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Handcrafted Guitars

Hand made guitars - hand built guitars- handcrafted guitars - luthier - all different descriptions of what I do.  When I first started making guitars I was often asked why I built instruments in the old fashioned way--each guitar built by one craftsman. These days when we are in the middle of  a renaissance in handcrafted guitar making, that question is not asked so often. The answer to the question then, as now, is actually quite simple-- I love to work with wood and tools. I also love guitars and guitar music.

There is also a more complete, and more complex, answer to the question.  The initial impulse to build my guitars grew out of a dissatisfaction with the quality and feeling of assembly line instruments. I believe that the essential element missing is the intimate interaction of a single craftsman with both the customer and the materials throughout the entire process of creating a fine acoustic instrument. This does not mean that I think  "factory" instruments (whether from large or small factories) are inferior. Rather, instruments made by a single craftsperson are unique, and that uniqueness is valuable to many guitar players and is a choice which should be available to anyone looking for a fine instrument.  Another essential feature of the handcrafted instrument is that it can be carefully tailored to the individual buyer -- customized, if you will.

From the first I have worked to maintain the connection between myself, my customer and the guitars I build, and to continually improve the quality and appearance of my instruments.  I feel that there are no arcane secrets to this craft -- just the refinement of well-known ideas and loving care.  I hope, and believe, that my instruments speak for themselves as to the quality of my work.  Lest one get too enamored of the handcrafted mystique, I will freely admit that I use power tools whenever I can  to improve the quality of the instrument.  Most of the instrument builders I know are tool nuts, and so am I.  (If all of the above seems a bit pretentious, we can retreat to my first explanation--I love this work, it brings me relaxation and satisfaction, and I love wood, guitars and guitar players.)

I make only one quality of guitar -- the best that I can.  I use only the finest solid woods available and painstakingly assemble them into fine guitars.   In this web site you will see a variety of models and decorative options, some of them very expensive.  These elements do not increase or decrease the care and craftsmanship that goes into each of my instruments.

wpe4.jpg (7389 bytes)If you are interested in my guitars, I encourage you to call my shop to talk about any questions you have.  I love to talk to my customers about guitars, and there is no way that I can fully describe them in print, much less anticipate the questions you may have.  I am willing to consider almost any option or variation you might want -- many of them are listed in the following pages.  Others, such as custom shapes, different scale lengths, custom neck size and contour, and a wide variety of wood choices, are purely at the whim of the buyer (and, let's be honest, your willingness to pay).

 

MODELS

I make eight basic models or shapes.  Links to the pages describing them are below. 

DREADNOUGHT         CONCERT          CONCERT 12          PARLOR

    SINGLE O     SLOPE D    Harp Guitar      JUMBO     JUMBO 12

     String     OO      PICCOLO

One final word  -- WARRANTY --  My guitars carry a limited lifetime warranty -- to the original owner -- which covers any defects in materials and workmanship.  This does not cover normal wear and tear such as fret wear, nor does it cover abuse.   The full written warranty is set out  HERE.   However, be warned:  it was written by a lawyer, and you may find it a bit dry.

Our address, phone number and e-mail address are listed in the home page of this site.  We hope to hear from you.

This website and all of its content, text and images are copyright ©1997-2012  by Charles A. Hoffman.  All rights reserved.

 
Dreadnought Concert Concert-12 Parlor Slope D
2219 East Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN. 55404

hoffmanguitars@qwestoffice.netor choffman820@comcast.net

(612) 338-1079