Jay Lichty, Lichty Guitars
In a small shop tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, luthier Jay Lichty builds custom handmade acoustic guitars and ukuleles. His journey came on the heels of a thirty-five year career as a custom home builder and carpenter. His love of playing music combined with these skills made for a natural transition into custom guitar and ukulele building.
What started as a hobby, building ukuleles out of the garage, hit overdrive once Jay built his first guitar under the guidance of Virginia luthier Wayne Henderson. Further studies with Ervin Somogyi, Charles Fox and Tom Ribbecke helped influence his style. With over 250 ukuleles and guitars under his belt, Jay continues to develop his craft.
In Jay's words, "I have a deep respect for the builders and methods, both contemporary and past, but I also love to push the envelope by exploring new design ideas and wood selections. I feel each instrument has its own life and spirit. I typically build one instrument at a time with the goal of helping each to reach its full potential. To me, full potential translates into an instrument that is exciting to all of the senses. I take pride in the fact that our ukuleles and guitars are enjoyed and played both professionally and by hobbyists all over the world."
Jay's website is http://lichtyguitars.com.
