Gerhard Schoepp Music Interview 1 Background
I picked up the acoustic guitar 20 years ago!
And, being curious about the way things work in general, I was fascinated right from the start about the instrument and it’s construction.
It did not take long until I started to improve the setup of my guitar (or at least I tried to 😉 ).
A few years later, I built my first guitar with the help of Cumpiano’s book and old tools from my grandfather. It was, of course, almost unplayable and ugly, but I was hooked right from the start and found myself planning the next build before the first one was even finished.
As a child I had two hobbies: sports and creating things.
I was always making stuff from paper, cardboard, wood etc. I guess this is where my curiosity for the functioning of things comes from.
I just love working with my hands!
However, descending from a family of academics, I originally studied to become an architect, where I learned a lot about design, material, construction, working with computer aided design and manufacturing programs.
These are skills I use every day in my workshop, and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to have studied at a university.
For a few years, I kept making various guitars (mostly electric) as a hobby, until I decided to learn the craft for real.
I was lucky to be allowed to attend the school for luthiery in Hallstatt, Austria from 2013 to 2017, where I learned not only guitarmaking, but also violinmaking and repairwork. Besides learning to make beautiful instruments, I kept working as an architect, mostly night time and on weekends.
I opened up my own workshop in my parent’s house in 2018, since then I have been working full time as a luthier, creating new models and doing repairwork.
Every day I am thankful to be able to work in this awesome job.
I still play the guitar from time to time, usually for my son, who is about 2 years old.
You can contact Gerhard Schoepp through the contact form on his personal page of Luthiers.com here:
We also invite you to follow him on his various social networks:
Gerhard Schöpp (Gerhard Schoepp, for the countries where the letter Ö does not exist) is a luthier in Zell am See, Austria.
His work is focused on building steelstring guitars and repairs, but he does also make electric and classic guitars, archtops and violins.
Driven by his curiosity to know how things work, he started building his first guitar in the year 2008, with the help of a book and tools from his grandfather.`
From day one he was hooked!
He found himself planning the next guitar before he even finished the first one.
For a few years, he kept making various guitars, mostly electric, as a hobby, until he decided to learn the craft for real.
He was lucky to be allowed to attend the school for luthiery in Hallstatt, Austria from 2013 to 2017, where he learned not only guitarmaking, but also violinmaking and repairwork.
Besides learning to make beautiful instruments, he kept working as an architect, which is what he originally studied to become, mostly night time and on weekends.
Since then, a lot has changed.
He gave up his job as architect and set up his workshop in his parent’s house in Zell am See, Austria, starting to work fulltime as a luthier.
And what a joy it has been! Every day he’s thankful to be able to work in this awesome job. This is his passion, this is what he’s meant to be.
Luthier through and through!
In the coming weeks, as for others luthiers for plucked string instruments, luthiers for bowed string instruments, amps & effects makers, wood & supplies dealers, lutherie events, jobs, schools & teachers subscribers on our site, you will be able to follow our series of mini-interviews dedicated to the fascinating world of luthiers.
See you soon…
If you are passionate about the world of luthiers, join us!