Another One Behind The Dust
What is Guittek? Guittek is a one-man workshop, and I'm the one in charge of all aspects when you get in contact. My name is Jonathan Gomez, and I'm originally from Caracas, Venezuela. I'm a woodworker by trade and a Luthier by heart.
My journey in luthiery began at the age of 17 when cheap guitars were of poor quality. This led me to tinker with and modify the guitars I owned. Over time, my friends became interested in my ideas, and from there, things slowly evolved into a business idea.
My first registered company was GUITARTECH.C.A. in 2003 in Caracas, Venezuela. In addition to repairs and maintenance for musical instruments, I also offered my services as a touring Guitartech. This role exposed me to various aspects of instrument technician work. While in a workshop, issues can be controlled, on tour, quick problem-solving is essential. This experience on the road made me a better technician, always ready to tackle challenging projects.
In 2011, I moved to Oulu, Finland, with my wife, and in 2013, I registered GUITTEK. Guittek is not just the continuation of my old company, Guitartech; it's the evolution of the same company. With around 20 years of experience in the field, I felt ready to take the next step – guitar building.
In previous projects, I had created guitar parts for clients, but it wasn't until 2016 that I ventured into building complete guitars. During that year, I made the decision to not just construct one guitar, but rather a batch of 10 instruments. These guitars were based on a simple yet well-known model - the famous Telecaster model. To give this line of classic guitar models a unique touch, I coined the name LOWBROW GUITARS. This name stands in contrast to the term "Highbrow."
I was determined that my guitars wouldn't fit the definition of "a person who possesses or has pretensions to superior learning or culture," which is commonly used in guitar marketing. My belief is that while more expensive guitars may offer better quality, it does not necessarily mean that inexpensive ones are drastically inferior. High-quality components can be made with better materials, but excellent working parts can be found at a fraction of the price. Therefore, I advocate for buying the best instrument within one's means. However, there is a point of diminishing returns where spending more doesn't necessarily equate to better quality.
With these thoughts in mind, I founded LOWBROW GUITARS CO. The first series I introduced was called TOPAZIO, which was based on the TELECASTER model. Following that, I introduced the JASPER series, inspired by the JAZZMASTER model. Alongside these series, I began crafting custom instruments tailored to specific client needs. This included V-shaped guitars inspired by the ARROW model, basses influenced by the JAZZBASS model, and a few guitars fashioned after the RD model.
Since 2016, I have created several instruments, which made me realize that batch production, as used with the TOPAZIO, is not my best approach, especially for a small boutique workshop like Guittek. Nowadays, off-the-shelf guitars and basses of good quality are readily available at reasonable prices. As a result, I decided to discontinue batch production and focus exclusively on custom production, where instruments are tailored to clients' dreams.
I also rebranded from LOWBROW GUITARS CO. to LOWBROW SERIES. Under this new approach, I can make any instrument inspired by any model, but I create them one at a time. Additionally, with the inclusion of a CNC machine in the shop, I am finally bringing my long-standing dream of designing my guitars to life. The project's name has changed a few times, most recently called 974%, so keep your eyes open for exciting news in that regard.
In summary, I hope this condensed 30-year history of GUITTEK and myself has been informative. Exciting things are on the horizon, so come and join us, and let's make them happen. Peace!
