Author Topic: Luthery schools in the UK? (for Feline maybe?) (Read 9240 times)

Pierre · « **on:** April 07, 2007, 02:06:17 PM »

I've only been playing for 2 years but I've built a valve amp, pedals, assembled guitars and do all the work I possibly can on mine and my friend's... I mean it's a true passion. What I'm studying right now sucks so I'm thinking of swapping to Marketing (better for music orientated stuff)
When I finish this degree my parents agreed to help me through guitar/violin/stringed instruments building school. But I can't find any...There's Aniesland college in Glasgow (close to Edinburgh where I live now) but it's not a bachelor. And a school in Totnes, Devon... But that's just 12 weeks.

Have you guys heard of a proper bachelor in guitar building?
With that and a degree in marketing I could get employment in most of the major guitar builders and that's the plan.

Thanks!

Edit:
Heheh that's one that looks gooood...
http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/ug-prospectus/courses-07-08/musical-instruments.cfm

Joe Dorcia · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2007, 03:02:30 PM »

There isnt a degree in guitar building. The course i am currently on is in Manchester, its HND so its level 4 (if qualifications matter for luthierie - they don't). ITs a great course but has been badly struck by lack of government funding to adult education (the same accross the board with HE courses) however, i don;t know what course they will be doing course wise, whether it will be HNC and HND or a level 2 course which they also have running now. It is a great course, great tutors and you come out at least 3 or 4 amazing acoustic instruments.

http://www.mancat.ac.uk/he/courses/course_details.asp?location=Moston+Campus&course=&cat=%2CHE&submit=Find+a+course&leaflet=420

Read the blurb about it there. Hopefully the coursewill still be as good as mine next september.

Might see you one day for a visit if you come to check out the course

Joe

sgmypod · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2007, 03:11:34 PM »

damn don't do that one in Hull

dave_mc · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2007, 04:21:51 PM »

i thought you were suggesting feline should go to luthiery school...

:lol: :lol: :lol:

sambo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2007, 05:09:23 PM »

HAHAHA! :lol:

gingataff · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2007, 06:03:38 PM »

ESP Guitar Craft Academy has a 3 year course if you're so inclined.

EDIT: But it's not in th UK, I should have read the title properly :oops:

rahnooo · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2007, 07:21:33 PM »

I'm about to start a 3 month course at the Totnes School of Guitar Making in Devon. I know a few people over at the Sound on Sound forum who speak really highly of it (one of them having taken the same course a few years back). Can't wait to start.

The website is: www.totnesschoolofguitarmaking.co.uk

*Rahnooo*

Pierre · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2007, 07:33:28 PM »

I wouldn't mind but the cost of 3 months is the same as 3 years of uni :s and that doesn't even include accomodation :s but yeah it does seem like a cool course to take.

Joe Dorcia · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2007, 05:07:29 PM »

Totnes is very classically based, and is a completely intensive based course, you get 3 years of knowledge in 3months, that the idea.

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2007, 06:40:26 PM »

I went to the London College of Furniture- now part of London Metropolitan University

But to be fair most of what i learnt and practice is from continuing that study via books , videos, evening classes, personal training in guitar workshops and lots and lots of practice

My own advice is get your degree in something that you can fall back on to bring in a good wage and study the guitar tech stuff in your own time- like the marketing degree

You may find that you will be grateful for that in the future
A degree in a science for example does you more good than any kind of degree or diploma in guitar making

To do anything sensible in guitar making you will end up self employed and I doubt that you will be too bothered about your degree certifcate - just the know how that you have to create stuff, whether you learnt it at college or from reading and practising

Whereas with the right degree an employer may give you a good job, should you realise that you don't want to make guitars or that you wont be able to earn enough doing it

Pierre · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2007, 09:17:47 PM »

I read and ask whatever I can right now. The matter is, I can't build anything :( The degree would be as much for the actual experience of building as the CV experience, if you see what I mean. I really do intend to finish at my current university though. Marketing or combined studies.

How was that course Feline?

Bainzy · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2007, 10:29:44 PM »

While you're waiting to get your hands on some fresh timber, try picking up an old book on carpentry. My grandad gave me a book that's dated at least as old as the 1910's (I've found it was first printed in the 1860's) called "Every Man His Own Mechanic" (the term mechanic included carpentry back then) and it's amazing - I've learnt far more from it than I ever did on the internet, which is saying something since the net is packed full of information teaching you how to build guitars. The book starts by introducing how to use hand planes, chisels, sharpening equipment etc etc, and later goes on to show you how to build various projects. If you get a basic knowledge of normal carpentry (much like Jonathan did on a furniture course) you'll have a far easier time of it than the average Joe on forums such as Project Guitar that are learning skills only as needed when required to build a guitar. The knowledge you need to build a guitar as opposed to any other type of woodworking product isn't actually that great, and I'm pretty sure a joiner could build a nice, fully working guitar just by spending a few weeks on projectguitar.com and reading Melvyn Hisc--k's book on how to build a guitar.

Having said that, just try and maximise all your sources of knowledge - you can spend hours a day engrossed in reading all about this stuff on the internet, there are DVD's you can buy to show you how to use any piece of equipment (check out Axminster.co.uk for those), but most importantly it can't hurt to just get stuck in and learning by doing. I don't intend to go on a course at any point, and I can't justify it financially anyway, but the first few projects I've been working on with the basic necessary tools seem to be turning out to something I'm really happy with.

Pierre · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2007, 11:16:50 PM »

Ahh I'd love to do this actually... Problems so far, I can't order off the Internet and I have no available space/money/tool... So I can't do much that's manual other than what I do now. Setups, electronics, pedal and amp works/building. Wood work is simply out of the question :( We don't have a garage or anything like that even in Amsterdam.
I totally agree with your point though to be honest! When I first got into it it didn't take me long to realize that it's just what it is. Wood work. A Strat or Tele is pretty straightforward and if you learn about hardware and fingerboard radius theory, most carpenters/jointers or even DIY furniture hobbyists could make one.

Bainzy · « **Reply #13 on:** April 09, 2007, 11:29:20 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JOHN-BARNARD-EVERY-MAN-HIS-OWN-MECHANIC-CLOTH_W0QQitemZ300097956160QQcategoryZ29222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Do you have the ability to use ebay? If so I really recommend you get this book anyway in the mean time, if you do decide to go down the course route it'll still save you a lot of time having to learn about things on the course itself and add to the knowledge you gain there - or it could be just a great book to read when you've got time to burn on the toilet i guess....

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #14 on:** April 09, 2007, 11:54:12 PM »

I did a one year course at the London College which was designed as a skills builder in guitar making for those without a woodwork background.
It was a pretty good course but was always hard to get the personal training and supervision that you'd like.

That was over 20 years ago (1986-7)

I had hoped to go on to do the full higher Diploma course but funds wouldn't allow (i had previously had a grant to study Applied Physics at Middlesex Polytechnic, but jumped ship as I was far too distracted by wanting to make guitars)

So I had to find a workshop that would take me on as a trainee, and was only able to do that as a result of the old JTS (Job training Scheme) paying my way, as no small workshop can afford to pay an unskilled trainee. I wangled that as an alternative to my having to sign on unemployed - it was a new initiative that the Tory Government brought in and I used it to get what i wanted.

So I owe a lot of my training to a guy called neil Macdonald at Neil's Guitar Workshop (later became Nightingale Guitars)

The other major influence on me is a guy called Dan Erlewine who wrote hundreds of columns in Gutar Player magazine and now works with Stewmac.com. I studied his books and videos with the same intensity that many young guys study porn. He taught me so much via books and videos and I still learning from him . Check them out at www.stewmac.com

I later became good friends with him and the other gfuys at Stewmac - nice people!!

Nothing beats the opportunity to apply that learning though and I worked constantly over the years tinkering and rebuilding guitars (driving girlfriends crazy too with all the mess).

Experience and figuring out from first priciples what makes it work right is the best teacher.