Island Instruments

Island Instrument Manufacture was founded by guitar maker Nic Delisle. Delisle previously completed a 2 year apprenticeship at Daddy Mojo Stringed Instruments. The name Island Instrument Manufacture is a response by Delisle to the movement of guitar manufacture overseas. As a counter to this Delisle uses almost exclusively hardware, components and accessories made in North America, often to his own custom specifications.

Cowbrand Design

Cowbrand Design is a unique and original electric guitar brand founded by Michael King. Michael apprenticed at Knilling Violin shop in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He then worked in several well known repair departments and also built Archtop guitars before enrolling to study Graphic Design.  He know uses his graphic design skills to create space age Cowbrand Design electric guitars with the help of his apprentice Naomi.

Source: Cowbrand Design website (19 May 2022)

Ken Parker

Ken Parker built his first archtop guitar in 1976 but by the 1990s was spending his time developing the well known Parker Fly and related guitars. He sold that company in 2003 and was able to work alone again and follow his inspiration building his first love, the acoustic archtop guitar.

Source: Ken Parker Archtops website (19 May 2022)

52 Instrument Co.

52 Instrument Co. classical guitars are made in Montreal by Jeremy Clark. Clark has a background in classical music and played the violin (touring internationally) but eventually came to the classical guitar in his 20s. He then spent a number of years as an apprentice to guitar maker Sergei de Jonge. Most of his construction techniques are traditional but he uses several modern procedures. He uses objective testing methods to select top and backs based on their physical characteristics. He also uses a signal generator to measure vibrational modes and ensure that his guitars have pleasant resonances. His guitars usually have the following notable features: adjustable necks, structured sides, hexagonal bracing, soundports on the sides and low mass bridges with reinforced string holes.

Source: 52 Instrument Co. website (19 May 2022)

TunaTone

TunaTone electric guitars are handmade in Alberta, Canada by Leila Sidi. Leila is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada working from a shared workshop space nicknamed 'The Clubhouse'. She learned the fundamentals of wood working from furniture builder Brad Geortz before starting to make guitars with her mentor Dion James of Dion Guitars. Adam Turley of Turley Guitars has been another influence on her work. The brand is named after Leila's sadly departed cat Tuna.

Source: TunaTone Instruments website (18 May 2022)

Turley

Adam Turley is an acoustic guitar maker working out of the Clubhouse in Edmonton, Alberta. He makes responsive, modern parlour guitars under the guidance of Dion James of Dion Guitars. Turley's background is in making high end circular staircases and railings.

Source: Turley Guitars website (18 May 2022)

Potvin

Potvin Guitars is run by Mike Potvin who operates a one-man workshop building electric guitars in Ottawa, Canada. Potvin has been making guitars since 2003 and started Potvin Guitars in 2008. Although his electric guitars are inspired by vintage classics (have a look at his El Camino '58 model)- he also has some completely original designs like the Super Bee series.Potvin Guitars also offers a selection of guitar-building templates and jigs which are used by hobbyists and professional builders alike.

Source: Potvin Guitars website (17 May 2022)

Healy

Healy Guitars is an electric guitar and bass brand made by Trevor Healy. Healy has been making guitars since 1999 and started Healy Guitars in 2011 in Western Massachusetts. Luthiers Sander Weston (who trained with Sergei De Jong) and Calvin Parent also work at Healy Guitars. Circa 2022 the Healy range included the Healer & Growler electric guitars and the Healer bass.

Source: Healy Guitars website (17 May 2022)

RAT FINK GUITAR

White Rat Fink Electric guitar

Rat Fink amplifiers and guitars that are based on the artwork and influences of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.  The guitars include Roth style Neon acrylic pickguard and head stock plate, in brilliant lime green. A Rat Fink image and logo on the body behind the bridge. The Pearl White Fink RF3 model has an additional Rat Fink emblem and white head stock plate.

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Rat Fink Guitars

Rat Fink Guitars were sold by Lace Music from around 2002 to 2005. They licensed the Rat Fink name and cartoon rat image from Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, to produce a Rat Fink guitars, basses and amplifiers. The instruments had Rat Fink graphics and pin-stripes, there were both solid state and tube amps and even a Rat Fink bar stool to sit on while playing your Rat Fink guitar.

Source: Rat Fink Guitars website (archived 2003)

TK Instruments

TK Instruments is the brand name of Todd Keehn. Keehn was a child prodigy guitarist who has started modifying his instruments at the age of 13. He is a pioneer of extended range guitars - having designed one for all fifths tuning and made 9 string multi-scale guitars as early as 1992. TK Instruments are made by hand and have zero radius multiscale fretboards, and asymmetric necks. Often they are headless (headstock is a custom option) and Keehn prefers a hand rubbed oil finish.

Source: TK Instruments website (16 May 2022)

Schorr

Nicolai Schorr builds guitars and basses by hand in his workshop in Berlin, Neukölln. He previously studied art for six years and played and performed music for 10 years. Schorr follows a highly individualistic approach to design, his guitars avoid the standard body styles and he eschews ready-made components and hardware wherever possible. As a result Schorr guitars have a very original style that goes completely off the beaten track.

Source: Schorr Guitars website (16 May 2022)

Sutch

Sutch custom guitars and basses are made in the UK. High quality instruments made by one man in his quest for tone - great use of figured woods and original body styles.

Source: Sutch Guitars website (archived 2016)

GSP

GSP custom guitars and basses are made in Eastbourne, UK by Graham Pollard. He can also make custom necks and bodies - contact him via thefretboad.co.uk (user name: GSPBASSES).

Tennessee Electric

The Tennessee Electric Company is an international collaboration between custom guitar builders, hot rodders, designers and manufacturers. Their website launched in 2017. One of their specialties is building one-off custom guitars to match customer’s hot rods and custom cars. Many of these guitars are not only painted to match the color schemes of the cars they are inspired by, but they also feature hardware that is finished to match the car’s accents. This company has a proud history of philanthropy: many of their guitars have been donated and auctioned to raise funds for great charities like Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Make a Wish Foundation, The Boys and Girls Club, Leader Dogs, and Victory Junction.

Source: Tennessee Electric Company website (16 March 2022)

Infinite

Infinite Guitars is an electric guitar brand name of High-End Music Co. Ltd - a guitar making and repair company in Osaka, Japan. Infinite guitars have some interesting construction features (made possible by their use of CNC machines)- concave grooves in the neck pockets match up with convex tongues on the bolt-on necks to ensure a stable well- aligned joint. A similar system is used to attach the fretboards to the necks. Jesscar stainless steel frets are standard on all models, as is the Buzz Feiten tuning system.

Source: High End Music website (15 May 2022)

Lucky Dog

Luck Dog Guitars was founded by Antony Sims in Tennessee. Sims began building guitars in his garage during his spare time while working for a trucking firm. In 2018 he was able to quit the day job and go full time as a guitar maker.

Source: Lucky Dog Guitars website (13 May 2022)

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