Karim Hourani Luthiery

Creating art and music; applying mathematics and physics; understanding sound waves and resonance; selecting and crafting raw wood; mastering hand tools; cooking organic glues; and preparing and applying centuries-old polishes and varnishes... Making entirely hand-crafted instruments is a journey of understanding and creation. Unfortunately it is a dying art in today's fast pace. 

My name is Karim Hourani, and I was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1987. My grandfather from my mother's side was an oud player and a singer. My father and his father were accomplished leather craftsmen, custom making and repairing leather shoes, bags, and cases for over 50 years.   

I graduated with a degree in business management, and worked for several years in linguistics translation. I started looking for an instrument making teacher when I was 21, but my attempts were unfruitful. At 25, I took the decision that I want to become a luthier and I planned, saved money, and moved to Vancouver, Canada, where  I was lucky enough to study under Maestro Geza Burghardt, for without him, things would have never been what they are now. I studied violin family repair and restoration, french polish and varnish cooking and application, and currently studying classical guitar construction with the same teacher.

I find utmost gratification reviving and hearing a once-destroyed instrument or living for several weeks with a few pieces of wood building a new instrument.