is totally unnecessary way of winding strings on the headstock. The repairmen I know hate trying to remove strings that have been tied on like that. There are much easier methods that are just as secure and the strings come off much quicker and easier. Also, it creates a big, globby looking wind on the headstock. Oh well. He didn’t ask my opinion. He was still great. I found his site like twenty years ago when I was just trying to learn to play and learned a bunch of stuff from his site, back in in the days of the AG forum. I don’t do it this way anymore, but for a rank beginner, Ford’s site was a invaluable resource. Mike |
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Post by drlj on Dec 19, 2023 9:19:34 GMT -5
Frank was tremendous but that is totally unnecessary way of winding strings on the headstock. The repairmen I know hate trying to remove strings that have been tied on like that. There are much easier methods that are just as secure and the strings come off much quicker and easier. Also, it creates a big, globby looking wind on the headstock. Oh well. He didn’t ask my opinion. He was still great. I found his site like twenty years ago when I was just trying to learn to play and learned a bunch of stuff from his site, back in in the days of the AG forum. I don’t do it this way anymore, but for a rank beginner, Ford’s site was a invaluable resource. Mike Absolutely. I have used his site as a reference countless times over the last 20-25 years. I still do. No one had or has a better site with more easy to understand directions and demonstrations than Frank Ford. Even guys like Dan Erlewine bowed to Frank Ford. He was unique and will be greatly missed. The time and effort that went into Frets.com to provide free, detailed information to anyone who wanted to use the site is just amazing. |
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Post by Marshall on Dec 19, 2023 9:39:14 GMT -5
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Post by frazer on Dec 20, 2023 10:07:27 GMT -5
Sad news. I never met him, although I did spend a wonderful couple of hours at Gryphon once. Judging from the excellent Frets page, he just seemed like such a nice and generous guy. RIP
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