{"id":662,"date":"2022-07-24T14:37:57","date_gmt":"2022-07-24T14:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/?page_id=662"},"modified":"2026-01-30T16:24:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T21:24:43","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/?page_id=662","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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*edited on January 30, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been playing the guitar on and off for over 20 years now and really wanted to get back into it when I moved up to Thunder Bay in 2020. After the move, I bought some gear and was starting to get curious about the construction of an acoustic guitar. I checked online for some courses and managed to find a place in Winnipeg – Hamm-Tone Guitars and Mandolins<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea was to just build some guitars as a hobby but I ended up pulling the trigger to make it a business even before I took the course. I figured that the worse that can happen is just to not get any business at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I already had a business name in mind. I liked how Monkey INC. sounded. I actually got that from WWF back in the 90’s as there was a faction called Money Incorporated or Money INC but 1). INC is an American terminology and 2) “incorporated” is much more than what I expect my company to be or become – sounds like it is overkill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ended up going with Monkey Guitars<\/strong> although there are two other places called Monkey Guitars – not in Canada though. Hopefully it is not a big deal to the other companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in 2022, I went back to Hamm-Tone for a couple of repair courses as well and am currently targeting to take Jeremy’s arch top guitar course. I feel that there may be some interest in arch top guitars and for me, it would be a step closer to building a violin which is a future goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a few years in now, the best and finest is still the ultimate goal. The workmanship is steadily getting better and new guitar ideas are always being researched and tried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monkey Guitars offers the build of custom hand made guitars to a customer’s specifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I offer Ramirez classical, Martin style Orchestra Model, Grand Concert and Parlour sized guitars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do not offer Dreadnought or Jumbo guitars even though I have some forms for them. I feel that Dreadnought size is way too common and that a smaller sized guitar would be more comfortable to play and easier to transport – especially for travelling musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The start of building snare drums was because of Dave Ketchum<\/strong> of Coney Hatch<\/strong>. I didn’t assume his comment about making snare drums was as a joke and I am glad he said what he did. Building snare drums changes things up from building guitars all the time. I believe that there could be interest in my stave style snare drums and have even built a custom Purple Heart snare drum for Ian Mackay<\/strong> of TEKNOSIS<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have some “co-workers” that I work with. We do it for common interest and learning. They do prefer to be anonymous – One does the CNC work such as logo routing for me and he works on the electric guitar designs and builds. One is a millwright and is also trying some design work. And the last person, I call my ” R & D guy”, he finds information and build ideas. He also helps with builds when he has some time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I have gotten some work with ochestral stringed instruments – mostly violins but I have worked on a bass and a cello as well. I offer “basic” setups and even fit bridges and sound posts for stringed instruments. I also offer fingerboard dressing if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, I do service guitars, and basses – acoustic or electric. From setups to fret leveling or fret replacements, electrical work, hardware and parts upgrade\/replacement and installation. I do work on a lot of guitars that require fret levelling and crack repairs on acoustic guitars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have also worked on a banjo and dulcimer. If it is a wooden stringed instrument, I am always happy to take a look at it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repairs on instruments would be a case by case basis. *Please note that I do not refinish instruments or do “touch up” work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monkey Guitars has managed to get a few dealer accounts for orchestral stringed instruments, guitar (related items) and accessories. Please contact me if you have anything you would like to order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Please check the “Services<\/a><\/strong>” page to see what I offer for services and prices. You can inquire about any other work you do not see listed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monkey Guitars is also a member of the Guild of American Luthiers: there are some interesting articles and I get ideas from their quarterly issues as well as information and videos I find on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Builds and repair work are done in the Monkey Guitars work shop – version 4.574<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The tonewoods are now all back in the shop<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The machinery is now in the smaller room<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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instrument room version 2.567<\/p>\n<\/div>

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*edited on January 30, 2026 I have been playing the guitar on and off for over 20 years now and really wanted to get back into it when I moved up to Thunder Bay in 2020. After the move, I bought some gear and was starting to get curious about the construction of an acoustic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-662","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/662\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkeyguitars.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}