What does the Stradivarius and Jimi Hendrix’s guitar have in common? A luthier possessed with the spirit of genius.

A luthier is someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments. The craft is normally divided into two categories: instruments that are plucked or strummed and stringed instruments that are bowed.

On deciding to become a luthier, the path you’re most likely to follow doesn’t include the normal institutions like colleges and universities.

Repairing and creating instruments is an acquired skill. You would need to train under a practising luthier and learn by observing his or her nimble hands wielding the wood, metal and strings.

• Join the luthier forum  – a resource for guitar building.
• An Electric Saw, Three strings and a Chicken Cooker, The Fat Body Fiddle? Enter the world of Ines Souster – a contemporary luthier.
• Why do Stradivarius violins sound sublime?
  
• Chladni patterns for violin plates