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Electric Guitars

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Instruments currently built in Circle Pines, MN, since 1977.

Luthier James A. Olson began building acoustic guitars full time in 1977. Olson had previous backgrounds in woodworking and guitar playing, and combined his past favorites into his current occupation. Olson's creations have been used by James Taylor (since 1989), Phil Keaggy, Sting, Leo Kottke, Justin Hayward (Moody Blues), and Kathy Mattea.
Olson handcrafts sixty guitars a year, and currently has a waiting list. All models are custom made with a wide variety of options to choose from. Olson builds in either the SJ (Small Jumbo) or Dreadnought configuration, and features East Indian rosewood back and sides, a Sitka spruce or western red cedar top, and a five-piece laminated neck (rosewood center, maple, and mahogany outer sections). Either configuration also offers an ebony fingerboard, bridge, and peghead overlay, tortoiseshell bound body, bound headstock and side purfling, herringbone top purfling, mother-of-pearl fingerboard position dots, a carved volute on back of the headstock, chrome Schaller tuners, and gloss nitro-cellulose lacquer finish. Olson will accomodate most requests for $12,500. For a complete listing of available options, or for further information visit Olson's website or contact him directly (see Trademark Index).