Why the Lab exists
The Lab is a place to explore tools early—a workshop for experiment, iteration, and honest physics. Everything here is free to use while in development. If you’re here, you’re welcome.
A math & physics-forward workspace
- Plate stiffness and thickness refinement
- Modal coupling of air / top / back / rim
- Tap-tone interpretation and brace shaping
- Clear workflows—no mystique, no black boxes
Tools in development (coming soon)
The ToneLab FFT workflow will visualize resonances on a note-aligned grid with peak markers, simple recording, and graphics tuned for builders. It complements Lutherie Academy coursework and Trevor’s books—but there are no timelines, only steady refinement.
Available tools (pre-release for Lutherie Academy)
Solid physics, plain language, and steps you can repeat at the bench.
Lab ethos
The Lab at Rick Molloy Guitars is where I turn solid physics into tools builders can actually use. Everything here is built on Trevor Gore’s models—my implementations, checked against real plates on the bench.
I’m also grateful for Robbie O’Brien’s mentorship. His focus on clear, repeatable teaching shapes how I build and how I share what I learn. In the end, I’m just trying to make it a little easier for builders to make better guitars using measurements and models that actually hold up.
Contact
Thoughts, corrections, ideas—or something you’re curious to explore? The Lab grows through shared curiosity.