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You are here: Home / About Dogwood Guitars / About Our Name

About Our Name

Many people ask about our name. One of my wife’s friends even asked her if I made guitars from any other wood besides Dogwood!

For those familiar with the Dogwood tree, this brings a chuckle since this flowering beauty attains only a small size… not a species suited to yielding timber of a sufficient dimensions for guitar making. My guitars are made from Rosewood, Mahogany, Maple, etc., all traditional instrument woods.

Dogwood Guitars was started in rural Knox County, Ohio on property that contained a large number of wild Dogwood trees. The Dogwood is notoriously difficult to transplant, but I was fortunate to have them growing as original occupants on the farm.

 

 

The Dogwoods are beautiful year round with bright green leaves that turn a lovely maroon in late summer, accompanied by clusters of red berries that attract birds of several species. But the trees are at their most glorious in late April and early May when they burst forth with white flowers. We knew it really was spring when the Dogwoods began to bloom.

There is an old legend about the Dogwood that claims that this tree used to grow to a large, stately size until wood from it was used to make the cross that Christ was crucified on. The old story goes that the tree was shamed by this use, and to prevent its wood from ever being used again in this manner, God blessed the Dogwood with small size. Further, He gave it cross-shaped flowers that bear the blood stains of the crucifixion on each petal.

 

Of course this story has no factual basis, but it is a beautiful legend none the less. I consider guitar making to be a spiritual endeavor and one that brings me a great deal of personal joy. The natural beauty of my wild Dogwoods and the legend behind them influenced me to choose this name for my guitars.

When we made the decision to relocate Dogwood Guitars to Kansas City, MO in 2012, I wondered if the name would be as appropriate in our new location as it had been in Ohio. Imagine my pleasure when I discovered that the Dogwood is the state tree of Missouri!

Now that Dogwood Guitars is back in Mount Vernon, Ohio, things have come full circle. Our new property is only a few minutes from our former location and I am looking forward to seeing those flowering Dogwood trees each May.

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Guitar Galleries

The guitars featured in these photo galleries are just a few examples of Greg's work. As a long-time high end furniture maker, Greg has a real passion for tools and figured wood. His guitars reflect these twin loves with their beautiful wood choices, … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonial:

"In thirty years of playing and actively gigging in and around Ohio, I’ve had my fair share of guitar maintenance issues. Greg is by far the most customer-service oriented luthier I’ve dealt with.  Not to mention the top notch quality of his work.  … [Read More...]

The Importance of a Good Setup, Part Three

In the first two parts of this article, we have looked at basic setup services, which include setting the neck relief and string action, as well as new string installation and other basic adjustments. We have also discussed some improvements and … [Read More...]

Warranty Information

Dogwood acoustic guitars have a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty applies to the original owner and will be honored for as long as I am actively building and repairing guitars. This warranty does not cover … [Read More...]

Humidity, Temperature, and Your Guitar

Maintaining your wooden instruments at an appropriate level of humidity year round is vital to their health and well-being. It is surprising how many owners of expensive instruments are unaware of this. I suppose that the primary reason is a lack … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonials: Morgan Monroe

Greg... Thanks again for the top notch work you performed on my Morgan Monroe. Although this guitar is an expendable "gigging" tool you made it sound and play like a much more expensive instrument. It sure is comforting to know someone with your … [Read More...]

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Technical Articles

Why do old guitars sound better?

Why do some old guitars sound so good? Even inexpensive guitars can age into really good sounding instruments, and some old guitars attain legendary tone. Why is this? The answer can be found in one of three factors and the best … [Read More...]

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Viewpoint Articles

Exploring Common Guitar Myths

I am going to divide this article into two sections: Myths and misunderstandings about playability and care; and myths about tone. We will take these two topics in order. Playability and Care So, your guitar is a little hard to play, the … [Read More...]

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