McConville Guitars : Guitar Repair School

Guitar Repair and Design

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#1916gibson

1916 was a very significant year for Gibson.

This was the last year that Orville Gibson

was actively involved in the workshop,

before the rapid decline of his health.

Contact : mcconvilleguitars@gmail.com

These Video tutorials include complete re-frets of the bound fingerboard and / or electric bass conversion: fretted to fretless (depending on the needs of the students); safe removal of acoustic guitar bridges and fabrication of a new bridge from a rosewood / ebony blank, calculating compensation for intonation and slotting the new bridge for saddle placement, compensated nuts / saddles fabricated from bone blank, acoustic guitar fingerboard / neck removal, broken head-stock ( splicing ) repair and touch-up; repair and replacement of loose braces; fabrication and installation of cross-grain quarter-sawn splices for repair of cracks and fractures, a study of hide glue and it's practical applications, French polish / lacquer-stick for fret repair touch up, installation of an on-board acoustic-electric system; Practical soldering and wiring technique for pick-up replacement, input jacks, volume and tone controls.

Guitar Repair Workbench

Guitar Technician Training

Thanks goes out to all of the students from across the Province over this last 23 years; especially those who have driven to Stratford each week from Leamington, Windsor, Barrie, Woodstock, St.Catherines, Oakville, Georgetown, Cambridge, Kitchener-Waterloo, St Agatha, Toronto, Ajax, Oshawa, Lindsay, Niagra Falls, Goderich, Listowel, Peterborough, London, Long Point, Alymer, Guelph, Acton, Hamilton, Midland, Wingham, Dundas, Owen Sound, Chatham, Mississauga and Brampton to attend these classes.

It has been very rewarding to see so many of you spreading out across the Province and setting up shop.

My wish for all of you, is continued success in the coming years, with all of your guitar-istic goals and aspirations.

Sincerely,

Michael McConville

Guitar Repair and Design

The journey continues ...
with Michael McConville's
Patreon Channel
online courses ...
with over 320++ detailed videos
to walk you through every possible case scenario.

After 23 years of teaching,
I need to send out a big
thank you to the hundreds of students
who came to study with me.
I wish continued success to all
of the students and TechDeck
owners from around the world
for turning this whole life dream
into a reality.

With Gratitude,

Michael

Contact : mcconvilleguitars@gmail.com

Back in the mid 1960's, when I first got into the guitar repair scene, there wasn't much to choose from as far as supplies, information and tools. The only places I could find at that time were George Heinl on Church Street in Toronto, Franz Dotzauer in Erlangen West Germany and Bill Lewis Musical in Vancouver ( which was eventually bought out and moved to California and re-named Luthiers Mercantile ). When the early Guild of American Luthiers issues came out, things finally started to open up. Now of course, thanks to the internet, there are numerous sources to choose from for tools, wood, bodies, necks, hardware, fret supplies, finishing supplies and instructional videos on various repair and fabrication techniques. Realistically, like any trade or craft, it still takes hands-on experience to develop these skills to a level of excellance.

In these Videos we cover safe, practical, efficient techniques; showing you how to develop a logical approach in dealing with all of the various members of the guitar family.

We cover a wide range of topics and techniques

On the Patreon Channel the courses

that I taught for 23 years at the College ... now continue!

The design and fabrication of simple templates, fretting tools and a few other specialised guitar repair tools are covered. My students are always encouraged to "cut to the chase" and "think on their feet", as is so often required, in order to get the job done. When dealing with the multitude of tasks that one faces every day in this field of work; this approach makes the difference from " losing money .... to making money" in your shop. Like any other trade or craft, it is not enough to be good .... you need to be good and efficient in order to turn over the work in a timely fashion.

These old shots ( before the advent of digital cameras ) taken at my old Brunswick St. shop, will give you all a glimpse into a time ( 23 years ago ) where I had just started to teach my first Conestoga College "Guitar Repair and Design" courses and had retro-fitted an old chair-factory into a fully functional Guitar Design / Restoration and Teaching facility .

I am very grateful for this period. All of this became possible due to the help, faith and encouragement of countless customers, students and friends who shared the vision and contributed in so many ways.

This next stage of my journey continues with over 300 videos on the Patreon channel,

that cover all of the pertinent information you need,

to teach you how to Repair / Retro-Fit and Design

Guitar components; and to make tools

to help you work safer faster and more efficiently.

I am always very excited and grateful for the continuing opportunity to share "with my students" and the "Global Guitar Community " what I have learned over the past 5 decades.

Thanks to Patreon I will continue to produce instructional videos well into my retirement years.

Gratefully in your service,

Michael McConville