Made in Seattle, Washington
See the guitars
Completed October 2021.
Currently on the bench. The finished guitar, full specs and build story are coming soon.
Until then, here's where it stands.
Around 10 years old I was gifted a small beginner’s acoustic guitar. It had subpar playability and lots of string buzzing, nonetheless it brought the gift of playing music into my life. Unbeknownst to me at the time, it would evolve into one of the most valuable things in my life. I’ll be forever indebted for that gift.
As a teenager I discovered the niche of modern fingerstyle guitar players and my affinity for acoustic guitars grew much stronger. I’d watch and listen in awe, then tell myself I had to learn how to play that style. In my spare time I bought tabs and learned how to play some of my favorite songs. These days I focus more on writing original sketches.
Over the years I’ve explored various creative outlets: drawing, oil painting, tie dye, photography, videography and the occasional woodworking. There’s been a litany of incomplete projects, lots of failures and attempts that didn’t go anywhere. But through experimentation you find your creative voice. The path is not linear!
Tap any piece to see it larger.
Eventually I was led to the idea of building an acoustic guitar. Then the opportunity appeared: A hobbyist luthier of 30 years was selling off his remaining collection of woods, materials and tools. Truly a right-place, right-time opportunity I’d have been foolish to pass up!
Oh and a puppy was added into the deal. I named her Zelda. Double blessing! Through the new door of possibility we went.
I had zero prior luthiery experience, nor did I know if I’d even enjoy building….so was this too risky?! Maybe. But the craft checked all of the boxes of what appeals to me artistically: story, design, color, understanding material properties, texture and above all sound.
The first guitar took 2 1/2 years, on and off of working on it. Like a true bachelor, much of the guitar was built in the house I was renting... yes, I did use a router in the living room. Stringing it up the first time was exhilarating, an excitement second to none! The joy of making musical instruments was revealed to me.
In 2022 I embarked on an adventure to Washington state and the muse struck me with the vision to build guitars there.
Only 1 year later circumstances aligned and I moved from Denver, Colorado to Seattle, Washington, eventually set up a shop, drew up my first original design for a guitar and went all in.
It’s been no simple path getting to this point, but piece by piece it continues to come together. I look forward to sharing this journey with you!
Luthiery merges the scientific, mathematical, intuitive and artistic. That blend hooks me in and makes the craft an engaging and wonder filled journey. There’s always a horizon to orient towards, things to learn and rewarding creative work to do.
My aim is to build guitars that are responsive, sonically rich and appealing to the eye. Most of all, I want them to imbue players with creative inspiration.
A guitar is functional art, where sound, sight, touch, and scent converge. (If you’re up for it, taste as well, but I’m not liable for teeth marks on your soundboard.)
Whether you’re a play-around-the-campfire-player or a professional musician, the right guitar becomes an extension of your creative spirit. The one for you invites you in to pick it up every chance you get.
An acoustic guitar is far more than wood, bone, glue and metal. It carries the story of the trees it came from and the mind, heart, soul and hands it was made with.
Brent Hobbs
Once in your hands, its voice comes alive. What you give to it is returned in the gift of music. What stories do you want to tell? What song lives inside you?