There is something romantic about a guitar that has been well-loved, played often, and bears all the marks to prove it. Because, after all, a guitar that is played often, must be a good guitar, right? Unfortunately, most guitars that do have this authentic vintage sound, look, and feel were built in the 1930s, which means that playing them requires careful tune ups and repairs rather frequently. Pre War Guitars went out to tackle exactly this problem; to make guitars which are perfectly set up, adjustable, old sounding, and old looking. 

The company was founded by Wes Lambe and Ben Marschal in 2014, following decades of researching and repairing both new and vintage guitars. Both founders bring a rather impressive set of skills to the table. Wes came up in the guitar world by building seven- and eight-

string fanned-fret guitars for clients including Charlie Hunter, David Crosby, Nels Cline, and Pat Metheny. Ben, after becoming obsessed with acoustic guitars in high school, graduated from Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in 2001, and went on to building and repairing guitars in his garage. Ben later gained a reputation for his vintage-instrument expertise while he was working for mandolin master Tony Williamson. As fate would have it, Ben and Wes connected through their deep passion for pre war guitars, and began their company to create new interpretations of the well-loved and heavily played guitars they were so passionate about. Their appreciation for authenticity, combined with their technical expertise allows them to build instruments that truly look and sound like they were built in the 1930s, but are built to live long, healthy lives.