A Brief Overview...

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Thank you for your interest in Sweetwood Guitars. Here is a brief overview of my life and company...

I started out fixing my own guitars and some friend's in Jr. High School. I had an 80's BC Rich Mockingbird back then that played like a dream (wish I had that guitar today) and was the envy of a few of my friends. In High School, I decided to make my own guitar. I was scared to death of making a neck, so I bought a Fender Stratocaster neck and routed the body in wood shop. Turned out the neck didn't fit right and the brown stained finish was awful. Guitars abounded from that day forth and eventually got to the point where they started to pile up. People started asking if I was ever going to sell them. So, in early 2002, I sold my first guitar. I continued my career in Tech in Silicon Valley for the first years and went full time in 2009.

Today, the boutique lutherie industry is starting to blossom. There are more great builders than ever before (Jim Soloway, Nik Huber, Gene Baker and a host of others). Different designs and ideas are popping up every day and innovation is rampant. Players are embracing some of these new ideas and designs. It's easy to understand why. Major manufacturers are slave to the bottom line and simply can't afford to spend the time required to take instruments to the next level. They spec their lines, spray heavily and rarely do things the 'best way' possible.

At Sweetwood, a guitar starts with the careful selection of tonewood. For this we use only the best tone woods available, all from certified means of forestation. Lumber is matched for both appearance and resonance. They are then allowed to dry and settle naturally. Most major manufacturers kiln dry their wood. A twenty foot plank of mahogany will lose 18 inches in this process. In the kiln, the wood de-hydrates then water is re-introduced to a consistent level. Close to 96% of the water in the cells of the wood are evaporated. Its like taking a grape, turning it into a raisin, then trying to turn it into a grape again. This makes for a very stable piece of wood, but its soul is lost in the process.

As for the construction of all Sweetwood guitars, this is where my German heritage kicks in. I strive to make instruments to the highest standard in the industry: Super tight tolerances, neck pockets that practically don't need glue, very fast action, etc. I do things the right way to ensure the instruments I make out live me and are enjoyed for many years, not just by the original purchaser, but by their grandchildren as a family heirloom.

I am very committed to making the best possible instruments.

Thanks for taking the time,
Glenn