Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/267003
Cornflake - Posted - 07/17/2013: 11:06:10
There are women in the construction trades. There are many engineers. Are there any female luthiers?
dickinnorwich - Posted - 07/17/2013: 11:29:34
Kate Spencer at Maple Leaf Music in Brattleboro, VT.
brunomathilda - Posted - 07/17/2013: 11:31:03
Scott Morgan daughter,Aspen hill MD
jswkingsfield - Posted - 07/17/2013: 11:52:45
Is Tanya Ogsbury at Ome, a luthier?
Edited by - jswkingsfield on 07/17/2013 11:54:28
rudy - Posted - 07/17/2013: 12:37:37
Better start with Carleen Hutchins, who passed away a few years ago at 98 years old and work your way forward.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carleen_Hutchins
Notice that Hutchins pioneered many concepts in luthiery such as free plate tuning, and worked as early as 1974 to develop viol family instruments using advanced carbon graphite composite materials.
This would be for contemporary luthiers; I'm sure that the craft wasn't totally fraternal in previous generations.
Edited by - rudy on 07/17/2013 12:40:43
sunburst - Posted - 07/17/2013: 12:39:40
Cathy Currier, Currier's Music World, Richmond Kentucky
Judy Threet
Linda Manzer
Kathy Wingert
Joshia de Jonge
Gail Hester
Many others...
shannonhearne - Posted - 07/17/2013: 12:42:35
The best luthier in Austin, Texas is Elaine Filion.
She is terrific; banjos, guitars, mandolins, violins. ..... On all stringed instruments, she knows her stuff.
-Shannon
Hankon5 - Posted - 07/17/2013: 12:49:37
quote:
Originally posted by jswkingsfield
In Seattle, Cat (Catherine) Fox:
catfox.com/
Whoa! 
I wouldn't have expected that one...nice name for female web site Luthier
tomberghan - Posted - 07/17/2013: 12:57:39
Holy Presto Tailpiece Batman . . . yeah Renée Karnes is not only currently one of the world's finest banjo luthiers, and is of course a female. Renée Karnes may not be well known many of us here on the hangout because she does not build five string banjos, but rather four string banjos (at least I don't see any five strings on her website).
Incredible artistry and craftsmanship.
banjosbyrenee.com/index.html
RioStat - Posted - 07/17/2013: 13:20:52
quote:
Originally posted by tomberghan
Holy Presto Tailpiece Batman . . . yeah Renée Karnes is not only currently one of the world's finest banjo luthiers, and is of course a female. Renée Karnes may not be well known many of us here on the hangout because she does not build five string banjos, but rather four string banjos (at least I don't see any five strings on her website).
Incredible artistry and craftsmanship.
_____________________________________________________________
Third set of photos in her "Gallery" on her website is a 5 string!
banjosbyrenee.com/index.html
Fathand - Posted - 07/17/2013: 13:21:02
I met Linda Manzer in a Music store in Toronto years ago, She demonstrated a Hurdy Gurdy for me .
JohnGP - Posted - 07/17/2013: 13:23:07
Female violin maker in my village in North Devon. Not met her (dont play fiddle) but by all accounts she's very good.
Helix - Posted - 07/17/2013: 13:39:23
Phoenix Arizona misses Elaine Filion. She repaired my 1958 Kalamazoo Epiphone Texan.
Manzer makes innovations available to others without patenting, just a mention is fine.
Women have great hands don't they.
Marv - Posted - 07/17/2013: 13:50:05
Katie Wright - Hancock County, Indiana. I think she's still a novice at it, but she is trained and does some repair work in central Indiana.
Pubpersona - Posted - 07/17/2013: 14:39:07
-Seconding & thirding Cat Fox in Seattle. She transformed a Maple Blossom I bought barely used and barely set up into a much better instrument with her own setup, good repair and a Moon bridge. I'm a fan.
Pubpersona
Edited by - Pubpersona on 07/17/2013 14:52:39
Jim Yates - Posted - 07/17/2013: 17:01:05
Has anyone yet mentioned Anne Hartman (Krazy Kat on the hangout) from southern Ontario?
Here's one of hers:
Jim Yates - Posted - 07/17/2013: 17:05:45
Although Linda Manzer has built guitars for Bruce Cockburn, perhaps the instrument of hers that's received the most publicity is the Pikasso guitar that she built for Pat Methany.
Jim Yates - Posted - 07/17/2013: 17:11:46
Or how about Joshia deJonge from Quebec?
Joshia hard at work:
Edited by - Jim Yates on 07/17/2013 17:15:25
Jim Yates - Posted - 07/17/2013: 17:20:44
Here's another of Anne Hartman's banjos:
Anne also builds guitars.
Edited by - Jim Yates on 07/17/2013 17:28:55
tomberghan - Posted - 07/17/2013: 17:40:41
Shelley D. Park of Vancouver BC, Canada - Specializes in Gypsy Jazz Guitars
mike gregory - Posted - 07/17/2013: 17:53:17
Patricia Webster, Sturgeon Bay, WI
mike gregory - Posted - 07/18/2013: 08:24:10
I sent Ms. Webster a link to this topic, and she sent me a photo of her most recent project.
She does a lot of resophonic instruments, but this is just a nice little cigar box uke.
Bart Veerman - Posted - 07/18/2013: 08:59:20
Lynn Constantineau in Hamilton, Ontario. She does a fine job on stringed instruments.
Nymphadora - Posted - 07/18/2013: 11:02:36
quote:
Originally posted by jwoods
Our own Nymphadora...
banjohangout.org/myhangout/hom...?id=53203
Thanks, jwoods...!! Yes, I am a luthier, but only in the winter here in Arizona. I don't have a shop with air conditioning. Most of my work has been high end electric guitars for the rock scene, but I've built some banjos, ukuleles, drums, hundreds or more electric guitars and basses, many kinds of speaker cabinets, and many wedge/floor/sleeper monitors. I had planned to build some things for myself, people saw them, and often, instead of buying something, they brought me their own things for repair. I did so many repairs, and custom builds, and inlay work, I had to retire from playing in rock bands. I lived near Vandenburg AFB, so airmen transferring here and there shipped me repairs and/or custom work from all over, and word of mouth took over. Not the usual way one begins a custom shop, but I would do it the same way again. Hugs....Nymphadora
Todd Treadway - Posted - 07/18/2013: 11:15:42
Nobody's mentioned Kathy Matsus***a, but her "Amateur Luthier" website has been very helpful to me over the years:
home.comcast.net/~kathymatsus***a/
(Dang "bad word censor" won't let her name appear or let the link work... Just add "hit" in the appropriate spot)
Edited by - Todd Treadway on 07/18/2013 11:18:43
Quickstep192 - Posted - 07/18/2013: 11:19:40
I met Kathy Wingert at a guitar show several years back. She was nice as can be and her guitars are stunning. To make it even better, her inlay is now done by her daughter whose work is akin to magic.
