Makers
Builders
Casimi Guitars
South Africa
Casimi Guitars are bespoke acoustic instruments created by a two man team from their workshop in Cape Town South Africa. Each Casimi guitar is a one-off piece made from the finest woods to the highest possible standards. Prized by musicians and collectors alike Casimi guitars are known for their powerful, sophisticated voice and immediate response.
Luthiers: MATTHIAS ROUX, MATTHEW RICE
Cetus Guitars
China · est. 2016
Cetus Guitars is an independent luthier workshop founded by Abigail and Tan, with Hanson contributing as a fellow luthier. The atelier is dedicated to designing and handcrafting modern-style acoustic guitars.
Luthiers: Abigail, Tan, Hanson Cai
Gaffney Guitars
BoutiqueUSA · est. 2016
Gaffney Guitars is the independent atelier of Julian Gaffney, whose lineage runs through three of American lutherie's most distinguished names: formal training at the Galloup School of Lutherie, seven and a half years alongside Roger Sadowsky in New York — during which he helped revive the Sadowsky acoustic line, dormant for more than twenty years — and an apprenticeship with Ervin Somogyi in California, widely regarded as the pinnacle of modern steel-string craft. From a small shop in Beacon, New York, the instruments that leave the bench today carry that inheritance forward: Sadowsky's precision in setup and playability, Somogyi's uncompromising pursuit of acoustic voice, refined over years of independent work into a sensibility distinctly Julian's own. A modest number of hand-built steel-strings emerge each year, each shaped with unhurried devotion to workmanship, tone, and design.
Luthier: Julian Gaffney
Halland Guitars
BoutiqueUSA
Based in Livingston, Montana, Halland Guitars is a boutique brand dedicated to the art of bespoke, master-grade acoustic instruments. Founded by luthier Gage Halland, the brand was born from a lifelong devotion to the guitar. Halland Guitars is defined by an obsessive, "always make it better" approach to craftsmanship. Rather than simply reproducing traditional designs, the brand applies original theories on acoustic sound production to address the inherent limitations found in standard acoustic guitars. Every Halland instrument is meticulously handcrafted to balance perfectionist construction with innovative design. The result is a guitar that is not only built to the highest possible standard but also possesses a voice, aesthetic, and responsiveness that are instantly and unmistakably recognized as a Halland.
Luthier: Gage Halland
Hiramitsu Guitars
BoutiqueJapan · est. 1998
Hiramitsu Guitars is a Japanese boutique atelier devoted to the quiet refinement of handcrafted acoustic instruments. Drawing from Yasunori Hiramitsu’s classical guitar background, each guitar is built with an emphasis on balance, resonance, and understated elegance. The result is a deeply musical instrument: precise in construction, graceful in voice, and created for players who value nuance over ornament.
Luthier: Yasunori Hiramitsu
Isaac Jang Guitars
BoutiqueUSA · est. 2016
Luthier: Isaac Jang
Jeff Traugott Guitars
BoutiqueUSA · est. 1991
Jeff Traugott Guitars is an atelier of fine handmade guitars based in Santa Cruz, California. Founded and solely operated by luthier Jeff Traugott, the workshop is devoted to instruments of exceptional tonal character, effortless playability, and uncompromising craftsmanship, each built personally by Jeff from start to finish.
Luthier: Jeff Traugott
Matsuda Guitars
BoutiqueUSA · est. 2002
Matsuda Guitars embodies the art of modern handmade lutherie: intimate, architectural, and uncompromising. Each guitar is crafted as a singular object of sound and form, designed for discerning musicians who value rarity, nuance, and quiet innovation.
Luthier: Michihiro Matsuda
Qin Guitars
BoutiqueChina · est. 2019
Luthier: Zhicheng Qin
Riviere Guitars
BoutiqueUSA · est. 2022
Riviere Guitars was established in 2022 by luthier Judson Riviere as an expression of his personal philosophy of acoustic guitar making. Each instrument is conceived and crafted individually, with an emphasis on tonal sophistication, exceptional responsiveness, effortless playability, and enduring elegance. Drawing upon a foundation of traditional lutherie and years of intimate experience with the construction and repair of fine instruments, Riviere approaches every guitar as a singular musical object. Rather than adhering rigidly to a prescribed formula, he carefully considers the relationship between materials, architecture, voicing, and the individual character of each instrument. The result is a distinctly personal interpretation of the acoustic guitar—one that balances clarity and complexity, power and nuance, projection and intimacy. Built in limited numbers with meticulous attention to detail, Riviere guitars are intended not simply as instruments, but as refined expressions of the luthier’s craft, created to be played, admired, and cherished across generations.
Luthier: Judson Riviere
Uchida Guitars
BoutiqueJapan · est. 1991
Uchida Guitars is a boutique atelier dedicated to the art of handcrafted acoustic instruments. Quietly luxurious and uncompromising in detail, each guitar is shaped as an individual work of tone, balance, and timeless craftsmanship.
Luthier: Mitsuhiro Uchida
Z Guitars
BoutiqueChina · est. 2016
Through Z Guitars, Pengcheng Zhang explores how a modern instrument can carry the temperament of ancient civilization without becoming nostalgic. His full biography provides a more comprehensive portrait of the intellectual trajectory, cross-disciplinary influences, and aesthetic principles that underpin his craft.
Luthier: Pengcheng Zhang