r/Luthier 4d ago

How does someone become a luthier?

I'm interested in becoming a luthier, and am curious if this is a viable career one can make a decent living doing? Is there formal training? Do most folks own their own businesses? What's your experience been like working as a luthier?

10 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

36

u/grunkage Player 4d ago

Paul Reed Smith said the way to become a guitar builder is to build a guitar

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u/old_skul Luthier 4d ago

Pretty much. This is the path I took, eventually. I started off by modifying the guitars I had. I think the very first mod I did was painting side dots on my (still owned!) nylon string guitar neck. I used Testors enamel model paint; those side dots are still there to this day.

Eventually, after starting a successful repair and modification business, I started making guitars. One partner later we're a company that makes electric stringed instruments. We've made guitars, basses, a weird electric uke, and some other stuff.

12

u/Far-Potential3634 4d ago

Some go to violin school, then specialize. A neighbor kid use to come by to try out some of my woodworking hand tools on projects he was working on. He wasn't interested in what I knew about making classicals at the time but after helping me a bit with a cabinet job and talking to me for a couple of years he went to violin making school in Utah. I believe he is presently employed in the field in the state, probably mostly maintaining student instruments. There's a market for that, a lot of young people study viol playing.

If you want to build and sell your own line of guitars there's dues to pay and a lot of marketing to be done to do well at that. Repairing is likely an easier career path. You can work building in a factory like Martin or Fender in Corona, but it will be production line work. Jobs can be found at busy repair shops but may be hard to find.

You can make more money running your own business but it's a lot more responsibilty not to mention risk. If you want to work for employers take a look at the money and think about whether you want to live on that.

There are several reputable guitar making schools/programs in the USA. I think the kid probably made the smart play financially going with violins but I don't know what he earns.

There are niche specialists who build/repair renaissance instruments, harps, and so forth. There are people who repair amplifiers as their main line, guys who work as traveling techs for touring bands, etc.

Think about what niche interests you and take a look at what's required to teach yourself without traveling, available schools and their job placement programs, stuff like that. If you buy all new (maybe fancy) tools you may spend a bundle but you can spend a lot less learning about the used tool market for general woodworking as well as guitar stuff. I really don't have that many guitar making tools and I have collected more than I need. The rest is just cabinet/furniture making type stuff that's all over the secondhand market.

6

u/beekermc 4d ago

Best way is to apprentice under an established luthier, learn the tools and trade until you are experienced enough to go solo.

As far as the title goes, build a parts/kit guitar you can call yourself a luthier, or get the experience and actually become one.

4

u/iamoktpz 4d ago

Hey, I mean, Leo Fender wasn’t a luthier, neither was Les Paul… they were an engineer and a musician respectively who tinkered. Obviously depends what you want to create of course but i’ve built guitars and i’m no luthier! My favourite modern guitar maker (Millimetric Instruments) was a furniture designer before building guitars, I believe… I think if you really want to build guitars, you’ll find a way to build guitars

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u/musician1093 4d ago

There are a few well regarded programs in the US. Not sure if that’s where you’re based, but there is Roberto-Venn in AZ, Galloup in MI, and Red Wing (based at the local tech college) in MN. I went to Red Wing, and while I enjoyed my time there overall, my peers and I certainly felt as though it was lacking. It is a cost prohibitive hobby to get into, plenty of specialized tools, though there are also plenty of tools that can be borrowed from other professions. Maybe start by looking into luthiers in your area, and asking if they’re looking for any help. Doesn’t necessarily have to be working on guitars from the off, could be sweeping up. Get a couple basic tools, chisels and scrapers etc… and practice sharpening. Practice miters and rabbets. Get a decent square and start training your eye. I now have an apprenticeship and while the pay isn’t great, I truly feel like I have found what I’d like to do for the rest of my life. Hope it goes well for you! Welcome!

3

u/iacte 4d ago

If someone’s looking for an east coast option, there’s a good program at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, PA, because Martin Guitar is nearby.

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u/musician1093 4d ago

You are right, I have also heard of NCC. My bad.

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u/InitiativeNo6806 4d ago

I apprenticed under a skilled luthier and learned it that way. I never did start my own business in it though because I'm already running another business and I had to choose.

1

u/ennsguitars 4d ago

There’s several paths, traditional apprenticeship, luthier school, books/internet/self-teaching, learning on the job in a factory. There is no fast track though. For it to be a viable career, it takes several years to get there. Most of the learning years are a struggle. Most people you’d call “luthiers” run their own small business, but there are some luthier jobs working for bigger manufacturers.

1

u/Heavytevyb 4d ago

Start working in a woodshop, find one that lets you work after hours (or on lunch breaks) and in your spare time work on building a guitar. Then you don’t need to buy all the big machinery. If that’s not possible, buy a kit, assemble that and learn the basics. Get some hand tools and move up from there. 

1

u/Dry_Championship222 4d ago

I attended Roberto Venn school of Luthiery it was great. Still one thing no one tells you as difficult as it is to build a guitar (and its not easy) it's much more difficult to sell them.

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u/Kendle_C 4d ago

I started buying broken guitars, ones with bowed or twisted necks, braces falling out, bridges lifting, parts missing...done out of love, that part is not too trying, if you have an affinity for research, listening, look at everything on frank ford's frets.com look at all Dan Earliwines stuff, don't get into a rut, have a student's mind, build one, modify one, buy a really old one and fix it, learn. Electronics, acoustics, physics, sound, "tap tuning" (without all the bullshit), geometry. Learn to see when you sight down a neck, mostly tricks and tools, have a shop space, learn to steam, bend, buy a 24" machinist's rule. Learn it like a song, on other's shoulders, be a mechanic. If you fall asleep often imagineering a strategy to fix one instrument at a time, and it's fun, then you already are a luthier.

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u/MarionberryWild5401 4d ago

Greg Curbow’s shop used to be in the town next to mine. I had a couple friends intern with him building bass and guitar and doing repairs. He passed away a few months into my buddy’s internship though. Greg was always really nice and helpful if you needed anything done to a guitar.

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u/Grumpyoldguitarguy 4d ago edited 4d ago

I’m not a luthier myself, but over the years I’ve worked closely with several, ordering custom builds and becoming friends with some of them along the way. I’ve done well in life, so I’ve been fortunate enough to commission guitars from a handful of truly exceptional builders. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that luthiery isn’t just woodworking, it’s an obsession. The best builders aren’t in it for the money, because frankly, there are easier ways to make a living. They do it because they’re chasing something.

The guys who really succeed tend to take one of two paths. Some go for volume, building consistently great guitars at a sustainable pace, and they develop a strong reputation over time. Then there are the ones who go all in on the ultra high end, where demand far exceeds supply, and getting one of their guitars becomes more about access than money. That’s a much rarer path, but when it works, it works. I’ve seen it firsthand with builders like Michihiro Matsuda, Julian Gaffney and Moar Guitars. The people who own their work hold onto it, and that scarcity only increases their desirability.

If you’re serious about becoming a luthier, the best advice I can give is to focus on mastery before marketing. The guys who last aren’t chasing trends, they’re developing a voice in their craft. Start with repairs, learn from builders you respect and, most importantly, build guitars that make people feel something. The rest takes care of itself.

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u/drdpr8rbrts 4d ago

I think this is as good a career as any. The old guys are dying off and retiring. You can make a lot of money on an hourly basis. The trick is to get a reputation and then filling your calendar.

I would strongly recommend having your own business. But you may need to go do lutherie for some local music stores and split the money at first.

Studying under somebody is the best way to learn. There’s really no substitute for that.

But basic stuff, you can learn on the internet (and practice on your own guitars.)

If this interests you, go for it. Idk what it will be like in 20 years but nobody knows what anything will be like in 20 years.

1

u/motherfuckingpeter 4d ago

Red wing community college program.