Jimmy Caldwell began playing guitar in 1970, by 1977 he had joined the Guild of American Luthiers and he began building his first guitar in 1979. Caldwell initially relied on information from books by David Russell Young and Bill Cumpiano. Both of these books had some good information albeit a few quirky methodologies. Over the last few years his focus has turned to building vintage inspired guitars, trying to build guitars that honor the craftsmanship of the past but meet the demands of the modern player.