Respect for the materials used in making a fine instrument is critical. As beautiful tone woods become more difficult to find, it becomes increasingly important to use wisely what little we have left. With this in mind, it is the focus of MAP Guitars to display the natural beauty of these tone woods, not cover them up.
The idea for MAP Guitars started in 2011, after a few old walnut trees were cut down. Experts said the trees were sick and dying and would fall over soon. It was later discovered that the trees were solid and healthy and would have lived for another 400 years.
I wanted find a way to see the trees live again and decided to have a guitar made from the wood. So, I had the trunks milled and set to slow-dry for the years to come. Then I thought, if I am going to have a custom guitar made, why not have it made to my own design; one that would be more comfortable and show off the beautiful wood. However, I couldn't find anyone to do this for me. So, my wife asked, “Why don’t you make your own guitar?”
Challenge accepted! I then set out to learn how to properly build guitars, before I ever touched the now famed walnut. I was bitten by the luthier bug and found I really enjoyed designing and building guitars. I learned how important it is to bring together a great design, and respect for the materials you use, to create a quality instrument.
When thinking about design, one must first consider ergonomics and how the player interacts with the guitar. A quality instrument must be comfortable to play. When a guitar is comfortable, the guitarist will talk about its “feel” and how easy it is to play. When the guitar feels good to the guitarist, it will naturally play and sound better.
It is also important to understand what the various tone woods can offer to an instrument. This becomes a study in physics and engineering, working in tandem with good design.
If you've been searching for a quality, handcrafted instrument, made with an emphasis on playing comfort and displaying the natural beauty of the tone woods from which it's made, then I let's talk about a MAP guitar for you.
