How Did You Find Your Luthier?

MLBob

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Found my guy, Justin Kennedy, when he was doing repairs out of a shop owned by a guy making custom tube amps. First met him when I purchased a Marcus Miller Jazz Bass he was selling for one of my sons as a graduation gift. Justin is a well regarded bassist for a local band. and soon moved on to his own shop. Well-versed in his trade and reliable for both electric and acoustic repairs, major & minor, setups, etc. He occasionally tours with the band "Walk the Moon" as their technician, but not as enthusiastic about touring with them since his shop has become so successful (...and he got married).
A great guy, knowledgeable, honest, fair, and extremely concerned with doing things right. Just launched his own line of electrics under the name "Bridge Builders." Used to work with a luthier who does awesome acoustic builds, but it got to the point where you couldn't get anything done because of the wait time and his availability. Have absolute trust in Justin to work on my Guild acoustics.
Link to Justin's shop: http://jkennedyguitars.com/

Bob
 

Cougar

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...How did you find your Luthier?

...I found my guy years ago when I used to play Epiphone...

Same here. I became a member over at the Gibson board since they have an Epiphone sub-forum. Someone mentioned Tom who has a little shop called Local Music, which is right in town nearby. I don't know if he can be considered a real "luthier," but he can fix just about anything. His shop is so full of old and new guitars and other instruments, you can barely walk in the place. And he's a SUPER GUY -- will talk your ear off about guitars and music and life. I learned a lot from him.
 

Br1ck

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If you need a neck reset, and the guy says " Sure, bring it in. I can start on it today," you probably should run for the nearest exit. If he says he's taking appointments for Feb. 2018, he's someone to consider.
 

fronobulax

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If you need a neck reset, and the guy says " Sure, bring it in. I can start on it today," you probably should run for the nearest exit. If he says he's taking appointments for Feb. 2018, he's someone to consider.

Good advice with one caveat - if they say "bring it in, you tell me what is wrong and then I'll tell you what your choices are" then you probably should. While there is an ideal where every instrument should be as perfect as possible there are cases where amateurs assume a neck reset is needed, when it isn't, and other cases where there are cheaper solutions to play-ability problems.
 

davismanLV

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As far as I can see, the term "luthier" has expanded to be "a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars." Some expand on that stating "generally an instrument with a neck and a sound box" but that applies to both. While it may have initially been violins, cellos, viola de gambas, etc., I think it has expanded to include guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc. Pianos and harps are a different category because the strings are attached to a frame. So I think what luthier originally meant has expanded to fit the need in more and different stringed instruments. Violin builders can get as pissy as they like, but they don't control language or word definition. This is a term which has evolved over time. I'm good with that.
 

chazmo

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Tom, you're right on about the language part of it. I never thought about pianos and harps though. I'm not sure that I'd have a problem expanding "luthier" to include those as well. Seems to me you're talking about the same skills mostly.
 

Rayk

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My local Luthier err some what local has at least a 2 week back log , that’s not long but he has a few helpers so that speeds things up .

He does a lot work for bands touring through as well which is good for his reputation as they all seem to go through him for in the moment repairs .

So if your in Charlotte Nc here ya go
http://www.ncguitarworks.com/index.html
 

adorshki

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As far as I can see, the term "luthier" has expanded to be "a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars." Some expand on that stating "generally an instrument with a neck and a sound box" but that applies to both. While it may have initially been violins, cellos, viola de gambas, etc., I think it has expanded to include guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc.
Since the root is obviously taken from "L'oud" or "lute", which was a plucked instrument, one would suspect it was the violin makers who appropriated the usage and tried to monopolize it..since lutes predate the presence of violins in Europe by about 500 years.
But the etymology of the term "luthier" only dates to about 1880, about 50 years after CF Martin came to America, and a couple of hundred years after violins were "invented"
And it was internecine competition between the violin makers guild and the cabinet makers guild over control of guitar making which drove CF Martin to America in the first place.
From the usual source the usual source :

"The craft of making string instruments, or lutherie (sometimes spelled luthiery), is commonly divided into two main categories: makers of stringed instruments that are plucked or strummed, and those that are bowed.[2] Since bowed instruments require a bow, the second category includes a subtype known as a bow maker or archetier. Luthiers may also teach string-instrument making, either through apprenticeship or formal classroom instruction".
(my emphasis).
So I still agree with those who believe the term should be reserved for those who can actually build an acoustic stringed instrument consisting of a resonating sound box and neck with pegs for tuning the strings, whether plucked or bowed.
(And let's not forget that there is a technique known as "pizzicato" for plucking violins, and "shredding the horsehair" when Jimmy Page bows a Telecaster.)
The ability to teach construction/repair skill might be optional in my opinion, but obviously has roots in the craftsmen's guilds who required "teachiers" :biggrin-new: to train apprentices to keep the art (and thus the guild), alive.
I also don't exclude those who may have the ability to construct but limit their work to repair.
I might be wrong but I believe the ability to repair to the highest degree requires the ability to construct, since repairs at the highest levels are in fact a form of construction.
In the most extreme cases, such as a top or back replacement, maybe even a more sophisticated skill set's required than simple original construction, when you stop to think about it..
And I think "Technician" is an entirely honorable term for guys who do wonderful set-up work whether it's on acoustics or electrics.
But if they can't actually build or repair an instrument I think calling 'em "luthiers" is inappropriate, even if it is "common usage".
Like I used to tell my schoolmarm gramma, "Ya just can't fight common usage".




Pianos and harps are a different category because the strings are attached to a frame. So I think what luthier originally meant has expanded to fit the need in more and different stringed instruments. Violin builders can get as pissy as they like, but they don't control language or word definition. This is a term which has evolved over time. I'm good with that.
Tom, you're right on about the language part of it. I never thought about pianos and harps though. I'm not sure that I'd have a problem expanding "luthier" to include those as well. Seems to me you're talking about the same skills mostly.

From the same aforementioned "usual source":
"A luthier does not make harps or pianos, as these require different skills and construction methods because their strings are secured to a frame."
Not only that, there's no neck allowing for varying pitch on a given string, but instead the requirement for a string for every note in the scale, and a mechanical plucking and damping mechanism or "Keyboard"
What keyboards and other members of the chordophone family like guitars have in common is the ability to simultaneously play rhythm, harmony, and melody.
None of the other instrument families can do that.
 
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refret

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1973 or so, I bought an old Gibson J-45 that had suffered a cracked neck block, and split the sides halfway to the shoulders for maybe 10 bucks as I recall. I looked in the mirror and thought, "I can figure this out..." That was then, information was not readily available anywhere, and guitar repair was sketchy at best, we were sort of on our own.
 

PittPastor

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1973 or so, I bought an old Gibson J-45 that had suffered a cracked neck block, and split the sides halfway to the shoulders for maybe 10 bucks as I recall. I looked in the mirror and thought, "I can figure this out..." That was then, information was not readily available anywhere, and guitar repair was sketchy at best, we were sort of on our own.

Maybe I should know this... butI don't...

Did you? Figure it out?
 

refret

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Maybe I should know this... butI don't...

Did you? Figure it out?
That first one came out pretty well, some Elmer's and a few clamps. Luckily my Dad had a wood working hobby, in addition to him being a mechanical Engineer helped a LOT.
 

tefan

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Hi PittPastor,

I'm in the 'Burgh too. I found mine through my sons, four of whom play guitar. Here's the link to his website:http://www.mannellaguitars.com/Guitar_Repair.html

We've taken 7 or 8 guitars to Dave and Frank over the last several years = setups, fret jobs, fixing cracks, electronics, other repairs. These guys are good and they price fairly.

Vin
 

PittPastor

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Hi PittPastor,

I'm in the 'Burgh too. I found mine through my sons, four of whom play guitar. Here's the link to his website:http://www.mannellaguitars.com/Guitar_Repair.html

We've taken 7 or 8 guitars to Dave and Frank over the last several years = setups, fret jobs, fixing cracks, electronics, other repairs. These guys are good and they price fairly.

Thanks! I'll definitely keep these guys in mind for the future. I think I'm really happy with Stuart Day -- I haven't seen his work yet, but I should know next week. But, that is one thing he commented to me about Pittsburgh. He said: "Man are people around here loyal!"

Which part of our City do you hail from? I'm about 2 miles south of Pittsburgh.
 

Longhorn Jumbo

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I use someone reputable, or someone who works for a reputable business/shop. I will often ask for their opinion on whatever technical thing I have most recently been looking into (e.g., scalloping braces, tuners effecty on tone, break angle, etc.). This serves as a test of their knowledge base, communication ability, and their work ethic. The goal being, you want someone who knows what they're doing, can communicate well, and cares about giving you a good sounding/playing/looking guitar back at the end.
 
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