Acoustic Guitar Building Basic Course
Skills taught include: The art of Side Bending, Brace Making, Tap Tuning of Plates, Neck Fitting, Learn to use hand tools, chisels, scrapers, hand planes, and sharpening. You will have gained the ability to make a finely crafted, high quality musical instrument; your own guitar. Cost $2,700.

The shop is  simple and flexible. It is a full functioning repair and building environment.  It is not a production shop, but one that crafts custom instruments. The student  has his or her own bench , and easy access to the hand and stationary tools that we use to do our work.

We emphasize care, and use, of the common hand tools and small routers/roto tools to keep ourselves flexible and ready for new work. Although we will be working initially with standard patterns we will discuss  methods of working that seeks to maximize innovation and distinction, not production runs. This one or two-person  shop fits easily into a garage, large bedroom, or basement. We will discuss  finishing methods ( completed finishing is not part of initial course ) that are non-toxic, and non-aromatic, and can be used without respirators or spray equipment.

 When this course is completed the student will be able to continue their own creative work  if desired as soon as possible without the need for a large investment in expensive tools and equipment, or building lots of jigs. The classes run Monday - Saturday from 9am to 5pm. The typical day will begin with a discussion of the days tasks  and  a Q&A period. All work will  be on instrument will be under supervision. We follow a strict schedule to get us finished and strung-up on time. This is typically a one week ( or equivalent )course.