Lichty Guitars & Ukuleles

In our small shop tucked into the foothills of the NC Blue Ridge Mountains Jay builds custom handmade acoustic guitars and ukuleles. One of the first questions he often gets is, “How did you become a guitar builder?” His journey into lutherie 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. In fact, the day he finished that first guitar was the day he began building the workshop. Over the years Jay has studied with mentors Ervin Somogyi, Charles Fox and Tom Ribbecke. With over 250 ukuleles and guitars under his belt Jay continues to develop his craft.