Membership American Lutherie History Our Authors Articles Online donate The Guild of American Luthiers is a nonprofit educational membership organization for luthiers and anyone interested in the art, craft, and science of stringed musical instrument building, repair, and restoration. We’ve been sharing information and inspiration for luthiers for over 50 years, and have been instrumental in ushering in the current golden age of lutherie. We have a new mode of sharing in 2026. The main benefit of Guild Membership is now 12 months of access to our American Lutherie Articles Online, our expansive and growing lutherie library of out-of-print articles from our previous publications, available only to members. We currently have over 900 articles posted. We’ll also be adding some new articles as they come in. Another benefit of membership is discounts on all the books, back issues of American Lutherie, and full-scale instrument plans still available from the Guild. (Be sure to select the member price when you “add to cart,” as it not automatic.) Read about our transition to online sharing here. Membership gives you instant access to decades of lutherie knowledge and inspiration, plus it’s a great way to support the Guild. Membership is open to everyone. GAL Membership – 12 Months from the date of purchase. $35 (that’s less than $3 per month!) Login Accounts Renewing members or returning customers should login first so you receive immediate access to our Articles Online. New members should look for an instant email with login info. If you don’t receive your login account info, please contact us. Guild Membership$35.00 $35.00 – 12 months Guild Membership quantity Add to cart Category: Membership Products Related products Guild Membership $35.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Premium Web Content Access for Current Members $0.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Protected: GAL Membership Grant $5.00 – $43.00Price range: $5.00 through $43.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page JOIN US! The Guild of American Luthiers is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational membership organization that has led the way since 1972 to create a community of craftspeople who want to share their knowledge, experience, and inspiration about lutherie with their fellow members in order to advance the lutherie craft. As you can see from our catalog of GAL books, back issues, plans, and American Lutherie Articles Online, the Guild’s mission to share lutherie knowledge is an idea that has been working to educate and inspire luthiers for over five decades, helping to create the culture of sharing that exists today in the worldwide lutherie community. The Guild and its members have played a major role in the progress and excellence achieved in the field of handcrafted instrument since the early 1970s. We encourage you to be a part of our legacy by joining the Guild and participating in our long and successful information-sharing experiment. DONATE TO THE GAL We encourage members and others to donate to the GAL. We need your help to continue our goals of information sharing as we move to our digital-only Legacy phase starting in 2026. Please consider donating to help us continue the Guild’s sharing of lutherie information and inspiration into future. As a 501 (c)(3) organization, donations to the Guild are tax deductible in the USA. See our donation page for more info on ways you can help. 2025 Issues 2024 Issues The Guild is Great! Jay Lichty, Tryon, North Carolina "Let’s face it. when you become a luthier, you become one of us. This is a family. OK, a family of nuts, but still family. We are a different breed who share our passion and our tricks. The best place to come and benefit from your new family is the Guild of American Luthiers. And talk about quality and bang for the buck: Hands down, the best, most consistent publication of our craft in the world is American Lutherie, which by itself is worth the price of membership. And what a great organization to support. I am proud to be a member and look forward to the next Convention, which is a family reunion of sorts." Dana Bourgeois, Brunswick, ME "Back in the mid ’70s, when I first started building guitars, information on the topic of lutherie was not so easy to come by. At that time a few good books were available, but guitar-building wannabes like myself had to make do without such luxuries as guitar schools, local luthier communities, apprenticeships, and the internet. There was a GAL, however, whose publications and conventions quickly became my lifeline to a universe of information. In the interim a lot has changed. Information is now widely available from so many sources that one can spend a lifetime digesting it all. Of all the sources out there, though, GAL is still the deepest, widest, and the one I find most rewarding. If I had to start over again I’d get myself a membership to the Guild of American Luthiers, a workbench, and a Stew-Mac catalogue, in precisely that order." Stephen Marchione, Houston, Texas "The GAL is the ultimate worldwide resource for lutherie information; from design to tool skills and technique. The fraternity of the GAL is the bedrock of the institution which has invaluably contributed to the modern stringed instrument as we know it and the success of many prominent members." R.E. Bruné, Evanston, IL "After over 40 years of lutherie, I still have a lot to learn, and the GAL is THE source of information, a veritable living encyclopedia of lutherie that eclipses the endeavors of any individual luthier. From the magazine and plans to the conventions, you can't get this information anywhere else, for any price. Why anyone who has even modicum of interest in lutherie is not a member is beyond my comprehension." Fred Carlson, Santa Cruz, California “Why join the GAL? Besides the obvious reason of all the knowledge to be shared, I think that for the art to move forward and for us as individual luthiers and humans to evolve, we need each other; we need to be part of a larger community. Having access to knowledge and experience is priceless, but having access to people is the thing. So much that is worthwhile about life comes from human contact. Many of my best friends I've met through the GAL. Many jobs and opportunities have come to me because fellow luthiers have come to know and respect my work enough to send clients, suppliers, and others in my direction. I'm convinced that my long-time membership and participation in the GAL has been one of the most important factors in achieving the level of success and enjoyment I've gotten from being a crazy, self-employed luthier/artist. Join the GAL; it may be the single best thing you can do for yourself as an aspiring or practicing luthier.” Jeff Elliott, Portland, Oregon “When I was introduced to the Guild in 1975 it was a fledgling organization with a grand vision. I joined because I believed in that vision: by sharing our collective lutherie experiences we would increase everyone's understanding and raise our own level of craft faster and more fully than any one of us might achieve by working alone. Each of us has something to share and something to learn. Together we're extraordinary. For over 30 years I have witnessed this ideal become an ongoing reality for thousands of luthiers, musicians, and aficionados the world over, and am proud to feel a part of it. Together with the unanticipated but equally satisfying benefit of lifelong friendships and professional camaraderie, my life has been immeasurably enriched. Thank you GAL.” Harry Fleishman, Sebastopol, California “I recommend, with only a hint of threat, that my students join the GAL immediately. I tell them that not only will they learn a lot and support a good group, but also they will have access to some of the best luthiers in the world. The Guild has been instrumental in fostering the idea that we learn together and grow together. Yes, there are too many luthiers; yes, the competition is getting fiercer by the day. But more luthiers has raised the bar for all of us and moved us from emulating the 19th century to creating the 21st. Joining GAL isn't enough, however. I encourage new members, especially younger members, to contribute. This gets fresh ideas into the lutherie community and also helps younger builders get known. Everybody wins.”
