A collaboration between two old friends and colleagues.  Agustin Gaytan Morello and Ben Lambdin worked together for several years building high end handmade classical guitars in Kenny Hill’s small workshop in the mountains of Santa Cruz, California.  Both with young families to raise, and a desire to continue to produce fine handmade stringed instruments, they have set out to make it happen by combining their skills and experience to contribute to the marketplace.  

Our focus is to create exceptional handmade instruments, mixing innovation and traditional building processes. We are always searching for new ideas, construction methods and designs to make the most powerful, comfortable, light and resourceful instruments possible.

Having backgrounds in classical guitar making and french polishing, as well as handmade steel string acoustic and electric guitars, we enjoy the aesthetics of a traditional-looking instrument, and the beauty of wood under old style varnish finishes.

We strive to  integrate west coast and pacific woods in our creations, understanding the high quality and beautiful appearance that these woods can provide to make outstanding instruments.  This also allows us to keep our providers local and to get to know them better.  Being surrounded by these amazing forests, we are always looking for reclaimed wood, as well as what smaller local mills have to offer. We love to upcycle materials that we have saved over the years, such as scrap pieces of brazilian rosewood and other coveted tone woods that can be used for headplates, pickguards and other details.