Most underrated young lutheirs/small builders?

[Regalord]

I have a good idea about who the established masters are. But curious who some younger, earlier career, super underrated luthiers are. Any suggestions? Martin style? Gibson style? Better yet, something with traditional roots yet truly innovative?

[Charlie Bernstein]

A lot of luthiers are unknown to most of us. I can't think of any who are underrated.

[sinistral]

A younger, earlier-career luthier who builds in the Martin tradition is Rufus Thames. I wouldn’t consider him underrated, though—he’s very highly regarded by those who are familiar with his work.

Judson Riviere is another younger, early career luthier who builds more in the Somogyi tradition, but again I wouldn’t consider him underrated.

[Puddleglum]

I don’t know about her being underrated, but don’t miss what EJ Henderson is doing. I really like her guitars.

[printer2]

Why not just ask for luthiers that will make you a guitar cheap?

[TBman]

I bought a guitar made by Michel Pellerin.

I was looking for a cedar top with a venetian cutaway. I was drooling over Mark Hatcher's Greta guitars online, but at the time none were available. I found some of Michel's guitars that he makes specifically for Roger at Brickhouse Guitars that were in my budget and they made me forget about the Greta.

Great tone, fit and finish.

(Michel is also a AGF sponsor)

[s2y]

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...splay.php?f=38

We have an entire section devoted to these guitars.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by s2y

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...splay.php?f=38

We have an entire section devoted to these guitars.

I’d love for the OP to pose his or her question in the Custom Shop: “Which of you is super underrated? I’d like to buy a guitar (or two) from you super cheap before people realize how talented you are and you triple your prices…”

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by printer2

Why not just ask for luthiers that will make you a guitar cheap?

Brilliant!

[s2y]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I’d love for the OP to pose his or her question in the Custom Shop: “Which of you is super underrated? I’d like to buy a guitar (or two) from you super cheap before people realize how talented you are and you triple your prices…”

LOL, I can't complain since I've been able to order a few before a big price hike. A price range and rosette request was how I managed to order my Michael Kennedy guitar.

[warfrat73]

It's a perfectly reasonable question.

Nothing wrong with wanting to get in on the ground floor or have the custom experience without spending the five figure prices that many established builders demand. There's also, of course, more risk involved in buying from a relative unknown than an established builder (quality, resale value, etc.).

I don't have any brilliant suggestions, but do spend some time searching the Custom Shop forum. Keep in mind, of course, that only a very small portion of builders are on AGF.

It was a similar question that led me to order my Bowerman (and my upcoming second Bowerman).

[Tenn]

Richie Crowder....near Asheville

[Skarsaune]

Rufus Thames isn't exactly young, lol. Put it this way, he retired from a regular job in 2018. Pretty highly regarded around here, for sure.

Jackson Cunningham is younger, also highly regarded, Gibson-ish.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

It's a perfectly reasonable question.

Nothing wrong with wanting to get in on the ground floor or have the custom experience without spending the five figure prices that many established builders demand. There's also, of course, more risk involved in buying from a relative unknown than an established builder (quality, resale value, etc.).

I don't have any brilliant suggestions, but do spend some time searching the Custom Shop forum. Keep in mind, of course, that only a very small portion of builders are on AGF.

It was a similar question that led me to order my Bowerman (and my upcoming second Bowerman).

I think my two suggestions were pretty responsive. Rufus Thames doesn’t get a lot of attention on this forum, but he has a decent following on the UMGF. Since Rufus is “making a better Martin than Martin” for $5,500, I consider his guitars to be a relative bargain. Judson is another luthier whose guitars might cost $20k in a few years, especially if he does an apprenticeship with Ervin Somogyi, which wouldn’t surprise me.

A luthier whose work is underrated imo is Fred Tellier, but he isn’t “younger, earlier career.” I bought one of Fred’s guitars at the Fretboard Summit last summer, and it is a stellar instrument.

To the OP, you can also look at the exhibitor lists for guitar shows (La Conner, Artisan, Woodstock, Fretboard Summit, etc.). Most of the luthiers are well-established, but there are always a few who are relatively young/new. The best way to tell if they are underrated is to attend the show and play the guitars for yourself.

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

Rufus Thames isn't exactly young, lol. Put it this way, he retired from a regular job in 2018. Pretty highly regarded around here, for sure.

Jackson Cunningham is younger, also highly regarded, Gibson-ish.

Compared to a lot of well-established luthiers, he’s pretty young!

[Osage]

Here is Massachusetts, the two that come to mind are Trevor Healey and Elisha Weisner. Trevor is maybe more well know for his electrics but I played a Martin style acoustic that he built that was fabulous. Elisha has almost no online presence but I gather the wait time for a guitar is over a year.