Thread: Guitar Making Course

The link to the course didnt come through for some reason. Are you referring to the Thomas Lloyd course in Victoria? Fiona ("the girl") will no doubt chime in and give you the run down on same.

There are a few other courses on offer. Dave Freeman and Paddy Burgin run a 3 week course in Wellington, New Zealand every couple of years. I did the course in 2005 and found it very worthwhile. Next course will probably be in 2008. Ill check with Dave for timing of next course and get back to you.

Cheers Martin

Is this for acoustic guitar building? I'd love to see some courses for solid body building..

I belive Perry Ormsby in Perth does those. He is a regular in here....

Thanks Gourmet

Details of my solid body course, are located at the bottom of the contact section of my website. We run a couple different formats, to suit local and interstate (and international) students. Everything is supplied, including a router and machine safety course prior to starting the builds. All the hardware is name brand gear, and we dont skimp on the timbers. The basic course deals with building a bolt-on neck style guitar, and the course is limited to five students (with myself and my assist to run things). For students who have been through the basic course, we offer an advanced course where literally anything goes, with no more than two students at a time.

www.ormsbyguitars.com

Hi Belle,

I loved the course out at Chris's. Montsalvat is a great place to be creative and relax whilst hand crafting an instrument.

The Guitar Making Course at Thomas Lloyd Guitars is for Acoustic Solid body Guitars only. (Most sizes available)
No Electrics or Archtops.

In the course you complete: Everything, dovetail neck, bend sides, shape the neck, design your own headstock and bridge, hand oil finish, string up guitar, shape body to your playing ability and hold, great choice of timbers Aust and European. You will hand select your timbers with Chris and talk about what sound you are looking for and or a look. (I dont play apparently my guitar sound amazing - Small bodied acoustic)

He is very relaxed and explains everything simply.

There is nothing pre done for you, you are going to do the lot! The school has had over 100 students go thru in the past 5 years and they all loved the experience.

You will come away with a stunning guitar. Only 3 people pre class so Chris makes sure you get it right.

I'm sure you have recieved all the info by now. TLG runs all year round.

Carson Crikmore also runs courses - the difference I think is the timbers are pre prepared for you and its sort of a kit/style build (apparently).

Hope this helps.

www.thomaslloydguitars.com

Fiona

P.s... When I refer to Solid Body Timbers I mean - NO Ply wood or plastic bindings etc... Chris uses solid timbers (sanded down by you to the precise measurements required) to complete an Acoustic guitars.

oo, ooo, Jumbo, Classical, Dreadnaught etc.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by myguitar

P.s... When I refer to Solid Body Timbers I mean - NO Ply wood or plastic bindings etc... Chris uses solid timbers (sanded down by you to the precise measurements required) to complete an Acoustic guitars.

oo, ooo, Jumbo, Classical, Dreadnaught etc.

Cheers.

the question in my mind is
have you started playing yet???
i remember you saying that you didnt know how to play at the time you built you guitar

Ray,

its always intrigued me that there are quite a few people who have made guitars but don't actually play them. Its even more common for violin makers. I was talking to one recently and he could barely hold the instrument correctly. Despite that his instruments are actually pretty good.

Luthiers...theyre a weird lot.

Now that I build I play a lot less, Those spare hours now are filled up with sand paper and sharpening stuff.

I look at guitars differently too. more in as a building than instrument.

yeah
i find some nights when i am wandering off to a gig wishin i wasn't
i am getting more fun out of building than playing
i guess though i am very bored with one of the outfits i play for

as far as luthiers who dont play i wonder how they evaluate a guitar??
i mean what are they shooting for ??

when i do a build i am after the holy grail of tone and every one is another shot at the perfect guitar....mostly i dont get what i want but usually pleasantly surpised by a new one and tend to use it live for a few months b4 it goes to another player

one i have kept is a twangin tele monster

Hi Ray & Martin,

Ray you pose a good question! The folk I met at the WWShow in Melb last year were people who had always wanted to build a guitar just for the challenge, and most were non players. (and men)

So I guess I may fall under that catagory?

When Martin refers to me as a luthier I get nervous as having only made one does not make me a luthier - maybe budding luthier.

From my experience in crafting one guitar... I followed by the book.. and out came a beautiful, small bodied, scalloped shaped bracing, king billy top guitar... (thats as technical as I get).

I later learned that sanding the top for treble and bass is very important. Body size and timbers all play a part.

My guitar is 18 mths old and last night I sat beside Chris and a student and listened to both of them jamming with 1 x New Houn Pine Guitar (stunning) and my 18 mth old one... with new strings.

It was beautiful. From the novices ear I could hear the difference in resonation and amplification of tones notes and harmonics.

The two worked well together as advanced musicians, and the style was jazz on my guitar and somewhat spanish/classical from chris's huon pine guiatar.
( I have been helping chris out with a project he is working, and hence I get some great advantages hanging around muso's.)

A custom built thru the skills and experience of a master craftsman is generally what people pay for, and that's probably where all the secrets to crafting a guitar will stay.

To answer your question. I won't learn to play... I love to listen.. and I love making things... learning to play would annoy me, where at least listening is immediate and crafting at least gives me gratification along the way. (2 weeks as apoosed to 2 years of learning)

I think the basics of making a guitar are set in concrete - even thought I have seen many guitars made thru chris's school, all are equally beautiful to look at and the sounds are all quite amazing and different.... probably more on the louder than normal side as they are using aussie timbers for the soundboards: King Billy & Bunya, Huon.

Hope that helps.... I had better get some work done.

Fiona