“I am producing solid wood handcrafted guitars at a reasonable price

so others may enjoy my guitars
as much as I do"

My passion for music began with my first memories of my mother singing. When I was very young, I first heard someone singing and playing guitar, vowed that one day I would play, and have done so for over 40 years. As a youngster, we couldn't afford toys, so I made them out of wood. I continued to do woodworking, including having my own construction business. For several years, my two brothers, a steel guitar-playing friend, and I had a country-western dance band. I am a Colorado native who has lived here my whole life except during the Vietnam War.

Starting in my youth, I created many guitars and recognized that everyone is seeking that "Holy Grail". So in September 2000, after a heart attack, triple-bypass surgery and a new look at life, I decided to pursue my lifelong dream of building archtop guitars.

Like many musicians, I had a dream of owning the "perfect guitar", my Holy Grail. In 1986, I unknowingly sacrificed a very nice acoustic guitar to be able to buy a major brand guitar for about $2,000 - only to be severely disappointed in the quality, the sound & the playability. Not only was I unhappy with the guitar, I sadly realized that after I walked out the door, it was worth 1/2 of what I paid for it. This same experience happens to people every day. My guitars are very special and unique, with craftsmanship and sound that result in an original one-of-a-kind instrument. Stroup Guitars cost less and are far superior to many others. After doing some research on archtop guitars, I found most handcarved, solid wood guitars ranged from a minimum of $3,000 to $4,000 on up to thousands - far beyond the reach of the average guitar player. So I am producing solid wood handcrafted guitars at a reasonable price so others may enjoy my guitars as much as I do - and perhaps I can even leave a legacy after I'm gone.

WHO ARE MY CUSTOMERS?
HOW DOES A STROUP GUITAR PLAY?