Willis Guitars – From the Woodshop operates from the skilled hands of master luthier Willis Howard in Whitesville, Kentucky. As a professional craftsman who builds only around six custom guitars annually, Howard brings meticulous attention to detail to both his instrument construction and repair services.

The shop specializes in custom boutique guitar builds across three body styles: Dreadnought, CS model (similar to J200), and a 000-18 size variant. Each Willis guitar features spruce forward scalloped bracing that Howard hand-voices using traditional thumb planes and scrapers. This scalloped bracing technique allows the soundboard to vibrate more freely, producing rich overtones, enhanced volume, and deep bass response particularly favored by bluegrass players and finger-pickers.

Beyond custom builds, Willis Guitars offers comprehensive guitar repair and setup services, along with mandolin and violin repair including bow rehairing. Howard’s luthier expertise extends to fretwork and complete instrument restoration. His dedication to hand-voicing each piece and using quality tonewoods like local maple and Sitka spruce demonstrates a commitment to traditional craftsmanship. The combination of custom instrument building and expert repair work makes this woodshop a destination for serious players seeking both boutique instruments and professional guitar tech services.