Lutherie

Luthier

Modern luthier's workshop, Cremona (2007)
Occupation
Occupation type	Instrument maker

A luthier (/ˈluːtiər/ LOO-ti-ər) is someone who builds or repairs string instruments generally consisting of a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" comes from the French word , which means lute. A luthier was originally a maker of lutes, but the term now includes makers of stringed instruments such as the violin or classical guitar. A luthier does not make harps or pianos, as these require different skills and construction methods because their strings are secured to a frame.

The craft of making string instruments, or lutherie (sometimes spelled luthiery), is commonly divided into two main categories: makers of stringed instruments that are plucked or strummed, and those that are bowed. Since bowed instruments require a bow, the second category includes a subtype known as a bow maker or archetier. Luthiers may also teach string-instrument making, either through apprenticeship or formal classroom instruction.

Important luthiers who specialized in the instruments of the lute family (lutes, archlutes, theorbos, vihuelas, etc.):

and in modern times:

Two important luthiers of the early 19th century connected with the development of the modern classical guitar are Louis Panormo and Georg Staufer.Antonio Torres Jurado is credited with developing the form of classical guitar still in use today. Christian Frederick Martin of Germany developed a form that evolved into the modern steel-string acoustic guitar.