Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have recently read an interesting page on the German Carve that I felt would be appropriate for the German Chapter.

I'm not German, but I have two 381s, and I studied German for two years at Uni.

One of my 381s has an Accent.

Wow what a great read thanks for the post Peter check out the Wood grain on this bad boy

paologregorio wrote:I'm not German, but I have two 381s, and I studied German for two years at Uni.

One of my 381s has an Accent.

Is it a German accent?

That's a very young looking Scott Jennings in the photo, err, Scott!

It might be of interest to some of you that Mittenwald, where Roger Rossmeisl learnt his craft, is still the only place in Germany, where "Zupfinstrumentenmacher" (luthiers) can learn their craft at a special school or "college" for makers of stringed instruments. The regulations about who is allowed to call himself a "Zupfinstrumentenmacher" (luthier) or "Zupfinstrumentenbau-Meister" (master luthier) are very strict in Germany. There are only about 10 people in Germany each year who graduate to be a luthier.

The whole system of learning crafts in Germany has been strictly regulated for hundreds of years - the system is completely different from that in the USA and most other countries.

jps wrote:

paologregorio wrote:I'm not German, but I have two 381s, and I studied German for two years at Uni.

One of my 381s has an Accent.

Is it a German accent?

Wow interesting stuff!

Watching paint dry is interesting to you Scotty!

Wow, English and Scottish rivalry in a thread concerning German carves. Who would have thought of that?

doctorno wrote:Wow, English and Scottish rivalry in a thread concerning German carves. Who would have thought of that?

We haven't got going yet. Just wait until we start on football.

doctorno wrote:It might be of interest to some of you that Mittenwald, where Roger Rossmeisl learnt his craft, is still the only place in Germany, where "Zupfinstrumentenmacher" (luthiers) can learn their craft at a special school or "college" for makers of stringed instruments. The regulations about who is allowed to call himself a "Zupfinstrumentenmacher" (luthier) or "Zupfinstrumentenbau-Meister" (master luthier) are very strict in Germany. There are only about 10 people in Germany each year who graduate to be a luthier.

The whole system of learning crafts in Germany has been strictly regulated for hundreds of years - the system is completely different from that in the USA and most other countries.

System in the USA? Where?

My father underwent a true apprenticeship (he was a custom upholsterer of the old "spit the tacks" school), but that was well over 50 years ago now. It was sort of tied in with the union. This, though, is pretty much a lost craft except where antiques and high-end stuff is concerned. His last employment was with an interior design firm.

I've investigated the luthiery situation in the USA, with the mind of establishing a luthiery curriculum in the University here, and--surprise!--no "accepted" training regimen. Luthiers here come up through the ranks on all sorts of odd ways (I include myself in this). This has its pluses and minuses, of course, as do many unregulated crafts. Because of the variety of backgrounds and "life journeys", there is a lot of imagination and variety in luthiery (specifically in acoustic guitar building, which is in a "golden age" these days). The downside is that lots of repairmen call themselves "luthiers". I did not use this term ("luthier" ) until I had a few acoustic guitars to my credit, and still felt that I was jumping the gun a bit, although I'm more comfortable with it nowadays.

If you repair guitars, you are a repairman. If you build solid-bodied electric guitars, you're a solid-bodied electric guitar builder. If you build acoustic stringed instruments, you're a luthier. Kudos to Germany for keeping tradition (and its raison d'ȇtre) alive and supporting it in the educational system.

Is it safe to assume that Graham got the "unsold stock" 360F for $2500?

Holland has a similar system to that in Germany. When I lived in The Hague, I looked into setting up shop as a metalsmith, but I found the system effectively prevented me from ever presenting my work in an advantageous way. No credential = no value to my work, I couldn't rent or establish a workshop, etc my achievements in other schools, experience and portfolio count for little or nothing toward qualification. Otherwise I'd still be living there.