During Your Workshop We Provide
- FREE HOUSING
- FREE MATERIALS
- HANDS-ON
- SMALL CLASSES
- 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Begun in 1982 Vermont Instruments is a teaching lutherie offering small group tutorials in guitar-making, and repair. Students build their own instruments from raw materials. Acoustic and structural design, jig-making, finishing and set-up, are woven into a course of study that accommodates each person’s skill-level and experience. This Basics Course offers the novice the opportunity to learn the rudiments of the craft by building a guitar from scratch.
It is three weeks of intense work resulting in great-looking and powerful-sounding instruments. Enrollment is limited to 5 students per course. All students graduate with a finished guitar, and a construction manual with step-by-step photos for future use detailing the building process, including information on acoustic theory, structure and design. Our focus is teaching the skills and information essential for students to continue their own creative work.
Our interest is in training the next generation of luthiers. Put another way, we are not going to help you build a guitar, we are going to teach you how to teach yourself to build guitars. Our methods are low-tech and hands-on, relying only on basic hand and small-scale power-tools, and a few simple jigs. We want people to be able to start working on their next instruments as soon as possible, with minimal investment in tools and equipment. Many graduates have moved directly from this course to building at a high level in their own shops. We hope to continue this tradition and promote this wonderful craft into the future. On-site housing is included for all students.
 "The three weeks that I spent under the mentorship of George was honestly a life changing experience. I have recommended this course to many. Whether you just want to get away from the every day stress of life, or you are serious about becoming a luthier, I can't think of a better place to escape to. The instruction, care, environment, camaraderie, and sincere passion that is part of Vermont Instruments, is unbelievable. Every guitar that came out of our group was a superb prize! Highly recommended!"
Lynn Wiles www.WilesMusic.com
"George's ability to instruct, keep all the projects moving, and to fix mistake after mistake was definitely the most significant factor. It was very reassuring that if any one of us made a mistake George would calmly have a quick fix. That was the 'best'.
Each new event in the instrument making process was demonstrated and very well explained and each misstep was corrected and everyone's project just kept moving towards completion.
The work stations and the quality of tools and equipment in them were very impressive, great shop. Students never had to wait for a tool and each tool was well cared for and functioned well, another thing that kept all the projects moving.
Another very pleasant surprise was your willingness to share your jig designs. If you had chosen to sell jigs or jig-design drawings I would have completely understood but everything was readily available to record in any way for further use. This has made it much easier to move forward."
Mike Travers, June 2011
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