Lutherie Courses in Paris
Belforti Instruments offers a series of lutherie courses in Paris designed for musicians, enthusiasts, and future builders who want to learn how instruments are truly created and maintained. Our programs combine traditional hand skills with modern methods—CAD, CNC, precise fretwork, clean electronics, and structured setup procedures—to give you a complete and realistic understanding of contemporary guitar and bass making.
Whether you’re looking to master a professional setup, assemble your own Strat® or Jazz Bass®, or design and build a fully custom instrument, each course is taught in a focused, premium environment with small groups and dedicated guidance. You learn step by step, with clear demonstrations, hands-on practice, and repeatable techniques you can confidently use on your own instruments.
Join us in Paris and discover a modern approach to lutherie—methodical, creative, and accessible to anyone who wants to understand how great instruments are designed, built, and perfected.
The Programs (at a glance)
3-Day Courses
Short, intensive workshops focused on essential skills. Ideal for musicians, enthusiasts, and beginners in lutherie.
- Setup & Professional Care
Learn the full workflow of a professional setup: neck relief, action, intonation, fret polishing, and clean electronics practices. Bring your instrument and leave with a precise, repeatable method to maintain it at a professional standard.
- Introduction to Instrument Design
A clear, accessible introduction to guitar and bass design. Explore proportions, ergonomic principles, and visual balance. Learn how to sketch, refine, and translate your ideas into functional templates using modern design methods.
- Refretting Workshop
A hands-on initiation into fret removal, slot cleaning, fret installation, leveling and polishing. You practice on a dedicated neck and learn safe, controlled techniques you can reproduce at home or in your workshop.
3-Week Build Program
- Strat/Tele or Jazz Bass/Precision Bass — Build From Scratch
Design and build your own instrument using a high-quality kit and guided professional methods. You’ll shape, prepare, assemble, wire, finish, and set up a complete guitar or bass in three structured weeks. Daily supervision and clear milestones ensure steady progress and a reliable result.
- Optional 3-Week Extension: Premium Customization
Expand the project with custom inlays, flamed maple drop tops, advanced staining techniques, and higher-end finishes. Perfect for participants who want a more personal, expressive instrument or who aim to develop a deeper skillset.
6-Week Custom Experience
A complete, immersive program where you design and build a custom instrument from the ground up.
From ergonomic studies and aesthetic development to CAD modelling, supervised CNC preparation, fretwork, electronics, finishing, and professional setup—this is a full lutherie experience in a high-end workshop.
One-to-one mentorship ensures high precision, structured learning, and a unique instrument created under your own hands.
Who These Courses Are For
Musicians who want their instruments to play perfectly—on demand.
Enthusiasts ready to build with precision instead of guesswork.
Designers & aspiring luthiers seeking a modern, engineering-driven approach.
Collectors who value craft, coherence, and verifiable methods.
How It Works
Modern methods, no dogma: CAD/CAM literacy, repeatable jigs, clean electronics, controlled finishing.
Mentored autonomy: Clear briefs and milestones minimize downtime; you get real practice, not busywork.
Selective cohort sizes: Small groups keep feedback tight and the bar high.
Paris workshop: Professional tools, measured processes, and a calm, focused environment.
The Belforti Learning Experience
Every Belforti course, from a three-day setup workshop to a full design-to-build program, is built around a single philosophy: learning should be clear, intentional, and rooted in real contemporary lutherie. No myths, no noise—just the methods, tools and reasoning used every day in a modern, high-end workshop.
Participants work in a quiet, state-of-the-art environment in Paris, surrounded by professional equipment and guided at close range. Whether a group session or one-to-one mentorship, the teaching remains personal, structured, and deeply practical. You learn by doing, with direct feedback, precise demonstrations, and milestones engineered to make each step achievable and meaningful.
Across all formats, the experience combines:
Design thinking – understanding proportions, ergonomics, and coherence.
Modern processes – CAD/CAM literacy, controlled fretwork, clean electronics, systematic setup methods.
Hands-on craft – assembling, finishing, polishing, and refining with intention.
Measured results – repeatable, rational workflows grounded in accuracy, not folklore.
Whether you join us to improve your own instrument, build your first guitar, or develop a professional approach to design and craft, the Belforti Learning Experience is tailored to elevate your understanding and your skills in a way that feels focused, premium, and genuinely transformative.