Welcome to our shop!
The crowd gathers to watch a chord get strummed on the first guitar produced
at the CSL Toronto shop. It was a G :)
CSL is recognized world wide as a center for studying the design and
construction of exquisite, hand-made, custom-built guitars as well as
restoration secrets, knowledge and hands on experience. Specializing in
teaching students how to make and repair stringed instruments for
utmost playability, comfort and acoustic quality, as well as discussions
on the philosophy of the craft. Students have attended our Guitar Building Courses from places as
far away as Japan, Germany, the United States, across Canada as well as a
two week traveling workshop to the
Canadian Arctic teaching Guitar Building to 12 Inuk people.
All instruments in the four week and longer guitar building courses are made from raw materials by hand, with hand-carved necks, bridges and inlays. Traditions of excellence and dedication to hand-crafted quality are taught then built into all guitars, restorations and repairs.
The materials used at CSL by our students are chosen for custom sound and performance qualities. Traditional and non-traditional style instruments built with East Indian rosewood, Sitka, Red and Engelmann spruce, mahogany and ebony develop concert grade sound and projection.
Unique to the CSL studio are guitars that are constructed from sustainable non-endangered indigenous woods by local suppliers, some found by us while walking the beautiful wilds of Nova Scotia others harvested from hillsides and ravines as well as the occasional firewood pile. These include Ash, Cherry, Butternut, Yellow Poplar, Tamarac, Birdseye and Curly Maple, Hawthorn, Large Tooth Aspen and Wild Apple. Guitars made from these woods give an exciting and thrilling sound, adding unique tonal characters to each instrument.
All students are taught to develop a relationship with the wood they are working with using all their senses, as well as hand-carving scalloped bracing, unique inlays and purfling. You are only limited by your imagination!
CSL can build your dream custom steel string acoustic, electric guitar or bass, flamenco, classical and mandolins. We also have a selection of our students guitars for sale at excellent value. Please explore our site and let us know what you think!
All instruments in the four week and longer guitar building courses are made from raw materials by hand, with hand-carved necks, bridges and inlays. Traditions of excellence and dedication to hand-crafted quality are taught then built into all guitars, restorations and repairs.
The materials used at CSL by our students are chosen for custom sound and performance qualities. Traditional and non-traditional style instruments built with East Indian rosewood, Sitka, Red and Engelmann spruce, mahogany and ebony develop concert grade sound and projection.
Unique to the CSL studio are guitars that are constructed from sustainable non-endangered indigenous woods by local suppliers, some found by us while walking the beautiful wilds of Nova Scotia others harvested from hillsides and ravines as well as the occasional firewood pile. These include Ash, Cherry, Butternut, Yellow Poplar, Tamarac, Birdseye and Curly Maple, Hawthorn, Large Tooth Aspen and Wild Apple. Guitars made from these woods give an exciting and thrilling sound, adding unique tonal characters to each instrument.
All students are taught to develop a relationship with the wood they are working with using all their senses, as well as hand-carving scalloped bracing, unique inlays and purfling. You are only limited by your imagination!
CSL can build your dream custom steel string acoustic, electric guitar or bass, flamenco, classical and mandolins. We also have a selection of our students guitars for sale at excellent value. Please explore our site and let us know what you think!
Come Visit Us!
Toronto Location
Canadian School of Lutherie 276 Carlaw Ave., Unit 105 Toronto, Ontario M4M 3L1 Jeremy: (416) 333-7557 |
Halifax Location
Canadian School of Lutherie 19 Pettipas Drive, Unit Z Dartmouth, NS B3B 1K1 (902) 481-0170 |
Our friends:
The Canadian School of Lutherie is an authorized C.F. Martin & Co. warranty service centre. With over 38 years of combined experience repairing string instruments, our shop is the first destination for guitar players in Canada and beyond who value fine workmanship. We are ready to tackle any repair from a string change to complete restoration, so bring your baby by and let us bring it back to life.
The pickups in every CSL guitar are made by the very lovely people at MJS Pickups in Mississauga. Completely custom, locally sourced, individually hand wound, pickups. Try them and be amazed. Smitty and Sue love their work as much as we do and it shows!
