What's a luthier?

[prowla]

The term "luthier" gets used a lot, but what does it mean?

[Burns-bass]

I see this as a response to your post in the FS section and I agree. One would assume someone would have undergone some form of structured training or apprenticeship, but people can call themselves whatever they want.

 

In my sector (copywriting, content and journalism) people can call themselves whatever they want - and they very often do. 

[Hellzero]

The official definition of luthier, which is a French word is: crafter of stringed instruments.

 

Hélas, this is not protected.

[Rosie C]

My own understanding is that in addition to repairs and setup of instruments, a luthier actually makes instruments too. 

I'm guessing the word comes from 'lute' in the deep and distant past?

[Hellzero]

3 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

My own understanding is that in addition to repairs and setup of instruments, a luthier actually makes instruments too. 

I'm guessing the word comes from 'lute' in the deep and distant past?

Just see above...

[zbd1960]

A luthier is a maker/repairer of stringed instruments that includes all the descendants of the vihuela: that's viols (viola da gamba), and guitars. In addition it includes the members of the lute and violin families etc. Traditionally, luthiers were trained via apprenticeship to a master luthier. In the UK formal training is run by places such as Newark and West Dean.  

Edited Sunday at 09:54 by zbd1960

[SteveXFR]

A luthier is a person who is professional trained and highly skilled in the art of wallet emptying. 

[Staggering on]

3 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

A luthier is a person who is professional trained and highly skilled in the art of wallet emptying. 

 

Especially if he is working on your double bass. 🙄

[Hellzero]

47 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

The official definition of luthier, which is a French word is: crafter of stringed instruments.

 

Hélas, this is not protected.

To be very clear: somebody assembling parts IS NOT a luthier, he has to craft them, neither is the guy only changing strings and tuning (when he can) an instrument.

 

There are so many people pretending to be luthiers and who are just wallet emptiers.

[prowla]

My definition is that someone who crafts (or makes) an instrument from bare wood (but may attach bought-in shinyware & electrics) is a luthier .

There's also the term "tech" used; I'd define that as someone who does professional-grade setups and repairs.

In contrast, someone who builds (or assembles) an instrument from pre-made parts (ie. neck & body) isn't; I'd probably call them builders(?).

I've had great results putting together instruments from parts, but my woodworking skills are pretty abysmal, so I could probably never be a luthier.

[Norris]

The term is used far too loosely and freely imo. A proper luthier should have had years of apprenticeship, training and experience.

 

I've made guitars from scratch but wouldn't call myself anything but a hobbyist

[Bone Idol]

Isn't it someone with a lisp who can foretell where the toilets are? 😉

Edited Sunday at 10:46 by Bone Idol

[diskwave]

4 hours ago, Norris said:

The term is used far too loosely and freely imo. A proper luthier should have had years of apprenticeship, training and experience.

This in spades, 100%. The guy in the store that does setups and then hands ur axe back scratched and worse than when it went in is not a luthier. Even the guys that make boutique basses from raw materials are not luthiers but kinda wood engineers.

Stringed instrument Luthiers have studied at a special college for the making of stringed instruments and it takes years. Point of note. I can easily setup a bass.. cut a new nut etc....But trying to relocate and tune the sound post in my el cheapo Cello took three weeks of fiddling...trimming and positioning and Im still not sure its dead right.... The skills needed to be a proper Luthier are akin to being a brain surgeon.

[Woodinblack]

Someone who makes a living making stringed instruments. Don't see it matters your training or history, if that is your full time job, that is what you are.

[Stub Mandrel]

Luthiery is the art of making and repairing stringed instruments. Hence anyone who does more than the odd bodge is indulging in luthiery. But like a car nechanic, bassists or botanists, there are professionals and amateurs teained and self-taught; qualified and not: highly skilled and less unskilled.

 

In my mind a luthier has made successful instruments from scratch (at least the body and neck). It isn't a 'guitar tech'.

 

But in the UK we are not fussy and allow anyone to self-define as most trades; here anyone can be an engineer in Europe you have to be qualified to get the epithet 'Ing.' after your name. Anyone can be an 'accountant' but you need qualifications and experience to be a 'chartered accountant'.

 

Now what is it that allows you to call yourself a bassist/bass player and who are the gatekeepers of the title?

 

Imagine if you needed to be Grade 8 and registered with the RCM to be able to say you are a bassist?

 

[binky_bass]

I scrub my back with a Luthier.

[OliverBlackman]

2 hours ago, diskwave said:

This in spades, 100%. The guy in the store that does setups and then hands ur axe back scratched and worse than when it went in is not a luthier. Even the guys that make boutique basses from raw materials are not luthiers but kinda wood engineers.

Stringed instrument Luthiers have studied at a special college for the making of stringed instruments and it takes years. Point of note. I can easily setup a bass.. cut a new nut etc....But trying to relocate and tune the sound post in my el cheapo Cello took three weeks of fiddling...trimming and positioning and Im still not sure its dead right.... The skills needed to be a proper Luthier are akin to being a brain surgeon.

I’d trust someone who has studied in a renowned workshop over a college any day! 

[Shaggy]

In terms of solid bodied guitars and basses I'd say that if you're making the neck by hand then you're a luthier; cutting and routing the body from a block of wood is mere carpentry ; and putting a bitsa together from aftermarket parts is no harder than putting together the average Airfix model kit - the finishing is the hardest bit - and doesn't really warrant any specialist job description.

 

Yes, as said above the word "luthier" is derived from a maker of lutes; I believe the word "lute" itself derived from the Arabic for gourd: oud (which in dried form made the backs for the ancestral instruments).   Subsequently extended to guitar and violin making throughout Europe - although interestingly in Spain, the apex and epicentre of guitar building, a master such as Ramirez or Contreras would be called a "Constructor de guitarras", which is really more descriptive. 

 

Thanks to Maggie Thatcher giving me some spare unemployed time over 40 years ago I've completed lute-making, guitar-making, and violin-making courses, which were hugely enjoyable and character-building, so I guess I could call myself a luthier but wouldn't have the cheek to do so.   Very helpful for building bitsas though, and did make one bass from scratch;; a fretless Stingray (that was enough!).

[paul_5]

1 hour ago, Shaggy said:

I've completed lute-making, guitar-making, and violin-making courses, which were hugely enjoyable and character-building, so I guess I could call myself a luthier but wouldn't have the cheek to do so. 

Ah, a scholar and a gentleman!

[Hellzero]

2 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Ah, a scholar and a gentleman!

A gentlelar...

[binky_bass]

A Schentleman? 

[Shaggy]

21 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Ah, a scholar and a gentleman!

 

 

Thanks , but only in this sense, I'm afraid...

 

 

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Shaggy said:

the finishing is the hardest bit - and doesn't really warrant any specialist job description.

An interesting point because I’ve heard of (people I deem to be) luthiers of solid body guitars/ basses sub contract the paintwork/ gloss of the instruments they build.

[SimonK]

There are some job titles that are "protected" in the sense that you cannot legally call yourself that title, for instance "Chartered" professions, or HCPC/GMC registered medical professions, but for everything else it's entirely down to marketing and reputation. So if you call yourself a luthier, and other people treat you as a luthier, then I guess you are a luthier!

Edited Sunday at 21:01 by SimonK

[SimonK]

And then just went over to youtube to see this on my feed - very impressive!