Welcome to the Whitney School of Guitar Making
Whitney Guitar Building School is a renowned guitar making school located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, BC Canada. Our expert craftsmen instructors teach the art of guitar making to both Canadian and International students. Our school is fully equipped with all the necessary tools and materials for students to learn and master the craft of guitar making. We take pride in our dedication to providing top-notch guitar making education to our students.
Our Approach to Guitar Making
Our approach to guitar making education is based on a hands-on experience for our students. We believe that the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we provide our students with the opportunity to build their own guitars from start to finish. Our expert instructor will guide students through the process, ensuring that they learn the necessary skills and techniques needed to become accomplished guitar makers.
Meet Your Instructor
At the Whitney Guitar Making School, we are proud to offer the highest quality lutherie education to passionate students who are driven by their desire to create beautiful, custom-built guitars.
Luthier, Michael Whitney, comes from a varied background that includes a life-long passion for woodworking as well as a history of work with traditional media as an airbrush artist, muralist, and signwriter. His artistic path later led him to earn a degree in graphic design and web development whereupon he ran his own design company for over fifteen years.
He later pursued a short career with the Canadian Armed Forces followed by over a decade in the healthcare sector as a hearing specialist. Michael's varied experience is unique and has given him a wealth of knowledge to approach guitars from a slightly different perspective.
Michael went on to complete a one-year apprenticeship with the late William Okos of 'Laughing Tree Guitars', and then later completed a Master’s program with Norwegian luthier Sigmund Johannessen on Vancouver Island. He now builds his own line of custom guitars and teaches the art of guitar building to hobbyists and aspiring luthiers.