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Luthier - An Endangered Species
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- Опубліковано 19 сер 2024
- Baxter and Jonathan talk about the looming issue of the aging repair and guitar techs. The average age for a guitar repair person is in the late 50's and that is going to be an issue when you need to get something repaired or replaced on your vintage guitar.
I'd jump into an apprenticeship or training to do this in a minute...there's such a need for this now especially since 16 million new players in 2021;alone...that's alot of guitars...I bought 6 last year alone..
Apprentice to the best cabinet makers you can find.
Hartley didn't do the instruments, he just did the electronics.
He hired cabinetmakers and in particular a guy named Chip Todd designed the T60, which arguably set the style guide for the entire T series.
Peavey also evolved as a company, moving from the original slabs and logs to lighter designs; later in his active career he said in interviews that they did the "mass = sustain" thing because everyone else was and were always gradually moving to lighter and lighter designs, realizing that a maple cap on a basswood body actually has *improved* sustain over just a thin hardwood body alone or even a thicker slab because it decouples you from the instrument, actively reducing damping of the natural signal regeneration in the instrument, or rather, sustain. There's a balance that can be found experimentally once one realizes that this is the case (use a laser to check vibration quality, we don't have to touch some things to measure them anymore, makes it easy to test a LOT of samples very FAST).
When I first went my luthier, I told him I wasn’t a patient person, and that he should charge me accordingly. We came to an agreement, and he’s never had my guitar for more than a few days, but I’ve also never needed to do anything major. Pickup swaps, and setups. I also tip him well. Usually 40-50% of my bill. Because of this, he even delivers my guitars back to my door. Gotta support these guys.
You bothered a Luthier for electronics?.....damn dude, seriously either a tech or DIY it, that is like taking a tesla car to a Nuclear Engineer to perform maint., most Luthiers that have a large client base don't usually waste their time on that kind of small stuff.
@@nocturnal101ravenous6 You’re funny. It’s easy money for him. I’m not practicing electronics on $3000 guitars, and he gets paid well for his services. Services I don’t wanna do myself. That’s kinda how life works.
@@markkozielec2200 Smart man
@@markkozielec2200 I mean when you've got the money and I also agree I wouldn't try to wire a $3000 guitar either and I've practiced a little bit
@@vainestlamb5917 My cheapest guitar is an American Silver Sky, that I paid cost for, and I have no interest in touching that one either. Like you said, since I can, I’d much rather support a local business.
I use this post to honour Terry Relph-Knight, a luthier in West London, who passed away last year.
Knew him about 3-4 years.
My plan was to give him every single one of my instruments and let him do his thing. Sadly that didn't happen but a good number of my guitars/basses were Terryfied.
He wrote up in depth logs of almost everything he did to the instrument. I still enjoy reading them.
He was a voracious learner and investigator.
A lot of what I needed involved replacing the sorry excuse for wiring manufacturers put in left handed guitars. He would simulate the circuits I'd ask for using SPICE. He owned a gauss meter - i know the strength of every pickup of mine that passed his hands.
He would find things wrong with guitar I didn't even realise, fix them and he didn't charge the earth or put mark ups on parts.
And when I'd pop over to his home to drop off or pickup an instrument or amp it would inevitably lead to long discussions over any number of topics.
And long emails too. I never rushed Terry because I knew the end result would be worth it.
He wasn't pretentious like some luthiers I've come across.
Miss you Terry.
I’m after reading this, I decided I’m going to write detailed logs for repairs from now on- and provide a copy to the customer. I would love if a customer showed up with these logs so I could review them before starting my initial inspection. I imagine it could help boost the guitars resale value as well- it shows the instrument was taken care of.
Thanks for the idea Terry, rip.
The worst part of being a luthier is that people always want to give you a hard time about what you charge. I have been doing this work for 30 years and my labor rate is $50.00 an hour. People complain about that. They'll pay $75 h$100 HR to get their computer repaired. I love fixing and rebuilding guitars, but people today have no patience and they don't want to pay for craft men ship and skills. I have repaired and rebuilt and built guitars for folks from all over the US and have met many great folks, but younger players are impatient and always trying to undercut what they have to pay for quality work.
You sir are absolutely correct.
Fifty an hour doesn’t seem that bad when you consider what a mechanic charges per hour. If it took you all day to fix my guitar, considering what might require 8 hours to fix, $400 would seem reasonable.
Depends I mean When they bring a Squire to you a $200-400 guitar and cannot change their own strings, the work sometimes out weights the cost of the guitar labor and they cannot handle that. People are dumbasses.
I hear the same thing in the furniture world. I repair furniture, have been for about 10 years. People think 50 an hour is too much but don't understand what it takes to actually do it. It's definitely frustrating
Like bar gigs, they still want to pay 1970's prices for guitar work.
Since there is no luthier anywhere where i live, i just started doing all the work needing to be done myself. I started out with doing basic setups on all my guitars.
Got me an old crappy guitar to learn how to do fretwork, took me 3 times to get it right but now i know what to do and it plays like butter. Electronics are very easy so no problem there. Schematics for certain types of wiring can be found everywhere online. I refinished a guitar, had to do that twice to get it right. I wouldn't call my work professional but decent. It's good enough for me and i know how to make my guitars play right. I have not done any major or specialized jobs (IE neck reset or placing binding)
Just get yourself a crappy cheap guitar, be patient and eventually things will start to make sense.
I’ve been doing the same thing. I bought a squire classic 70s strat. I changed out the pickups, I refinished it in nitro, I think the neck was supposed to be an American neck, it’s beautiful, Birdseye all the way through with flame all down the back of the neck. It just has a couple small blemishes under the finish that probably got it rejected and sent to Indonesia. Now I’m not sure if they do this, but how else would such a beautiful neck end up on a squire? Anyway, I leveled the frets and I’m on the fence about changing the wire. They are the tall frets, im used to mediums on Les pauls and like them more. It’s a fun hobby and I love tinkering on things, im a carpenter by trade.
Thats how alot of stuff in life is, keep at er and your skills well evolve as well as everything else!
I want to be a luthier! I told my wife this and she was like: aren’t we Baptist? 😆
My dream: become a luthier and work for Baxster!
As a Lutheran who aspires to be a luthier, I thoroughly enjoyed this joke. :)
I said the same to my wife expecting her to tell me how silly that idea was, to my shock she's been encouraging it more and more. So here we go on this voyage. Good luck to you in yours if you start it!
@@simontemplar3359 this lifelong-Lutheran agrees...
Classic…
When I was a teenager my parents had their kitchen remodeled. The cabinet maker/carpenter (and friend of my dad) also played fiddle. We would jam, and whenever I needed instrument repairs I'd call him. He repaired and restored everything from fiddles and guitars to some Ludwig drums from the 1930s that I had. He did great work and seemed to really love bringing new life to old instruments, but there was just more money to be made renovating kitchens and restoring woodwork in old houses.
It's funny, I think of Luthiers as people that build guitars. I refer to people that repair guitars as "guitar repair dudes".
Guitar techs are what they are called...they don't build them..they maintain and mod them...kinda the difference... obviously these skills and industries overlap
@@greggallandrew1097 Good bad.
I’m 42. I apprenticed under my guitar mentor for five years between 2016-2021 until he passed away. He owned his own guitar shop and he wanted to pass it on to me when he retired but, that never came to fruition. He taught me how to do things slowly and correctly. Most of all, always stand up for yourself. I miss him dearly. I just bought a Les Paul Junior that I’m going to set up and name after him.
I do amateur/part time work as a luthier, and had worked in a shop renting space to make money doing it. It's a great way to go broke and be frustrated, unless you specialize and get a name for yourself. But, anymore, the prevalence of tools/instruction and general knowledge has democratized guitar repair to the point that I think it's a non-starter for a guy just coming up. And, maybe that's not a bad thing. I started doing it out of frustration that I didn't have a good luthier nearby - the two in my area were notoriously slow and hard to deal with (don't get into that line of work if you have personality issues and hate your customers, folks), and I learned literally everything the hard way. Eventually learned under Dan Erlewine and I'm glad I did, but I don't think you need that anymore at all. In fact, I encourage young guys to learn to DIY and will happily share my knowledge now.
I'm coming close to the end of my 3 year apprenticeship as a luthier studying under the only two Taylor gold accredited luthiers in africa. Our que is a week for setups and close to a month for structural and cosmetic repairs. When people think of luthiers they think of old men busy planing a fretboard with a Stanley plane form the 1800's... It's an exciting time to be or get into this business with how how advanced CNC and 3D printing technology has gotten and the old men need us youngsters to figure out the new technology. Anycase shout out for the video and I hope to receive whisky from a customer one day. Your videos keep me sane playing in the background while i'm busy cutting nuts and saddles.
I'm a Luthier from Birmingham UK, and you are on the money with this video! I work in a city that has JD guitars, who built Tony Iommi's guitars and built guitars for Angus Young. That being said... I've been in business for 2 years now, with the blessing of the legendary luthiers in my area, it was very much a torch passing excersise, but also a lot of my clients get freaked out because i'm a young looking 35. I have to speak though my work to placate some clients.
I'm a luthier. It's a tough gig.
'Luthier' means a bunch of different things. A good service/repair guy is a luthier. A designer/builder is a luthier. When I was born a fender cost $200-300 - trying to get a player to part with $2300 now is all but impossible. But the craftsmanship and skill necessary then is still required now, and that is what a US made guitar by a guy in a shop actually IS worth. And the $50-60 bench costs are a bargain for the skills required.
We're harder to come by because it's REALLY hard to stay in the game.
Yep
So true, I stopped in 2001. Thinking about going back though.
This is my new favorite video. I’m at the point now that I’m considering taking an apprentice because of how busy my shop has become. But it really has to be the right person. Like anything else really. And I’m going to start taking payment in whiskey and cookies.
You guys nailed it with this video. Guy brings guitar"Im in no hurry I have 10 other guitars". Three days later"How you coming on that guitar." Haven't even opened the case.
Iv seen the opposite happen too
Mostly this is solved with realistic timeline/communication. When they're telling you they're patient, you re-affirm it with "Ok, realistically I'm not going to touch this for a couple weeks, but I will absolutely have it done by X". And, then you communicate. 99% of the times I've had problems with customers and timelines, it was my own fault for not giving them a clear timeline or living up to it. Sure, some customers are difficult no matter what you do, but when you tell them clearly and live up to it, you always have that to fall back on.
Anyone in Michigan reading this, visit Northcoast Guitars in Grand Rapids on Wealthy Street. Russell Olmsted owns the building and has made my guitars play like never before. Super nice guy, always working on something cool.
Hey! I'm from Princeton, WV. Only about 1hr 45 minutes away from Charleston. Was so happy to see you guys speak about my run down state. Yall keep on keepin on and we love yall in WV!!! I lost it at the women joke.
I started learning lutherie several years ago to repair my broken headstocks.
Srsly, watched alot of Dave's World of fun stuff.
I played for decades not realizing I could set up a guitar and have it play the way it should. Really helps when I gig a lot and my gitters need maintenance.
I purchased a 1954 Harmony Master from Casino Guitars several months ago. It needed some work. So, I invested in some tools from Stewmac. I replaced the frets, nut, bridge, keys & straightened the neck a little. Now, the Harmony plays great. Thank you Casino. You gave me a good deal on a vintage guitar & I can now do my own guitar setups!
Where I live there's tons of luthiers, which is strange because it's a small province in Canada. But there's more musicians per capita in Canada vs the US anyway so maybe that's why. Frank Brothers Guitars, Cinder Guitars, Ironside Guitars, Sawchyn Guitars, Beardsell, Halcyon, Hillacre, Revv Amps, Phaez Amps, Traynor Amps. That's just off the top of my head. We in a golden age renaissance up here.
The luthier I used, past tense since he just retired, was great. He built violins, cellos, guitars, mandolins, etc. And he charged too little. I am going to miss him. Good luthiers are worth their weight in gold.
There's no steady paycheck for most luthiers. I'm a hobbyist guitar builder. But I also do set up and repairs for my friends,family and word of mouth customers. It's a hobby. I'd starve to death if I had to rely on that for trade. And it wouldn't be fun anymore. It would become stressful. And I'm a master electrical contractor with enough stress already. Good luck to those who choose luthiery as their main source of income.
I drive about an hour one-way up a long winding Mountain Road to a good guitar tech/luthier instead of going to the local GC for guitar service due to prior bad experiences with them years ago. Worth it!
Jonathan, Welcome back..You were missed..
Im 20. Really interested in becoming a luthier, just have been incredibly nervous about reaching out to any professional for help to learn. But this video almost gives me the courage to try
Life's to short to not try. The only thing better than playing a guitar is working on / building them.
I would offer to work for free. A sort of apprenticeship.
My friend went to the luthier school in Minnesota and got a job at a top guitar manufacturer instantly. Works a schedule he likes for a great wage. Go to the school and fix and build my friend. Two years later and he’s making top end acoustic guitars and living the dream.
I’ve been doing my own luthier work for many many years, I think it’s one of those thing you have to love doing, I literally was the proverbial kid that took his radio apart to see how it works, back when people still had radios, I was amazed to see the pulley system for the station adjuster, you love tinkering or you don’t
Excellent vedio .with improved inexpensive guitars being made. The need for quick and easy set ups and repairs are a thing of the past. The fill money is lost. This leaves more skilled repairs .which dosent give a new apprentice time to buld a bace to build his business on. New tech will need a multiple tallents to buld a business.
I'm wanting to become a luthier. Getting some practice on my own guitars. Lots of videos on UA-cam that's helping me along the journey.
I use Dan also and have known him since the early 80's. I consider him a friend. He really cares about doing a great job. He showed me some binding tips recently too. You should do a video on his personal collection. He has some great Strats.
guys, excellent work. I shant've know until watching you guys that Luthiers are repair guys. gonna bring my EPI LP to a Luthier at GC for a clean up!
Growth in the pool of luthiers/techs is coming. We're just not that far along the curve yet. It's a likely downstream effect of the current massive sales numbers / growth in the player base. Also, I'd suggest there are more boutique / bespoke builders than ever, electric and acoustic. Arguably, we're living through a new Golden Age.
I've read that Ayn Rand book you're referring to and I wish I could get those two weeks of my life back. You're a smart man for skipping it.
I agree!
it takes time to "fix" gear!
I discovered (set-up) and it is great!!!😮
Thank you for bringing that stuff to light guys,...the biggest problem with people an luthiers is the industry (any industry not just guitars)is the word technician doesnt matter what the job your a technician...seriously its ridiculous, an so many technicians consider themselves luthiers because they turn screws an string guitars ...repairs an building guitars is like apples an oranges ...they are not the same ,an, D.I.Y. motto with the age of kit guitars in mainstream today ...an I myself being a luthier ( full guitar maker an repairman)ita hard to find an individual who wants refretting knowing they can buy a neck already fretted for half the price of refrett ...I see so much repair work that is redoncoulus!!! Because we live in a DIY, an save some money thinking ...it took myself a real long time personally to consider myself a luthier ,...a luthier should be self sufficient in all not just one aspect of guitar ,repairing ,making an refinishing ...an as you have said in the wrap up ,theres the write way an the half fast way...a real luthier doesnt know the half fast way..that's DIY.a penny pincher ,a guitarist with expirience ( not newbies)should be able to do what all guitar store techs do ,setups ,neck tweaking ,action intonation ...
I started modding cheap when I was young, then I decided to go up to Washington state for a week to shadow a guitar builder I know. I helped him with a build and learned a ton of skills relating to guitar building.
I’m now building custom guitars and performing maintenance/ repairs for customers. Quality work takes time, it takes attention and patience. There is a reason we charge “a lot” for the work.
A GOOD luthier is an endangered species. There are plenty of imposters out there..
5 days I wonder where you all had been I miss waking up with my coffee and sitting on the (JOHN) laughing at Baxter
Thanks guys! It is a struggle keeping up with everybody's internet buys. I'm going to make it down to your store sooner or later.
Yes, you guy's are so right. I'm in construction and I see specialized things, are fading away. Whan I firststarted playing, I learned on an acoustic. When I learned all the cowboy chords on top of the neck I figured I would go buy a real guitar. I Washburn made in Chicago, I needed a basic set-up. When they told me it would be at least 3 weeks, to me that was unacceptable. So a got a 50 dollar pawn shop guitar that was terrible. That was my testing for experience. I'm also a finish carpenter (by the way that trade is serous lacking, new kids think there finish carpenters because they know how to install pre-made crown molding lol) so you guitarist out there, your going to have to learn yourself, unless you want to wait 6 months. An electric guitar isn't as hard to keep right compared to an acoustic.
There is a you tuber, kinda old school twford. This guy is very good. You have to learn how to repair a broken headstock or a simple set up. You may have a guitar right now and hate it, but it may not be set up right. If it was chances are you would like it, if not love it. One sixteenth of an inch can make a world of difference, she said at the picnic.
Lee Chapman (Aleyas Instruments) is based in Charleston WV. He makes some world class mandolins and guitars. Also, Charlie Powers of Guitar CPR in Fairmont WV is one of the best instrument repairmen in the buisness. Both are super nice, knowledgeable guys.
I'm 23 and I've recently taken up luthiery as my full time job. I live in a smaller town, so the pay isn't so great, but it affords me a great lifestyle. I initially thought it would be hard to earn clients' trust, being so young, but all my customers are happy to see some young blood and always respect my turnaround times and rates, mainly because I move guitars in a matter of days, not weeks like the other guy in town....
Luthiers are created out of apprenticeship, and/or practical need (as in my case). Judging from the number of builds/repairs illustrated here on UA-cam this past few years- I seriously doubt that we are 'endangered', but locating one that is worthy in your particular location can be challenging. Word of mouth, and trial and error come into play on that one. Generally, it is never a bad idea to try and figure out how to remedy a problem on your own- which is the very thing that led me into restoration.
I know someone who did full time guitar and amp repair work for years. He quit and went to work in another industry. The main reason he quit? Having to deal with musicians. Think about how many flaky, shady, weirdo, losers that you have come across in bands or the scene. Now imagine having them bring their guitar or amp to you for service. The stories he told me. The worst part of it though is the deadbeats. People would drop stuff off with him, he'd do the work, then tell them it's ready and the cost for the work and they ghost. Musicians bring stuff in for work and then they don't have the money to pay for the work. So stuff would sit in his shop for months and even years. He couldn't handle the deadbeats and arguments over how much the work cost anymore and quit.
Preach it
I watched this video as I, a 31 year old "luthier" guitar tech, sat at my bench setting up a Les Paul that I repaired a headstock break on.
I knew a guy, he was actually a friend of my Dad's and I used to look after his furnace and A/C. He showed his workshop and he was a Luthier and made beautiful acoustics as well as amazing cellos and bass etc. He had profession players all over the world he made them for and he really enjoyed it. Had I not already been doing the Refrigeration/heating I would have got into this. I may still, who knows?
I dream of my grandson becoming the Greatest Luthier in the Galaxy!
The book is "Atlas Shrugged" and the place they all went to was in Colorado as I recall.
My luthier runs a "build your own guitar" course one person at a time using all the tools he uses. Great way to learn all the intracacies of building and setting up a guitar.
Dan elderwins book I bought from stewmac 15 yrs ago, has walked me thru every repair I ever needed to make
Oddly enough, I'm from WV , and I've been repairing guitars for 30 years.....
You definitely can make a living, but it's not easy.
PS: I now live in Gettysburg PA.
If you live in a city you are definitely in a better position. When I was in Toronto I had my choice of 6 high quality Luthiers. Where I live now I would have to ship or drive for 8-10 hours. The waiting is the killer for sure.
always great to start my morning with a new casino guitars video ☕️😃
Yep, all the luthiers I know are older guys getting close to retirement. Many are musicians, but restoring/repairing guitars became a good money side gig and then became the main gig. There is also a shortage of appliance repairmen and that pays top dollar.
In my state firewood cutting permits are cheap, like 18 bucks for 6 cords in some counties. Here, generally you can harvest anything within 100 yards of any roadway (even forest service/paper company roads) or abjectly where it blocks paths. The type of wood you collect is unspecified, so if I wanted to roll around and just collect downed scrub oaks or alder (insert your local wood), any hardwoods really, then I can take them home and learn how to get my own damn woods as well as understand what good wood is when receiving it from someone else, and by then you've carved, burned, bent, steamed, tarred and feathered in more ways than there are days in the year every type of regional wood you can lay your hands on, literally, now *you're* the expert.
Once you're the expert in something, you'll meet a lot more people. Since you're an expert in some areas luthiers would be just drinkin beer at the bar shootin the breeze would be chatting about, you're more likely to run into people who will teach you the skills you want to learn.
I've learned many things in multiple disciplines and while I can't teach you how to luthier I can help you learn to learn and that, well, dumb as it sounds helps you learn. It was the most important thing I learned.
Funny you mentioned Ayn, she is a huge part of why I decided to pursue becoming a luthier. Her book and the movie adaptation she helped make both of which are fantastic for the fountainhead really hit home for me, I've wanted to build guitars since I was 13 but I never wanted to build shit, I never wanted to make kit guitars or copy someone else which I could have done but instead I worked really hard breaking my back doing all kinds of jobs to try and build up my shop so I could make guitars the way I feel they should be made... It seems like everyone is fighting over who can recreate the best copy of a 50s and 60s fender or Gibson but nobody talks about trying to compete with Stradivarius... I feel like the guitar exploded going from a parlor guitar, to the dreadnought, to the strat and les Paul and then everything kinda stopped there... I think it's about time the electric guitar moved into the future and someone stopped giving a shit about what fender and Gibson did and started giving a shit about making the best instrument ever made by man.... That time is now gentlemen, prepare yourselves... I am coming!
The luthier I do business with is incredible and in business 45 years
My guy is good, but don't expect to get it back anytime soon. 8 months, still waiting on a Martin neck reset. If your watching this Scott, Any update?
I am lucky enough to know one.
The gentleman is elderly and a little slower nowadays.
Allanoke guitars in Visalia CA.
Dan hooked up my Martin and strat. He took great guitars and made them twice as good. Absolutely incredible luthier and a great guy.
It's pretty similar in my trade. Not a whole lot of people getting into repair unless it's tech related it seems
At 56, it sounds like a great career move!!
Andrew White, Morgantown, WV., makes incredible guitars😉😎👍
He is much younger than I🤣😎👍
I follow the scene in Japan and the situation seems much better than in the West. Most of the smaller boutique builders do both repair work and building guitars. While there are quite a few old luthiers, quite a large number of younger luthiers have begun to make their name in the last few years. You also have a few under 50 year olds that have came from the bigger factories striking out on their own. The former custom shop manager for Kanda Shokai (Zemaitis) started his own brand Bizen. A big factor is ESP. ESP is known just as a guitar maker in the west but in Japan, they run a chain of retail stores that sell not only ESP but many other guitar brands. In the big cities near the ESP stores, ESP run their Guitar Craft Academy (GCA) (luthiery school) as wll as ESP branded music schools. I believe you have to finish the two year program at a GCA school to work at the ESP factory or the retail stores. This creates a steady supply of new talent that feeds the various Japanese brands. The major Japanese stores all have full repair services. The new Ikebe store in Shibuya has a beautiful repair workshop on the 3rd floor.
As in my profile, I build everything I play. But over the years I learned not to deal with customers and be a public luthier. Repairs, setups and such is fun, but the customer stress is not worth it to me. And I get the stresses of these folks, they want the best for their instruments as cheap as they can get it and returned within a week. And if that doesn't happen, they have social media to tear you up. Woot woot.. Less stress is worth more to me than doing this to the public. I work for a few and build for a few and they get a great return on their investment. But I would never take on anything that I can't return or build within a couple of months. Less stress. But I do agree that some charges a little too much for some work.
I bet the job would be more attractive if there were fewer videos on YT telling folks they don’t need Luthiers. ;)
I am coming to see you guys in a couple of weeks. What is the best day during the week? Are there certain days you get most of your new stuff in? Can't wait!
I would love payment in moonshine, or chickens. In the last 25 years only money. Great video guys.
Two problems: 1) Affordability: either you are starting with a sub 400 or growing to a mid or high tier guitar. Also with so many options, there is very small room for a luthier-made instrument. If you are in the low tier, you sell/give a way your guitar and then can buy the next one. 2) Luthiers are more treated like specialists with more focused restoration or fine-tuning jobs rather than making.
Most of the people don't mess up with their instruments, not a lot really are into upgrading stuff and if you (like me) cannot afford a luthier, you take your card, go to StewMac/Amazon and you learn by fire and polish your own skills.
I could be wrong, but I can be right.
My Luthier is grumpy "get off my lawn" MO... But does some BAD ASS work.....
Randy Shartiger is a youtuber luthier in West Virginia. A very knowledgeable and entertaining guy.
I have done a lot of woodworking. And I'm more than happy to do anything "electronics" to my guitars, but I definitely want to learn enough luthiery skills to at least take care of my own instruments into the foreseeable future. I've narrowed down the "herd" to ones that I feel VERY connected with, and wouldn't want major changes repairs in anyone else's hands... (at least no one that I know currently) - accepting luthier rec's
I've looking into dropping the 20k to do the Master Program at Galloup School but that's a large chunk of my down payment for a home as well as a step or two down in pay from my software sales job. Can't help but feel I'd enjoy that so much more though. Been finishing and building kits and have spent wayyyy too much money on tools.
You will not regret it.
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze
All the luthiers are in Canada. Thank goodness for the internet.
I don't know that I completely agree. Luthiers have ALWAYS been older guys. (at least as long as I remember). Most luthiers were originally players/performers who eventually drifted over to the other side, in part because it's more of a "9-5" experience, and in part because they've realized how difficult it is be a fulltime guitarist.
Fellas, I’m 27 and a decade ahead of this curve
I think the huge number of instruments in the market is partly to blame for this. Previous generations would grow with their guitars, often swapping pickups and bridges, as well as shaving necks. Because there are so many options out there, many players simply trade-in or sell their "problem" guitars. Personally, I've had some very nasty experiences with so-called "master" technicians outsourcing their work to novices and journeyman--had the fingerboard of a custom G&L S-500 destroyed due to this and almost went to small claims court. A lot of people are also learning to do their own setups from watching youtube and reading articles online.
A lot of the luthiers I know are the older guys, one in Kentucky who fixed one of my guitars, one in Mississippi who restored a fiddle of mine, Emory Knode in Catonsville MD who is the store owner of Appalachian Bluegrass and pretty much a full time luthier, I’ve driven 2/3 of the way across the country for him to rebuild a family fiddle. But then there are folks like Jo Miner, a young woman learning to fix and build instruments in Utah, and the young woman in Guitar Emporium of Louisville who is one of the better luthiers there. So there’s hope, but in places where acoustic instruments live because they need regular TLC and the repairs are almost always more exacting. Look in places like West Virginia and Kentucky where you can’t throw a rock without hitting a musician.
Good call. If I were younger I'd consider it for a career. 1 really good guy here in Wichita, always very busy!
That Burl's Art guy seems young but makes incredible guitars.
We’re I 30 years younger I’d do a luthier apprenticeship. Actually, in my fifties I’d like to do it now!
I am a luthier for 30+ years. There are LOTS of kids coming out of Roberto Venn and other schools with skills but lack the will to stick with it and desire to continue to learn. I was lucky enough to work at good guitar factories while I built up my skill. I also don't take in work that I cant touch in the following two weeks.
luthiers don't charge enough to survive, skilled work takes time
Indeed, all the luthiers are in West Virginia. You can find them holed up in Our Lady of the Pines, the smallest church in the United States.
Jonathan, you can visit but mind your head. The door is really low.
It seems like Roberto-Venn is graduating a number of good folks. I know two graduates of Roberto-Venn and they are both excellent. One is around 50 y/o but the other is around 30. I don't think the situation, at least in Phoenix, is as near as dire as you describe :)
I’m very fortunate I have Northeast music and they do great repairs also my local GC has a great luthier there, as a matter of fact I’m having him put a cunife humbucker in the bridge position on a Telecaster for me (already did the neck position, I love those pick ups) I try and take my business to both of them because I know I am fortunate to have two great ones within 10 minutes of me.
Im 21 and in luthier school right now:)
Memphis has a really long waiting time for guitar work. It has tempted me into doing some stuff DIY style (then messing it up bad enough to require the Luthier attention)
The best part of this for me is, I just accepted my first five clients as a luthier after working on multiple rare guitars over decades. And my family is definitely from West Virginia. Lmao
Luthiers will never disappear for acoustic guitars.They will however charge prices for repair that will more than the value of anything that was in effect a manufactured instrument. Solid body electrics could soon find that only a very few old instruments have anything but the ascetic value. The very latest CNC machines can now produce a finished body, both sides at once. Every guitar can be cut and shaped dead perfect and the ONLY sanding needed is not to make them smoother but to rough up the wood enough for the paint to stick. At the moment they only need someone to stack 10 body blanks on the end of the machine and come back a half hour later to take away the finished work and refill the machine. It would take 10 minutes but running cutting blades at that speed burns the wood. A Plek machine only takes 8 minutes to give you perfect playing neck. In short, hand skills will be needed less and less to the point of near zero within a generation. Keep in mind that with the latest tech automobile factories that an entire car can be assembled in 45 seconds without anyone actually doing any hands on work.
I don't think I would want to repair guitars made by another company. I would prefer to build , sell and service the ones I build. But I also cannot do it full time , I just would not make enough money to survive. it may be a good retirement gig. I am now 61 so it won't be long now before I can consider that. I am at the point where I don't want to answer to someone else for employment . Id rather flip them off :). So I hope I can be satisfied building and repairing guitars soon. Just got to make sure I have my Harley, my mustang , my truck and then all I need is to make enough to keep the lights on :) Everybody has a dream.
At a local guitar show we’ve had luthiers & techs to advertise their business, but also to answer questions
Most are also working on a guitar during the show & you can watch
Don't worry fellas, I'm starting my venture into this art in Las Vegas.
I want to learn this skill as an apprentice
I lived in Charleston for 15 years just moved to Florida and yes the Scenery is amazing there….southern girls…also I’m 54 year old Carpenter …we will be out of real carpenters before too long as well…also mechanics
20 yrs old. Been training to be a luthier since last year while also in college. I’m now asking myself after watching this “why the hell am I majoring in Mechanical Engineering?”
My Father was a VERY WELL KNOWN Luthier in So. Cal for 30 years....I had every opportunity to learn as a kid and just wasn't interested....took up Guitar last year at 54 and now all I want to do is be able to work on Guitars lol
Its "Galts Gulch" in Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand) Baxter PEACE
I hate when y’all don’t have a video each morning
I'm pretty good friends with guitar tech Bill Baker (Ace Frehley / Misfits / Leslie West etc) and I can't believe the backlog that he has in repair work. That said I do see an increasing amount of younger female guitar techs here in New Jersey.