Guitar building classes
 

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Guitar Building Class Action Shot

Solid Body Guitar Building Classes for 2007

In connection with the Rockler Woodworking company, I offer classes held on various dates throughout the year (see schedule below).

Class sessions are 3 hours long and are held on 4 weekends (or 5, depending on class) at the Rockler store in Torrance, California (Hawthorne Blvd. and Emerald Street).

Students build a solid body guitar body and/or a neck, using traditional lutherie tools and techniques.

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

Class 2: Making the Neck (intermediate - advanced)
>>4 sessions on 4 weekends

2008 CLASS SCHEDULE

Class 1 - Making the Guitar Body


Dates: (to be announced - check back or email me)
Time: 10am - 1:00pm
Location: Rockler Woodworking - Torrance, CA
Registration: Sign up at the Rockler store, Hawthorne and Emerald St., Torrance - Phone: 310-542-1466

Cost:
$35.00 registration fee - DUE AT TIME OF SIGN-UP
$300.00 instruction fee
Materials cost (basic guitar body and hardware) approx. $175.00

Description:

  • shaping the body to proper dimensions
  • locating and routing neck pocket and control cavity
  • sanding, scraping and contouring of the body
  • wiring the electronics
  • Preparing the guitar for paint finish

 

Class 2: Making the Neck


Dates: (to be announced - check back or email me)
Time: 10am - 1:00pm
Location: Rockler Woodworking - Torrance, CA
Cost:
$35.00 registration fee - REGISTER AT ROCKLER
$300.00 instruction fee
Materials cost (basic) approx. $175.00

Description:

We will use a purchased neck, roughly shaped. The neck comes with frets already installed but we will level (flat file) all frets, re-crown them and do a final polish (this is equivalent to a 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)

For more information, contact Jim Ellsberry at (310) 326-1769