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What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Performing Arts pathway.

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The ability to play an instrument is helpful. Music courses will help develop your ear for tone quality and pitch. Obviously, a sound knowledge of woodworking is also useful.

"Work in repair in an established shop in a large metropolitan area," says guitar maker Abe Wechter. "If you try to make it on your own, you'll starve."

At one time, beginners learned their craft through an apprenticeship with a recognized guitar maker. These days, few guitar makers take apprentices.

Guitar maker Linda Manzer says it's not worth it. "When you're teaching someone, it's very time-consuming. And it's still not up to the quality you're used to." Then when apprentices are fully trained, they usually leave and set up their own shop.

While the number of apprentice positions is dwindling, Manzer says there are several good guitar-making courses now being offered. You can get more educational information through the Guild of American Luthiers (GAL).

The GAL runs the American School of Lutherie -- one of the top schools for teaching guitar making in North America. A luthier is a builder of any wooden stringed instrument -- except the piano.

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