Oren Myers

Oren Myers – Guitar Maker

From Literature to Luthiery

I studied English Literature at university, and like many students, towards the end of my studies, I was forced to contemplate what I wanted to do professionally. Nothing particularly appealed to me until I recalled that a few years earlier, during a time when I was particularly obsessed with playing the guitar, I had briefly considered building a guitar. So, after completing my English studies, I converted my parents’ garage into a workshop and began learning from a book. I reached out to Christopher Dean to discuss guitar making as a profession, and he sold me some wood to get started. He also made the mistake of telling me to call him if I got stuck—which I did, frequently!

Inspiration from Romanillos

After building a few guitars, I attended a guitar building course by Jose Romanillos in Spain. It was a truly memorable experience, and besides learning a lot about wood selection and construction methods, it was fascinating to learn from someone who had such a focused, clear idea of what he wanted to achieve.

Craft, Music, and Return to Passion

I find guitar making particularly satisfying because it combines music, craftsmanship, and artistic design in one profession. Moreover, after a difficult decision as a teenager not to pursue a formal study of playing the guitar, it was a wonderful way for me to “sneak back” into the world of music.

Evolution Toward an Ideal Sound

When I started, I felt like I knew the guitar as a player fairly well, but I didn’t have much knowledge about the various types of guitars that existed. My early guitars were built in a traditional way simply because I thought that was the right way to start. Since then, I’ve tried to develop my guitars towards my ideal sound through very small changes in wood thickness and body dimensions—never more than one or two factors per instrument. I aim for a sound that balances liveliness and projection with clarity, warmth, sweetness, and depth.