Apprenticing - Who does it?

[Tryxx]

I'm just curious if any luthier's have taken someone under their wing that wanted to learn the craft. What does it entail if any, and all that good stuff.

I've been wanting to build my own instrument for awhile, and it just seemed like an interesting concept to go over.

[Scott in Dallas]

I've wondered the same thing, but I decided that a good luthier wouldn't take someone on that hadn't built any instruments, so I've just thrown myself into it and figure I'll make my mistakes but eventually will have a number of examples to show someone if the opportunity should arise.

[Musiclogic]

Actually, There are many luthiers that have had, and do have apprentices. Not all luthiers BUILD instruments. Building is not often he way to make a living at luthiery, generally it's more repairs and mods than building, or going to work for one of the big name companies. Building instruments is a hard road to making a living, there's a lot more to it than build it and ship it.

I have had apprentices in my shop regularly, but rarely do they work out. Once the understanding hits them that there is so much more to luthiery than throwing instruments together, they lose interest. It takes a great deal of patience, to learn how to use tools properly, how to make correct templates, what and where to use particular tools, how to set up an instrument, wood identification, gluing technique, joining/bookmatching, tool and machine set up and maintainence, sharpening, finishing, etc. just to scartch the surface. But most of all, listening, the patience to listen "WHY" things are done and in correct order, and applying it can be the hardest part, especially for someone with a creative mind.

If you want to learn, get to know a local luthier, and ask him if you could hang out and try to learn some things. I did this at a local guys shop from age 14 to 17, I learned a great deal, and now he sends work to my shop when he is overbooked(which is about every day...LOL). Take the time to talk to some local guys, and maybe you can stike up a friendship, and start learning.

Good Luck to you.

[crkempton]

it would be nice is if any local guys existed.....

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by Tryxx

I'm just curious if any luthier's have taken someone under their wing that wanted to learn the craft. What does it entail if any, and all that good stuff.

I've been wanting to build my own instrument for awhile, and it just seemed like an interesting concept to go over.

Getting tired of having to pay for all your customs?

lowsound

[Tryxx]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Getting tired of having to pay for all your customs?

lowsound

Haha. Honestly, I've taken such a creative interest in designing and building instruments in my head, I think it's time to start putting it into reality. I believe I'll get a lot of satisfaction out of it.

Originally Posted by Musiclogic

Actually, There are many luthiers that have had, and do have apprentices. Not all luthiers BUILD instruments. Building is not often he way to make a living at luthiery, generally it's more repairs and mods than building, or going to work for one of the big name companies. Building instruments is a hard road to making a living, there's a lot more to it than build it and ship it.

I have had apprentices in my shop regularly, but rarely do they work out. Once the understanding hits them that there is so much more to luthiery than throwing instruments together, they lose interest. It takes a great deal of patience, to learn how to use tools properly, how to make correct templates, what and where to use particular tools, how to set up an instrument, wood identification, gluing technique, joining/bookmatching, tool and machine set up and maintainence, sharpening, finishing, etc. just to scartch the surface. But most of all, listening, the patience to listen "WHY" things are done and in correct order, and applying it can be the hardest part, especially for someone with a creative mind.

If you want to learn, get to know a local luthier, and ask him if you could hang out and try to learn some things. I did this at a local guys shop from age 14 to 17, I learned a great deal, and now he sends work to my shop when he is overbooked(which is about every day...LOL). Take the time to talk to some local guys, and maybe you can stike up a friendship, and start learning.

Good Luck to you.

Thank you very much. There are several local luthier's around here that build electric basses exclusively. There is one that takes lessons with my teacher, and I've played his instruments as well. If I'd like to take this on as a passion, I'd want some "lab hours" in it first. Pete Skjold is also close by, but I'd feel bad bothering him. :lol:

I'm also going to do my best to attend a seminar that Dan Erlewine (of StewMac) is doing. Hopefully I'll learn a bit there as well.

[The_Hat_Guy]

I was apprenticing under a luthier who took over guitar repair for the Sam Ash I was working at about a year ago. I started out watching him do setups, fret jobs, just your basic guitar repair stuff because that is going to be the bread and butter of how a luthier makes a living, for the first long while anyway, lol.

Now, he made a few instruments in the very small shop at the store, but in the few months I was working with him, I never got to do much of that at all. The most I every did was sand down some bodies that had recently been cut, and strip a few other bodies that were being re finished. All of the projects I worked on were stuff that werent of much importance, or could easily be repaired.

The main thing I learned there was how to do your basic setups, and how much other stuff goes into luthiering, all the stuff that you don't see from the outside.

Now, unfortunately, my schedule no longer allows me to apprentice with him, but I still enjoy luthiering and would love to eventually be able to do it for a living. But the need for a day job and the fact that my band is doing so well right now prevent me from furthering my skills in guitar repair.

But I would highly recommend to anyone interested in luthiering to first learn the basics of guitar repair. The most important reason for this is that you need to understand the way things work before you can tackle the task of building an instrument on your own. There are just so many little factors that you don't think about when building an instrument. Learning the basic repair work, as boring as it might be sometimes, will be invaluable later down the line when you move on to more advanced luthiering, i.e. actually building an instrument.

[Pete skjold]

Originally Posted by Tryxx

Haha. Honestly, I've taken such a creative interest in designing and building instruments in my head, I think it's time to start putting it into reality. I believe I'll get a lot of satisfaction out of it.



Thank you very much. There are several local luthier's around here that build electric basses exclusively. There is one that takes lessons with my teacher, and I've played his instruments as well. If I'd like to take this on as a passion, I'd want some "lab hours" in it first. Pete Skjold is also close by, but I'd feel bad bothering him. :lol:

I'm also going to do my best to attend a seminar that Dan Erlewine (of StewMac) is doing. Hopefully I'll learn a bit there as well.

If you have an interest in it I would take some time to talk to you and offer any advice I could . I do have a schedule to stick too but if you make plans ahead of time I'm sure we could meet .

I actually was thinking of offering some type of workshop to local people who are interested in learning some techniques . Maybe even hold a class once a month for a set amount of classes so people could get a grip on the procedures . That may be in the future and would depend on the interest .

Pete Skjold

[Musiclogic]

Originally Posted by Pete skjold

If you have an interest in it I would take some time to talk to you and offer any advice I could . I do have a schedule to stick too but if you make plans ahead of time I'm sure we could meet .

I actually was thinking of offering some type of workshop to local people who are interested in learning some techniques . Maybe even hold a class once a month for a set amount of classes so people could get a grip on the procedures . That may be in the future and would depend on the interest .

Pete Skjold

Pete...you are a good egg. OUTSTANDING!

nice basses too

[Tryxx]

Originally Posted by Pete skjold

If you have an interest in it I would take some time to talk to you and offer any advice I could . I do have a schedule to stick too but if you make plans ahead of time I'm sure we could meet .

I actually was thinking of offering some type of workshop to local people who are interested in learning some techniques . Maybe even hold a class once a month for a set amount of classes so people could get a grip on the procedures . That may be in the future and would depend on the interest .

Pete Skjold

I would be more than willing to pay fore a workshop, or lessons. If you take that on, please, please, please, publicize it! I'm going to get some books and do some reading, and more investigation around here so I've got a bit more knowledge under my belt, and I'll definitely contact you when I feel prepared.