Custard & Kistler guitars were made in the late 1980's by luthier Dan Hoffman. Hoffman owned and managed the Custard & Kistler business in Florida, although it was not a instrument making company, it was the source of the woods and tools used by Hoffman to build his guitars. A Custard & Kistler guitar was famously used on Martin Simpson's "Leaves of Life" album.

In 1989 Dan Hoffman joined Ithaca Guitar Works in Ithaca, New York, where he worked alongside Eric Aceto to develop the Oneida guitar, the Mandolect and many unique custom instruments. Hoffman and Aceto 1996 left the Guitar Works in 1996, to spend more time performing and building instruments and they founded Ithaca Stringed Instruments. Ithaca Stringed Instruments are known for making fine acoustic instruments specially designed for amplification in live and studio settings.

Dan Hoffman left Ithaca Stringed Instruments in 2007 to focus on violin and cello making, settling in Spain.

Link: Ithaca Stringed Instruments