Schools of Lutherie, and Employment Afterwards?

[luvuvibanez]

I'm trying to think ahead, specifically after High School. I'd really like to have a "Career" as a luthier, and then play the toys I make afterwards just for kicks.

I checked out a few schools on The American Luthiers Guild website and found that the Roberto Venn school suited my interests (Solid body Electric, and acoustic). Are there any others situated somewhat near or in Oregon?

Also what kind of positions could I expect to possibly get at a Guitar Manufacturing Company (Ibanez, Fender, Gibson, Peavey, etc...).

Or do I not really need a degree to work at a Guitar Shop?

Thanks

Seth

[supermau]

You probably don't need a degree to work at a major guitar manufacturer unless you want to be on the design team. I'm sure any warm body with some training can help fill out the assembly line.

You should think about starting your own business instead.

[god9]

I've always wondered what the prerequisites might be for working as a builder at a guitar company. I was thinking you would need some carpentry experience if you were building (though isn't pretty much anything computer cut now?)

Also, what if you were working putting together the electronics in guitars? I'm sure you don't need an electrical engineering degree to do this sort of work?

Anybody know anyone who works for a major guitar company?

[ryanb]

For most of the big manufacturers, the only prerequisite you will need is a willingness to operate the same machine day-in and day-out for a minimal salary. That is hardly what I would consider lutherie. Eventaully you could work your way up in the company, but it would take time.

If you think you are interested in building instruments, the first thing you need to do is build a few on your own, with no intention of sales ... just for education. Many people find once they have done some building that it isn't for them. Perhaps you will find that is indeed what you want to pursue, but you won't know until you have some experience with it. It isn't necessarily the way you think it will be.

It is very difficult to make a living building and selling instruments. There are many people who try, and few that are really sucessful. It takes time to build up experience, reputation, and customer base. A good thing to try would be to hook up with another established small builder in your area and work there for a while. Build instruments as a hobby. When your quality and features are good enough, try marketing your guitars or doing custom work. If your product is good, the news will spread by word of mouth, and your workload will increase. Eventually you can decide whether you are ready and still willing to go after a full-time business. Many builders choose to never go there.

I encourage you to continue on that path if it interests you. Just have realistic expectations for it as well, and realize you will probably need another source of income for quite a while. And be sure to learn the lessons from the multitude of failed companies in the vendor forum and other places ... don't make the same mistakes. Most of those companies were designed to fail from the very beginning.

Good luck. Read everything you can find, then get some wood and get building.

[Randy G]

Good luck, but give it a try if you are really interested in becoming a luthier.

[mfergel]

Yeah, it really depends. I know Richmond has a folk festival the last three years where luthiers show up to sell their stuff (mostly mandolins) but some of it is really high end stuff. I've been to the Gibson store in Nashville. They actually have windows back into an area where you can watch guys building stuff. Again, mostly mandolins and acoustics.

[hall]

Working in a guitar factory, especially on an assembly line, does not make one a "luthier". That's like saying the guy who machines cylinder bores in automobile engines is an "engine builder". NO degree or experience is required for those type jobs. It's all unique processes and machinery that you won't learn anywhere.

A degree or education from a "luthier" school should steer you in the direction of a guitar company's "custom shop" but I suspect that many years of experience is a requirement there.... Then again, they may have apprentice-type positions to start in too.

[buddroyce]

If you speak and understand Japanese, goto the ESP Guitar Craft school in Japan. Aa number of the top students there end up at ESP's factory afterwards.

Other than that, the likelihood of you learning how to be a luthier and then come out building guitars for some company is low, and even if you do score one it's likely you'll be a machine operator, or the guy responsible for buffing the guitars. On the plus side, it gives you a chance a scoring a job in guitar repair for some place. Unless you're lucky it's hard making a living on building guitars. Instrument repair and maintenance is something you can bring home the bread and butter with.

(On a side note, I understand that Ed Roman hire's a good number of Roberto Venn students to work in his workshop building & repairing stuff.. but that's if you really want to work for Ed)

[rastachild]

check out projectguitar.com as well. it's a forum for aspiring guitar builders and there is a lot of information there.

but in general, everything that's been said above is true. it's not a career anyone goes into to make money. it's really something these guys do because they are passionate about creating instruments. as luthiers like ekg, lgm and chris woods can attest to, it is a hard business. you have to get good first (which means you'll have to build a plethora of guitars just to get experience with the different types of requests you will receive) and then being the new guy, you probably will need to charge the bare minimum to get people to give your stuff a try. once you get a good rep going, your problem will most likely be sticking to your deadlines. it's more than likely you will not be able to make a full time job out of this until you've been doing it successfully for years and have made a name. even then, if you're working alone, you won't be able to take on too much work at one time because deadlines will start slipping and you'll have angry customers on your hand. then, to even stay current, you'd probably want to invest in a cnc machine, which is several thousands of dollars.

so not to discourage you (because we quality luthiers are always welcome), but it can be a hard road. that just means you really have to be dedicate and love what you do.