Brekt Guitars is a one person shop based in the Susquhanna River Valley of south central Pennsylvania. I build small batch handmade guitars using the same techniques found during the golden era of guitar production that produced the most coveted instruments we have today.  While I always strive for consistency in certain aspects of every guitar, these methods allow a little bit of room to impart a character and personality that make every instrument unique, and I really enjoy that quality. With a Brekt guitar, you truly are getting a one of a kind instrument.

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  Most of my guitars have some level of aging to them, because, well, I like the feel of a worn instrument. Light aging starts with tarnishing the hardware and then the finish is matted in the high wear areas. Medium and heavy aging follow suit, but the finish is broken through to bare wood in the high wear areas along with typical scratches and dinks being visible.

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  Currently, all the guitars I build are finished with a traditional shellac, which also acts as an intended agent of the wearing process over time depending on how you treat your axe.  I use a modified french polish technique that builds up many thin layers over a period of several sessions.  The shellac is mixed in house, and different color grades are used depending on the level of aging I want to impart on the instrument.  While shellac may not be the standard coating found on modern electric guitars, I have several reasons for making this choice.  First, the beauty and clarity of shellac I think is unsurpassed, and the way it feels in the hand I personally think is also superior to other finishes.  Second, using the french polish technique allows for a very thin finish which does not dampen the woods resonant qualities and as a result gives the guitar an "open" feel.  Lastly, my mixture is non-toxic from start to finish! Where lacquers and polyurethanes very much are a health and environmental hazard that off gas toxic fumes over time, with shellac, you and I will be breathing a little easier because of it.