Learn from industries top Luthiers & Craftsmen!
2023 NCC Luthier Summit August 7 - 11
August 6 - Pre-summit Evening Cocktail Party
August 7-August 11 - Lectures and Workshops
Join us at the Martin Guitar Foundation Luthier Lab for an insider's guide to guitar construction. Attend daily hands-on workshops and keynote lectures presented by some of the best luthiers and craftspeople in the business, and tour the C.F. Martin & Company Guitar Factory.
Take your guitar-building skills to the next level by learning how to create custom guitar enhancements like heel carvings, pickguard castings, inlay techniques and more. The Luthier Summit will provide top-of-the-line educational experiences to enhance your guitar-building business or for personal enrichment.
Meet the experts whose creations have shared the stage with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, John Oates, John Prine, Elton John, Jon Bon Jovi, John 5, Jeff Daniels, Ed Sheeran, Thomas Rhett, Hunter Hayes and Chris Carrabba, Tom Petty, David Gilmour, Meat Loaf, and many others.
Each workshop will host a maximum of five individuals at a time, so every participant will receive personal instruction with some of the most skilled individuals in the industry.
Seating is limited to allow for more one-on-one instruction.
The Luthier Summit workshops are held in the Martin Guitar Foundation Luthier Lab at Northampton Community College's (NCC) Southside Bethlehem Campus.
The Summit coincides with Musikfest, the nation's largest non-gated free music festival, in Bethlehem, PA. After each challenging day of workshops and lectures, students can relax and enjoy free concerts from artists around the world.
NCC Southside Bethlehem Campus is located in the Southside Arts District of Bethlehem, Pa, where there is so much to do and see after class! Across the bridge is historic downtown Bethlehem, rich in history and architecture. Discover Lehigh Valley a great resource when planning your trip.
Enrollment in the Summit Program includes:
- Welcome reception/cocktail hour pre-Summit, Sunday, August 6th from 5pm – 7pm
- Continental breakfast, lunch and dinner each day of the Luthier Summit
- Daily keynote speaker sessions
- Enrollment in eight (8) luthier-specific hands-on workshops
- A guided tour of C.F. Martin & Company, including transportation to and from the facility
- Registered attendees are allowed one (1) guest, 18 years or older, to stay with them at the NCC Resident Apartments and attend the Key Note speaker sessions at no additional charge. Only registered attendees are allowed to participate in the daily workshops.
Click here to view the daily schedule and workshop descriptions.
2023 Keynote Speakers include:
Christian Frederick Martin, IV
C. F. Martin, IV, or "Chris" as he prefers, is the Executive Chairman of the world-renowned C. F. Martin & Co. and the 6th generation of Martin family members to run the business. Martin acoustic guitars are prized worldwide for their exceptional tone, design, craftsmanship and attention to detail. Under Chris Martin's direction, the Company has maintained its integrity and industry wide respect while growing and prospering to unprecedented manufacturing and sales levels.
Dick Boak
In 1973, Dick discovered C. F. Martin & Co. and in 1976 was hired as a design draftsman. Since then and for the past 42 years, he held many diverse and creative positions there, leading to the formation of Martin's Artist Relations Department and the conception of more than one hundred signature guitar collaborations with the top musical talents of our time.
Michael Byle
Michael worked as a custom builder at PRS Guitar's custom shop, where he prototyped new research and development projects. He co-created the PRS acoustic department and served as the Senior Acoustic Luthier. In 2015, two guitars Michael built were inducted into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
Sean Brandle
Sean is the Director of the Luthier Program at Northampton Community College. He came to NCC from C.F. Martin & Co. where he was the Custom Shop Lead Inlay and Design Artisan, responsible for designing and inlaying custom limited edition guitars.
Tim Farrell
Tim Farrell has the rare ability to inspire listeners to experience music on a multitude of levels. Through his mastery of the intricacies and melodic grace of fingerstyle guitar, he has created a sound that evokes emotion, a sound that is to be felt as well as heard.