Peter Demmerle, Luthier, born 18th March, 1974.

Making, repairing and restoring musical Instruments since 2000.

I am a typical ‘learning by doing’ person who has followed his dream and became an instrument maker.

After school and I started studying natural sciences but I was more   interested in calculating aeronautics and planning new harp types, so my studies ended earlier than expected. I tried to find an apprenticeship in church organ making but due to economic reasons, nobody was looking for an apprentice at that time. At least I could work in an organ maker’s workshop for over half a year. Disappointed, I was searching for more and new skills of instrument making and ended up at the local harp maker who needed a great deal of nerves to cope with all my questions! Then my odyssee ended when I found work on a bench at a guitar maker’s workshop. Later, the said guitar-maker moved town and I was able to take over his workshop.

Working half days in the guitar boutique, ‘Musikhaus Saitensprung’, in Schaffhausen, the rest of the day I learned more tricks and skills for the job by making new, more complex Instruments and by reading and talking to other Luthiers.

After a few years, the results were improving all the time and I started producing serious, good quality instruments out of my shop.

Besides the hard work of trial and error, I have kept a workbook where I note all expiriences, good and bad. That enormously helped me achieve good progress in my job. This book also contains drawnings, ideas, processes and is, in someway, the heart of my workshop.

I am always focused and strive to do my best, to make better, nicer and more perfect  instruments!!

In my spare time, (whenever my partner and the two kids allow me to!) I play guitar, Bouzuki flutes and Uilleann pipes in the local Folk-Scene, preferably Irish.

To balance out my dusty buisness, I maintain my old Citroen automobiles.