Playable Works Of Art
At Molter Custom Guitars, we have been custom building handcrafted instruments for two generations. Each custom built guitar is a one of a kind piece of art. All acoustic guitars and electric guitars are completely constructed by hand. Each appointment, custom inlay, or option is decided by the customer, not the luthier. You can be assured your guitar will be unique.
I strive to create a guitar that is visually striking and one that will stop someone in their tracks.
Often times people who are not guitar players will stop and look at the beauty of the guitars . Some stop because they notice the magnificent figure of the wood, the custom inlays, or the engravings. It is a very fulfilling experience for me, when someone who knows nothing about guitars, stops and asks questions about my work and I can see their appreciation of the craftsmanship and materials of my instruments.
A guitar should sound and play as magnificently as it looks.
Seeing the expressions of excitement on the true musician’s face is as enjoyable for me as it is for them playing the instrument that has everything they have been looking for.
I work with the customer to find out what they expect in their custom guitar.
Everyone has their own unique playing style, preference of tone, appointments and many other aspects they want to see incorporated into their instrument. Once all of this is decided by the customer, I will give my opinion on how we can accomplish all of their expectations. It is my pleasure to build someone a guitar that they have always dreamed of owning but could never find in a music store.
The Luthier
Molter Custom Guitars was started in Jacksonville, FL almost 25 years ago by my late father, Michael Molter. My father, an avid woodworker and professional musician, began building guitars when a friend, knowing of his carpentry skills, commissioned a custom guitar. Woodworking and music was a perfect combination of interests for my father. He built that first guitar, and although it wasn’t the best instrument he made, it did make music. This created a desire in my father to make an instrument that would sound just as good as one from a big name manufacturer. It became my father’s passion. After several years of repairing high end guitars and acquiring the knowledge of how these guitars were constructed, he developed a construction method that produced guitars that equaled, if not surpassed, the quality and sound of those high end guitars. I use those same methods to construct my guitars today.
I was fortunate to be taught this craft by my father.
I did not have the musical gifts that my father was blessed with, but I shared his love of woodworking. I also loved just spending time with him in his shop. I really became interested in guitar building when I saw a guitar my father built that was constructed out of curly maple. The figure in the wood was so amazing. I decided then that I wanted to be able to build something just as beautiful. I spent every spare minute I could learning the art of guitar making. Both my father and I learned a lot about lutherie during this time. His more traditional styles started to change and he developed more of an individual style while my individual style became more traditional.
I now carry on the passion and desire my father had for creating a beautiful and great sounding guitar.
I strive to build a guitar that meets and exceeds the customer’s expectations. I will continue to build my guitars totally by hand using the methods and techniques that my father taught me. I thank God for what I have learned from my father and hopefully one day I can pass this knowledge to my children, and they can carry on the passion my father had, and I now have for creating the finest handcrafted instruments available
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