“To us, it is simple. We love perfectly setup, adjustable, old sounding, and old/beat up looking guitars, and that’s what we make.”
~ Wes Lambe & Ben Maschal
Pre-War Guitars came about because of their mutual deep passion for the magical tone of 1930s-era acoustic guitars.
Although Wes and Ben had trod varying paths in building and repair, they soon discovered they shared a penchant for meticulous examination and documentation of these classic instruments. The next logical step was to bring this accumulated knowledge to bear on the luthier's bench.
The result are one-of-a-kind handmade guitars with a sound, look, and playability like no other.
Thoughtful Aging
Every mark, check, and finish detail is hand-applied to feel honest and musical - relic work done with intention, not gimmickry.
Authentic Vintage Tone
Built to capture the voice of well-loved golden-era flattops, these guitars sound like they’ve already lived a few lifetimes - open, dry, and endlessly inspiring
Modern Playability
Pre-War guitars benefit from contemporary construction know-how, making them stable, consistent, and a dream to play right out of the case.
