COVID 19 UPDATES – JULY 2020

The Guild of American Luthiers is a nonprofit educational membership organization whose purpose is to facilitate learning about lutherie: the art, craft, and science of stringed musical instrument building and repair. Since 1972, we’ve been the foremost source of information for makers, repairers, and restorers of all kinds of string instruments.

Guild membership and publications are open to all. Whether you’ve been making instruments for years, or have just acquired the lutherie bug; whether you live in Brooklyn or Bangladesh; whether lutherie is your livelihood or your passion or both; we invite you to join the Guild and learn more about the many ways you can benefit from and contribute to our information sharing system!

Membership Benefits

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Member Discounts

Members get discounted prices on our books, back issues, plans, and more.

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American Lutherie

Our respected journal American Lutherie is the main benefit of GAL membership.

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Premium Web Content

Members can read a growing selection of our articles online.

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CURRENT ISSUE OF
AMERICAN LUTHERIE

American Lutherie #140 is our Summer 2020 issue. Stephen Marchione shows us how to fit the braces in an archtop guitar using traditional techniques. We meet John Jordan, best known for his solidbody electric violins. Part Two of our series, Charles Fox roughs out the neck, makes the neck block and lining, and braces the top and back plates. Kerry Char restores a century-old Larson Bros. harp guitar. Javier Campos Tijeras talks about his French polish work. High school students make guitars in shop class. Laminated bamboo panels seem to work for making nice classical guitars. Make your own notched straightedges. Building a replica of a 7-string Russian guitar. Plus reviews, questions, and remembrances. Read more

Scheduled to ship to current members in June

New Instrument Plan

1947 Gibson J-45 Guitar
GAL Plan #78  Drawn by Kerry Char

CANCELED

 Guild of American Luthiers

23rd Convention / Exhibition

July 22-26, 2020 - Tacoma Washington

•  See more information here  • 

Looking for Something?

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Resources

Are you just getting started in guitar making, or thinking about becoming a luthier? Or are you an experience builder looking for an event or hard-to-find supplies? See our Resources page with links to lutherie schools, suppliers, organizations, events and more!

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