Come to my shop. I'll show you how.
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Cosmetic dentist Brian
Galbraith writes: "...Bill builds guitars like he lives his life—calm, relaxed, yet purposeful and with great imagination and freedom. Which is refreshing, for within his course, much of my false assumptions about acoustics were dashed mightily, but replaced with demonstrated and proven scientific truths. He brought my understanding and perspective of luthierie to a whole new level..." Entire evaluation text here
U.S. Patent
examiner Debra Meislin writes: Human Resources executive Fred Burgos writes: "Im 56 years old, and Ive worn
many hats in my life, but I never got around to doing something Id always wanted to
do turn a pile of wood into an instrument of music. As a boy I was convinced it
took magical powers to do that. I know better now, yet I still cant come up with an
excuse for my lifelong procrastination. Perhaps life just got in the way. Remember what
Lennon said - life is what happens while youre busy making other plans?
Lucky for me, that changed this summer. Thanks to Master Luthier William R. Cumpiano, I
turned off the plans and turned on the planer, and guess what? I actually made
a guitar a damned good one at that."
Editor Ted Gilley
writes: And here's his new rosewood jumbo 12 string:
Stage designer Chris Driscoll writes:
Radiologist David Cory made a 00 steel string guitar alongside me in my shop several years ago.
...I can look back on the two weeks in Northampton
as a time of hard work in the shop, but at the same time, a time of relaxation and
renewal. In my profession as a radiologist, Telecom-industry consultant Steve Granek took some time off and built a sleek M-style curly maple guitar recently. Afterwards, he sent me this evaluation.
More tutorial evaluations: Read Miami salsa trombonist/ tv commercial producer
Robert Berrios' end-of-course evaluation Retired steelman Henry Stern made a classic guitar in my shop:
Software Engineer Kevin Curtis wrote: Below, transoceanic sailor Harry Zanville final-sands his Purpleheart cutaway classic guitar. Below we see his almost-completed classic and the one I was making beside his--this one with Osage Orange back and sides and Purpleheart bindings.
Retired forge operator (forger?) Tom Petredean now owns a unique parlor-sized guitar patterned after the Martin Ditson Grand Concert. He writes:
I'm back home now, having completed two long, wonderful and intense weeks. I
really have to put my Ditson Grand Concert back in its case. It's "in the
white" (unfinished) and I'm getting it soiled from playing it so much. It
looks and sounds so good though. Patient and calm teacher. Helping this
first time guitar builder through the many processes involved in
constructing a guitar. It was a process of "demystification" for me. After
looking at Cumpiano and Natelson's book for so many years, trying to imagine
how to proceed through all the required steps. William is right there,
explaining, demonstrating, observing, advising until I began to feel
comfortable in the process.
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You can spend a couple of weeks in my New England shop and I'll personally teach you how to make your own guitar -- all materials, tool use, and instruction included. Here are the details: Teaching format Little or no woodworking experience is necessary--just patience and an open, "beginner's mind." I have taught people of all ages, of all levels of experience-- and all have emerged surprised and delighted with the instrument they've taken home. The evaluations from my past tutorial students on this page speak for themselves. How's that? Let me know if I've covered all the bases or not -- or to reserve a slot. Teaching Format: MAKING A GUITAR WITH WILLIAM CUMPIANO 2 week Session, one on one: You will be working under my direct supervision, in my shop, solo: no other students at the same time; and follow my instructions and movements, as you watch me work on a guitar I'm making for my own shop -- while you follow along on your own guitar in a step by step fashion. We can both work on a classic, steel string, cuatro or requinto guitar: it's your choice. No one else in my studio but you and me.
COURSE
CURRICULUM Session Availability: I have to work the two week sessions around my yearly commission schedule, so the number of sessions and slots is extremely limited. 2007: All available session slots are filled, sorry!
2008:
I have decided to
curtail the number of sessions offered in 2008 because I wish to create a
video DVD companion to my guitarmaking book during that period and catch up
with a backlog of commissioned instruments waiting for my attention.
Costs: MATERIALS If the instructor supplies the materials, the
cost would be an additional $400 to $800 or more, depending on materials and fittings
selected. You can bring your own case or purchase one from me at my cost.
During registration, I will send you a list of basic material costs and
available tonewood, hardware and case upgrades. VEHICLE: Renting or bringing your own vehicle is optional. If you don't have your own vehicle, I can pick you up and drive you every day to the shop and back. I can also drive you from the nearest airport and back on your arrival and departure. The nearest airport is Bradley/Springfield (BDL) Location: My shop is located in Western Massachusetts, in the small city of Northampton, which is a half hour's drive from Springfield, Massachusetts, (the state's third largest city) and one hour's drive North on I-91 from Hartford, Connecticut. Northampton is a beautiful New England college town (Smith
College, with Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke and UMass nearby) with great restaurants, a
lively nightlife and a lot of top live-music acts coming through town; it has been awarded
the title of "best small town for the arts in America" for two years running. There are often more applicants than slots available. As a result, learners can only be
selected on a first-come, first-served basis. "First come" means: whose deposit arrives first.
If you wish to sign up for the 2 week one on one course my instructor's fee will be $5000. I will require a $1000 retainer (refundable only as described below), which must be included with a signed letter of agreement that I will send you after we settle on the details. The signed agreement and check must arrive back to me as soon as possible, or you may find that the slot has been made unavailable by another deposit which arrived sooner. The retainer will be applied to the course fee. $3000 will be payable on the first day of the course and $1000 at the end. I need to receive the materials fee four weeks before the
start date, and one-half of the housing fee (if you're staying in my guest room) at signing time,
although I have been flexible with that in the past. As far as refunds and cancellations,
IF YOU CANCEL, whether I return the retainer or return it in part will be at my
discretion, and will depend on several factors, including how close to the start date you
cancelled; if you've cancelled for an emergency situation; and if I can find
a person on my cancellation list that can jump in to your spot. More Tutorial Student Evaluations: Seamus Cantwell came all the way from Tipperary, Ireland (yeah, he knows, it's a long way--he gets that all the time) to make a 12-fret curly Koa jumbo guitar with abalone purflings around the top. His course evaluation can be found here.
Below is a close-up of the guitars Seamus and I made together. Mine is in the foreground.
When he's not designing planetarium shows for the Boston Museum of Science, Wade Sylvester makes guitars. He extensively documented a recent "extended" tutorial with me on his own webpage.
Joe Wilmont works at CBS news and made himself a fine classic guitar in my shop in May 2009. Here he is showing his finished work off to his friends at CBS:
Above, consultant Peter Schireson
completed his own Hauser-copy classic guitar in my shop. His comments here.
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North Carolingian Joe Herrick
wrote: "I would readily recommend this class to anyone with more than a passing interest in making a guitar. Whether you build only one guitar with William, or use this class as a beginning for a new hobby or even a career, this class will be a rare experience you will never forget." His entire course evaluation can be found here. |