Josephine
As Claudio's daughter, I found the workshop a nice retreat since my first attempts at handicrafts. It gave me all the more pleasure to see the old cabinetmaker's workshop come to life in such a lively way. The course gives each participant the opportunity to give free rein to their creativity. The two tutors advise you very carefully and support your own imagination exclusively for the benefit of the instrument. From the rough sketched instrument on paper, however, usually something completely different emerges than was initially planned, and in my opinion, every additional finishing touch makes the finished instrument a priceless treasure.
Sandro
The guitar building course at moerel guitars provides you with more than just a unique piece that can be individually designed. The memories of the process from the first sketch to the final polish are just as unique. The two mentors, Oli and Claudio, are always at your side, your wishes are taken into account as often as possible and, if a problem arises, a solution is sought without compromise. The daily progress in building the guitar is most obvious in the evenings when we have a beer together after work, and in a relaxed atmosphere we discuss what has been done next. Of course, good music is included.
All this leads to the fact that not only the sound and the sight of the finished guitar awakens joy, but also the memories that arise up when you play it.
Roger
Building guitars and basses in a collegial and friendly atmosphere. An unforgettable time in which you can build your instrument according to your own imagination under expert guidance.
The finished bass: a unique specimen that far exceeds my expectations in terms of shape, materials, quality, handling and sound.
Fredy
"It's this great cheeky mixture: the picturesque professionally equipped workshop in Mörel at the foot of the Aletsch World Heritage Site. Plus the two coaches as a perfect duo: Claudio as master carpenter and guitarist, Oli as engineer and bass player. Both are pure solution finders for every problem, whether technical, material or due to the two left hands of the participants. And, extra plus: local woods (Walnut, my Love) for unique instruments. And, yes of course, the fridge and music are also just right from morning to late evening. Rock on, guys!"
Sebastian
Last winter 2020/ 2021 I had the opportunity to participate in the guitar workshop in Mörel. Although the well-rehearsed team around Claudio and Oli had actually specialised in building electric guitars / electric bass guitars, the two of them welcomed me as an acoustic guitar enthusiast into their course with open arms and were always there to help and advise me in the making of my guitar neck. Early on, I discovered their great commitment and their ability to solve problems that can arise now and then during the construction of a guitar. In addition to all the professionalism, the fun and cohesion within the team must be mentioned. So it was not uncommon that we stayed in the workshop for a while after finishing our work, talking about music or something similar and having a drink together. I can highly recommend this workshop to anyone who is interested in guitar building in connection with holidays and music in general.
Roland
Me and wood? As a chef, I'm usually more on the food side of things. But inspired by my son and after a guided visit to Moerel Guitars, I was blown away by the idea. Building a guitar on your own, with solid guidance—that sounded great. So, I decided to give it a go. Very quickly, I realized that it wasn’t going to be easy. But I could slowly see what a masterpiece this would become, and the excitement grew to finally hear the strings resonate. Although that would still take some time.
Oli and Claudio had solutions for every question and problem. They were always helpful and had the gift of keeping motivation high. We had lots of fun as a team, constantly checking who was ahead and who still hadn’t sanded properly.
Finally, the moment came. The strings were on, and I was excited to hear how she would sound. What a beautiful and special moment, holding your very own handmade guitar. Now it’s time to practice at home. Every time I look at the guitar, I feel a little bit of pride.
Rino
Every time I look at my electric guitar, I still can't believe I built such a beautiful instrument from local walnut wood as an amateur... A heartfelt thank-you for the exciting and enriching time I got to spend with and among you. I immediately felt at home in the workshop—with all that wood and its earthy smell, the (partly unknown) tools, and that unique atmosphere.
With you two, plus Thomi, Coco, Patrick, and his daughter Nora, we had a great group full of fun and entertaining moments. The atmosphere and the excellent course leadership felt like balm for the soul during the course evenings and days.
Hope to see you again soon… maybe for the second build.
Thomas
What a gift—what a joy to have a self-built musical instrument! The transformation from a plank of wood to a guitar is an incredible journey. Under the skilled guidance of Claudio and Oli, you experience many fascinating and creative stages, with both woodworking and electrical elements.
And there’s plenty of time for friendship and fun while waiting for the glue to dry. After hours of meditative sanding, you form a unique (love) bond with your guitar.
Nora
My daughter was just 9 years old when she built her guitar. Even though the work in the workshop went far beyond simple crafting—and we learned about the subtleties of the art of instrument making—my daughter Nora showed a lot of patience and proved that tinkering in the workshop can reach a whole new level.
Together, we built an authentic Valais-style guitar. We hand-shaped the guitar body so that the top, on either side of the neck, actually featured horns resembling those of Eringer cattle. On the headstock, we engraved the silhouette of the mountains we see from our window every day—including the Bietschhorn.
Thanks to precise craftsmanship, this time-intensive project was absolutely worth it.
Huge thanks to Oli and Claudio; without their help, we could never have accomplished this.
We returned home with a new guitar—one that will likely be played by generations to come—and with the certainty that we’ll never forget this experience, and with an instrument that will last forever.
Norbert
At moerel guitars, you get hands-on. Under the expert guidance of Claudio—the creative woodworker with an eye for detail—and Olivier, the inventive tinkerer and perfectionist, you have the chance to build your dream instrument.
Both are active musicians themselves and support you every step of the way, open to new and unconventional ideas.
The professionally equipped workshop offers a retreat where you can forget the world and fully immerse yourself in building (bass) guitars.
The social aspect is just as important as the craftsmanship.
In the end, you proudly hold an instrument in your hands that is visually unique and sonically on par with the best.
Craftsmanship, passion for music, and friendship—that’s moerel guitars.
Norbert Russi, Jahreskurs vom Sep22 bis Jun23
Rolf
The opportunity to build a guitar at Moerel Guitars was a gift for my 60th birthday. I spoke a few times in advance with Claudio about the shape, the top and body woods, pickups, and other specs, so I already had a picture in mind of how my Strat-style guitar with a Music Man-style headstock would look.
I can operate a computer keyboard—but woodworking? Setting frets properly and getting a clean sound?
Claudio and Oliver shared their passion for guitar building, guided us with experience, showed examples and options, and explained each step. And then I drew, measured, drilled, sawed, routed, rasped, sanded, wound pickups, soldered, and screwed—under their guidance. They were always there with tips, advice, and great one-liners.
The workshop has everything you could possibly need, and for a flawless result, Oliver and Claudio have developed precise tools and jigs. They take responsibility all the way through, and after nine days of building (and some skiing on New Year’s Eve), I took home the perfect guitar for me—with a huge smile on my face.
Jean-Françoise
I discovered the offer from Mörel Guitars by chance through a TV show on Swiss SRF. The idea of building a bass in beautiful Valais to my own specs never left my mind.
So I went to Mörel to meet Claudio and Oli and share my vision. The visit to their amazing workshop and the compelling conversation left no doubt in my mind, and in December 2023 I returned to Mörel to begin my bass project.
The experience and the final result far exceeded my boldest expectations! Especially the guidance and support from Claudio and Oli were absolutely top-notch: never pushy, always present when needed—they helped my bass project succeed just as I’d hoped.
I was especially impressed by the depth of the process—from full wood shaping for body and neck to winding the pickups, installing the electronics, and assembling the components into the final instrument.
I play my new bass regularly, and my joy only grows every time I pick it up.
Roland Glaus
There are moments in life when you want to make your dreams come true. That’s why I signed up to build my own guitar at Mörel Guitars in fall 2024, shortly after my 60th birthday.
Already in the summer, I took a short trip from Zurich to beautiful Valais to choose the wood and components for my project. Claudio had many local woods to choose from, and I picked a stunning piece of walnut from Graubünden.
It was clear shortly after the course began that three amazing weeks were ahead of me.
Seeing how a raw piece of wood gradually turned into a beautiful and truly unique guitar was absolutely fascinating.
The professional and perfectly tailored support from Claudio and Oli truly impressed me.
For every step of the process, the course instructors had the ideal solution ready.
Even for my custom request—a slanted humbucker cover—they had a matching template ready in no time. Wow!
Not to forget the ultimate cool pickup winding machine, which reminded me of the flux capacitor from Back to the Future.
What came to life in those three weeks far surpassed my expectations.
In short, I learned a lot and shared wonderful moments with lovely people.
For me, these three weeks were one of the highlights of 2024.