Guitar building classes
 

New Classes Start in September

Guitar Building Class Action Shot

Solid Body Guitar Building Classes for 2010

I offer 2 classes in basic guitar building (solid body guitar), held on various dates throughout the year (see schedule below). The guitar we build is patterned after the single cutaway Gibson Les Paul Jr., fitted with a P-90 pickup, one tone and one volume control.

Class 1: Making the Guitar Body (beginning) / 4 sessions held on 4 weekends.

Class 2: Making the Guitar Neck (intermediate - advanced) / 4 sessions on 4 weekends.

Classes are held on 4 consecutive weekends at my guitar shop in Huntington Beach, CA (the area of 405 fwy and Beach Blvd). We work for 3-4 hours each weekend.

Students will learn basic guitar building techniques using standard shop tools plus some of the more specialized tools common to the lutherie trade. They will also be exposed to modern CNC equipment and software used for automated design and manufacturing.

NOTE: Classes are limited to 3 students per class.

 

2010 CLASS SCHEDULE

Class 1 - Making the Guitar Body


Dates: Sept 18, 25, Oct 2, 9
Time: 10 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Ellsberry Guitars, Huntington Beach, CA
Registration: Email me for sign-up. Or call me at 310-218-2658

Cost:
Instruction fee: $295.00
Materials cost (basic guitar body and hardware): approx. $180.00

Description:

We'll start with a mahogany blank of wood from which we will cut and shape the body. In addition, control cavities will be routed and the neck cavity will be cut to accept the neck. (Students can either take the 2nd class to construct the neck or they can purchase a neck of their own to fit to the body.) Wiring of the pickup and controls will be done, plus a pickguard and hardware will be installed to complete the body.

NOTE: we will discuss various paint options, but we will NOT paint the guitar in this class.

Summary:

  • shaping the body to proper dimensions
  • locating and routing neck pocket and control cavity
  • shaping and sanding of the body
  • wiring the electronics
  • discussion and handouts on options for painting the guitar

 

Class 2 - Making the Guitar Neck


Dates: Oct 23, 30, Nov 6, 13
Time: 10 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Ellsberry Guitars, Huntington Beach, CA
Registration: Email me for sign-up. Or call me at 310-218-2658

Cost:
Instruction fee: $295.00
Materials cost (basic guitar body and hardware): approx. $180.00

Description:

We will use a purchased neck which is roughly shaped. We will do final carving, shaping and sanding. The neck comes with frets already installed but we will level (flat file) all frets, re-crown them and do a final fret polish (this is equivalent to a fret level/re-crown job at a guitar repair shop). Students will install frets on a practice fretboard during class. The headstock will be shaped and we will apply a hardwood veneer to the face of the headstock. Tuner holes will be drilled and tuners installed. Additionally we will create and shape a neck heel (where neck connects to the body) and cut a 2-degree angle at the neck/body join to achieve proper neck angle.

Summary:

  • shaping the headstock, including a taper from nut to top
  • installing tuners
  • leveling and re-crowning frets
  • hammer frets into a practice fretboard
  • installing neck on the body
  • stringing up of a guitar and doing an overall setup (truss rod, nut and bridge adjustments)

NOTE: we will discuss various paint options, but we will NOT paint the neck in this class.

For more information, contact Jim Ellsberry at (310) 218-2658