Gallery | Guitar Build Workshop

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Last night we had a little pop-up class at the shop, and I even came out of semi-retirement to teach this one. Boy, am I glad I did!

Meet Michael and Pamela, originally from New Jersey and now enjoying life as new transplants to Pennsylvania.

Michael is a retired firefighter who spent his entire career serving others, so Pamela decided it was time to treat him to something special: his very own one-on-one, custom-curated guitar-building experience!

Now, Michael had a pretty good idea of what he was getting into, and he made it very clear: "I DON'T WANT TO DO IT!" 😂

Pamela's response? "YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT!"

Well, I knew right then I had my work cut out for me!

By the end of the night, Michael gave me a big hug, so I'm pretty sure we have a lifelong fan of GBW and Tennessee Electric Company on our hands!

Pamela, thank you so much for finding us and, more importantly, for pushing Michael into this adventure! We had an absolute blast getting to know you both.

Michael, thank you for your years of service, and welcome to the wonderful world of guitar building! Can't wait to see you develop into a full-fledged luthier! 🎸

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #TennesseeElectricCompany #BuildAGuitar #GuitarBuilding #Nashville #Luthier #Firefighter

Last night we had a little pop-up class at the shop, and I even came out of semi-retirement to teach this one. Boy, am I glad I did!

Meet Michael and Pamela, originally from New Jersey and now enjoying life as new transplants to Pennsylvania.

Michael is a retired firefighter who spent his entire career serving others, so Pamela decided it was time to treat him to something special: his very own one-on-one, custom-curated guitar-building experience!

Now, Michael had a pretty good idea of what he was getting into, and he made it very clear: "I DON'T WANT TO DO IT!" 😂

Pamela's response? "YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT!"

Well, I knew right then I had my work cut out for me!

By the end of the night, Michael gave me a big hug, so I'm pretty sure we have a lifelong fan of GBW and Tennessee Electric Company on our hands!

Pamela, thank you so much for finding us and, more importantly, for pushing Michael into this adventure! We had an absolute blast getting to know you both.

Michael, thank you for your years of service, and welcome to the wonderful world of guitar building! Can't wait to see you develop into a full-fledged luthier! 🎸

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #TennesseeElectricCompany #BuildAGuitar #GuitarBuilding #Nashville #Luthier #Firefighter

🌎 GBW went INTERNATIONAL last weekend! 🇬🇧🇩🇪🎸

Coincidence? Perhaps. Legendary? I'd say so!

We welcomed Warren and Laura all the way from the UK! Laura and I had been secretly planning this surprise for a while. After visiting some of Tennessee's most legendary guitar spots, Warren's grand finale was building his very own guitar at GBW!

And just by coincidence, Roberto and Nadine joined us from Germany! Roberto is a serious guitar guy who'd had his eye on our GBW V-body upgrade for quite some time.

With Kelly's expert guidance, Warren and Roberto knocked it out of the park, finishing two absolutely fantastic guitars, including a killer custom Oxblood Fade!

What a great class and an even better group of people! Huge thanks to instructor Kelly for guiding these guys in the right direction and making it all happen.

Hope everyone made it home safely! And now that we know where you guys live, don't be surprised when we show up at your doorstep on our next vacation! 😉🍻

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #BuildYourOwnGuitar #Nashville #GuitarBuilding #CustomGuitars #MadeInNashville

🌎 GBW went INTERNATIONAL last weekend! 🇬🇧🇩🇪🎸

Coincidence? Perhaps. Legendary? I'd say so!

We welcomed Warren and Laura all the way from the UK! Laura and I had been secretly planning this surprise for a while. After visiting some of Tennessee's most legendary guitar spots, Warren's grand finale was building his very own guitar at GBW!

And just by coincidence, Roberto and Nadine joined us from Germany! Roberto is a serious guitar guy who'd had his eye on our GBW V-body upgrade for quite some time.

With Kelly's expert guidance, Warren and Roberto knocked it out of the park, finishing two absolutely fantastic guitars, including a killer custom Oxblood Fade!

What a great class and an even better group of people! Huge thanks to instructor Kelly for guiding these guys in the right direction and making it all happen.

Hope everyone made it home safely! And now that we know where you guys live, don't be surprised when we show up at your doorstep on our next vacation! 😉🍻

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #BuildYourOwnGuitar #Nashville #GuitarBuilding #CustomGuitars #MadeInNashville

Vpgrade!

Vpgrade!

🔥🎸 SEMA, HERE WE COME! 🎸🔥

When hot rods meet rock ’n’ roll, you know something special is happening! 🤘

We teamed up with the incredible crew at Advanced Plating to create this one-of-a-kind custom guitar, and it’s headed to SEMA alongside the Goodguys 2027 Giveaway Car — a killer 1966 Chevelle! 🔥

Custom cars, custom guitars, and some serious craftsmanship… it doesn't get much cooler than that!

We're beyond excited to see this collaboration hit the big stage in Vegas! 🎸🏁

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #GBW #AdvancedPlating #SEMA #Goodguys #1966Chevelle #CustomGuitar #HotRodsAndRockNRoll #BuiltNotBought

🔥🎸 SEMA, HERE WE COME! 🎸🔥

When hot rods meet rock ’n’ roll, you know something special is happening! 🤘

We teamed up with the incredible crew at Advanced Plating to create this one-of-a-kind custom guitar, and it’s headed to SEMA alongside the Goodguys 2027 Giveaway Car — a killer 1966 Chevelle! 🔥

Custom cars, custom guitars, and some serious craftsmanship… it doesn't get much cooler than that!

We're beyond excited to see this collaboration hit the big stage in Vegas! 🎸🏁

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #GBW #AdvancedPlating #SEMA #Goodguys #1966Chevelle #CustomGuitar #HotRodsAndRockNRoll #BuiltNotBought

🎸 One of One! Thank you, Max!

Our buddy Max, with roots in Austin and California and now calling Nashville home, came to Guitar Build Workshop with a pretty unique vision.

As a skilled woodworker himself, Max wanted to create something truly special using reclaimed barnwood. The body was made from end-grain wood, something we'd never attempted before!

We weren't entirely sure how it would machine, but after a little R&D and some modifications to our CNC programs, everything ran beautifully. And the finished guitar? Absolutely unbelievable!

Kelly was on board to help guide Max through the build, and together they created a true one-of-a-kind piece of functional art.

This is exactly the kind of project we love. A little experimentation, some creative problem-solving, and a guitar unlike anything else out there.

Thanks for trusting us with your vision, Max! We're thrilled we could help bring it to life. This one's a showpiece for sure!

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #CustomGuitar #ReclaimedWood #BarnwoodGuitar #MadeInNashville #OneOfOne

🎸 One of One! Thank you, Max!

Our buddy Max, with roots in Austin and California and now calling Nashville home, came to Guitar Build Workshop with a pretty unique vision.

As a skilled woodworker himself, Max wanted to create something truly special using reclaimed barnwood. The body was made from end-grain wood, something we'd never attempted before!

We weren't entirely sure how it would machine, but after a little R&D and some modifications to our CNC programs, everything ran beautifully. And the finished guitar? Absolutely unbelievable!

Kelly was on board to help guide Max through the build, and together they created a true one-of-a-kind piece of functional art.

This is exactly the kind of project we love. A little experimentation, some creative problem-solving, and a guitar unlike anything else out there.

Thanks for trusting us with your vision, Max! We're thrilled we could help bring it to life. This one's a showpiece for sure!

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #CustomGuitar #ReclaimedWood #BarnwoodGuitar #MadeInNashville #OneOfOne

🎸 Thank you, Marc & Jennifer, from San Antonio, Texas!

We had a fun last-minute addition to this weekend's class! Marc and Jennifer were simply looking for a guitar store while visiting Nashville, stumbled across Guitar Build Workshop, and decided to give it a try!

Their Tennessee adventure started in Memphis, continued here in Music City, and will wrap up with some R&R in a cabin in the mountains near Knoxville.

With Kelly guiding the build, they created a beautiful rustic burst guitar featuring one of our upgraded mahogany bodies. It turned out fantastic!

Such a great time getting to know these two. Thanks for making us part of your vacation, and enjoy the rest of your Tennessee adventure!

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #Nashville #SanAntonio #GuitarBuilding #MusicCity

🎸 Thank you, Marc & Jennifer, from San Antonio, Texas!

We had a fun last-minute addition to this weekend's class! Marc and Jennifer were simply looking for a guitar store while visiting Nashville, stumbled across Guitar Build Workshop, and decided to give it a try!

Their Tennessee adventure started in Memphis, continued here in Music City, and will wrap up with some R&R in a cabin in the mountains near Knoxville.

With Kelly guiding the build, they created a beautiful rustic burst guitar featuring one of our upgraded mahogany bodies. It turned out fantastic!

Such a great time getting to know these two. Thanks for making us part of your vacation, and enjoy the rest of your Tennessee adventure!

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #Nashville #SanAntonio #GuitarBuilding #MusicCity

🎸 Thank you, Scott, from Pennsylvania!

A former Nashville resident, Scott was back in town visiting friends and decided to treat himself to a pretty awesome birthday present at Guitar Build Workshop!

Scott went with a vibrant purple burst finish and upgraded to one of our beautiful rosewood necks. The combination turned out fantastic!

Kelly was our instructor for the class and helped bring it all together with flawless execution.

Happy Birthday, Scott! Thanks for spending part of your Nashville visit with us!

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #Nashville #BuildYourOwnGuitar #CustomGuitar

🎸 Thank you, Scott, from Pennsylvania!

A former Nashville resident, Scott was back in town visiting friends and decided to treat himself to a pretty awesome birthday present at Guitar Build Workshop!

Scott went with a vibrant purple burst finish and upgraded to one of our beautiful rosewood necks. The combination turned out fantastic!

Kelly was our instructor for the class and helped bring it all together with flawless execution.

Happy Birthday, Scott! Thanks for spending part of your Nashville visit with us!

#GuitarBuildWorkshop #Nashville #BuildYourOwnGuitar #CustomGuitar

99.

For nearly nine years, I’ve kept a daily journal, rating every day from 0 to 100. Maybe it’s the engineer in me, but I like the data. It helps me understand what makes a day a 90, 95, or 99.

Friday was a 99. The highest score I’ve ever given. And I never saw it coming.

We had the incredible honor of hosting the Gary Sinise Foundation and the parents and loved ones of fallen American heroes at Guitar Build Workshop.

They had no idea what they were walking into. They’d just finished ballroom dancing, so I figured we had a decent shot at winning them over!

Within minutes, our amazing luthiers had the room filled with laughter, stories, and memories. Strangers became friends as we helped each guest build a custom, patriotic guitar honoring their loved one by name.

There were tears, hugs, and so much laughter. It was a day none of us will forget.

We've been running this little business for 14 years. Small business is a roller coaster. Some days you feel inspired; and then there are other days......I’ve accepted it probably won’t make us rich financially. But Friday reminded me that there are other ways to measure success. Every late night, challenge, and doubt led us to a day that felt nearly perfect.

And there's one more part to this story that I have to share.

At the end of August, I was having one of those moments of doubt. I was questioning this venture. So I put a little request out to the universe or whoever might be listening.

“If I’m supposed to keep doing this, please let us sell 10 guitars by the end of September.”

On September 25, this class landed on our calendar.

Quantity: 10 guitars.

I don’t know exactly what to make of that, but I know what it meant to me.

To the Gary Sinise Foundation, thank you for trusting us. To the families, thank you for sharing your stories and letting us be part of your day. And to our team, I couldn’t be prouder.

99. ❤️

99.

For nearly nine years, I’ve kept a daily journal, rating every day from 0 to 100. Maybe it’s the engineer in me, but I like the data. It helps me understand what makes a day a 90, 95, or 99.

Friday was a 99. The highest score I’ve ever given. And I never saw it coming.

We had the incredible honor of hosting the Gary Sinise Foundation and the parents and loved ones of fallen American heroes at Guitar Build Workshop.

They had no idea what they were walking into. They’d just finished ballroom dancing, so I figured we had a decent shot at winning them over!

Within minutes, our amazing luthiers had the room filled with laughter, stories, and memories. Strangers became friends as we helped each guest build a custom, patriotic guitar honoring their loved one by name.

There were tears, hugs, and so much laughter. It was a day none of us will forget.

We've been running this little business for 14 years. Small business is a roller coaster. Some days you feel inspired; and then there are other days......I’ve accepted it probably won’t make us rich financially. But Friday reminded me that there are other ways to measure success. Every late night, challenge, and doubt led us to a day that felt nearly perfect.

And there's one more part to this story that I have to share.

At the end of August, I was having one of those moments of doubt. I was questioning this venture. So I put a little request out to the universe or whoever might be listening.

“If I’m supposed to keep doing this, please let us sell 10 guitars by the end of September.”

On September 25, this class landed on our calendar.

Quantity: 10 guitars.

I don’t know exactly what to make of that, but I know what it meant to me.

To the Gary Sinise Foundation, thank you for trusting us. To the families, thank you for sharing your stories and letting us be part of your day. And to our team, I couldn’t be prouder.

99. ❤️

A rainy day in Nashville turned into another great day at the Guitar Build Workshop!

Meet Nicole, visiting from a couple of hours east of NYC and enjoying a little adventure through Nashville! She happened to pick up one of our brochures at a Tennessee rest stop, and the next thing you know, she's building a guitar!

Fun fact: We're the most popular brochure at Tennessee rest stops! A big thanks to Mallory for keeping those shelves stocked!

Thankfully, Kelly was available for a last-minute class, and the results were fantastic! Nicole built a beautiful Cherry Cola Burst guitar, complete with an upgraded neck. Absolutely stunning!

Huge thanks to Nicole for finding us and to Kelly for teaching another awesome class! Enjoy the rest of your Nashville adventures, Nicole. We're so glad our paths crossed!

@k.butlerguitars

A rainy day in Nashville turned into another great day at the Guitar Build Workshop!

Meet Nicole, visiting from a couple of hours east of NYC and enjoying a little adventure through Nashville! She happened to pick up one of our brochures at a Tennessee rest stop, and the next thing you know, she's building a guitar!

Fun fact: We're the most popular brochure at Tennessee rest stops! A big thanks to Mallory for keeping those shelves stocked!

Thankfully, Kelly was available for a last-minute class, and the results were fantastic! Nicole built a beautiful Cherry Cola Burst guitar, complete with an upgraded neck. Absolutely stunning!

Huge thanks to Nicole for finding us and to Kelly for teaching another awesome class! Enjoy the rest of your Nashville adventures, Nicole. We're so glad our paths crossed!

@k.butlerguitars

A quiet shop tonight, but tomorrow is going to be something special. Everything is set and ready as we prepare to welcome the Gary Sinise Foundation for an incredible day of guitar building, camaraderie, and giving back. We're honored to be a part of it! 🇺🇸🎸

A quiet shop tonight, but tomorrow is going to be something special. Everything is set and ready as we prepare to welcome the Gary Sinise Foundation for an incredible day of guitar building, camaraderie, and giving back. We're honored to be a part of it! 🇺🇸🎸

Working on a collab with one of our students on an end grain guitar.

Looking pretty sharp!

Working on a collab with one of our students on an end grain guitar.

Looking pretty sharp!

Me and KB have have been working the night shift at GBDub. While Traci has been coordinating behind the scenes for a very special event coming up next week

Stay tuned.

🇺🇸🎸

Me and KB have have been working the night shift at GBDub. While Traci has been coordinating behind the scenes for a very special event coming up next week

Stay tuned.

🇺🇸🎸

José joined us in the shop today from Clarksville, via Puerto Rico, thanks to an awesome surprise from his wife, Sulynell. She gifted him a day building a guitar with us, and he had absolutely no idea what he was in for!

This military man went straight for the military greens and created a killer one-of-a-kind green burst, keeping the sides and German carve natural. The contrast came out AMAZING. 🔥🎸

Once again, Master Luthier Kelly Butler was running the show, and the results were on point.

Thank you, José, for spending the day with us, and a huge thank you to Sulynell for finding us and pulling off such a great surprise.

Excellent day. 10/10. 🇵🇷🇺🇸🎸

José joined us in the shop today from Clarksville, via Puerto Rico, thanks to an awesome surprise from his wife, Sulynell. She gifted him a day building a guitar with us, and he had absolutely no idea what he was in for!

This military man went straight for the military greens and created a killer one-of-a-kind green burst, keeping the sides and German carve natural. The contrast came out AMAZING. 🔥🎸

Once again, Master Luthier Kelly Butler was running the show, and the results were on point.

Thank you, José, for spending the day with us, and a huge thank you to Sulynell for finding us and pulling off such a great surprise.

Excellent day. 10/10. 🇵🇷🇺🇸🎸

Here’s another classic from way back in the day, long before we even thought about Instagram.

This was Rob and Preston, and it still stands out as one of my favorite classes of all time. Not only did the guitars come out amazing, but the camaraderie between a bunch of strangers was exactly what these classes are all about.

My buddy Jason and his family stopped by with their new puppy, Daniel was there helping out, and it was just an all-around great day in the shop.

And I’m pretty sure Rob was one of the first students to really go rogue with the finish. He invented what we started calling the “Dragon Burst.” It’s been copied a few times since, but Rob is definitely the OG.
Just another good one from the archives. 🎸🐉

Here’s another classic from way back in the day, long before we even thought about Instagram.

This was Rob and Preston, and it still stands out as one of my favorite classes of all time. Not only did the guitars come out amazing, but the camaraderie between a bunch of strangers was exactly what these classes are all about.

My buddy Jason and his family stopped by with their new puppy, Daniel was there helping out, and it was just an all-around great day in the shop.

And I’m pretty sure Rob was one of the first students to really go rogue with the finish. He invented what we started calling the “Dragon Burst.” It’s been copied a few times since, but Rob is definitely the OG.
Just another good one from the archives. 🎸🐉

We’ve been lucky to have some seriously cool people come through Guitar Build Workshop, with some pretty cool jobs. But I think we may have a new winner in the Coolest Job Department.
Meet our new friend: stuntwoman / adventure seeker / world traveler/ Spice Girl fan and now guitar builder Kachina Dechert.

Kachina is a professional stuntwoman. If you’ve watched a movie in the last 20 years and seen a fight scene, motorcycle stunt, or just about any other form of badassery, there’s a decent chance Kachina was involved. It takes a level of fearlessness that is completely foreign to me, but incredibly fun to hear about.
And apparently she approaches guitar building the same way. She went all in on the upgrades and built my favorite guitar body. Our upgraded GBV body, rosewood fingerboard, and a killer forest green burst. This thing turned out PERFECT.

The story gets even better. Kachina happens to be in Nashville helping her mom with one of her gigs. Her mom is none other than Jody Linscott, legendary percussionist for The Who and many, many others. It was an absolute pleasure having both of them hanging around the shop, and we’re super stoked to see them tonight at the Ryman.

Great day. Great guitar. New friends. That’s what it’s all about.
Thanks for spending the day with us, Kachina and Jody! 🎸🤘

Sorry for the overzealous AI captions on the collage. 😉

We’ve been lucky to have some seriously cool people come through Guitar Build Workshop, with some pretty cool jobs. But I think we may have a new winner in the Coolest Job Department.
Meet our new friend: stuntwoman / adventure seeker / world traveler/ Spice Girl fan and now guitar builder Kachina Dechert.

Kachina is a professional stuntwoman. If you’ve watched a movie in the last 20 years and seen a fight scene, motorcycle stunt, or just about any other form of badassery, there’s a decent chance Kachina was involved. It takes a level of fearlessness that is completely foreign to me, but incredibly fun to hear about.
And apparently she approaches guitar building the same way. She went all in on the upgrades and built my favorite guitar body. Our upgraded GBV body, rosewood fingerboard, and a killer forest green burst. This thing turned out PERFECT.

The story gets even better. Kachina happens to be in Nashville helping her mom with one of her gigs. Her mom is none other than Jody Linscott, legendary percussionist for The Who and many, many others. It was an absolute pleasure having both of them hanging around the shop, and we’re super stoked to see them tonight at the Ryman.

Great day. Great guitar. New friends. That’s what it’s all about.
Thanks for spending the day with us, Kachina and Jody! 🎸🤘

Sorry for the overzealous AI captions on the collage. 😉

Introducing instructor/Master Luthier Greg Pauza

Greg came to us in probably the most normal way possible: an email.

He lived nearby, had walked past the shop, checked out our website, thought what we were doing looked cool, and reached out. We get plenty of emails from people wanting to work with us, but we just don't make enough money to hire everybody—or really anybody.

But Greg had one particularly interesting company on his resume. It happened to be a company we shared in our work histories, and we'll just say it was a... unique place to work.

So I invited him over to hang out. That hang turned into another, then another. Eventually Greg learned the ropes, started helping with classes, and became a permanent fixture. I don't actually remember hiring him, so I guess he just kept showing up until we gave him a key.

Greg's pedigree is in mandolins. He apprenticed at Randolin Music in Vermont before moving into acoustic guitar building at the aforementioned nameless company. Electric guitars were new territory, but he picked them up quickly and became a great builder and instructor.

Greg is the youngster of the shop, but don't let that worry you. He's a Rush fan and knows enough Gen X stuff that we've decided to let him stay. He does have a strange obsession with the Fast & Furious movies, but the guy can build a guitar, so sometimes you have to look past certain character flaws.

Like all of us, Greg has a day job. He's a mechanical engineer who helps with pretty much everything around GBW, including CNC manufacturing and, more recently, the joys of CNC maintenance.

Greg also understands that this little venture is mostly a labor of love, not necessarily a millionaire's quest. But he's trying to change that as our new Vice President of Sales for Tennessee Electric Company, a prestigious executive position that also includes cleaning bathrooms, taking out the trash, and emptying dust collection bags.

So please welcome:

Master Luthier
Vice President of Sales
Instructor
Mechanical Engineer
New Dad
Rush Aficionado
CNC Maintenance Technician
Janitorial Services

Oh yeah, occasionally he has to take me to the ER for stitches.

Mr. Greg Pauza.

Introducing instructor/Master Luthier Greg Pauza

Greg came to us in probably the most normal way possible: an email.

He lived nearby, had walked past the shop, checked out our website, thought what we were doing looked cool, and reached out. We get plenty of emails from people wanting to work with us, but we just don't make enough money to hire everybody—or really anybody.

But Greg had one particularly interesting company on his resume. It happened to be a company we shared in our work histories, and we'll just say it was a... unique place to work.

So I invited him over to hang out. That hang turned into another, then another. Eventually Greg learned the ropes, started helping with classes, and became a permanent fixture. I don't actually remember hiring him, so I guess he just kept showing up until we gave him a key.

Greg's pedigree is in mandolins. He apprenticed at Randolin Music in Vermont before moving into acoustic guitar building at the aforementioned nameless company. Electric guitars were new territory, but he picked them up quickly and became a great builder and instructor.

Greg is the youngster of the shop, but don't let that worry you. He's a Rush fan and knows enough Gen X stuff that we've decided to let him stay. He does have a strange obsession with the Fast & Furious movies, but the guy can build a guitar, so sometimes you have to look past certain character flaws.

Like all of us, Greg has a day job. He's a mechanical engineer who helps with pretty much everything around GBW, including CNC manufacturing and, more recently, the joys of CNC maintenance.

Greg also understands that this little venture is mostly a labor of love, not necessarily a millionaire's quest. But he's trying to change that as our new Vice President of Sales for Tennessee Electric Company, a prestigious executive position that also includes cleaning bathrooms, taking out the trash, and emptying dust collection bags.

So please welcome:

Master Luthier
Vice President of Sales
Instructor
Mechanical Engineer
New Dad
Rush Aficionado
CNC Maintenance Technician
Janitorial Services

Oh yeah, occasionally he has to take me to the ER for stitches.

Mr. Greg Pauza.

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