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Check out this email I got from a student of mine.
"Hi Robbie - just thought I’d share with you how I often spend a snowy morning here in Colorado, at my computer with a cup of coffee. Before heading down to the shop and depending on where I am in a project, I’ll usually load up one of your videos to review and refresh the job at hand. Today it was Michael Bashkin’s course on fretting. Can’t say enough about how well he presents his techniques, the tools and reasoning behind his methods. He’s a great communicator and obviously has a lot of experience. I also refer to Kent Everett’s course on fretting since he goes into lots of detail about prepping the fretboard. There’s some good overlap between his and Bashkin’s approach, so it’s good to have different perspectives.
For us hobbyists who may not have the benefit of repeating a particular task frequently, your videos are a great way to refresh our skills and go in with the confidence that we can do a great job.
Many thanks for all you do."
Tony
 
I have spent the last 15 years creating and developing online Lutherie courses on a variety of subjects and have made them available so that your lutherie journey won't be as difficult as mine was. Due to today's technology, the internet has become a great resource for information about how to do things. However, much of that information is disjointed or lacking and you have to really hunt to find that little nugget of information. . This is why I put together the online courses at the Lutherie Academy. I hope you are able to take advantage of this valuable resource. I guarantee it will make you a better luthier.
I frequently am asked, "Can I really build an instrument following an online course from the Lutherie Academy?". My answer is always the same. Of Course! The online courses are so detailed and thorough that if you can follow instructions and know what your hands are for, then you can build a quality instrument using an online course as a guide.
Canadian Luthier and Instructor, Michael Whitney of Whitney Guitars and Luthier School recently did some research on online video learning and discovered five benefits of online learning.
Benefit 1: The Missing Link - "There's a ton of information out there and I personally have a library filled with guitar construction books that I consult. However, written construction alone won't make you a great builder. Instruction combined with a practical and thorough step-by-step method is going to move you through the labyrinth of guitar construction and expedite your learning and efficiency as a builder."
Benefit 2 - Bridging knowledge gaps -" A lot of great information can be garnered from a luthier book. However, reading alone is cognitively extensive and despite an author's best efforts, it is extremely difficult to articulate every step of the guitar building process. If you have built a number of guitars, certain knowledge gaps can be bridged through experience and extrapolation. For the new builder, though, the success equation consists of two parts: Theoretical knowledge AND practical knowledge,"
Benefit 3 - A proven roadmap - "Whether your passionate about building as a hobby for yourself, or scaling up your craft and potentially selling your instruments to players online courses can give you a step - by step roadmap from which to create successful (and beautiful) guitars that players will actually want to play.".
Benefit 4 - Combining skills sets - "Many people assume that some woodworking courses in high school or previous experience in furniture construction will naturally make them great guitar makers. While I consider previous woodworking experience to be a huge asset with my students (although not essential) the truth is, the guitar truly is an engineering feat. Guitar making marries both engineering and craftsmanship."
Benefit 5 - Practical instruction - .A huge part of the success of a guitar comes down to the interplay of particular woods, their responsiveness, sound projection and tonal emphasis, to name but a few. The guitar is so much more than the sum of its parts and understanding the instrument, holistically is what will make you a great builder. Written word will give you a foundation. Simply put, practical experience will elevate your game exceptionally and will help you to achieve consistent and repeatable results."
Did you know that...
- Learning a new skill through direct demonstration improves learning by 85%?(Hear it, see it, do it)
- Practical hands on learning plays a hug role in your ability to retain information and then duplicate it?
This is why I created the Online Course library at the Lutherie Academy. Before the digital age we had to seek resources in our local public library. Nowadays, vast amounts of information are only a mouse click away. There's a ton of great craftspeople sharing their knowledge online. However, this vast amount of knowledge, differing opinions and gaps in the learning process can leave us confused. This is why video courses are ideal! They offer a detailed, step-by-step roadmap that will help you achieve a positive outcome and keep you motivated throughout the learning process.
A few years ago I approached Michael with the idea of putting together a definitive course on Gypsy jazz Guitar Building. I am pleased to announce the recent launching of the Gypsy Jazz Guitar Building Course at the Lutherie Academy.
Michael is a highly accomplished professional luthier and Instructor that specializes in the Gypsy Jazz Guitar. This project is finally able to be released and will not disappoint! It is a very detailed step by step tutorial on how to make this wonderful and very popular instrument, See the free videos below and visit the Online Course page for more information about the course.
 
Learn about:
- History of the Gypsy jazz guitar
- Materials and tools needed (Free tool list included)
- Jigs, forms and templates
- Veneering
- Bracing and voicing the Gypsy guitar soundboard
- How to make solid linings
- Making a cutaway
- How to make the grand bouche rosette
- Scale lengths and how to slot the fretboard
- Bindings
- Zero fret
- How to make a moustache bridge
- Truss rods
- Neck to body joints
- Beck carving
- Fretwork
- Ebonizing
- How to setup the Gypsy jazz guitar
- And much more!
Happy Building.
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