Overview Schedule Presenters Registration Lodging & Meals FAQ Auction Shipping Travel & Tourism Public Exhibition YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND AND EXHIBIT AT THE GUILD'S 23rd GREAT AND GLORIOUS FESTIVAL OF LUTHERIE! The purpose of the Guild Convention is to bring together luthiers from everywhere, of all specialties and skill levels alike, seasoned pros and part-timers, in a spirit of camaraderie and learning. It features four-and-a-half days of stimulating educational lectures and demonstrations on a wide range of topics of interest to the lutherie community. It gives members an opportunity to show their latest creations and receive feedback from fellow luthiers. You’ll learn a lot and it is a ton of fun! Registration will open in April. LECTURES and WORKSHOPS: Top-notch presenters will speak and demonstrate on a wide range of lutherie topics. Noncompetitive listening sessions for classical guitar, steel string guitar, ukulele, and electric guitar will be held. Multiple events run during the workshop sessions, and you are free to attend any you like. INSTRUMENT EXHIBITION: Here’s where you put on the show! Expect to see hundreds of handmade instruments and talk with the builders who created them. It’s the ultimate lutherie show-and-tell, so be sure to bring something to show. The exhibition is open to registered participants only on Thursday and Friday afternoons, but open to the public on the afternoon of Saturday, July 8. WOOD and SUPPLIES for SALE: Expect a fabulous selection of lutherie woods, tools, and parts for sale at the tables of the many suppliers who attend. It’s your chance to handpick the wood, supplies, and tools you will use in the next several years. CONCERTS: We’ll enjoy three nights of concerts plus informal music salons and more! BENEFIT AUCTION: Our fun-filled benefit auction gives members the chance to support the Guild with their donations and purchases of lutherie treasures! The Guild Convention is open to anyone who wants to participate. Registration is required to attend and only members can exhibit. Any member can exhibit their instruments or lutherie supplies (additional fee for supplier exhibits). On-campus lodging and meals will be available. Guild members will receive registration information with the Spring 2023 issue of American Lutherie and notification by email when online registration is open in April. Watch the site as we add more details under the topics listed above. Members will receive additional info when they register. Our first GAL Convention was held in the summer of 1975 and we’ve had twenty-one more since then. To see what a GAL Convention is like, be sure to read our GAL Conventions page with photos of our more recent conventions, and links to previous exhibition tours. This will be our 12th convention at Pacific Lutheran University, which is located just south of Tacoma, Washington, near GAL Headquarters. PLU has received great reviews from our members. It has a beautiful campus with lots of trees, and great venues for all of our workshops, lectures, concerts, and exhibition. Due to the pandemic, it will be six years since our last convention, so you don’t want to miss this one! We look forward to seeing you in Tacoma this July 5–9!
