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About the Courses

In the current series of basic courses, students will build instruments from dimensioned sets of woods and rough-shaped parts. Hand tools and power tools are furnished by the school. The entire process of assembly, fretting, binding, final shaping, stringing and setup are covered in the courses. Due to time constraints the instruments will be completed in the white (see Finishing, below). Workshops on finishing are offered which will equip the student to lacquer or French polish his or her instrument at home. Professional finishing services are also available. Class size is limited to three students for a rewarding educational experience.

2004 Course Calendar

March 8-26, The Full Aussie - lattice bracing, the Chapman method
April 12-24, Modern Classical Guitar Bracing
May 31 – June 12, Basic Classical Guitar Construction
June 14, 1-day Spray Finish Workshop
June 15, 1-day French Polish Workshop
June 23-25, Dovetail Neck Resetting
June 28 – July2, Refretting Acoustic and Electric Guitars
July 12 -24, Basic Steel String Guitar Construction

August 12 - November 29 Comprehensive Course:

• August 9 - 13, Tool Craft
• August 16 - August. 27, Parts Fabrication
• September 1 - 15, Basic Steelstring Construction
• September 20 - Oct. 1, Basic Classical Construction
• October 6 - 27, Basic Arched Top Construction
• November 3 - 25, Finishing/Repair

Tutorials are available in the period from the third week of November 2003 through the first week of March, 2004.

Current course offerings

BASIC STEEL STRING GUITAR

A basic hands-on course for beginning instrument makers where students build a classical or steel-string acoustic guitar. Included in the price of the course is a set of high-quality materials, including a joined Sitka spruce top, bent mahogany sides, un-joined mahogany back, rough-shaped neck blank, a pre-cut neck block, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and tuners. The course includes lectures on bracing patterns, acoustical and design theory; and demonstrations of side bending.

 Instructors: Ivon Schmukler and Steve Warshaw / Fee $2,000 (mahogany steelstring)

1Bis-2

Starts  7/12/04

Ends 7/24/04

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BASIC CLASSICAL GUITAR CONSTRUCTION

A basic hands-on course for beginning classical guitarmakers where the students build a classical guitar. Included in the price of the course is a set of high-quality materials, including a joined spruce or Western Red Cedar top, bent Indian rosewood sides, an unjoined Indian ebony back, rough shaped neck blank, ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge, bone nut and saddle, and tuners.

Instructors: Alan Chapman and Steve Warshaw / Fee  $2,150 (rosewood classical)

1Bic-2

Starts  5/31/04

Ends 6/12/04

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THE FULL AUSSIE

Lattice bracing - The Chapman Method

In his distillation of the best methods of the Australian school of classical guitar construction,. Alan Chapman has done extensive research and testing of lattice, micro lattice and core box top construction techniques yielding instruments now used by some of the world's finest concert artists.

This three-week class students will build a guitar with a graphite and ultra light wood lattice braced top, double side and back body with interior frame. Advanced neck and bridge construction methods will be used in the course.

This is an advanced class for experienced builders.

Instructor: Alan Chapman
Tuition: $3,950 (includes materials)

TFA

Starts  3/8/04

Ends 3/27/04

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MODERN CLASSICAL GUITAR BRACING

This two-week class is designed for experienced builders, students will build four tops representing he most outstanding examples of modern classical guitar design. Alan Chapman will take the class through materials strength testing, graphite/epoxy lay-up and post-construction adjustment. Special techniques of body construction relative to these designs will be discussed.

Choose four designs from the following:

· Smallman type lattice

· Radial

· Damann core box (advanced classical builders only)

· Bernabe

· Fleta

The class is limited to five experienced students.

Instructor:: Alan Chapman
Tuition: $1,950

MCGB

Starts 4/12/04

Ends 4/24/04

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1-DAY SPRAY FINISH WORKSHOP

A one-day class on surface preparation and spray application. The use and maintenance of standard and HVLP spray guns and compressors will be covered.

Instructor: TBA / Fee: $200 /  Register by 5/13/04  / Pay by 5/28/04

SFW-1

6/14/04

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1-DAY FRENCH POLISH WORKSHOP

The seminar consists of a lecture on the nature of French polish shellac finishes, material preparation, surface preparation and application. There will be some hands-on work on sample pieces.

 Instructor: Steve Warshaw  / Fee: $200 /  Register by 5/13/04  / Pay by 5/28/04

FPW-1

6/15/04

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DOVETAIL NECK RESETTING

Ivon Schmukler has been resetting necks on steel string guitars since 1968. He has done hundreds of neck resets and will share his secrets with you. This class is not a demonstration but a hands-on class designed to complement the Refretting class. Most guitars should be refretted when their necks are reset. These are the two repair jobs most in demand from repair people.

Students must bring a guitar to work on. Check with us to make sure it has a dovetail neck joint.

Instructor: Ivon Schmukler
Tuition: $590

DNR-1:

Begins 6/23/04

Ends 6/25/04

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REFRETTING ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITARS

Students must bring an electric and an acoustic guitar in need of refretting. The class is a complete overview of action geometry, intonation, nut and saddle string heights, the mechanics of the neck, truss rod, fingerboard, fretting. The course runs one week , 9am to 5pm

Instructor: Ed Diehl  / Fee: $825 /  Register by 6/3/04  / Pay by 6/12/04

RWED-1:

Begins 6/2804

Ends 7/2/04

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COMPREHENSIVE COURSE

We are offering a series of classes running from August 9 through November 26, 2004 which can be taken together or separately. Courses taken separately will cost the same as courses described in the 2004 course schedule. The price for the entire comprehensive course is $13,915, including tuition, parts, tool use and lab fees.

There will be breaks between the individual classes to provide a breather for the students and
faculty.

The curriculum is as follows:

Tool Craft: 
August 9 - 13, Alan Chapman and Ivon Schmukler, will teach basic hand- and power-tool setup and fabrication of basic edge tools (the students will make a skew chisel).  ($840)

Parts Fabrication:
August 16 - August. 27, Ivon Schmukler and Brad Nickerson will teach fabrication of the parts for flat top, arched top and electric guitars. Students will be instructed in the proper use of the machinery used in parts fabrication; these include table saw, band saw, floor standing belt and disc sander, thickness sander, drill press, joiner, bending irons and a panoply of hand tools. During this nine-day session, students will make the parts for the instruments they will build in the construction classes.  ($1,815)

Basic Flat Top Guitar Construction:
September 1 - 15, Ivon Schmukler will teach construction of steel string guitars. This 96-hour course (described in the enclosed brochure) had been our most popular and successful course. Students, regardless of skill level, have all completed high quality instruments in these courses over the past two years. The course is the prerequisite for all other acoustic instrument courses. $2,000 for steel strings, $1,950 for classical guitars.

Basic Classical Guitar Construction:
September 20 - Oct. 1, A basic hands-on course for beginning classical guitarmakers where the students build a classical guitar. Included in the price of the course is a set of high-quality materials, including a joined Sitka spruce or Western Red Cedar top, bent Indian rosewood sides, an unjoined Indian rosewood back, rough shaped neck blank, ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge, bone nut and saddle, and tuners. ($2,150)

Basic Arched Top Guitar Construction:
October 6 - 27, Brad Nickerson add Ivon Schmukler will teach construction of acoustic and acoustic/electric arched top guitars (students have the choice of one or the other). This 144-hour course is now in its second year and has been successfully taught to students who have completed the basic flat top course.$3,960

Finishing / Repair:
November 3 - 25, this course will entail finishing the students instruments over a three-week period. As time allows we will give instruction on basic repair methods including; cracks, regluing loose braces, neck resetting, refretting, setup for various instruments and adjustments.$2,500

Registration

• Click here for an online registration form
• Click here for a Printable registration form

Registration fee of $100 per class ($500 for the comprehensive course), deductible from the total course costs, must accompany all registrations. This fee is not refundable other than for non performance by Leeds Guitarmakers' School (see "refunds" below.)

Payment: Half of the course tuition must be paid 45 days prior to the beginning of the course. The balance is due one week before the course begins.

Refunds: Registration deposits are returned only if the course is insufficiently subscribed and the course must be cancelled.

Optional materials: Costs may vary if the student has ordered special materials or components for his or her instruments. Please call us for current rates and options.

Finishing: Please note that all the instruments will be completed "in the white," that is, without a finish coating. Finishing options are having the finish professionally applied and the instrument mailed to your home ($650 plus shipping costs), or attending one of the 1-day finishing workshops offered by the school.

Housing: Please call us for information.

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