Irving Sloane, a self-taught luthier whose how-to books on high-end guitar construction paved the way for the current proliferation of finely crafted hand-built guitars, died on June 21. He was 73.
Mr. Sloane grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with a grandmother who masqueraded as a gypsy and told fortunes, and for several years at the Hebrew Orphan Asylum. He had an enormous gift of creativity, including carving animals out of bars of soap. Starting in high school, he earned money lettering signs, a skill he eventually developed into a career in commercial art, including album cover art in the early 1960s.
In his off hours he would play classical, folk and flamenco music on the guitar, his son said. While taking a walk one day in the early 1950's, he peered into the window of John D'Angelico, a renowned guitar maker, and discovered a way to unite his loves of craft and music.
At the time, anyone interested in guitar construction had to find a luthier -- usually in Spain, Germany or Belgium -- and try to become his apprentice, according to one guitar dealer. Mr. Sloane studied with guitar builders in New York, Pennsylvania and Brussels, Belgium.
Mr. Sloane grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with a grandmother who masqueraded as a gypsy and told fortunes, and for several years at the Hebrew Orphan Asylum. He had an enormous gift of creativity, including carving animals out of bars of soap. Starting in high school, he earned money lettering signs, a skill he eventually developed into a career in commercial art, including album cover art in the early 1960s.
In his off hours he would play classical, folk and flamenco music on the guitar, his son said. While taking a walk one day in the early 1950's, he peered into the window of John D'Angelico, a renowned guitar maker, and discovered a way to unite his loves of craft and music.
At the time, anyone interested in guitar construction had to find a luthier -- usually in Spain, Germany or Belgium -- and try to become his apprentice, according to one guitar dealer. Mr. Sloane studied with guitar builders in New York, Pennsylvania and Brussels, Belgium.
Irving Sloane, a self-taught luthier whose how-to books on high-end guitar construction paved the way for the current proliferation of finely crafted hand-built guitars, died on June 21. He was 73.
Mr. Sloane grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with a grandmother who masqueraded as a gypsy and told fortunes, and for several years at the Hebrew Orphan Asylum. He had an enormous gift of creativity, including carving animals out of bars of soap. Starting in high school, he earned money lettering signs, a skill he eventually developed into a career in commercial art, including album cover art in the early 1960s.
In his off hours he would play classical, folk and flamenco music on the guitar, his son said. While taking a walk one day in the early 1950's, he peered into the window of John D'Angelico, a renowned guitar maker, and discovered a way to unite his loves of craft and music.
At the time, anyone interested in guitar construction had to find a luthier -- usually in Spain, Germany or Belgium -- and try to become his apprentice, according to one guitar dealer. Mr. Sloane studied with guitar builders in New York, Pennsylvania and Brussels, Belgium.
Mr. Sloane grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with a grandmother who masqueraded as a gypsy and told fortunes, and for several years at the Hebrew Orphan Asylum. He had an enormous gift of creativity, including carving animals out of bars of soap. Starting in high school, he earned money lettering signs, a skill he eventually developed into a career in commercial art, including album cover art in the early 1960s.
In his off hours he would play classical, folk and flamenco music on the guitar, his son said. While taking a walk one day in the early 1950's, he peered into the window of John D'Angelico, a renowned guitar maker, and discovered a way to unite his loves of craft and music.
At the time, anyone interested in guitar construction had to find a luthier -- usually in Spain, Germany or Belgium -- and try to become his apprentice, according to one guitar dealer. Mr. Sloane studied with guitar builders in New York, Pennsylvania and Brussels, Belgium.
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