A Luthier is a maker and repairer of stringed instruments. Unlike some other Vocations, this is not a trade that can be learned in a class or two... or even in a year or two. This is why it remains one of the few woodworking skills that is still best learned through an apprenticeship.

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[edit] Steps

Determine your reasons for becoming a Luthier. What is your motivation for learning this craft?
- Note:If you are ONLY interested in pursuing a sideline or hobby, then perhaps an apprenticeship of under a year will serve you well. There are many such available... just Google "How to Become a Luthier" and pick one near to you with decent tuition rates.
Consider the following if you are hoping to segue your interest in stringed instruments into something profitable:
- Time. You will need to amass several years of experience in the craft of making stringed instruments. If you are fortunate, you can find an apprenticeship with an already established Luthier (or two, or three.)
- Money. This is not a profession which pays well. You cannot reasonably expect to earn a living wage during apprenticeship, and likely will need a "real" job for several years at the barest minimum before quitting your day job.
- Connections to established Luthiers with whom to apprentice. Understand that what you know in the business is far less important than WHO you know. People will be a huge asset to you. Begin cultivating those friendships as soon and as diligently as possible.
Take advanced courses in woodworking. Making instruments generally requires a knowledge of all the various means of selecting, shaping, and finishing wood.
Learn to play the instrument(s) you wish to make. (If you have not already.) All the woodworking craftsmanship in the world is of no use to you if you do not thoroughly understand the needs of the players and performers.

[edit] Tips

Be wary of anyone who boasts of their abilities after only a short apprenticeship. Humility is the hallmark of the best craftsmen. They have learned through experience that they do not know as much as they used to think they did.
Understand that this is a precise woodworking skill which will require years to master.
For Starters, make sure you know the basic terms of the trade (things like Intonation and Action), as well as parts you will encounter on all or most stringed instruments (fingerboard, headstock, body, frets, etc.) It will make you sound very unprofessional if you constantly refer to the fingerboard as "long black thingy" or the headstock as the "end." Know the terms and you'll already be ahead of alot of other beginners