Thomas Ochs
Workshop
Since September 2004 I have been working in my own workshop in Kemmern near the World Heritage City of Bamberg in Upper Franconia. As a master guitar maker, I consider it essential to deal intensively with the history and the scientific foundations of the guitar as an instrument. I regularly teach in Markneukirchen as a lecturer in the musical instrument making program at the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau.
Apprenticeship
I learned the craft of guitar making from 1996 to 1999 at the company Hanika in Baiersdorf. After successfully passing the journeyman’s examination, I wanted to learn more about the functioning of the guitar and attended a seminar with the Israeli luthier Boaz Elkayam. There I gained my first insight into the Kasha construction method.
Studies
In order to explore the scientific foundations of instrument making and to develop my own style in guitar making, I studied from 2000 to 2004 at the University of Applied Sciences for Musical Instrument Making in Markneukirchen. At the beginning of my studies, it was important for me to understand the Spanish guitar-making tradition and to shape my idea of a traditionally built concert guitar at the highest aesthetic, craftsmanship, and tonal level.
Abroad
During my main studies, I used the practical semester to return to the workshop of Boaz Elkayam in Mexico, where I tested the Kasha construction method on site. In my diploma thesis I subsequently dealt intensively with the theoretical foundation of the Kasha method and realized its practical implementation in my own Kasha model.
