Major Details
In the one year Guitar Repair and Building program, you will experience hands-on learning as you progress from basic repairs to the step-by-step process of building your own acoustic guitar.
No previous woodworking experience or musical ability is required, but successful students are detail-oriented, highly motivated, and have the ability to sit at a workbench and stay focused on their work all day.
Beginning with the correct use of power and hand tools, you will gain an in-depth understanding of woods, adhesives, and materials related to fretted instruments. You will practice a variety of common repairs, including acoustic and electric guitar set-up, fretwork, finish touch-up, and neck resets.
In preparation for a career in the field, our students learn how to complete repairs in a timely manner with professional quality and accurately estimate the cost of parts, materials, and labor.
Build your own acoustic guitar
In the second semester, students build a flat-top steel string guitar in the Guitar Repair & Building diploma. You will have the opportunity to build a highly personalized instrument. You will select the body style, tone woods, bracing pattern, neck dimension, and headstock shape for your own guitar. You will determine exactly how it looks by choosing the rosette, binding, and other design elements.
Materials for the guitar build cost approximately $450-$900, but it not necessary to spend more than the minimum to build a very high quality, excellent sounding instrument! At the end of the year, the finished instruments are displayed and played in concert by professional musicians at the annual Student Guitar Show.
Our graduates are in high demand, working in music stores, independent repair shops, and instrument manufacturers. Many go on to our second year diploma, Guitar Development and Production.
Download the 2024-2025 Tool List (PDF)
Apply now for admission to Minnesota State College Southeast
For more information, visit www.redwingmusicrepair.org
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Download the Program Plan
Courses
1) 1000 level (minimum) General Education courses required unless specified.
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
GTRB1400
Introduction to Tools
This course covers hand tool preparation and use, and power tool safety, set up, adjustment and use. Time is spent on tool preparation and sharpening and some tools are made. Accurate measuring, marking and shaping using hand and power tools is practiced. (Prerequisite: None) (3 credits: 0 lecture/3 lab)
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3 cr
GTRB1405
Guitar Overview
This course covers the identification of guitar parts and materials, adhesives, and abrasives, set up and adjustments diagnosis, some history of the instruments, and a quick overview of other fretted instruments.(Concurrent enrollment in GTRB 1410 and GTRB 1415) (2 credit: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
GTRB1411
Acoustic Guitar Work
This class covers the many adjustments on a steel string acoustic guitar to help improve playability and musicality. This includes the proper method of changing strings, making nuts for 6 and 12 string guitars, assessing neck problems, adjusting truss rods, making new saddles, adjusting string height, improving intonation, routing saddle slots, and fitting bridge pins. (Corerequisites: GTRB1400, 1405, 1420, 1425) (3 Credits: 1 lecture/2 lab)
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3 cr
GTRB1412
Electric Guitar Work
This course covers routine maintenance, adjustments and repair work common to electric guitars. Cleaning and care for wood, metal and finish components will be discussed as well as making truss rod, string height and intonation adjustments. Other factors to optimize instrument playability will also studied, measured and evaluated. (Corequisites: GTRB 1400, GTRB 1405, GTRB 1416, GTRB 1425) (3 credits: 1 lecture/2 lab)
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3 cr
GTRB1416
Guitar Electronics
This course covers basic electronic concepts and relates those concepts to the electric guitar. Basic component design and function will be discussed as well as electronic schematics and diagrams common to guitar design, repair work and guitar modifications. (Prerequisite: GTRB1400, concurrent enrollment in GTRB1405 and GTRB1425) (1 credit: 1 lecture/0 lab)
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1 cr
GTRB1425
Fretwork
This course covers fretting techniques used in guitar repair and building. Students will prepare and radius a fingerboard, prepare and install frets. Fret leveling, crowning and polishing is also studied to complete a fret job. (Prerequisites: GTRB 1400 and concurrent enrollment in GTRB 1414, GTRB 1410, and GTRB 1415) (3 credits: 1 lecture/2 lab)
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3 cr
GTRB1430
Guitar Acoustics
This course will be a study of the elements of the design of an acoustic steel string guitar, concentrating on the design and material choices that affect the sound of the guitar, but also discussing playability and esthetics. The course will include a brief look at some other acoustic string instruments such as classical, and archtop guitars, lutes, and basses. (Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in GTRB1405) (1 credit: 1 lecture/0 lab)
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1 cr
GTRB1450
Introduction to Finishing
This course covers finish touch-up techniques including burn-ins, padding, brushing and graining techniques. Finish application techniques covered will include: hand applied color, hand applied finishes, sunbursts, french padding as well as sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer & shellac. Color theory and color matching will also be practiced. (Prerequisite: GTRB1400) (Concurrent enrollment in GTRB1441 and GTRB1445) (4 credits: 1 lecture/3 lab)
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4 cr
GTRB1451
Guitar Finish Application
Students will apply a finish on the instrument/s they build, in Acoustic and/or Electric Guitar Construction classes. (Prerequisites:GTRB1400, 1405, 1411, 1420, 1425, 1430, and concurrent enrollment in GTRB1445 and GTRB1450) 1 Credit (0 lecture/1 lab)
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1 cr
GTRB1455
Guitar Repairs
This course covers a variety of repair work including structural crack repair & headstock breaks. General shop repairs will be discussed and students will estimate time and pricing for all repairs on actual instruments. Students will also keep track of time spent on task each class day. Course work will be divided roughly 50/50 between assigned projects and repair work on instruments to achieve the required amount of points. (Prerequisites: GTRB 1400, GTRB 1405, GTRB 1411, GTRB 1412, GTRB 1425) (3 credits: 0 lecture/3 lab)
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3 cr
Total Credits Required for this Major: 37 Credits
Estimated Costs for this Major
| Approximate Tuition/Fees: | $8,622 |
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| Minimum Tool Cost: | $3,225 |
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| Books/Supplies: | $200 |
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| Estimated Total: | $12,047 |
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