Welcome to Gruhn Guitars
THE source for the vintage instrument world.

Newsletter : How a Zoologist Became a Guitar Animal: An interview with George Gruhn from Vintage Guitar magazine.

If you would like to receive daily inventory updates via email, or if you are looking for a specific instrument, click here and let us know. Here are some highlights from our current inventory...

Gilchrists for 2010 Renowned Austrailian mandolin maker Stephen Gilchrist is starting on a new batch of Style 1's and Style 5's for 2010.	Ultimate songwriting guitar Hundreds of hit songs - enough to put the owner of this guitar in the Country Music Hall Fame - were written on Cindy Walker's 1946 Martin 00-17.
Especially potent... That's what Billy Gibbons says about his new Gruhn model, designed by George Gruhn with unique carved spruce top and routed walnut back. Check out the guitars and the satisfied customers, including Billy G.'s full testimonial.	Ryman Martins Get a piece of an official National Historic Landmark, along with a great-sounding Martin guitar, with a Gruhn-designed custom Martin Ryman Auditorium D-16RGT.

Buddy's amp The vibrato-drenched guitar sound of Buddy Holly's last recordings came from a brand new amplifier he kept in his living room. You can't get any closer to Holly and his guitar sound than Buddy Holly's personal Magnatone amp.

Bob Welch's Synth Guitar Pop star ("Sentimental Lady," "Ebony Eyes") and former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Welch experimented with synthesizer sounds in the 1980s, with this Les Paul Studio, factory customized with Roland synth controller. This cool memorabilia package includes the Roland GR-700 unit and a Welch CD featuring this outfit, and it has been reduced.	Gatton Gear Danny Gatton's prowess on the Telecaster earned him the nickname "The Telemaster," and this pearloid-covered signature model is one of eleven guitars and amps from Gatton's collection in our current inventory.
Clint's Guitars It's Chet's signature but the C-shaped soundhole ring stands for Clint, as in country superstar Clint Black. This custom SST model has been sold but we still have four guitars from Clint Black's personal collection in our current inventory.	And the award goes to... ... one of the most exquisite production models in Gibson's century-plus history, and perhaps the highlight of the Norlin years, the Kalamazoo Award. Our 1981 example features a rich sunburst finish and beautiful quilted maple.

Fancy Gibsons Despite the waning interest in banjos and the onset of the Depression, Gibson continued to make some of the most highly ornamented banjos of the late 1920s and early '30s. Our selection of fancy Gibsons features a 1927 flathead Bella Voce plectrum, a 1928 flathead Florentine tenor, a 1931 flathead Style TB-6 gold sparkle (converted to 5-string) and a 1928 6-string Bella Voce guitar banjo.

Hartford banjos and fiddles As a banjo player, John Hartford had his own indidualistic style, and as a fiddler he revived interest in old-time music. We have a pair of banjos and four fiddles that Hartford owned and used.

Gibson Custom "art instrument" #01 Gibson's Custom division is famous today for one-off "art guitars," and it all started in late 1987 with this custom Gibson F-5 by Jim Triggs and Greg Rich, serial number 01, made famous through the 1990s and early 2000s by bluegrass mandolinist Butch Baldassari.

The Cowboy/Stromberg Way Stromberg guitars were not only great for cutting through in a big band setting, they were also the perfect companion for a cowboy "Riding the Rhythm Range." For proof, look no farther than this circa 1950 Stromberg G-3, owned by Ranger Doug of Riders in the Sky.

0000s, Adirondacks, 1 3/4 nuts... Those are the "hot buttons" for Vince Gill and other discerning guitarists, and those are some of the features available on Gruhn-design Custom Martins, in Styles 16, 18, 28 and a super 28, in quad-ought and dreadnought sizes, featuring a continuation of our 35th anniversary 0000-18 with Golden Era specs.

That Osborne sound Sonny's banjo is as vital to the Osborne Brothers' sound as their inimitable vocals, and the new Sonny Osborne Chief five-string is a fitting tribute to this legendary bluegrass musician.

George Gruhn "George Gruhn knows more about guitars than anyone on earth," says Tom Wheeler, former editor of Guitar Player magazine. That knowledge has made Gruhn Guitars the world's most famous vintage instrument store and has brought George Gruhn worldwide recognition as an author of definitive books on vintage guitars, an innovative instrument and string designer, and a primary source for insight into the guitar market -- past, present and future. (Photo by Vincent Ricardel)

January 2, 1970, thirty-nine years ago, Gruhn Guitars started life as GTR, Inc at 111 Fourth Avenue North. The original name was an abbreviation for "guitar" as well as the first-name initials of George Gruhn, Tut Taylor and Randy Wood. Tut and I were partners for the first nine months, after which he left to pursue business on his own and Randy was our repairman who stayed with me for almost three years. When we opened... (more of the Gruhn Guitars Story)

We strive to ensure your satisfaction with these Gruhn Guarantees:

• Expert inspection and repair - including setup. Our staff of eight repairmen sees that all instruments are properly restored and set up in optimum playing order. (For safe shipping, strings are loosened, moveable bridges on guitars and mandolins may be removed, and banjo necks may be separated from bodies.)

• Accurate descriptions. All instruments are personally described by George Gruhn. We take pride in providing accurate representations of age, condition and originality. No brief written description can do full justice to an instrument. Our knowledgeable sales staff is prepared to offer detailed in-hand descriptions and answer questions on the phone or via email.

• Certification. With our written appraisal - free upon request with every instrument that we sell - we authenticate and value your instrument.