THE MASTERS COURSE

 

What to expect


The Master Course was designed to cover every parameter of guitar making from the selection of raw materials to setting up moulds, jigs, machinery, hand held power tools and the setting up of a workshop, the application of theory behind body design, string lengths, materials and setting up techniques and finally finishing.

All these areas and more are covered extensively throughout the Master course.

This course is aimed at delivering solid principles of guitar building in a manner that can be understood clearly from day one, building on a solid foundation for expanding on future guitar making skills.

This is a must for those who really want to get the low down on the integral core of guitar making and advance your knowledge by ten years in 21 days.

The course is delivered over a time frame of 150 hours and can be achieved a series of negotiated times. The Master course can be attended by up to two people and a set time is usually offered in advance for students to make appropriate arrangements regarding time to attend.

 

 

Types of Guitars

There are a variety of styles and models of acoustic guitars to choose from in the Masters Course, and you can choose the guitar you would like to build.

Models

  • 00
  • 000 12 and 14 fret
  • 0M
  • Dreadnought
  • Classical

Content of the Course

  • Wood selection and grading
  • Breaking down and conditioning of wood
  • Materials
  • Appropriate selection for selected instrument
  • Mould Design and Making
  • Bending and Heat Moulds
  • Bending of Solid timber sides
  • Top and Bracing construction
  • Back and Bracing construction
  • Theory of tuning, body resonance
  • Body assembly
  • Theory on aperture times and air movement
  • Neck design and construction
  • Scale lengths
  • Fingerboard design and construction
  • Fretting
  • Assembly techniques
  • Set up and finish

Materials

Master Grade Materials are included in the course. The selection of materials that come from Carson Crickmore's unique collection of wood that spans more than 30 years is on offer.

Some of the species that are on offer are listed below and are marked inclusive for the Master course.

Back and Side Mate 

  • Victorian figured Blackwood
  • Indian Rosewood
  • African Rosewood Paduk

Top Materials

  • Engelman Spruce
  • German Spruce 
  • Alaskan Yellow Cedar

 

 

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