I build guitars for musicians who seek something beyond volume, effects, and industrial standards. I build instruments that move towards the acoustic guitars and the vibrating‑string sound of a time before the world went fully electric — when craftsmanship, melodies, and human presence were everything.

Most of my life, I’ve repaired and restored instruments for folk musicians. I’ve held instruments that have been carried through generations, where every scratch and every worn edge tells a story. That’s where my philosophy was born: a guitar should feel like a living being, not another product.

When I began building my own electric guitars, I wanted to create something I, as a folk musician, would want to play. I asked myself: What would have happened if the electric guitar had evolved in a different musical world? Not the world of rock, but the one where blues, ballads, acoustic jazz, and roots music remained at the center. What would the instrument look like? How would it sound? What ideals would have shaped it? That’s how Nymph was born — an electric guitar with an acoustic soul.

My goal is not to build many instruments. My goal is to build meaningful instruments.

And sometimes, the unexpected happens. One day, Keith Richards’ guitar tech called and told me he had bought one of my guitars. Then another. Then another two custom builds for Keith’s 80th birthday. When one of them appeared in a video and another one on stage with the Rolling Stones in Orlando in 2024, I realized my philosophy had traveled farther than I ever imagined. What began as a search for acoustic resonance in an electric format may even have led me to accidentally create a better electric guitar.

But the truth is simple: I don’t build guitars for rock stars. I build guitars for people who love music.

Herlin Guitars is my homage to the past and to the guitar itself — for anyone seeking an instrument that reflects intention and responds to inspiration