Testimonials
We are grateful for how our alumni and mentors describe their experience of the Whetstone School of Lutherie. We're also proud of their accomplishments and happy to share some of their insights with you.
Dave Grande
Acoustic Guitar Level One and Level Two
"I loved it! I knew going into the class that I would emerge with an understanding about how a guitar was built, but I was truly amazed at how good it sounded, and that I was able to make an instrument of that quality on my very first try.
It was really because of your expertise and teaching ability that it went so smoothly. Even though there were a couple bumps in the road, you were able to turn those events into positive learning experiences for everyone by demonstrating how to deal with the unforeseen obstacles that inevitably crop up in guitar building.
At times the class - to me anyway, was much more than a workshop on how to make an acoustic guitar. It was also a master class in woodworking skills and techniques, and a great opportunity to learn about jig and pattern making. I value and admire your openness insofar as your homemade jigs and techniques are concerned. These are areas where some people might leave others to fend for themselves in trying to get started making guitars, and I was impressed and very happy about your willingness to share so much information and "trade secrets" so to speak, with everyone.
Scott, I can't say enough good things about your teaching style too! Some people are very good at what they do, but they can't convey to others how to do what they do. You are not only very skilled, but you also have a natural and understandable way of taking a very complex process and breaking it down and explaining it in a way that anyone can grasp and understand. You my friend are a natural teacher who is very easygoing and at times "patience personified" as you modeled many times in our class.
The shop at the Whetstone School is top notch! It is very well laid out in every aspect and detail from the personal workstations to the placement of all the machinery. It is open and well lit and allows for easy movement around the machines and workbenches. Whetstone's shop lacks nothing - the machine room was very well equipped with first rate machinery and dust collection, and I love the new bandsaw and the Hammond trim saw. The personal workstations were well equipped with all the tools needed for each student to work independently and also very well lit - not only with great lighting, but also with big windows to let in natural light.
You asked us for any suggestions about improving the class and the program in general, and that's a tough one - you really don't need to improve on much. Everything about the class and the shop seems to have been very well thought out, and I think you have set the bar pretty high in terms of a well equipped learning environment, a great program/curriculum, and a teaching style that delivers more than promised.
I'm looking forward and counting the days to the Acoustic Guitar Level Two course in July."
Dave Grande
South Boston, MA
Nick Pain
Ukulele Level One
"I just brought home the fruits of my labors from the one-week ukulele building course with Scott Hausmann at the Whetstone School in Brattleboro, Vermont.
The result of Scott’s expertise and hands-on approach to teaching was a uke which is easily a match for any other instrument in my collection. It was made as a gift for my wife but we are constantly fighting over who gets to play it…
This is not a kit-building experience - you will start with bits of wood, so expect to learn side bending, neck carving, fretting, a little inlay (for the rosette and side dots) and a host of other skills. Whether or not you are familiar with using tools, Scott provides fantastic instruction and you will leave the course with a lot more confidence and ability than you had when you started it.
The workshop is comfortable and very well equipped, so the week you spend there will be a pleasure as well as a learning experience. There were three of us on the course, and such was the standard of teaching that all of us left with great sounding ukes, which none of us really believed we were capable of building at the start of the course. Scott uses high quality woods - Honduran and African mahogany, rosewood, and Sitka spruce. The design is elegant and something you will enjoy showing off. The instrument boasts an innovative top bracing pattern and a radiused back, not features you will find on any budget ukulele.
I would not hesitate to recommend this course as an introduction to lutherie, as well as a fun course for those already making instruments. I will be signing up for Scott’s guitar building course next and I am certain that I will once again be on a steep learning curve, albeit with a great deal more confidence having built this uke."
Nick Pain
Bennington, VT
Bill Peterson
Acoustic Guitar Level One
"A comfortable New England workshop, cedar plank walls, a gentle snow falling outside, coffee brewing in the corner. And in front of you a piece of wood which in two short weeks will become a beautifully hand crafted instrument. That’s the Whetstone School of Lutherie. It may not be Heaven – but it’s damn close. Having previously made nothing more sophisticated than a crude magazine rack, I was skeptical about my ability to create something of such complexity. I had never spoken of widths in terms of thousandths of an inch or concerned myself with spaces measured in sixty-fourths. I do now.
A master craftsman expertly guided our small class of three. Through the maestro, Scott Hausmann, the entire process was demystified and the seemingly impossible happened before my very eyes. We were shown proper tool usage, exposed to jig making, measuring tips, woodworking tricks, problem solving and how to fashion and create an abundance of pieces, the majority of which are curved, bent or odd shaped, and magically join them all together.
It was an experience that was profoundly satisfying. I have since made another guitar in my meager garage workshop, of which I am quite proud, and the next is on the drawing board. Thanks Scott for introducing me to this marvelous craft and teaching me skills I will carry with me the rest of my days. Your class has greatly enhanced my life."
Judge William Peterson
Harlingen, TX
Bob Magnante
Banjo Building Workshop
"My experience at your school was one of the most treasured times I've had in my adult life. I learned so, so much, and am truly thankful to you and Will for all your support and help along the way. I will always tell others of what a great program you have created for musicians out there, and how hospitable everyone was to me - I really loved being there!"
Bob Magnante
Santa Cruz, California
Peter Ling
Ukulele Level One
"As someone with limited woodworking experience, it was quite intimidating to be presented with a pile of neatly laid out mahogany and Sitka spruce on our first day of class. How on earth was I ever going to turn this into a soprano ukulele that represented anything like the one Scott had showed us?
From the get go however, it was clear that Scott is both a master luthier and an inspirational teacher. He had thought through each step of the process with military precision, and had created numerous jigs, templates and cauls to help simplify the various tasks. With patience, watchfulness and the wisdom to step in and take charge when things were getting off kilter, Scott kept us on schedule and helped us avoid any irreversible mistakes.
Although Scott warned us from the beginning to expect a good but not perfect instrument, I was delighted that the end result was a very credible and playable instrument. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Whetstone School Of Lutherie to anyone looking to augment their interest in acoustic instrument building."
Peter Ling,
Croton, NY
Kevin Champney
Tutorial Student
"I had been considering building an acoustic guitar for almost 10 years, having poured over some of the classic texts on the subject. I'm glad I waited for the Whetstone School of Lutherie to come along.
The guided experience I found there was perfect for someone like myself with a minimal level of woodworking experience, yet a considerable passion for the instrument. I learned more than just how to build a guitar at the Whetstone School. I learned about tackling problems with patience, and I gained a broader understanding of tools and how to use them efficiently and effectively.
The shop and teaching space is clean, roomy, and comfortable, and it has all of the tools you could ever want. During my time with Scott I learned a great deal about designing and constructing jigs, what tools are absolute necessities, and what tools would be good to own, but not indispensable. I also got some great ideas for setting up my own workspace at home.
Scott has vast experience and knowledge about techniques and methods, and his building process is well thought out and organized. That said Scott always made a point of explaining alternative methods for accomplishing the task at hand and pointing out the pros and cons of different approaches.
Not only was my experience with Scott rewarding on its own merits, but the mahogany back, spruce top L00 that I built is on par with many upper end instruments in guitar shops. I couldn't have expected anything better, and to know that I built it myself makes it so much more valuable to me than any instrument I have ever purchased. In summary, I couldn't be happier with my experience at the Whetstone School. I would recommend the school to musician's, woodworkers or anyone else who wants to learn about the craft of lutherie from a master craftsman. It was more than I could have ever hoped for!"
Kevin Champney
Putney, Vermont
Michael Millard
Founder - Froggy Bottom Guitars
"I have known Scott Hausmann for about thirty-five years; we met each other as the result of our both having worked for Michael Gurian and Gurian Guitars. I have had the pleasure of working with Scott on a variety of projects, but also have held him as one of my closest friends for these many years. I am grateful to have a sense of the whole person.
Scott is a master woodworker, and quite simply put, one of the finest and most versatile craftsmen I know. He's been pursuing craftsmanship in woodworking literally since childhood, and it shows. This is evident in both what he builds and in how he relates to his tools, his materials and those he works with. His patience, dedication and humility are inspiring.
Watching Scott learn through his building of instruments has been both helpful and enjoyable to me. He is an excellent problem solver, has a refined sense of design and is always developing and refining his processes as both builder and teacher. I find Scott thoughtful, incisive and playful. He's aware of the people he works with and his long-term romance with the guitar, as both builder and player, serves him well in sharing what he knows and loves.
The shop at the Whetstone School is comfortable, well equipped and just plain feels good. I expect that over the years it is going to be a very special place for those who pass through its doors. There will be much learned and earned there which I know can be found in precious few places. Students there will be in the best of hands."
Michael Millard
Chelsea, VT