Learn the art of guitar making. For complete beginners, the initial series of sessions concentrates on sharpening and hand-tool techniques, and applying these skills to guitar neck construction and soundboard, ribs and back preparation, ready for the instrument to be constructed in subsequent classes.
On this course you will get the opportunity to learn through engagement with practical projects in the workshop. At the end of this module you will have completed a substantial piece of work in the form of a guitar neck. You will also be introduced to the working practices of project work.
This course is usually studied as an introductory course, with a view to completing your guitar in subsequent sessions in our intermediate and advanced level courses. It can, however, be taken as a standalone course to introduce you to basic musical instrument wood working techniques.
The course aims are:
Course content:
Every student works at a different pace, but with prior woodwork experience and regular attendance, it is possible to make a full guitar by attending all three levels (Introduction to Advanced) of the Guitar Making courses. However, some inexperienced students can take two or even three years to complete an instrument.
These courses aim to give you the opportunity to:
Learning outcomes:
On completion of this course, you should be able to demonstrate:
This course is aimed at anyone who wishes to learn how to make an acoustic guitar using hand tools. It is not necessary to have previous musical instrument making or wood working experience. This course welcomes both the more experienced wood worker and the complete beginner. Ultimately what is essential is the desire to learn the skills to be able to build your own guitar by hand.
"Amazing experience at the School of Art, Architecture and Design. Nick Pyall has a wealth of experience and is open to any quirky idea that you throw at him. He is one of the best and most inspiring tutors I have had as a student and this just adds up to a wonderful course."
"The course was excellent. I was impressed by how much of it is done by hand and I truly felt I was getting a thorough learning experience. We had an excellent teacher."
"The course was very informative and enjoyable. A very pleasant atmosphere."
"The experience and patience of the tutor was of great help to me as I was coming from a basic level of knowledge of woodworking principles. I feel I've learned a great deal in a short amount of time and am looking forward to taking that new-found knowledge and confidence further with the next level of the course."
"Our tutor was great. He instructed when needed and he left us alone to enjoy the process. His attention to safety was also very good. He created a safe and enjoyable environment. I learned a lot about tools and almost finished a neck."
Course dates | Course postponed until further notice |
Length | One afternoon a week for ten sessions |
Day and time | Friday, 2pm to 5pm |
Maximum class size | 12 |
Contact hours | 30 |
A 20% discount is available for:
If you're eligible for the 20% discount, please contact us before booking.
In addition to the course fee there will be a charge of £10 to £15 for materials.
Please read our terms and conditions before booking.
Booking for this course isn't open at this time as the dates of the next intake are not yet confirmed. Please get in touch for further information or register your interest to receive notification as soon as booking opens.
Please note, the deadline to book a place on one of our short courses is one week before the start date. If you have missed the deadline, please get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate you.
To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.