#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Can we call ourselves luthiers?

That is my question for discussion. I would like to call myself a luthier, but I hesitate. I have built 21 instruments. They all work. I usually say I am an amateur luthier.

I have built 3 string guitars, 4 string guitars and 11 ukes. Do my own fretting, have built 5 boxes, albeit rectangular

Like most of us, I am self-taught, with a lot of help from you guys in the Nation. I've made lots of jigs to compensate for lack of power tools.

I have been at this for 1 1/2 years and have sold about 8 instruments. I am semiretired.

What do you think?.

2 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Monterey on June 19, 2015 at 12:46pm

I don't know, but around here if you fix cars or trucks in your backyard you're referred to as being a "backyard mechanic" as opposed to a "licensed mechanic". I do know more than one backyard mechanic who's better than any licensed mechanic I've ever met...
My dog's a cross-bred too, but as far as I'm concerned cross-breds are better than purebreds with papers, because inbreeding fixes the bad genes as well as the good ones

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rob (Uker) Porras on June 19, 2015 at 8:14am

I think Amateur Luthier is pretty much exactly what we all are and the bert way to describe what we do.

You don't have to be on the PGA tour to be a golfer.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BP - RabidSalad - on June 19, 2015 at 10:30am

Perhaps... apprentice luthier or elementary luthier... or just a guy that enjoys put'n sticks into cigar boxes and making a joyful noise from them!?!? Does it really matter in the end??

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BUGGY (C) on June 19, 2015 at 10:33am

Nice loot...!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on June 19, 2015 at 11:24am

i think Chrysler has the right concept . "maker "

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Monterey on June 19, 2015 at 12:53pm

I think you're dead-on Pick, Maker with a capital "M"!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tommy Phillips on June 30, 2015 at 4:28am

"Maker" is certainly appropriate in my case, since I first heard of CBGs in Make Magazine.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jim Cissell on June 19, 2015 at 1:57pm

I've been asked that question too. I still don't consider myself any where near a luthier. So my standard line is;

If a luthier makes a mistake on a custom guitar it's called junk.... If I make a mistake it's called wall art... :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Blues Frog on June 20, 2015 at 2:14am

I agree with you 100%. When I put a new back on my brother's Martin, I didn't get the neck set quite right and the intonation is off because of it. So now its a very nice piece of wall art.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rob Tabish on June 20, 2015 at 4:53am

maybe that is the dividing line....the difference between tradesman and artist. i notice all of the CBGs i have seen are very different from standard stringed instruments,

.....and each other...no two are ever alike. if we were making a standardized instrument and every one was exactly the same, we would be tradesmen, and probably would have a title or moniker that indicated that....but because of the VAST free style with which we all create our "products", it is much more of an art than a science.