Frequently Asked Questions
What tonewood options do you offer?The ability to process raw lumber in the shop means the options are endless, but J Brown guitars has a variety of tonewoods in stock to choose from. These include swamp ash, basswood, Honduran mahogany, African mahogany, hard maple, soft maple, and rosewood. Previous J Brown builds have also included exotic woods such as purpleheart, bubinga, leopardwood, tigerwood, and bloodwood. Standard material for fretboards is either ebony or Madagascar rosewood, but other hardwood options are available as well.
What pickup brands do you offer?Just call (443) 878-3018 or email at jbrownguitars@gmail.com and Jeff will get back to you directly!
I’m happy to install any brand of pickup you would like. If you’re unsure, or want to try out something new, J Brown guitars is a certified dealer for Lollar pickups, a small company in Tacoma, WA, that builds each pickup by hand and achieves exceptional tone, quality, and consistency. We usually have a few guitars with Lollars in our showroom for you to test drive. And you can check out their lineup here:
Where can I try out a J Brown guitar?
I have a showroom at the shop where you can test drive several different guitars. It is by appointment only, so when you’re there you’ll have the whole place to yourself so you can explore in peace. Just call or email to set up a time to stop by.
What pickup styles do you offer?Because each guitar is a custom build, there are no limitations on the pickup style or configuration (space permitting). Standard offerings include humbuckers, standard single coils, P-90s, Filtertrons, and Jazzmasters, but these can come from almost any brand. Likewise, the configuration of volume, tone, and other pickup controls can be tailored to your preferences.
How long does it take to build a custom guitar?Depending on the complexity of the build, it typically takes 8-12 weeks from the time the order is placed.
How do I get started?