American School of Lutherie

expert training for luthiers of all levels

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HANDS-ON GUITAR MAKING Duration: 2 weeks Class format: Each student creates his or her own instrument.  Enrollment is limited to a maximum of four students per session.  Some lutherie or woodworking experience is a plus, but not required.  Please call if you'd like to discuss. Tuition: $3500, plus materials

The craft of guitar making is a rich collection of methods, techniques and skills that can take a lifetime to acquire and refine on one's own.  Because few of us have a lifetime to put it all together,  ASL offers this intensive two-week opportunity to construct a fine quality guitar while learning the guitar making methods used by today's most creative and successful luthiers.      

 

OVERVIEW

HANDS-ON GUITAR MAKING provides the perfect setting and means to do your best possible work and learning, whether you are a guitar-making novice or a seasoned luthier.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

You'll learn a logical, integrated approach to the craft of guitar making - a synthesis of the most accurate and effective techniques in use today, some as old as forever and some as new as tomorrow.  These methods are the route to optimizing the quality, efficiency and creativity of your work.  They're the logical place to start as a beginning luthier, and they're essential for any luthier's achievement of today's high level guitar-making standards.

During this intensive two-week course you'll select the materials, create the parts, construct, trim, sand, seal, set up and play the instrument of your choice.  You'll learn how to build any size instrument without specialized molds or other forms.  ASL has plans and patterns for all standard guitar models. 

WHAT YOU'LL BUILD

Classical
Beginning students will build a traditional classical guitar - either a smaller guitar based onSegovia’s famous 1937 Hauser, or a larger guitar based on Ramirez’s influential 1960’s pattern.  Both designs are examples of the classical guitar at its best, and each provides a solid foundation for any work that follows.  Some contemporary design features, such as graphite neck reinforcement and a slightly radiused fingerboard, can be incorporated into these instruments.  Advanced students may choose to build a modern style instrument, incorporating features like alternative bracing schemes, rigid rims and full spherical soundboard and back.

 

Steel String
Students may select from among several body styles, such as the 00, OM,  Dreadnaught, Small Jumbo, etc.  Beginning students are encouraged to build a traditional steel string instrument using conventional Martin-style construction.  Certain modern design features, such as a narrow neck profile and a compound radius fret board, can be added to these instruments.  Advanced students may choose to build a contemporary steel string instrument with modern alternative construction features.

WHEN YOU GET HOME

Making a guitar here means nothing if you can't do it again on your own. Your work space at ASL is a model of compact efficiency which is designed, along with the time-saving jigs and fixtures that you'll use here, to be easily reproduced by you at home.  You'll return home with a clear understanding of what's needed to build your next guitar.