Mountain Song School of Lutherie

Mountain Song School of Lutherie MSSL is dedicated to lutherie education, from single-day workshops targeting specific aspects of guitar-building, to complete, turn-key guitar costruction.

Rex’s second guitar is complete and he couldn’t be happier! It’s a 12-fret 000 design with a traditional 14-fret body sh...
07/17/2025

Rex’s second guitar is complete and he couldn’t be happier! It’s a 12-fret 000 design with a traditional 14-fret body shape. We kept the 14 shape and modified the bracing based on my 12-fret Odalisque design. It sounds fantastic! German spruce top, macacauba back and sides, and French polish finish.

Rex built his first guitar forty some years ago with legendary luthier, Charles Fox. I feel I’m in good company! He’s well into his third and fourth builds — one he’s building in my shop and another in his own shop.

Gary picks the first notes on his freshly strung guitar build #4. This is a new body shape for him — the traditional 14...
02/26/2025

Gary picks the first notes on his freshly strung guitar build #4. This is a new body shape for him — the traditional 14-fret Martin 000. Gorgeous Tasmanian Tiger Myrtle back and sides paired with a killer German Spruce top. Gary stretched his skills on this by making a Malaysian blackwood pyramid bridge. This is one incredible guitar and even though the action and intonation have yet to be dialed in, its incredible voice is already apparent. Great job, Gary!

Starting final assembly on Gary’s beautiful 000 in German spruce and Tasmanian Tiger Myrtle. Back and sides finished in ...
12/22/2024

Starting final assembly on Gary’s beautiful 000 in German spruce and Tasmanian Tiger Myrtle. Back and sides finished in lacquer and the neck and soundboard are French polished shellac.

Here’s my student, Fred, showing off his second-build body — a Lutz Spruce and Cuban Mahogany mid-sized guitar in the sp...
05/02/2024

Here’s my student, Fred, showing off his second-build body — a Lutz Spruce and Cuban Mahogany mid-sized guitar in the spirit of the Taylor Grand Auditorium shape. He got a crash course in French polishing today, which is the finish he’s going to use for the whole guitar. FP is a great choice for home shop builders as it doesn’t require any fancy spraybooth, spray gun, etc, it’s relatively non-toxic, can be done at your leisure, and looks absolutely fantastic. Great job, Fred!

It’s been ages since I posted anything on here, but I’ve got to give mad props to my student, Willow, who just strung up...
02/24/2023

It’s been ages since I posted anything on here, but I’ve got to give mad props to my student, Willow, who just strung up his hand-built, amazing-sounding guitar for the very first time. I’m so very proud of him. We’ve still got to really dial it in next week, but for now, he’s one happy camper.

Good friend and student, Gary Wasserman proudly displaying his just-strung up tenor ukulele in torrified spruce, silver ...
12/22/2019

Good friend and student, Gary Wasserman proudly displaying his just-strung up tenor ukulele in torrified spruce, silver acacia, and purpleheart. Excellent job, Gary! Now let’s get #2 done!

08/05/2019

Shared from my Mountain Song Guitars page.

Go bar’s eye view of Gary Wasserman’s dual tenor uke build.
12/31/2018

Go bar’s eye view of Gary Wasserman’s dual tenor uke build.

05/20/2018

You know that Mountain Song Guitars builds world-class guitars, and our repair shop is entrusted with the restoration, setup, and maintenance of some of the finest instruments on the planet, but did you know that we also teach stringed instrument construction and maintenance?

Whether you want to design and build, from the ground up, an entire instrument the likes of which the world has never seen, or simply want to know some great tips and tricks for setting up your axes and keeping them in top working order, we’d love to work with you.

We’re now offering half-day workshops designed with the working musician in mind, focusing on guitar setup, intonation, fret maintenance, etc.

Call the shop today to find out how Ken and crew at MSG can help you realize your lutherie goals.

My good friend, Gary Wasserman, with his second completed guitar build, moments after stringing it up for the first time...
05/20/2018

My good friend, Gary Wasserman, with his second completed guitar build, moments after stringing it up for the first time. It’s a Grand Auditorium in TA Carter Redwood and Amazon Rosewood — an absolute cannon! Always a magical experience hearing the first mellifluous notes emerge from something you’ve poured your soul into. Congrats, Gary! Well done!

Lots of great progress in the shop this week.
04/08/2018

Lots of great progress in the shop this week.

Address

14 Grenadier Court
Candler, NC
28715

Telephone

+18283182853

Website

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