Resources you might find useful

StewMac's library of instructional videos and written guides covering fret work, neck and truss rod adjustments, finishing, refinishing, electronics, and hardware installation. The "Trade Secrets" video series features professional luthiers demonstrating real shop techniques used daily in working repair shops.

A searchable library of 397+ guitar and bass wiring diagrams covering single-coils, humbuckers, coil-splits, series/parallel configurations, and multi-pickup arrangements. Filterable by pickup count, type, and switching. The de facto reference for guitar and bass electronics — diagrams work with any brand of pickup.

Robert O'Brien's YouTube channel hosts the long-running "Luthier Tips du Jour" series — 200+ videos covering acoustic and classical guitar building, setup, finishing (lacquer, French polish, Tru-Oil), and repair. One of the most comprehensive video resources in lutherie with over 8 million total views.

Frank Ford's landmark archive of ~1,000 pages and 8,000 photos documenting acoustic guitar repair and maintenance. Co-founder of Gryphon Stringed Instruments, Ford photo-documented complex repairs with explanations of the theory behind each technique. Covers crack repair, neck resets, fret work, finish restoration, tool-making, and more across guitars, banjos, mandolins, and ukuleles.

Written tutorials and guides focused on electric guitar setup, maintenance, and electronics. Covers pickup installation and height adjustment, wiring mods, action and intonation setup, and common repair techniques. Aimed at players and technicians maintaining and modifying their own instruments.

The largest online bass community, with a dedicated Luthier's Corner subforum containing build logs, step-by-step repair tutorials, setup guides, and technical discussions on neck work, fretwork, and electronics. Primarily bass-focused, but construction and repair techniques transfer directly to guitar. Registration required to access archives.

Telecaster-focused community with substantial sections on guitar building and finishing. The "Tele Home Depot" subforum documents DIY builds step-by-step, while "Finely Finished" covers nitrocellulose lacquer, relic aging, and refinishing techniques in depth. Finishing and construction knowledge applies well beyond Telecasters.

Long-running forum for professional and amateur luthiers covering acoustic and classical guitar construction, tone wood selection, bracing, joinery, neck resets, and finish work. Primarily acoustic-oriented but includes active sections on electric guitar building and repair.

Community forum centered on Warmoth parts and DIY electric guitar assembly. Contains build logs, wiring discussions, finishing advice, and hardware comparisons from experienced builders. Useful for technicians advising customers on partscaster component choices or working on assembled Warmoth instruments.

Community-driven site covering DIY guitar building, modification, and repair. Contains tutorials on body and neck construction, routing, hardware installation, wiring, and finishing, plus extensive member build logs with photos. One of the longest-running English-language resources for guitar builders.

Horace Petherick's technical manual on violin repair and restoration, available in multiple formats from Project Gutenberg. Covers adhesives, crack repair, wood replacement, and preserving acoustic integrity. Dense and technical — aimed at both amateurs and professionals working with violin-family instruments.

Community-contributed step-by-step repair guides for violins, covering bridge replacement, soundpost adjustment, string replacement, and crack repair with photo documentation. An accessible entry point for non-guitar instrument repair with a familiar, structured format.

A structured guide covering daily care, humidity and temperature management, string changing, rosin selection, bow care, and when to take an instrument to a luthier. Useful as a patient-handout reference in a workshop context.

A tiered online training platform for band and orchestra instrument repair with a completely free Level 1 Emergency Repair Guide covering strings, flute, clarinet, saxophone, and brass instruments. Built by a technician with 30+ years of experience; Level 1 is suitable for music teachers and non-specialist technicians needing triage skills.

A luthier-authored site with over 500 written guides covering electric and acoustic guitar repair, setup, building, and maintenance. Topics range from beginner-level truss rod and intonation adjustments to full guitar builds. Well organized by topic and suitable for both hobbyists and working technicians.

Paul Hostetter's personal site covering bowed and fretted instrument construction, repair, and history. Includes original content on bridge and nut cutting, wood selection, neck straightening, Selmer/gypsy jazz guitars, and resophonic instruments, plus a curated directory of luthier organizations and forums.