What if…
…a guitar company made great instruments for real players — and took environmental responsibility seriously, too?
What if, instead of rain forest-depleting exotic woods, we used locally sourced timber, sustainable materials, and reclaimed lumber with a story?
That’s the idea that started Cartwright Guitars.
Our Story
It started with a conversation. Just me and my dog Steve, talking guitars.
There are some truly incredible builders out there making beautiful instruments from rare, exotic woods. Craftsmanship today is as good as it’s ever been — maybe better.
But here’s the thing:
Those guitars are often so expensive they end up behind glass, not in a player’s hands. And many of the woods being used aren’t sustainable — they’re logged from fragile ecosystems and shipped across the globe just to become another collector piece.
That didn’t sit right.
So Steve and I started Cartwright Guitars.
Not to crank out vintage knockoffs - but to build original guitars for real musicians.
Made from responsibly sourced and reclaimed wood, designed to be played, and built without guilt.
Materials
Lumber: Responsibly sourcing our lumber is a top priority. We use:
Locally sourced , and responsibly harvested Maple, Alder, and Ash
Imported Moso Bamboo . Moso Bamboo is incredibly tough with a Janka Hardness rating similar to Ash, and Maple. It grows to maturity at over 100 feet tall in about 3 years! Harvesting does not kill the plant, allowing for cyclic harvesting.
Reclaimed wood - We have used vintage shiplap, lumber from old logbooms, barnwood, and even old growth yellow pine from a shuttered bowling alley in a state mental hospital. This wood comes with a story!
Finishing: Our guitars are finished using cashew resin, a natural, low-impact finish used in Japan on musical instruments for many years. It is hand-applied for a smooth, resonant, vintage-style finish without the environmental toll of modern lacquers and urethanes.