Anybody have any opnions on luthier schools.

[Ian Supplee]

Ok i asked my teacher if this was a good idea and he said yes. I read in dan erilwines guitar player repair guide that he would reccomend going to schools for luthiery to further my education i have four schools I am looking at:

 

Galloup School of Lutherie

 

Roberto Venn School of Lutherie

 

 Summit School of Lutherie

 

The Totnes School Of Guitar Makeing

 

If any  went to one of these or another Lutherie school please tell me about that experience and weather its worth it or not. I want to go get some training and learn more and meet some good luthiers that can help me learn more or learn diffrent tricks that i dont know. I will say this i am really Impressed with all of these schools espically Galloup school of Luthiery. But comments please. to add to this i am already doing luthiery on my own i am an apprentice in another shop but I wanna learn more and these schools seem extreamly interesting and hey ya never know it could help me get a job as a full time luthier someday.

Ian Supplee

[Hesh Breakstone]

I didn't attend any of these schools but I did do a three year apprenticeship with someone who attended the Galloup school and not only learned the trade very well he became an instructor there too early on in his career. 

In addition I also know others who attended the Galloup school and all have nothing but glowing reviews!

There is also a connection going way back between Bryan and Dan Earlywine and we all know Dan to be the top-shelf Luthier that he is as is Bryan.

Personally I have had a few interactions with Bryan as well and if I was looking to make a commitment of time and money to learning this trade all over again the Galloup school would be my first and perhaps only choice.

Regardless though there is never going to be any substitute for on the job training in this field dealing with progressively more difficult subject matter as time and experience increase.  No school can anticipate everything that you may encounter which to me says that the schools who are more inclined to develop analytical abilities would get my vote.

[Ian Supplee]

I am already a apprentice in a shop now and my master says its a good idea. also I do my own work too.

[STGuitarworks]

I attended the Summit School of guitar building and repair on Vancouver Isl, BC in '03-'04. It was expensive. I am still well pleased that I made that investment.

 

Cheers

 

 

[John Lewis]

I attended Roberto-Venn a year and a half ago.  It was a great experience.  There is hardly a day that goes by in the repair shop that I am not appreciate of the foundation that I received there.  I was able to hit the ground running with that foundation.  The instructors are great and made it very enjoyable. The guest instructors (Frank Ford & John Eaton each teaching a block of instruction) and the various outside presenters that came were wonderful and added to a well rounded experience.  The permanent staff is well balanced and each bring a different dimension to the training.  You can soak up a lot of stuff being around a group like that.  The students in my class became close and we still keep in touch with each other, sometimes on a daily basis.  The school is accredited and because it has been going strong for over 40 years has a great network of working alumni to tap into once your training is completed.  The new facilities are very nice, I have visited them once since I graduated.  They are now also offering on-going training in different subject areas for alumni.

[Kerry Krishna]

 There is a great article talking quite a bit about Galloup in the current issue of Fretboard Journal Ian. There 6 week course may be exactly what you need to whet your whistle and decide if becoming a Luthier is what you want to do with your life. 

[Ian Supplee]

thank you guys. this helps me alot.