Louis Hayes currently builds six standard guitar models
All guitars may be customized to fit your needs and playing style. Prices will vary according to model and customer choices, generally falling between $3500 and $6500. Turn around time is currently 14 to 18 months.
Wood used to build our guitars is all solid, bookmatched, quartersawn, air dried and seasoned. The shop is well stocked with Honduran Mahogany and Indian Rosewood as well as exotic and domestic back and side sets. All top woods including Sitka, Engelmann, Adirondack spruces and Western Red Cedar have been shop seasoned for at least 20 years.
The Body
Solid hardwood rosettes are used to fortify the sound hole as well as for their beauty. The body, faceplate and heelcap of our guitars are finished to a high gloss with nitro-cellulose lacquer. Bone nut and saddle, hard wood pins and hardshell case are standard.
Tops & Backs
Tops are graduated in thickness, flexed and tap tuned. The bracing is carved and shaped with the help of a signal generator to bring out full acoustic potential. The tops and backs of our guitars are built spherically to reduce weight and increase strength.
The Neck
Necks are three-piece solid Honduran Mahogany, scarf jointed for stability. A two way adjustable truss rod and twin carbon fiber reinforcement rails further strengthen the neck. The neck body joint is mortise & tennon bolt-on. The neck of our guitars is finished to feel ultra fast with hand-rubbed oil.