Are there any luthiers out there in forum’s ville? If so are you a repair luthier, or do you also build instruments? What instruments do you build? How long have you been doing it? Is the proper term lutherie, or luthiery?
Lutherie anyone?
I believe the right term is luthier. While I wouldn’t call myself one, I have built 4 guitars and would like to do other builds sometime in the future. I’ve built an electric guitar and electric, fretless bass (both of which were stolen back in 2013.) My 3rd build was an archtop. That was tons of fun! My last build was a classical I built as a gift.
Have you built anything?
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I meant the term for the trade, not the tradesman. No I haven’t built anything (besides a couple hundred lego sets) but I would like to someday. How did the archtop and the classical turn out?
Did you buy the wood ready from a place like stewmac, or did you carve it yourself?
They both turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. I had uploaded some pics here a few months ago, but like so many others, they’re not showing up any more.
I started from mostly from lumber I picked myself from a local hardwood company. Some select pieces I ordered online.
I’ll try to upload a pic later.
I would use the terms guitarmaker/guitarmaking. I am a guitarmaker (amateur) and a luthier (maker of lutes, aka le luth (Fr.), also die laute/lautenmacher (Gr)) However, today the term luthier/lutherie has been ripped from the lute-making world and has come to mean a maker/making of various stringed instruments. After all, the lute is such a beautiful instrument, who wouldn’t want to call themselves a ‘luthier’? Lutherie and luthiery, the trade, are both used (don’t know if one, the other, or both are correct).
BTW, if someone is contemplating building, definitely do; it’s great fun and challenging.
I am contemplating building in approximately 4 years. I wish I could start now but location presents a problem and I don’t have the tools
Well the guitar is descended from the lute. I use the term luthier because I don’t want to exclude mandolin, banjo, and fiddle makers from the question. I would like to be able to make all four (the mentioned three and guitars, obviously) with enough skill that they would all be fit for use by any experienced musician, but I’ll have to wait 
Worry not; with time good things can come. In the meanwhile, seek out makers in your area, visit them and acquire an appreciation of local traditions and techniques.
Well, some parts of Africa have some interesting instruments, but sadly not Mozambique; all of the instruments they play (in the north anyway) are drums of basic design, and, on occasion, a casio keyboard they managed to acquire from who knows where