American School of Lutherie
expert training for luthiers of all levels

 

 

CONTEMPORARY GUITAR MAKING February 1 - 5 CONTEMPORARY GUITAR MAKING is a comprehensive survey of the entire field of modern lutherie. This unique five day seminar will have a lasting impact on the depth of your understanding as you build guitars, whether you're already an experienced luthier or just beginning. See Course Description for details.

 

 

SMALL SHOP PRODUCTION March 15 - 19   SMALL SHOP PRODUCTION demonstrates how to increase your output by incorporating the most useful jigs, fixtures and dedicated work stations, along with professional workflow concepts and organization, in ways best suited to your own resources and goals. See Course Description for details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HANDS-ON GUITAR MAKING February 15 - 27   HANDS-ON GUITAR MAKING teaches the professional methods and techniques used by today's successful luthiers. Spend two high-energy weeks learning the craft as you build your own guitar in a setting designed to maximize both your learning and the quality of your work. See Course Description for details.

 

 

ADVANCED DESIGN FEATURES April 5 - 9 ADVANCED DESIGN FEATURES is a five day in-depth survey of double tops, beveled arm-rests compound cutaways, sound ports, adjustable necks, and other popular new design features found increasingly on today's high-end hand-made guitars. Learn to understand and execute these features, and take your work to the next level. See Course Description for details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WELCOME TO ASL

Greetings, Charles Fox here. Thanks
for your interest in the American School of Lutherie. For almost 40 years it's been my pleasure to teach the craft of guitar making and offer my best council to folks seeking to learn how to make guitars. With so many schools to choose among today, I've included advice on SELECTING A SCHOOL, which I hope you'll find useful.

ASL is the original and longest established school for luthiers
in North America. Since 1973 many hundreds of beginning
and experienced craftspeople have passed through our doors, learning valuable skills and gaining powerful insights into this challenging work. We've introduced the craft to many of today's established luthiers and guided more experienced builders to new levels of mastery. Along the way we've developed the basic learning model and teaching formats used by guitar making classes everywhere.

We specialize in intensive, short-term, full-immersion classes designed for busy working adults - beginners and experienced guitar makers for whom long-term study isn't an option. One-week seminars and two-week hands-on workshops offer a choice of learning experiences that provide a strong foundation for future work on your own. Classes are small, the environment is friendly and stimulating. We have a good time sharing information, and you'll likely make a friend or two to stay in touch with and compare notes as you move forward on your own.

The currently scheduled classes are posted on this page. To keep our lives flexible for guitar production, travel, etc, we set class dates 3-4 months prior to each class, Check this page periodically for schedule updates.

You'll find class details in the COURSE DESCRIPTIONS section and answers to your most frequently asked questions on the FAQ page. Please email, or feel free to call us, with any questions or comments. We'll be happy to chat with you in person.

SELECTING A SCHOOL

With so many lutherie classes to choose from today, you'll want to explore the field thoroughly and weigh your options carefully. A good place to start is the comprehensive list of education opportunities at www.luth.org/links/schools. Getting a sense of each program's particular emphasis and strength is important for finding the best fit for you. I hope the following suggestions are useful to you in this regard.

Because each individual's mix of personality, resources and goals is unique, no single lutherie school or training program can be the best choice for everyone. Some of you are looking for a strong foundation experience to support future self-directed learning. Fine. We can help, that's what we do. Some of you want to simply build your own guitar, your dream guitar. Also fine, but not what we do here. Some of you might prefer to minimize your initial guitar making challenge by spending a week or so in a supervised setting assembling a kit of pre-made parts. Equally fine, and opportunities for this sort of experience are available. Some of you younger folks want training in skills that qualify you for work in a guitar factory. Such schools exist and are easy to find. Some of you might prefer to build a guitar one night each week at a local community college to get your luthier's feet wet. And some of you are looking for a long-term, structured, comprehensive education in the craft. If this describes you, be sure to include Bryan Galloup's guitar building school in your research: www.galloupguitars.com/school.htm. You'll be in great hands. These and other approaches to lutherie instruction exist to serve each of the many types of individuals drawn to this craft, so scan the field broadly to find what's best for you.

The wild card in all this is the quality of instruction. Teaching skills don't necessarily come with the teaching role. To determine what quality of instruction to expect, you can either talk to a teacher's previous students or visit a school and sit in on a class. You can experience a teacher directly by calling him or her on the phone with your questions (but please always respect the value of a craftsperson's time). Such a chat should give you a good idea of a teacher's knowledge, style and willingness to helpful, and how well you're likely to work with and learn from him or her. Beyond all this, a teacher's years of experience, reputation, and record of accomplishment in the field are there for you to consider.

So, your homework has already begun. Explore the many lutherie education opportunities, weigh your options and find a learning situation that best fits your personality, resources and goals. Wherever you choose to study, we want you to come away from the experience confident that you made the right choice; solidly prepared and motivated for a lifetime of continued learning on your own.