I just got back from the airport in Denver where I dropped off Brazilian Luthier, João Cassias, and his wife Renata. They both spent the month of August here at O'Brien Guitars while we filmed the upcoming online archtop guitar construction video. João shows all the techniques needed to build a concert quality archtop guitar including how to carve the top and back plates, bend curly maple sides and bindings, make an ebony tailpiece and bridge etc. It will all be there in high definition video.
The course will also include interviews with CGP John Knowles, Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo as well as visits to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National park in Colorado. João and I also recorded conversations we had during the filming about things like how to market your work, how to make the transition from hobbyist to professional luthier etc. João also shows us how to make his favorite pasta sauce recipe.   The next step is to begin the editing process. If all goes well I hope to be able to make the course available early next year.





After finishing another class that begins next week in my shop, I will be preparing for the Santa Barbara Guitar Show to be held Sept. 30 - Oct 2 in Santa Barbara, Ca. Here are a couple of videos of some instruments I will be taking. I hope to see many of you there.

After returning from Santa Barbara I will be spending the next couple of weeks in Prince Edward Island in Canada where I will be filming an online ukulele building course with Canadian Luthier Heidi Litke. We will be visiting with and interviewing ukulele extraordinaire James Hill for the video course as well. As you can see in the video, he can really play and is a nice guy as well.

The trip to Brazil was a success as well. 17 people built a dred model guitar with me in 10 days at the second O'Brien São Paulo Guitar Show.    Here is a pic of last year's course.
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Right after returning from Brazil I gave a lecture at the annual Guitar Town event in Copper Mountain, Colorado on guitar set up as well as another demo with Fingerstyle guitarist, Jim Deeming, on the influences that tonewoods and body sizes make on tone.

As you can see it has been a very busy year and it is not over yet. Like my facebook page to follow what is going on at O'Brien Guitars as well as to get updates on when the archtop course will be available.

I am already taking reservations for my 2017 teaching schedule. If you can't come to my shop for a building class then my online courses are a very close second to actually being here with me in my shop. Happy Building!

If you are interested in learning to build guitars or just want
to see how I build my guitars then schedule a class with me.
If you are in need of a concert quality classical or steel string
guitar then let me know as I would love to build a guitar for you.

Thank you,