Want to learn lutherie, where to start?

[tbassist4]

Hey everyone,

I've really wanted to learn double bass lutherie since I started playing. I've been looking at my options, and I was wondering what would be my best route. Are luthiers generally willing to take on a student/apprentice, or is it better for me to get plans, and follow the advice of those willing to share it online (double bass making websites)? Is there a school I should go to?

It seems like patience is most of the deal, which I fortunately do have a lot of. My only problem is knowing where to get plans, or if I should just look at my basses, take some measurements, and go from there. I know a lot of the basics of what goes into making a double bass, so I'm not taking a shot in the dark. I know what tools I need and just what kind of time, effort, and patience it takes, but I would obviously like some guidance for the things that I would never know without being told about them.

When people ask about starting to play double bass, the response is always "Get a teacher" which I've said as well to newbies - it's extremely good advice. I assume the same is true for wanting to make a double bass, except that it is stressed even more.

Any help at all would be very much appreciated!

Thanks so much,

Tyler

[uprightben]

I recently started apprenticing with a luthier I first approached about 8 years ago, so in my case, patience paid off. You definatley need a teacher you respect, I think it would be nearly impossible to become a truely qualified professional maker on your own. The key to landing an apprenticeship is to be willing to set it up in a way that profits the teacher. I currently work for free, and not everything I do feels like a learning experience (I've fit hundreds of cleats, for example), but it is all experience, so i feel like it is worth my time. Of course, you have to either have enough wood working experience or talent to be able to do something that profits your teacher. If you lack the woods experiece, I would recommend working on that first so you have something to bring to the table. Best of luck to you, I hope you find what you are looking for.

[Sam Sherry]

My sister and brother-in-law are graduates of the Violin-Making School of America in Salt Lake City. It's a rigorous, four-year program. It enabled them, ultimately, to wind up working on the fine old Italian and French masterworks (like this Stradivari).

Eric Rene Roy, who works for the Uptons, is a graduate of The North Bennett Street School in Boston. It enabled him to wind up being part of building more basses than most people ever see in their lives, and to win the Top Tone Prize at this year's ISB convention.

My friend and client Jonathan Cooper studied in Cremona. It enabled him to wind up building for some of the leading artists of our time, including Mark O'Connor. Jon takes apprentices but you'd better be serious about your work -- some of Jon's apprentices are pretty well-known musicians and woodsmiths in their own right.

Good luck with your quest!

[Paul Warburton]

Excellent post, as usual, Sam.

And 14, you might give this guy a call, since you're up in Boulder.

www.rossdoublebass.com

[Martin Sheridan]

Chicago hosts the Chicago School of Violin making which is another good school. None of them will teach you about basses, but if you can learn to make a violin or cello then it will make building a double bass a much easier task.
And what I always tell players: there are a lot of wookworking guys walking around who are missing fingers or parts of them, so be careful and ask yourself if playing is more important. If it is you might want to put making on hold.

[tbassist4]

Originally Posted by uprightben

I recently started apprenticing with a luthier I first approached about 8 years ago, so in my case, patience paid off. You definatley need a teacher you respect, I think it would be nearly impossible to become a truely qualified professional maker on your own. The key to landing an apprenticeship is to be willing to set it up in a way that profits the teacher. I currently work for free, and not everything I do feels like a learning experience (I've fit hundreds of cleats, for example), but it is all experience, so i feel like it is worth my time. Of course, you have to either have enough wood working experience or talent to be able to do something that profits your teacher. If you lack the woods experiece, I would recommend working on that first so you have something to bring to the table. Best of luck to you, I hope you find what you are looking for.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I did wonder what that would be like - whether I would work for free or have to pay someone for lessons. I can see how being an extra workshop hand is more profitable for them than you paying, and also as you say, more profitable for you in terms of experience. I haven't done a lot of woodworking, although I've had some experience - so I suppose that'd be step one for me. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

My sister and brother-in-law are graduates of the Violin-Making School of America in Salt Lake City. It's a rigorous, four-year program. It enabled them, ultimately, to wind up working on the fine old Italian and French masterworks (like this Stradivari).

Eric Rene Roy, who works for the Uptons, is a graduate of The North Bennett Street School in Boston. It enabled him to wind up being part of building more basses than most people ever see in their lives, and to win the Top Tone Prize at this year's ISB convention.

My friend and client Jonathan Cooper studied in Cremona. It enabled him to wind up building for some of the leading artists of our time, including Mark O'Connor. Jon takes apprentices but you'd better be serious about your work -- some of Jon's apprentices are pretty well-known musicians and woodsmiths in their own right.

Good luck with your quest!

Thanks for sharing that! As I should have guessed, being schooled in lutherie is just as rigorous as any college program, and perhaps more. I wish I could do all of these things at once, but going to a school for any extended period of time would be out of the question for me. I'm really impressed by all of the opportunities your friends and acquaintances have had from going to those schools. I'd need to find something more summer-based to meet my needs, so perhaps the apprentice route would be better for me. Thanks for your help!

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Excellent post, as usual, Sam.

And 14, you might give this guy a call, since you're up in Boulder.

www.rossdoublebass.com

I've thought of talking to Robert Ross - he's done some really nice work on one of my basses and I've tried a few of the ones he has in his shop. He just seems so busy from all of the work he does - I suppose it's worth a call though. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Martin Sheridan

Chicago hosts the Chicago School of Violin making which is another good school. None of them will teach you about basses, but if you can learn to make a violin or cello then it will make building a double bass a much easier task.
And what I always tell players: there are a lot of wookworking guys walking around who are missing fingers or parts of them, so be careful and ask yourself if playing is more important. If it is you might want to put making on hold.

That makes a lot of sense. It would definitely get me very comfortable with all of the necessary tools and process of making an instrument. I actually didn't really consider the injury potential. I'm a double bass performance major, so I'd obviously like to make a living from my playing, haha. I suppose I'll either have to hold off, or try very basic things. Thanks for the advice!

[1st Bass]

If you want to begin with a violin or viola, you can buy Henry Strobel's book, "Violin-Making, Step-By-Step" for around thirty dollars. (Viola book ties into the violin book, and is a separate investment)

Peter Chandler's book, "So You Want To Make A Double Bass", along with Chuck Traeger's book were enough to coach me through my first bass, (along with the encouragement of this host of builders, here on TalkBass) but I had built several smaller instruments, and still have not begun my second bass, though the materials are waiting in my shop.

Michael Darnton has an excellent workshop, sponsored by jb violins, in claremont California, every summer. It is pretty intense, lasts one-to-three weeks, and you can progress at your own pace. It is well worth the money, and he is an excellent teacher.

Chet Bishop
(PS: I still have all my fingers, and both eyes...)