# Guitar building course



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

IS there a course that I can take in ontario that will teach me how to build a solid body electric guitar?


----------



## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

http://www.lado-guitars.com/Ladoschool/tuitioninfo.html


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

11grand thats mad exspensive


----------



## guitarzan (Feb 22, 2006)

do you guys recall a guy in Nova Scotia building a guitar for keith richards a few years ago? he is about an hour drive form me. Rizsanyi guitars.
there is no way i can afford any of his courses. but he is a cool guy to talk to.
he showed me a "strat" he had built. it was very nice, even had a spalted maple pickguard.
this has nothing to do with the original question but as you can see by the course prices, it isn't cheap.
http://www.rizsanyiguitars.com/workshop.html


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

thats cool but im in ontario.


----------



## guitarzan (Feb 22, 2006)

i understand that, just wanted you to see that high course prices seem to be normal.


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

cool. Thanks man


----------



## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Be a man... build an acoustic. 

And do it with Sergei de Jonge who lives near Ottawa.


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

I don't like playing acoustics so I would rather build a solid body electric


----------



## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Don't like playing acoustics?!? You have three of them! Ha ha! j/k

I was thinking more about the additional technical woodworking knowledge you acquire building acoustic soundboxes. i.e. having to hand bend sides, thicknessing panels, creating bracing patterns, kerfing, routing for binding and purfling, etc. The transferable skills over to electrics include shaping necks from scratch, fretting, joinery, alignment, set-up, finishing, etc.


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

Yeah but I would much rather build a guitar that I enjoy playing.


----------



## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

imbackagain2 said:


> Yeah but I would much rather build a guitar that I enjoy playing.


 Why not teach yourself? Buy some good books on the topic and go at it! Thats what I did 20 odd years ago. And there is a lot more stuff now (books, dvd's etc) available now.

Guitar building is not "hard" its just a set of skills you need to develop and even if you take a course and build a single guitar it will take MANY more to develop into a decent builder IMO.

The schooling is just the start - to give you a good base from which to begin the real learning process. You can only learn by doing...

AJC


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

Yeah Ive got to that point bymyself. Any good book suggestions?


----------



## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Melvyn Hiscock's Make your own Electric Guitar
Tom Hirst's ELectric Guitar Construction
Dan Erlewine's books on fretting, nut cutting, set up, adjustment and wiring

That will be 99.9% of what you need. Then there are specific books on finishing techniques, inlaying shell, etc. Specific stuff you can read up on if youre interested.

Remember most of guitar building is plain old woodworking. Keep your tolerences tight and remember what is imoprtant to end up with a great playing instrument. The rest is cosmetics.

AJC


----------



## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

I know that Lee Valley ( a tool supply place if you're not familiar) have all kinds of seminars. The one in London has had several seminars/ courses on building a solid body electric guitars. Usually 4-8 attendees. Cost around $1000 and you walk away with a guitar that you built yourself. Check out your nearest Lee Valley. For nearest location www.leevalley.com (might be .ca)


----------



## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

sweet thank u


----------

