guitar making course

For those who want to dive into the world of luthiery and create their own instrument I offer guitar making courses. Within one week (electric) or two weeks (acoustic) your ideas become reality. Starting out with raw woods I will guide you throug the process of building a guitar, bass or ukulele. Every course is as individual as your instrument.

electric

Building of an electric guitar or bass by your design ideas.

You have the choice how you want your instrument and course to be. The desing and equipment can be choosen to your liking. Starting out with raw woods, drawings and handmade templates your instrument will be built. In my workshop many steps still include your hands work. Some work can be done with basic machinery. And of course you can bring premade parts.

As the course is always individual you can decide which work to do yourself. For the crucial parts I'll take care that your instrument will be perfectly functioning when you take it home.

timing

- in depth planning of your model and selection of hardware and woods via mail or at my workshop (at least 4 weeks prior to the course)

- one weeks course* (5 - 6 days; monday to saturday)

- painting (outside the course)

- separate day to assemble your instrument (after painting)

*some desings cannot be completed during this limited time. For the following Ideas you should consider booking additional working days or having the parts premade:

- models with carved tops (LP models) or heavily rounded edges

- neck-thru guitars

- handmade inlays or excessive pearl bindings

- multiscale fretboards

- and others

If your design includes on of the above contact me an we'll find a way to make it happen.

acoustic

Building of an acoustic guitar by an existing model.

Due to the complexity of an acoustic guitar it is recommended to stick to known acoustic guitars.

Focus of this guitar making course is to buid a functioning an well sounding instrument.

For this I can offer some "standard" models. Depending on the desired duration for your course and your handcrasfting skills some adaptions and changes can be applied.*

Most of the steps have to be completed with traditional handcrafting techniques. Only few can be done using machinery. For this reason I'll take part in every step of the building process taking over repetitive work and stept which require refined skills in luthiery.

timing

- in depth planning of your model and selection of hardware and woods via mail or at my workshop (at least 6 weeks prior to the course)

- at least two weeks course** (10 - 12 days, monday - saturday)

- separate day to assemble your instrument (after painting)

*The outline of the Body always has to be selected out of one of my templates but can be adapted for any type of guitar. Cutaways can also be added.
Available outlines are: small concert, grand concert, flamenco, acoustic bass AB1, super jumbo SJ200, "classical torres" as used in Musima guitars

**During this short time basic models without inlays and only basic purflings can be made.
For more complex models such as Kasha guitars, archtop guitars or new adaptions to traditional bracing additional working days are nescessary.

Details such as Inlays, bevels, mother of pearl bindings, cutaways, additional soundports and other unusuals also take more time to work on.

If your design includes on of the above contact me an we'll find a way to make it happen.