John Kingslight - Luthier

          I began building guitars in 1979 in a little town in northern New Mexico as an apprentice to John Dillon.  After working on several Dillon guitars and becoming skilled in the craft of lutherie, I built my first guitar, all by myself, my #1 Kingslight, which I still play.  Then came #2 and 3, both modified dreadnaughts with custom headstock inlay and # 4, a classical guitar and #5, another dreadnaught.  Then came many years of working as a carpenter, building houses,  custom woodworking and design, keeping the bills paid and raising a family.... and a longing for something that was missing....

           During the last five and a half years I have rediscovered my passion, my first love,  of guitar making and I have dedicated myself anew to the art of lutherie, in creating fine instruments that are a joy to play, a delight to the eye and hopefully a way for our world to be made a little bit more beautiful,  although some of that may be up to you, the player.

          Music has always been a big part of my life.  I have been playing the guitar since I was 14, in bands and in church and in a duo with my wife of almost 30 years, Kathleen.  I have written several songs, mostly contemporary Christian.  In addition to touring in the 70's through the 90's, Kathleen and I have recorded 5 albums of our own and I have done studio work on several others.   All this has given me a great appreciation for fine guitars, that play responsively, hold  their tune, are durable and are aesthetically beautiful in looks as well as sound.   I would not let a guitar leave my shop that I would not enjoy to have as my own (well, maybe a left-handed model would be an exception).

     I currently live in Portage, Michigan - right next door to Kalamazoo.  Seems like a good place to make guitars...

                                                   God's Peace and Love,

                                                                     John