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Hello all, I searched for a similar topic and didn't find one, so here goes - If I were interested in learning to make classical or flamenco guitars (heretofore to be known as "nylon"), does anyone know of either a builder looking to take on an apprentice, ideally on the eastern half of the united states, or someone who wouldn't mind me looking over their shoulder? I have played steel strings for fifteen years or so and built several x-braced martin-style guitars, but never a classical, and now that I'm on nylon strings I would love to get together with someone who is interested in having an attentive and potentially helpful student. Any suggestions? Thanks -buckey
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to buckey)
I'm in southwest virginia, a virtual hotbed of 'flamingo' music. I've priced a couple of 'learn-along' style builds and they don't seem very appetizing, and they don't allow a novice to experiment; they say "this is the way you do it." From what I see on this forum, it may be more beneficial to just follow build-along threads and borrow someones wood shop whenever I can.
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to buckey)
Everyone will have some knowledge to show you regardless of how exclusive you might think they are.
Learning to build guitars is an ongoing accumulative and there is no one way to do it. It takes time to gain your own personal stamp or character of tone to share with the world.
The fact that you have no real experience in building is a good indication that you should get some personal help to start off, if you want to progress faster than a lot of us older builders.
Most of us took years before we reached a certain level of expertise, so it would be wise to get some help to start off.
Generally, no amount of experience is a wasted effort.
By your last post, it appears you don't have much of a clue what to do, and your mis-spelling of Flamenco shows me that you need a lot of help.
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tom Blackshear
By your last post, it appears you don't have much of a clue what to do, and your mis-spelling of Flamenco shows me that you need a lot of help.
Pretty sure that spelling mistake, due to the speech marks was an intentional joke...
Buckey, I'm not a luthier myself but have you thought about doing some classes?
Again I don't know much, but there's Alan Carruth is very highly rated as a luthier and teacher.
It might sound obvious and sorry if it is, but have you tried posting here and I'm sure there'll be someone there to help you find someone closer to your locality.
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to tijeretamiel)
tijeretamiel: yeah i think you hit the nail on the head-- the quote marks around the bird when the o.p. correctly spelled the genre suggests he was being a little flip.
bucky, al carruth would be a great teacher but he is in rural new hampshire which is a long communte from your neck of the woods. however you might be close to j.s. bogdanovich who is guitar maker who has made videos and has written a book about making a guitar. he may be of help--if anything he may know someone who can assist you. seems like a cool guy from his book.
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to buckey)
Thank you all - I'll try to get in touch with misters carruth and bogdanovich and see what they have to say. Thanks tijeretamiel for the link to the luthier's forum, it seems a whole lot of time could be spent browsing there. -buckey
Posts: 124
Joined: Oct. 22 2012
From: Huntersville, North Carolina, USA
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to buckey)
Buckey, you have a really great guitar builder of steel strings there in southwest Virginia (Wayne Henderson). And for classical guitars, J.S. Bogdanovich is located near Asheville, NC.
RE: looking for an apprenticeship (in reply to buckey)
If you've made guitars already, transitioning to making a first nylon string shouldn't be all that difficult. Get some books, read the forums, and feel free to ask us questions along the way!
Most of the good teachers I know of are out west (Jeff Elliott, Robert Obrien, Ervin Somogyi, Kenny Hill, etc.)
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