Fretting: Truss rod designs and adjustments – fret board leveling – fret slot routing – fretting and re-fretting – compression fretting – arbor press fretting – hammer in fretting – gluing in frets – fret dressing – loose fret end repairs – fret wire selections – bound necks – non-adjustable truss rod issues – inlay issues.

Acoustic Repairs: Bridge re-glues – crack repairs – humidity issues – loose brace repairs – bridge plate repairs – vintage style neck resets – modern style neck resets – binding repairs – peg head repairs – pick up installation – acoustic guitar electronics.

Setup and Maintenance: Troubleshooting – neck evaluation – action adjustments – making bone nuts and saddles – back-filing nuts and bridges – setting pickup height – intonation adjustments – replacing intonation saddles – identifying fret board radius – floating tremolos and locking nuts – proper string gauge selection – fitting bridge pins – compensated acoustic guitar saddles – classical guitar considerations – cleaning hardware – fret board cleaning – fret board conditioning – stringing and restringing – tuner maintenance – strap button installations.

Finish repairs: Conversion varnish finishes – shellac finishes – nitro-cellulose lacquer finishes – catalyzed Polymer finishes – touch-up possibilities – pros and cons about finish repairs – sun bursting – stains and dyes – metallic finishes – isolantes vs vinyl wash coats – grain filling – plasticizers – color options – spray schedules – spray equipment – spray booth operations.

Electronics: pickup components and function – single coil pickups – humbucker design and function – piezo pickups – contact transducers – potentiometers – switches – capacitors – output jacks – wire types – in-phase and out-of-phase – magnetic polarity – series vs. parallel – coil splitting – coil tapping – soldering – electronics troubleshooting and repair.

GS-AG1 Steel String Acoustic

We will lead you step-by-step through the building process giving you an understanding of acoustic guitar design and construction. Upon completion, you’ll have hand-built a flat top acoustic guitar from the ground up that serves as an excellent way to introduce yourself to potential employers and customers.

Body: Layout and design – wood selection – top sets – back and sides – Top and back joining – thickness sanding tops and backs – bending sides – cutting rosette and sound hole – fitting to mold – parabolic sanding – installing kerfing and side braces – scalloping top and back braces – body assembly – routing binding and perfling slots – installing binding and perflings – finish sanding.

Neck: Choosing scale lengths – laying out necks – making fretboards – peghead designs – overlays designs – tuner hole layout – truss rod installation – gluing on fretboard – carving necks – neck joints – setting necks – placement markers – leveling fretboards – fretting – side markers – heel shaping and heel cap – finish sanding.

Finish: Finish sanding – masking techniques – spray gun operations – wash coats – latex fillers – clear coats – finish thicknesses – wet sanding – buffing.

Assembly and setup: Final neck set – making bridge -bridge layout – gluing bridges – tuner installation – fitting bridge pins – bone nut – bone saddle – final setup – final buff and polish – builders label installation – final setup – pick guard installation.

Tone wood upgrades For the Level one Acoustic, as with all of our Galloup School class projects, we offer premium tone wood upgrades upon request. Please call for availability and pricing.   

EG-1 Bolt On Electric

We will guide you step-by-step through the building process to give you an understanding of electric guitar design and construction. Upon completion, you’ll have hand-built from the ground-up one of the most successful electric guitar designs of all time that will serves as an excellent way to introduce yourself to potential employers and customers.

Body: Layout and design – wood selection – joining figured top – thickness sanding – jointing back sections – routing templates – router operation – control, pick up, neck pocket and cover plate routing – drilling neck mounting holes – drilling wiring holes – shaping body – finish sanding.

Neck: Scale length options – making a fret board – peg head designs – overlays – peg head inlays – truss rod installation – gluing on fret board – carving necks – tuner layout – neck joint – neck mounting inserts – setting necks – fret board markers – leveling fret boards – fretting – side markers – finish sanding.

Finish: Finish sanding – masking techniques – spray gun operations – body stains and colors – wash coats – spraying sunbursts – clear coats – wet sanding – buffing – polishing.

Assembly and Setup: Final neck set – bridge layout – tuner installation – pick up installation – electronics installation – fret dressing – bone nut – saddle set up and intonation – final setup – final buff and polish.

Tone Wood Upgrades For the Level one Electric, as with all of our Galloup School class projects, we offer premium tone wood upgrades upon request. Please call for availability and pricing.    

GS-FS1 Fingerstyle Acoustic

Bryan re-launched the “Finger Style Guitar” in the fall of 2022. The re-designed AG-2 has a new body design and embellishments, but most importantly, expanded voicing lectures to make this build the best lesson in the lutherie school business.

Body: Layout and design – wood selection – top, back, and side sections – top and back joining – sanding to thickness – side bending – rosette and sound hole cutting – rosette installation – side assembly – fitting to mold – parabolic sanding – kerfing and side brace installation – voicing top and back braces – assembling body – flush routing – routing binding and perfling slots – binding and perfling installation – finish sanding.

Neck: Scale length options – fretboard making – peghead designs – overlays designs – tuner hole layout – truss rod installation – gluing on the fretboard – gluing on overlay – routing neck joint – carving necks – setting necks – heel carving and heel cap installation – fret markers – leveling fret boards – fretting – side markers – fret dressing – finish sanding.

Finish: Finish sanding – masking techniques – spray gun operations – wash coats – fillers – clear coats – finish thickness – wet sanding – buffing – polishing.

Assembly and setup: Final neck set – bridge making – bridge layout – gluing on bridge – tuner installation – drilling bridge pin holes – fitting bridge pins – leveling fretboards – fretting – fret dressing – bone nut – bone saddle – final setup – final buff and polish. 

Tone wood upgrades: For the Level One Acoustic, as with all of our Galloup School class projects, we offer premium tone wood upgrades upon request. Please call for availability and pricing.    

GS-ESN2 Set Neck Electric

As a continuation of your Level One Electric Guitar Making, we will further evaluate the importance of quality material and add to the complexity of the build with the addition of book matched flame maple caps, expanded finish options and, hardware and electronic lessons.

Body: Layout and design – wood selection – joining figured top and sanding to thickness – jointing back sections and sanding to thickness – routing template operations – router operation – control, pick up, neck pocket, and cover plate routing – laying out body design – cutting out body – carving maple top – final shaping body – cutting binding slot – installing binding – drilling wiring holes – finish sanding.

Neck: Scale length options – making a fret board – peghead designs – overlays – peghead inlays – truss rod installation – gluing on fret board – carving necks – tuner layout – drilling tuner holes – cutting neck joint – setting necks – fret board markers – leveling fret boards – fretting – side markers – finish sanding – set neck – glue on neck – dress frets – finish sanding.

Finish: Finish sanding – masking techniques – spray gun operations – body stains and colors – wash coats – spraying sunbursts – clear coats – wet sanding – buffing – polishing.

Assembly and Setup: Final neck set – bridge layout – tuner installation – pick up installation – electronics installation – fret dressing – bone nut – saddle setup and intonation – final setup – final buff and polish.

Tone wood upgrades For the Level Two Electric, as with all of our school class projects, we offer premium tone wood upgrades upon request. Please call for availability and pricing.

GS-ATH Archtop Hybrid

Making archtop instruments has been a part of the Galloup School for eighteen years. Over this time we have refined our lessons to make these instruments relevant and challenging. Only the necessary topics are covered to keep our students focused on this complicated build.

Body: Guitar layout and design – tone wood selection – matching top and back sets – joining tops and backs – side bending – top carving – F-hole routing – voicing top – side bending – fitting the sides into mold – gluing the head and end blocks – kerfing and side brace installation – top brace installation – top bracing voicing – body assembly – routing binding and purfling slots – binding and perfling installation – cutting the dovetail – finish sanding.

Neck: Scale length options – fretboard making – peghead designs – overlays designs – tuner hole layout – truss rod installation – gluing on the fretboard – gluing on overlay – routing dovetail joint – carving necks – setting necks – heel carving and heel cap installation – fret markers – leveling fret boards – fretting – side markers – fret dressing – finish sanding – setting neck – gluing on neck – dressing frets – finish sanding.

Components: Tailpiece styles – making truss rod covers – making pick guard – pick guard mounting brackets – making bridge.

Electronics: Pickup selection – pickup placement – altering the pick guard to accept the pickup – mounting controls to the pick guard – output jack placement.

Finishing: Finish sanding – masking techniques – spray gun operations – wash coats – fillers – clear coats – finish thickness – wet sanding – buffing – polishing.

Assembly and Setup: Bridge layouts – bridge base shaping – tuner installation – fitting the tailpiece – final fret dress – making nut – pick guard and electronics installation – final setup – final buff and polish.

Tone wood upgrades For the Level one Acoustic as with all of our Galloup School class projects, we offer premium tone wood upgrades upon request. Please call for availability and pricing.    

 GS-SH1 Semi-Hollow Body

New to the shop in 2021, our semi hollow electric has become a key addition to our electric guitar building program. Now in its third stage of design, it has become a solid build with a great tone that is a nice finish to your electric Masters Class training.

Body: Instrument design – wood selection – matching top set – matching back and sides – joining tops and backs – carving top plates – bracing top – laminating sides – fitting sides to mold – head and end blocks – fitting the kerfing – body assembly – bindings and perflings – cutting mortise.

Neck: Scale length – making the fretboard – fretboard inlays – truss rod installation – cutting tendon – peghead designs – overlays – tuner layout – neck sets – gluing fret boards – leveling fret boards – fretting – shaping necks – fretboard markers – side markers – peghead inlay – heel cap.  

Finishing: Final shaping of neck – final shaping of body – masking techniques – staining body – spraying color – spraying clear coats – wet sanding – buffing.

Electronics: Pickup wiring – pickup installation – volume pots – tone pots – switches – output jacks – bridge grounding.

Assembly and Setup: Bridge placement – tuner installation – strap button installation – fret dressing – bone nut – bridge setup – action – pickup setup – intonation – final buff. 

Tone wood upgrades For the Level One Electric as with all of our Galloup School class projects, we offer premium tone wood upgrades upon request. Please call for availability and pricing.