The Best Guitars Made in the USA: The Ultimate Source List

C.F. Martin & Co. has been around for nearly 200 years, making this guitar maker probably the most historic. Today, it simply calls itself Martin Guitar, and it remains an innovative company that’s keen on continually improving the sound of a guitar. This company makes many (more than we can count!) of its Martin guitars in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. These series include:

• Standard series

• Modern Deluxe
• Authentic
• 15, 16, 17
• Limited/Special Editions
• Signature Editions
• Little Martin

The series NOT made in the USA are:

• Backpacker 
• Dreadnought Junior
• X
• PA5

Martin does source some of its components outside the USA, so like several on our list, even these made-in-the-USA guitars are not 100% American-made. The most iconic Martin Guitar is the D-28. It’s a classic acoustic guitar with an understated look that many artists choose. You can also choose this guitar in an electric option, too. It’s crafted with East Indian rosewood, open gear tuners, an aged toner top, antique white accents, and a faux tortoise pickguard. Choose from three stain options. You can also select left or right-handed models. Choose a dealer near you from the Martin Guitar website.

• Shop Martin Guitars new and used at Reverb (the country of origin is clearly marked in product description)

Austin, Texas is the headquarters of Collings Guitars. This company has been making acoustic guitars since the 1970s using a mix of hardwoods that create signature sounds for different playing styles. You’ll find an American-made acoustic guitar for every genre of music, from bluegrass and country to orchestral and solo music. Lyle Lovett praises Collings for making him a dreadnought that’s “head and shoulders above a guitar you could buy in a store.” Collings’ videos also feature other artists who praise the beauty and sound of these acoustic guitars.

Collings uses the strongest wood for the top, spruce, with mahogany completing the back and sides. Choose from both left or right-handed options as well. Pictured is the D1 T, part of the Traditional or “T-Series” guitars. 

• Shop Collings acoustic guitars new and used at Reverb.
• Shop Collings acoustic guitars new and used at Ebay.

Not only is Gibson an American company, but it also makes every guitar in the USA! Gibson Guitars Company began in Michigan in 1902. Today, the headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee, home of country music. Gibson’s facilities are located both in Tennessee and Montana. Its acoustic guitars are manufactured in Montana, and they’re made one at a time with great care rather than mass-produced.

You’ll find all kinds of Gibson acoustic guitars to choose from, beginning with the Generation Collection, the least expensive, up to the Custom Shop Historic Collection. Gibson offers detailed descriptions of each of its guitars, empowering you to make the best choice for your playing. Gibson’s least expensive offering, the G-00, is shown, but while you’re on the website, check out its other guitars, too. The G-00 features a Sitka spruce top with a back and sides made from solid walnut. It also has traditional scalloped X-bracing. This wood combination added with a masterful construction creates crisp, resonant tones. This option also has a thinner body, called “parlor-sized,” making this selection quite comfortable to hold. Gibson also makes electric guitars in the USA, which you can read about below.

Located in Iowa, John Kammerer makes custom acoustic and electric guitars. Kammerer has been building guitars since he was in design school, opening his shop full-time in 2000. One unique quality about the maker is he takes the time to make blind fret slots. Kammerer also came up with a unique bridge design that eliminates the need for bridge pins. If you’re looking for something a bit more custom, this company can easily do so on some features without an upcharge. Choose any number of customizations, from the fretboard material to body wood, inlay marker, and more. As a designer, Kammerer also includes some interesting design elements in the guitar as well. As far as the acoustic guitars go, choose from left or right-handed and dreadnought or classical. Either choice comes with an L.R. Baggs element pickup system.

Dan Koentopp, the owner of Koentopp Guitars, studied and practiced making stringed instruments for years, and today he makes them in Los Angeles, California. These options are extremely expensive, and you’ll wait several years before you receive one, they’re in such high demand. That’s because there’s nothing like a Koentopp guitar. Each one is hand-crafted using classic construction methods. Koentopp says on his website he can make them by hand faster and better than with a machine.

Koentopp’s first-ever acoustic guitar was an archtop model, and he still makes them today. You also can choose a classical guitar that highlights the traditional Torres design with a modern twist. Whether you go with the archtop or the classical, you’ll experience a balanced guitar with clean lines, enhanced clarity, and incredible sound. Pictured is the hand-carved Chicagoan oval hole archtop guitar. Choose your specific wood choice, finish, fingerboard inlay, tuner, and binding.

Maybe lesser known but equally as spectacular is Larrivée Guitars. This company has been around for as long as some of the others on the list, as the company has a 55+ year legacy of making guitars. Larrivée Guitars sometimes is referenced as “affordable luxury,” given the warm sound and spectacular craftsmanship.

The OM-40R is an acoustic guitar that started being made in 2008. This American-made guitar (Oxnard, California) is the company’s flagship model and only continues to grow in popularity. It boasts a Sitka spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and a single piece of mahogany for the neck. Larrivée was the original innovator of parabolic bracing. If you’re looking for a less expensive acoustic guitar, check out the Larrivée OM-03, which has similar makings. To name drop, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Robert Plant, and other artists own a Larrivée guitar. NOTE: Not all Larrivee Guitars are made in USA. Many are made in Canada.

• Shop Larrivee OM-40R at Amazon.
• Shop Larrivee OM-40R at Reverb.

Headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland, Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars has been making high-quality electric, acoustic, and bass guitars since 1985. Today, this iconic brand makes them all over the world, including in the USA. Specific USA models include the PRS Private Stock, Core, CE, and S2 models. The PRS SE series is made in Indonesia, and several online writers say they can feel and hear a qualitative difference when they play. The PRS Private Stock acoustic guitar showcases the best materials and customization options.

Not only are these works of art, but also they’re built to last. They have remarkable playability and sound. Choose your wood, finish, and inlay to get an acoustic guitar specific to your personality. Note: Most, if not all, Paul Reed Smith acoustic guitars sold on Amazon or at Walmart are not made in America.

Taylor Guitars has been making incredible instruments since it started in 1974 with Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug at the helm. Not everything this guitar company makes is American-made, so look for the made-in-the-USA options.

The made in USA options include the GT, AD, and 300 series and higher guitar models, which are made in California. There’s also a tab on the Taylor Guitars website that features the American Dream® series. These guitars are made from premium solid wood.

Check out the AD27. Although it’s one of Taylor’s most affordable all-solid wood, US-made guitars, it has garnered awards for its sound and beauty. It features a Grand Pacific body shape for a seasoned, classic tone; solid Sapele and mahogany woods for a warm, bold sound; and V-Class bracing for enhanced sustain and volume. This selection also comes with a case for protection. Choose from both left or right-handed options. An added benefit Taylor offers is its sustainable efforts.

One final great quality (besides its guitars, of course!): In 2021 Taylor Guitars became 100% employee-owned, choosing to entrust its future to the lifeblood of the company to its workers instead of selling to someone outside its walls. Shop the Taylor website for free shipping on orders of $39.95 and up.

• Shop Taylor American Dream AD22e at Amazon.
• Shop Taylor American Dream new and used at Reverb.

Collings makes electric (and acoustic, as described above) guitars in Austin, Texas. While electric guitars didn’t become part of the Collings family until 2006, this company has been around since before the 1980s. Bill Collings, the founder, passed away in 2017, but his drive for beauty and excellence remains in every aspect of guitar-making at the Collings facility.

Choose from a hollow, semi-hollow, and solid-body electric guitar. Shown is the 470 JL, a collaboration between Julian Lage and Collings. It has a fully hollow trestle block body design that utilizes a solid mahogany body and maple laminate top. The pickup comes from master Ron Ellis and the guitar also has a Bigsby vibrato. Although you can’t buy from the Collings website, you can find a dealer there, along with reading about and watching videos about the company’s guitars. 

• Shop Collings electric guitars new and used at Reverb.

Although Fender makes its guitars throughout the world, this American company has to appear on our list for three reasons: 1) Some guitars are American-made; 2) This American brand has been around for over 70 years when Leo Fender and George Fullerton created what we know today as Fender Guitars. 3) "Stratocaster" is a household name in the world of electric guitars.

Fender confirms that any model which has the word “American” in its name is made in the USA at Fender’s Corona, California facility. Its website shows almost 50 selections of electric, bass, and acoustic-electric guitars. You’ll also see numerous guitar parts that are made in the USA as well.

Shown is the American Performer Stratocaster® that’s a highly recommended option by Fender. The body is made from alder wood. It has three single-coil Stratocaster pickups, one middle pickup, and jumbo frets. While you’re on the Fender website, check out the American Professional ii line that includes the Telecaster Deluxe, Stratocaster, and Jazzmaster. You’ll ooh and aah out loud over the Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster, another selection, with its nitro finish, a top material that’s reflective of the era. Choose from both left or right-handed options. Fender also boasts some amazing US-made bass guitars, but its acoustic guitars are not made in the USA.

• Shop Fender American series at Amazon.
• Shop Fender American series new and used at Reverb.

Some would argue about whether or not Gibson makes the best electric guitars. What they would agree on is Gibson makes the most well-known electric guitar: the Gibson Les Paul.

Gibson has been making guitars since 1902 but skyrocketed in the industry in the 1950s with the humbucking pickup, the before-mentioned Les Paul, Flying V, Explorer, and more. Today these updated versions are made in Gibson's Tennessee facility. Others through the decades have tried to emulate the design, but nothing is truer than a true Gibson. Even more, Gibson makes every single guitar in the USA, something that’s worthy of celebration.

The Gibson SG is one of the biggest-selling guitars of all time…but let’s go back to the Les Paul. This iconic beast of an electric guitar hit the scene in the early 1940s by the namesake, Les Paul, who tinkered and tweaked his invention until its introduction to the world in 1952. There’s so much more that could be said about this guitar and the many famous people who played it, but suffice it to say, it’s still one of the most sought-after electric guitars in the world. Today you’ll find nearly five dozen different Les Paul options at different price points. Pictured is the Gibson Les Paul 1957 Goldtop Darkback Light-Aged electric guitar. Made from a single piece of mahogany, it features lightly aged hardware that gives it the unique character and feel of its original. This and others that carry the Les Paul name have that incredible, perfectly rebellious tone. 

• Shop Gibson Les Paul at Amazon.
• Shop Gibson new and used at Reverb.

Heritage Guitars opened its doors in 1985 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Three luthiers purchased a former guitar factory and its equipment. Then they began crafting high-quality electric guitars, and they’re still going strong.

As Heritage Guitars continues to embrace its roots in American craftsmanship and innovation, the company also continues to grow. You’ll find both pre-made and bespoke (custom) offerings. The Standard Collection features five styles, designs, and finishes. It’s made from curly maple on the top and mahogany on the back. It has a nitrocellulose, high gloss finish. Standard delivery is 5-7 days, but if you upgrade the bridge to a Bigsby B7, you’ll need to allow 3-6 weeks. This is quintessential made in the USA where you’re getting excellent quality and personal attention. Heritage Guitars, while lesser-known than some of the big names, makes some of the best acoustic guitars you'll find. Shop the Heritage Guitar website, or find a local dealer. 

• Shop Heritage new and used at Reverb.

John Kammerer Customs is located in Iowa where Kammerer and staff make acoustic, electric acoustic, electric, and bass guitars. Kammerer makes a single model in several styles. The Scorpious electric guitar has been around for over 20 years. It’s available in either a chambered or solid body, and both feature Kammerer’s “Tone Pod” that allows you to swap out pickups literally within seconds. The result is a single guitar with various tones.

Because these guitars come from a relatively smaller company (in comparison to the big players like Fender or Gibson), Kammerer offers some customization options with no upcharge EXCEPT for when you choose an exotic wood; see the list on the website. Customization includes wood species. Finish, neck shape and width, and more. The standard electric guitars come with two sets of tone pods. 

Dan Koentopp, the owner of Koentopp Guitars, studied and practiced making stringed instruments for years, and today he makes acoustic and electric guitars in Los Angeles, California. These options are extremely expensive, and you’ll wait several years before you receive one, they’re in such high demand. That’s because there’s nothing like a Koentopp guitar. Each one is hand-crafted using classic construction methods. Koentopp says on his website he can make them by hand faster and better than with a machine.

Koentopp’s electric guitars feature the same classic construction as his acoustic guitars but with a bit of attitude electric guitars typically have. The set neck is made of Birdseye Maple, and you can choose from several wood species for the fingerboard. Each piece is handmade to exact standards, giving these guitars some of the best-sounding tones you can find on any electric guitar.

Kurt Wilson Custom Guitars are made in Illinois, where it’s been in operation since 1990. Each electric guitar is handmade, one at a time, by Wilson, from wood selection to final polish. Choose from the Standard series, Standard XL, Standard XL SH, and Standard XL SH Arrowhead, shown. Wilson uses mahogany for the body, maple for the top, and mahogany for the neck. The pickups come from USA manufacturer Seymour Duncan.

Once manufactured both in Canada and in the USA, Larrivée Guitars now makes its acoustic and electric guitars in California. The company puts as much thought into the electric guitars as it does its acoustic offerings. Its sound and performance controls and electronics rival some of the more well-known names. It uses genuine vintage paper-in-oil capacitors and Bournes potentiometers.

Larrivée has been making electric guitars for over 30 years. The Baker-T Classic, shown, is meticulously crafted from a single piece of ultra-light American Swamp Ash. A quarter-sawn Indian Rosewood fretboard rests on a hard maple neck, bringing a warm spacious tone. Choose from five stunning finishes.

• Shop Larrivee electric new and used at Reverb.

Music Man guitars are made in California. The company thoroughly highlights its guitar-making process on its website. Music Man was founded in 1974 by Forrest White and Tom Walker, with Leo Fender as a silent partner. Ernie Ball acquired the company in 1984, and today you’ll often hear the company called “Ernie Ball Music Man.” It makes many different guitars, each with its own characteristics and options.

According to the Music Man website, Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse joined the company in 1985 when Music Man designed and made his signature electric guitar, with replicas still offered today on the Music Man website. This electric guitar features a neck made from roasted maple and a rosewood fretboard. The body has a Morse blue burst sparkle finish.

• Shop Ernie Ball Music Man at Amazon.
• Shop Ernie Ball Music Man new and used at Reverb.

Not only does Paul Reed Smith (PRS) guitars make some great acoustic guitars, but this company also makes some pretty great electric guitars. Not everything the company creates is made in the USA, but the electric guitars made here include the Core series, S2 series, and the Private Stock series. All three series offer different styles and finishes. The S2 series, while good, sits at the bottom of the price point and come in flatter finishes. The pickups are not made stateside on this series. The Core series is a higher-end series that is crafted from premium materials.

Fun fact: The McCarty selections are named after former Gibson president Ted McCarty, who mentored and befriended Paul Reed Smith. Finally, the Private Stock series is a custom offering. Note: The PRS SE series is NOT made in the USA. Shown is the McCarty, a vintage-appointed guitar. It boasts a slightly thicker back for enhanced tone and sustain, specialty pickups, and a PRS Stoptail bridge with brass inserts.

Rickenbacker celebrated its 90-year anniversary in 2021, so this California company is doing some great work to be around for this long. Equally important is the fact that every Rickenbacker electric guitar is made in its Sana Ana, California production facility.

Ever heard of John Lennon or George Harrison? They both played a Rickenbacker electric guitar at one time, as did their friend Paul McCartney; legend has it that it was a Rickenbacker that Lennon used when the Beatles were introduced to America on the Ed Sullivan Show back in the 1960s.

This company has so many models and variations to choose from! Model 620 has a 1950’s look and feel with the “Cresting Wave” maple cutaway. It has a rosewood finish with pearl inlay markers and a maple neck and body. It also features solid pickup electronics. You can find a local dealer or online seller of these great electric guitars from the Rickenbacker website. 

• Shop Rickenbacker at Amazon.
• Shop Rickenbacker new and used at Reverb.