William A Mackay Interview 8 Advice for future young luthiers

Do you have any advice for future young luthiers? Can you give them advice on training courses? Do you know of any special schools?

If I were to give positive advice to any aspiring young, or old luthier?

I’d certainly ask myself what do you want from this?

I don’t think I’ve met a rich luthier yet. Most are extremely dedicated and often quite philosophical about there chosen vocation.

There are sensible ways of developing a career in luthiery. But I’m the wrong man to ask there. No, I feel it’s much more viable to look at a career in restoration and repair than making, at least in the field of violin making and probably guitar also.

There are so many instruments out there and chances are any instrument in its lifetime will need a little work.

Most corners of the stringed instrument market are saturated with cheap instruments from the far East, and many of them are good, if not in the league of a high end western made instrument they do represent good value for money, I should perhaps acknowledge and mention the high end makers of the East as I know the standards they have also.

By building a reputation through repair and restoration work a luthier will stand a much better chance of selling personally made instruments if they still wish to.

I hope this is useful to someone at least.

It’s an extremely satisfying thing to produce an instrument and people should, and will do what they want.

Good Luck.