Guitar Repair & Building

The Guitar Repair & Building program at Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical draws students of all ages and backgrounds from all over the world. The Guitar Repair & Building program prepares students for a career in lutherie. We offer hands-on learning in the art of guitar repair and building. The program is designed to move a student step by step through the process of gaining knowledge of tools, adhesives, woods, common repair procedures and on to the building of an acoustic guitar. Students learn acoustic design elements, diagnosing, set-up, fretwork, wiring, bridge installation, neck re-sets and other repairs on a variety of fretted instruments. In the spring semester students build a flat-top steel string or classical guitar, learn finishing materials and procedures and continue doing repair work. Students also have the option to design and build an electric guitar. Our graduates are in high demand working with music stores, independent repair shops, manufacturers and some are even self-employed. Job placement has been nearly 100% consistently over the last several years.

Major Offerings

Career Opportunities

• Music Stores
• Repair Shops
• Guitar Makers
• Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Job Placement

79% - view our tracking summary on Southeast Tech's Class of 2007

Program Highlights

• Unique in length and comprehensiveness in the United States
• Additional career for musicians and teachers
• No previous musical or woodworking experience necessary

Instructors

• David Vincent earned his certificate from the Roberto Venn School of Luthery. He has taught at Southeast Technical since 1984. David has built 40 instruments of his own and helped students build over 600 instruments.
• Brian Boedigheimer graduated from the Guitar program in 1994. For the next twelve years he provided repair services for several music stores and built instruments for the Benedict Guitar Company. He has taught at the college since 2000 and continues to build his own line of instruments.
• John Reed is a graduate of the Musical String Instrument Repair Program, has apprenticed in violin construction with David Folland of Northfield, Minnesota, and has also been an instructor at Minnesota State College Southeast Technical since the early 1990's. Most recently John has worked in research and development at McPherson Guitars in Sparta, Wisconsin.