Instrument Repair I & II with Bob Smakula

Bob Smakula will be teaching Instrument Repair during Week 1, July 5-10, and Week 2, July 12-17, 2015. Students may register for either or both weeks. Week 1 is Cajun/Creole and Early Country Music Week and Week 2 is Blues & Swing Week.

Students will learn how to make nuts and saddles, do fret jobs, re-set necks, make intonation adjustments, repair cracks, touch-up finishes and more. Students should bring their own instruments in need of repair. It is strongly recommended that participants be familiar with woodworking tools such as a band saw, belt sander and drill press. Students may sign up for either or both weeks. Assisting is Rebecca French. When registering, please specify Week 1 and/or Week 2. Minimum age: 18. Materials: approx. $15

Bob Smakula of Montrose, WV, has been building and restoring fretted instruments for more than 25 years. He has encountered almost every type of instrument repair situation and buys, sells and restores vintage stringed instruments through his internationally known business, Smakula Fretted Instruments. Bob, an award-winning fiddler and banjo player, is also a contributing editor for the Old-Time Herald magazine and writes a regular column on instrument repair.

Register today to reserve your space, visit http://augustaheritagecenter.org/, click “REGISTER,” and select craft & folklore for the week of your class. More information is available at https://augustaheritagecenter.org/augusta-schedule/craft/.