Guitarrista

Gadow Guitars have been known for the high-level of handmade quality in their instruments.

Most people don't know about the 2,500-square-foot guitar factory under Ninth Street. Gadow Guitars is a small, up-and-coming player in the industry, producing traditional handmade electric guitars and basses with a unique design for distribution across North America and in Europe.

"It's a constant uphill battle against the big guys. Fender and Gibson have been around for 50 years," says company founder Ryan Gadow, "and we're still competing with traditional guitar makers. What sets us apart from smaller guys is that we want to be big. They'll be happy to make about a thousand guitars a year, but we want to be the next big thing." Another thing that sets Gadow apart is the price, he says. "We are handmade, but we don't cost $5,000." The company's nine models of guitars and basses run fom $1,295 to $3,195.