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How do you get into this crazy business and make a living?


PRSpoggers

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I am 15 years old and I'm an aspiring luithier, who is currently wanting to build guitars. I am in the best position currently for connections, being in Maryland, where PRS guitars are made. I have met Paul Reed Smith and since then I wanted to build guitars. I am learning my way into the the trade thru repairing things and making modifications and actually working on my guitars. I am refretting my squire strat and I'm building a kit guitar. Both projects are going well. I need to get some radius blocks from stew mac and some radius gauges from Music Nomad (it comes in a kit because no way am I paying that when I can buy a 6 in 1 package from the Music Nomad, which has two radius gauges, ranging from 7.25 to 20 inches and then truss rod and nut and action gauges, so it's a great deal.) Basically what I am wanting to do for a big project is build a neck. I am using White Limba and Honduran Rosewood, which in total costs about 20-25 dollars for the wood in total. So I can make from my losses. I know I am going to need a spoke shave and a saw rasp (shinto specifically) and I going to have to dry it, then plane it, and rough cut, then shape and all that good stuff.

But how would I make a career of this? I would LOVE to work at PRS but I want a liveable job. I want to work with instruments because that's my passion. Yet I think this would be a hobby more than anything. But I want to make money from this! What is the best way to go to be a luthier? I have already looked into Roberto Venn and that's very expensive for five months. Basically my plan is college, then get a job, then go to luthiery school and get certified and then work and have this as a hobby.  But where could I make money from it?

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24 minutes ago, PRSpoggers said:

But how would I make a career of this?

Repairs. They're a consistent source of income, at least compared to exclusively locking yourself into making instruments. Successful and ongoing employment from making instruments is only viable for a vanishingly-small fraction of the workforce.

As to how you 'get into it', I'd have to say you need to demonstrate that you are good at it. You need to be able to convince someone with a faulty guitar, or person with a guitar that needs something modified, or a person that has a desire to have a custom instrument built that you have the experience and abilities to execute the work to their satisfaction. That could be word of mouth, a portfolio of work, a reputation you've built up over time. You will need to acquire many skills that can only be obtained through training. Some things may help speed up the process though - being practical with your hands is good, being creative, being determined, having good interpersonal skills.

Conversely you need to be prepared to be able to recover from a bad experience too - that repair may not go right, the one-off instrument may not turn out the way the customer hoped.

Being as young as you are I'd say absorb what you can from your school years early; get good at maths, engineering and other 'relevant' practical subjects - woodworking, machine shop, graphic design. Later on maybe approach local music shops or professional luthiers and find out if they have any traineeships going that you can apply for in instrument repair. In your spare time get your hands dirty and be interactive with the guitar - pull it apart, put it back together, repair it, modify it, learn what all the adjustments do and how they interact with each other, set up your instruments, work with your friends to adjust/repair/modify their instruments as well. Arguably your 'informal' training you exposes yourself to in your spare time through experimentation will be just as important as any formal training you receive from a mentor or instructor.

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Roberto Venn has a good reputation and you most likely would learn on a five month course more than you would in five years by yourself. Consider that as a shortcut. Such a course could also help in getting a traineeship contract.

There's an old joke that is very true: What would a luthier do, should he win BIG in a lottery? Continue building guitars until he runs out of money.

There's two ways to earn a living in guitar building: Either you're one of the best builders and get orders from several big names who'd gladly pay five digit sums for a guitar with your name on it. Or you design very good guitars and build a factory to build them, trying hard to compete with the big traditional names. PRS has good products yet people would rather by a Fender or a Gibson if they have the money.

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6 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Roberto Venn has a good reputation and you most likely would learn on a five month course more than you would in five years by yourself. Consider that as a shortcut. Such a course could also help in getting a traineeship contract.

There's an old joke that is very true: What would a luthier do, should he win BIG in a lottery? Continue building guitars until he runs out of money.

There's two ways to earn a living in guitar building: Either you're one of the best builders and get orders from several big names who'd gladly pay five digit sums for a guitar with your name on it. Or you design very good guitars and build a factory to build them, trying hard to compete with the big traditional names. PRS has good products yet people would rather by a Fender or a Gibson if they have the money.

I considered looking into Roberto Venn but it's 10 grand for 5 months. I mean I wouldn't turn it down but I need to plan.

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FWIW my younger daughter studies music in the LCCM London. It's ten grand a year for three years plus another annual 10k for the rent of a single room in a shared apartment. This semester they only have one day a week at the school because of Covid and half of the days have been canceled due to the teacher being ill. Further, the bachelor degree she'll get is basically worth nothing on the job market. Singing and composing lessons help to express your feelings but they don't bring bread on the table unless you're both very talented and very determined.

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7 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

FWIW my younger daughter studies music in the LCCM London. It's ten grand a year for three years plus another annual 10k for the rent of a single room in a shared apartment. This semester they only have one day a week at the school because of Covid and half of the days have been canceled due to the teacher being ill. Further, the bachelor degree she'll get is basically worth nothing on the job market. Singing and composing lessons help to express your feelings but they don't bring bread on the table unless you're both very talented and very determined.

Ah you're across the pond I see! There are a lot of luthiery schools in America. quite a bit near me (In Maryland where I live and where PRS is located) and there's quite a bit on the east coast but I think the best in the states from what I know is Roberto Venn. I personally would love to become an apprentice to a luthier or tech or repair man. I was told by PRS that I could email them back in a year (next August is when I can email them again) and see if I could get an informational interview with them, maybe with someone from PTC which is the PRS tech center.

I would love to work at PRS because I know so many people that have family or cousins or nephews who work at PRS or who actually went to school with Paul! I live about 10 minutes from where Paul went to high school!! If that's not crazy then I'm a monkey's uncle! My school is also located about 5 minutes away from where Paul started building guitars, which (here's a little history lesson) is this bar/concert venue called "Ram's Head". Now, Paul had a little workshop above Ram's Head when he started in 1985, and every time I go down West Street and pass Ram's Head, I always look up at those windows and remember that it all started there!

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  • 4 months later...
On 11/12/2020 at 10:26 PM, curtisa said:

Repairs. They're a consistent source of income, at least compared to exclusively locking yourself into making instruments. Successful and ongoing employment from making instruments is only viable for a vanishingly-small fraction of the workforce.

As to how you 'get into it', I'd have to say you need to demonstrate that you are good at it. You need to be able to convince someone with a faulty guitar, or person with a guitar that needs something modified, or a person that has a desire to have a custom instrument built that you have the experience and abilities to execute the work to their satisfaction. That could be word of mouth, a portfolio of work, a reputation you've built up over time. You will need to acquire many skills that can only be obtained through training. Some things may help speed up the process though - being practical with your hands is good, being creative, being determined, having good interpersonal skills.

Conversely you need to be prepared to be able to recover from a bad experience too - that repair may not go right, the one-off instrument may not turn out the way the customer hoped.

Being as young as you are I'd say absorb what you can from your school years early; get good at maths, engineering and other 'relevant' practical subjects - woodworking, machine shop, graphic design. Later on maybe approach local music shops or professional luthiers and find out if they have any traineeships going that you can apply for in instrument repair. In your spare time get your hands dirty and be interactive with the guitar - pull it apart, put it back together, repair it, modify it, learn what all the adjustments do and how they interact with each other, set up your instruments, work with your friends to adjust/repair/modify their instruments as well. Arguably your 'informal' training you exposes yourself to in your spare time through experimentation will be just as important as any formal training you receive from a mentor or instructor.

Excellent advice sir. Sale of labor more suitable. Please suggest electriker school lessons. Converse with players and elder repair persons.

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On 11/14/2020 at 9:58 AM, PRSpoggers said:

Ah you're across the pond I see! There are a lot of luthiery schools in America. quite a bit near me (In Maryland where I live and where PRS is located) and there's quite a bit on the east coast but I think the best in the states from what I know is Roberto Venn. I personally would love to become an apprentice to a luthier or tech or repair man. I was told by PRS that I could email them back in a year (next August is when I can email them again) and see if I could get an informational interview with them, maybe with someone from PTC which is the PRS tech center.

I would love to work at PRS because I know so many people that have family or cousins or nephews who work at PRS or who actually went to school with Paul! I live about 10 minutes from where Paul went to high school!! If that's not crazy then I'm a monkey's uncle! My school is also located about 5 minutes away from where Paul started building guitars, which (here's a little history lesson) is this bar/concert venue called "Ram's Head". Now, Paul had a little workshop above Ram's Head when he started in 1985, and every time I go down West Street and pass Ram's Head, I always look up at those windows and remember that it all started there!

My good friend teacher wishes for PRS to place clear signature on products. Does not approve poor hand-writing.

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