Luthier Al Scholl

My name is Al Scholl.  I grew up in Lafayette, Colorado, a small town outside of Boulder.   I bought my first real guitar from Steve Mesple at Wildwood Music in Louisville.  How excited I was when Steve told me I didn’t have to solder my broken strings back together over and over, I could just buy a new set!!  Over the next several years I spent time at Wildwood learning about guitars and occasionally helping Steve with the store.  It was at this time that I first was exposed to minor guitar repairs and adjustments.  This experience sparked my interest in the luthier profession.  To further my knowledge I voluntarily spent my Saturdays in local guitar builder Harry Fleishman’s shop learning as much as I could about all aspects of instrument construction.  Harry then moved to California to take the Director of the American School of Lutherie position and then start his own Luthier’s School International. 

In 2001 my wife and I moved to the San Diego area where I began working at a shop called the Blue Guitar.  It is quite well known in the classical world with a client list that includes such giants as PePe, Celin and Angel Romero, Christopher Parkening and the LA Guitar Quartet.  Jazz great Mundell Lowe and the eclectic instrumentalist David Lindley are also long time customers.  The shop has an incredible group of luthiers contributing to the store’s legendary reputation for high quality workmanship.  It was in this extraordinary setting that I learned the skills of fretted instrument repair and restoration.  The main part of my training came from the shop’s founder, Yuris Zeltins. He has an international reputation that draws a steady stream of high end instruments from all across the country.  Yuris is the pinnacle of integrity and expertise in the profession.  I can not imagine anyone better to have learned this trade from and on a personal note, I miss him dearly.

While in San Diego my family grew from two to four and deciding we needed some grandparent support we recently moved back to Colorado.  We purchased a home in Northwest Denver with a fantastic workshop from which I am now performing instrument repair and restoration for customers all along the Front Range including referrals from guitar instructors at DU, Regis, UNC and Metro State College.  I have also assisted numerous students of local jazz guitar legend Dale Bruning and have even had customers sent to me from Steve up at Wildwood.  I now look forward to being of service to you!