The Guild of American Luthiers is a nonprofit educational membership organization whose purpose is to facilitate learning about lutherie: the art, craft, and science of stringed musical instrument construction and repair. Since 1972, we’ve been the foremost source of information for makers, repairers, and restorers of all kinds of string instruments. Guild membership and publications are open to all. Whether you’ve been making instruments for years, or have just acquired the lutherie bug; whether you live in Brooklyn or Bangladesh; whether lutherie is your livelihood or your passion or both; we invite you to join the Guild and learn more about the many ways you can benefit from and contribute to our information sharing system!

Started by a group of budding craftsmen in 1972, the Guild of American Luthiers has grown to become a driving force in the current “Golden Age” of lutherie through its constant commitment to a free exchange of information among luthiers of all areas and experience levels. Makers and repairers of guitars of all types, mandolins, violins, lutes, and other stringed instruments have found in the Guild’s publications and meetings a place to share their expertise and developing techniques, and to learn from the experience, successes, and trials of others in the field. In forty years we have published over a hundred journals, nine books, and dozens of instrument plans. Thousands of members and hundreds of authors and presenters, including many of the world’s foremost luthiers, have supported the Guild’s free exchange of information and created a culture of openness that has helped advance the craft to the incredibly high level we see today. The Guild (GAL) is supported solely through membership dues, sales of its publications, and donations (donations are tax deductible). Our membership in 2013 includes over 3,600 craftspeople, interested people, and lutherie suppliers in the USA and 40 other countries.