CONNECT WITH THE WORLD’S GREATEST GUITAR MAKERS AND TAKE HOME YOUR NEW FAVORITE GEAR
The greatest and best-known guitar makers on the planet (acoustic & electric) will be showcasing their creations just for our Chicago event. We've assembled a once-in-a-lifetime showcase featuring some of the world's finest luthiers, electronics wizards, and world-famous brands at Fretboard Summit 2023.
Use this guide to find your favorite Fretboard Summit exhibitors, sponsors, and friends across the two Old Town School of Folk Music buildings below.
Note: Most of the luthiers will have guitars available for purchase. Most of these brands are showcasing never-before-seen and new instruments, as well. Nearly all of them will have their head designers/builders present (ie Bob Taylor himself will be attending for Taylor; Steve McCreary will be attending for Collings, etc). We will have quiet rooms and amp rooms available for demos.
Sealed Bid Auction Guitars
Pre War Guitars Co. '34-Style Bar Fret Dreadnought
"This guitar represents the next step in the Pre-War Guitars Co.'s quest for vintage tone. It's the first guitar to feature our new '34 Style upgrade package, featuring a non-adjustable ebony reinforced neck, and bar frets- a true compression fretted instrument.
Along with all our standard elements- torrefied red spruce top and bracing, hot hide glue construction, hand carved neck, top and back bracing, super thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish, and hand fit dovetail neck joint; the result is a 3.5lb tone monster.
We're excited to put the things we learned building the Blake guitars to work on our full slate of 14 fret guitars, and this one is the first. We're also proud to support the Fretboard Summit, and to be a part of such a great event.
Opening bid: $3,000
Santa Cruz Fingerstyle Cutaway
For the Fretboard Summit we are presenting a Fingerstyle Cutaway featuring Indian Rosewood back and sides, Cedar top, 1-13/16" nut width, 2-3/16" bridge spacing, tapered bracing, Brazilian Rosewood binding on the body with black/Maple/black side purfle, black binding on the fingerboard, Brazilian Rosewood back strip, blue purfle combo rosette and top border, Brazilian Rosewood overlay, no fingerboard inlay, Brazilian Rosewood peghead overlay with SCGC mini logo inlay, gold Gotoh 510 tuners with black buttons, Sunburst top.
