luthiers
Stringed instrument craftsmen
Luthiers are craftspeople who build and repair stringed instruments—guitars, violins, cellos, lutes.
The term comes from the French word for lute.
A luthier's work ranges from mass production to custom instruments built for professional musicians: She took her vintage Martin to a luthier for restoration.
The singular is luthier.
Sap-yielding hardwood tree
- spruceNeat; also a conifer
- rosewoodTropical cabinet timber
- ebonyDense dark tropical wood
- mahoganyReddish-brown tropical lumber
cedar · grain · veneer · bookmatching · bending · carving · sanding · finishing
Made manually, not machined
- bespokeMade to individual specifications
- artisanalMade by skilled craftspeople
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
tradition · mastery · restoration · setup · action · fretwork · nut · saddle
Bowed string instrument
- guitarFretted stringed instrument
- celloDeep-voiced bowed instrument
- bassDeep pitch or fish
- mandolinPlucked eight-string lute descendant
ukulele · banjo · viola · oud · sitar · balalaika · lyre · hurdy-gurdy
maple
Sap-yielding hardwood tree
mahogany · cedar · grain · veneer · bookmatching · bending · carving · sanding · finishing · varnish
handcrafted
Made manually, not machined
- bespokeMade to individual specifications
- artisanalMade by skilled craftspeople
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
apprenticeship · tradition · mastery · restoration · setup · action · fretwork · nut · saddle · bridge
violin
Bowed string instrument
mandolin · ukulele · banjo · viola · oud · sitar · balalaika · lyre · hurdy-gurdy · veena
soundboard
Tone-amplifying wooden surface
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
- toneQuality of sound
- timbreSound's distinctive character
sustain · harmonics · overtones · vibration · intonation · projection · voicing · bracing · soundhole · tuning
Stradivari
Famed Cremonese luthier
- craftspeoplepotter, weaver, blacksmith, artisan, potters
- luthieryviolin making, violin maker, bow making, cigar box guitar, violin
- classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
- craft hobbiesknitting circles, sewing circles, soap makers, glass artists, calligraphers
- French MusicEdith Piaf, chanson, French jazz, French pop, Debussy
- Guitar StoresGuitar Center, Sweetwater, custom shops, chain stores, local shops
luthiersinstrumentalists
Musicians using tools
musicians · performers · guitarists · violinists · players