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You are here: Home / Dogwood Acoustic Guitars / Custom Guitars

Custom Guitars

Superb craftsmanship and exceptional tone are reflected in every handmade Dogwood guitar. Whether you are a singer-songwriter looking for an articulate instrument to express your creativity, or are part of a country band or a worship team and need a guitar with clarity and balance to cut through the mix, there is a Dogwood guitar with your name on it.

Rosette and bridge 2 smallDogwood guitars exude quality from the inside out. All solid wood construction, five piece laminated Mahogany and Maple necks, wood bindings, bound fretboards, hand cut Pearl or Abalone logo inlay, and hand leveled and dressed frets are just some of the features you will find on all Dogwood models. Greg will work with you to customize your design, making your guitar a one-of-a-kind instrument that reflects your individuality as a musician. Custom rosettes, shell purflings, custom fretboard inlay work, and other personal choices you’ll make combine with the unique Dogwood peghead and matching bridge to complete your dream guitar.

Of course, all the high gloss lacquer finishes and fancy inlays in the world don’t make up for less than exceptional tone. And here is where each Dogwood guitar really shines. Every Dogwood guitar begins with a carefully tested and graded top. By carefully measuring the material properties of potential tops (properties such as modulus, mass, speed of sound, etc) Greg is able to match the right top with your style and tonal preferences. These select tops are enhanced by tuning the top and back on each guitar to specific target resonances, producing great clarity, balance, warmth, and responsiveness.

Greg takes time with each customer to determine his or her needs and desires, and then carefully crafts each guitar by hand. No CNC made parts or lasers used! Just a master craftsman, fine woods, well-worn tools, and a passion for guitars. Why not give Greg a call or send an email and begin the discussion? It will be one of the best decisions you will make as a guitar player.

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Bending Machine

Building a Monarch: The Box

Bending the sides begins the process of making a guitar body. A bending form is required for each type and size of body, and the appropriate form is installed in the bending machine. This jig uses a heating blanket and spring loaded cauls to gently … [Read More...]

1932 Martin 0-18 Parlor Guitar

It's not often that a luthier has the opportunity to work on a pre-war Martin. This little 1932 Parlor 0-18 came to the shop in very rough condition. It took a tumble down some stairs, resulting in a long crack in the treble side of the body and … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonial: Gibson Setup

"I thought my new Gibson acoustic played pretty well until I had Greg set it up for me. Wow! I could tell a real difference in the action. Based on that experience I had him do a fret dress on an older Ibanez and again, I was surprised at how much … [Read More...]

Blog: Spalted Maple Rosette

I love spalted wood, especially spalted Maple. My affection toward this unique combination of color and pattern goes back to the 1980's, when I became introduced to the work of James Krenov. In 1983 a friend and I discovered a huge spalted Maple … [Read More...]

Guitar Build Class: Tom S.

"I recently completed a rewarding two week twelve day deep dive into guitar building. The course was taught by Greg Maxwell of Dogwood Guitars in Mt. Vernon Ohio. “Course” is inadequate to describe this skill and technique refining experience.  … [Read More...]

Guitar Building, Voicing, and Repair Classes

Greg loves teaching guitar building and repair as much as he loves building guitars himself. Although not currently taking on an apprentice, Greg is offering individual classes in three areas: Acoustic and Electric Guitar Setup and Repair, Guitar … [Read More...]

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Technical Articles

The Science and Theory of Tonewoods

Search out any discussion about tone and tonewoods on the internet and you will quickly find a wide variation of opinions among players and builders alike. However, the majority will almost always list "tonewoods" and/or specific species of Spruce … [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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