Sparrow Guitars boss Billy Bones began designing guitars while working as a furniture maker. He took a guitar building course in Calgary and launched Sparrow Guitars in 2004. The costs of building guitars from scratch in Canada meant it was more practical to import bare bone guitars from factories in Asia dismantle the instruments and add new hardware, fretwork, electronics, paint and artwork.

With a staff of 10, Sparrow Guitars are turning out around 100 guitars each month, distributed though a dealer network in North America, Australia and the U.K. They offer five models in seven finishes and various styles of pin-striping and flames with names like Big Daddy, Rat Rod and Twang Master. Prices range from $450 to $1,500.