Hands On Guitar Making Workshop

*Note: Details presented in the FAQ sometimes change without the FAQ being updated. If something is important to you, please inquire. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need prior guitar making or woodworking experience?

No. Prior experience can help to give a greater context to the concepts taught in class, but it is not necessary.

Some students take the class having no prior guitar making or woodworking experience, whatsoever. There is nothing wrong with a blank slate! In many ways, this can actually be beneficial to learning.

Some have built an instrument or two at home and take the course in order to overcome certain struggles they are having. Some have built dozens of guitars, and some have taken other courses or worked with other builders.

And some take the class simply because they want to build a fine instrument that they can cherish and pass down to their kids for generations to come.

How Many Days does it take to finish the Course?

The course is 8 days and it usually runs from a Saturday to the following week’s Saturday. Plan on that last day being a full day.

How much time is committed to class each day?

Class usually begins at 8:30 am and ends anywhere from 6pm to 7pm. A typical day is 10 hours but it is not uncommon for a day to run longer, depending on how things go. The course is very intensive and there is ALOT of ground to cover in 8 days! We do, however, take a lunch break to recuperate every day, usually 45 min to an hour.

Do I get to keep the guitar that I build?

Of Course! You built it! It is your guitar!

Is this Guitar built from scratch or from a kit?

It is considered a “from-scratch” build (Hence, the long “work” days!), even though I do prefabricate a few things before the class starts, just so that we are able to fit everything within the 8 day timeframe. Usually this means that the sides are bent, the fret slots are cut and the top/back plates are joined before the start of class.

What really defines a “Kit-Build” is how the neck and neck-block start out. A prefabricated neck with a pre-cut mortise and tenon profoundly changes the process from an integral craft to an assembly job.

While building from a kit can be fun, and the novice can certainly learn a lot from a kit, the student misses out on key practices and techniques. This is why I set up the course as a “from scratch” build.

Pre-fab necks with pre-cut neck joints is simply not something that I do with my students. There are certainly other courses available out there that are more akin to a kit build, if that is what you’re looking for. In fact, most guitar building courses are conducted this way.

What woods are used in the course?

For Standard Students, you will be building an Orchestra Model Guitar with Grade AAA African Wenge for the Back and Sides, Grade AAA Western Red Cedar for the Soundboard and Genuine Mahogany for the neck.

For *Custom Students, there are 4 Build Model Options (Orchestra Model, 000, Parlor, and Dreadnought) and several tonewood choices to choose from.

Do I need to pack a lunch?

Not necessarily, but you might want to.

There are several places to grab a bite to eat and try the local cuisine over lunch, but you may feel a bit rushed driving back and forth over the lunch period.

That is why we set up a breakroom with a refrigerator and a microwave for you to enjoy the break. There is also a pool table, a piano, and a plethora of guitars  (of course!) for your enjoyment.

How Do I Sign Up?

To secure the spot, all you have to do is send a deposit of $1,150 to hold your spot. The rest of the balance is due at class.

Is my deposit refundable?

If circumstances prevent you from being able to attend your scheduled workshop, your deposit can be applied to a future workshop instead with a $50 fee.