Guitarmakers and Guitarmaking

William Eaton with a double neck harp guitar

Luthier William Eaton Has Made a Life in Music with a Passion for Unconventional Instruments

William Eaton has made many unconventional instruments since the mid-1970s, and he has helped students learn how to build much more straightforward guitars at Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery

Luthier Tim Frick building an archtop guitar in his workshop

A Visit with Archtop Luthier Tim Frick

For the last decade, luthier Tim Frick has quietly been pushing the envelope on the design of the archtop guitar.

Luthier Maegen Wells in her workshop with an archtop guitar

Maegen Wells Is Building Next-Level Archtop Guitars in Her Northern California Workshop

“I don’t ever say that I chose to get into guitar making,” says archtop guitar maker Maegen Wells. “I felt like I was surrendering to a mission.”

Linda-Manzer-with-sunflower-guitar-for-ukraine

Great Acoustics: Linda Manzer’s Sunflower Guitar for Ukraine

Renowned Canadian luthier Linda Manzer made the "Sunflower Guitar" to raise funds to aid the Ukrainian people.

Steve Nall making a guitar in the Collings workshop

Steve Nall Steps into a Big New Role at Collings Guitars

Steve Nall recently took over selecting tonewoods and voicing the tops and backs of all Collings acoustic guitars after working for decades with mentors Bill Collings and Bruce VanWart.

Great Acoustics: A Loyal Customer Inspires a Bold New Big Hollow Jumbo

When a repeat customer asked Big Hollow Guitars' Bevan Frost to build a large-bodied guitar with unique inlays, the luthier rose to the challenge.

Max Spohn, Eve Meister, Brian Itzkin, Olivia Elia, and Oliver Marchant

Young at Art: Five Luthiers 30 and Under Share Their Stories and Talk Shop

Five promising young luthiers—Brian Itzkin, Oliver Marchant, Eve Meister, Max Spohn, and Olivia Elia—chat about their personal visions and approaches to the craft of building guitars.

Great Acoustics: A Trio of Hand-Built Instruments from “Retired” Industry Icon Dick Boak

Since his retirement in 2018, former C.F. Martin & Co. mainstay Dick Boak has continued hand-building instruments like this dreadnought-ukulele-small-bodied-guitar trio.

Rick Turner Compass Rose acoustic guitar

Great Acoustics: Rick Turner’s Personal 2007 Compass Rose Guitar Speaks to His Forward-Thinking Style

Rick Turner created many unique Compass Rose acoustics, but this one—regarded as among his finest—was the luthier’s personal guitar and a showcase of both his bold concepts and skilled execution.

Guitar makers Bob Taylor, Richard Hoover, and Dana Bourgeois

Golden Jubilee: Bob Taylor, Richard Hoover, and Dana Bourgeois Reflect on 50 Years of Guitar Making

Bob Taylor (Taylor Guitars), Richard Hoover (Santa Cruz Guitars), and Dana Bourgeois (Schoenberg, Bourgeois Guitars) reflect on 50 years of guitar making.

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