The Story of Bourgeois
Carrying Forward a Legacy of Craftsmanship and Innovation
FOUNDED IN THE HEART OF LEWISTON, MAINE, USA
Founded in the heart of Lewiston, Maine, USA, Bourgeois Guitars continues a tradition of craftsmanship and innovation spanning more than five decades. Led by master luthier Dana Bourgeois, the Bourgeois workshops blend time-honoured techniques with modern precision to create instruments of exceptional tone and beauty. Each hand-voiced guitar reflects a deep respect for tradition and designed to inspire players today, and generations to come.
Half a century in the making…
Dana Bourgeois built his first guitar in a Bowdoin College dorm room in the early 1970s, guided only by his passion for music and a copy of Irving Sloan’s Classical Guitar Construction. What began as a student’s obsession soon became a lifelong pursuit of tone, craftsmanship, and innovation.
After graduation, Dana opened a small repair and build shop in Brunswick, Maine. Immersed in the region’s thriving folk and bluegrass scene, he began working with artists who would shape his journey, including the legendary Tony Rice, whose honest feedback pushed Dana to refine his designs and sound. Through countless experiments, he discovered that great flatpickers needed not just power, but clarity and balance across every string, an insight that would shape his approach to building guitars for decades to come.
In the 1980s, Dana collaborated with fingerstyle pioneer Eric Schoenberg to revive the long-forgotten Orchestra Model (OM) guitar. Their Schoenberg Soloist, built in partnership with C.F. Martin & Co., marked a turning point in modern acoustic guitar design, bringing the OM back to prominence and inspiring guitar builders worldwide.
Today, Dana’s legacy continues at Bourgeois Guitars’ Lewiston, Maine workshop. His meticulous approach to hand-voicing, his devotion to unlocking the tone in every guitar, and his pioneering spirit remain at the heart of every instrument that bears his name, a blend of craft, science, and soul that defines the Bourgeois sound.
Each guitar is handcrafted in the Bourgeois workshop by our expert team, preserving Bourgeois’ legacy of precision luthiery and boutique craftsmanship.
What Makes a Bourgeois?
Each Bourgeois guitar is built with the same unwavering attention to detail, using the finest tonewoods and a reliance on hand-assembly. Guided by Dana’s original principles, our luthiers combine traditional techniques with modern precision to bring each instrument to life.
Masters of Luthiery
To this day, Dana and Master Luthier James Witkus meticulously oversee the top and back voicing of every guitar, approving the selection of all tonewoods—showcasing skills that have become legendary in the world of acoustic guitar building.
The Bourgeois Difference
Every Bourgeois guitar carries a legacy of innovation and artistry. From the first tap of a voiced top to the final polish of the finish, these are the details that define our instruments and the sound that sets them apart.
HANDVOICED FOR PERFECT TONE
Each Bourgeois guitar top is individually tap-tuned by ear and touch to unlock its fullest sonic potential. This meticulous process ensures every instrument achieves the ideal balance of power, clarity, and response, hallmarks of the Dana Bourgeois sound.
THE BOURGEOIS X-BRACING SYSTEM
Our signature X-bracing design scallops the bass-side braces while shaping and tapering the treble side, enhancing bass-to-treble balance and dynamic range. The result is a clear, articulate voice that responds beautifully to every playing style.
SELECT TONEWOODS, STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE
At Bourgeois, tone begins with the wood. Our new Broad Arrow Sawmill allows us to hand-select and process our preferred logs, bringing only the finest tonewoods to our workshop. From premium domestic tonewoods like Adirondack spruce, figured walnut, and North American maple, to exotics such as Madagascar rosewood, our sawmill gives us the luxury of selecting and processing only the finest materials bringing the very best woods to every Bourgeois guitar.
TORREFIED WOODS FOR VINTAGE WARMTH
Through a heat-curing process called torrefaction, many of our tonewoods can be gently aged to enhance resonance, stability, and sustain. This technique delivers the rich, open character of a decades-old guitar, right out of the case.
Handcrafted Everyday
For 50 years, Bourgeois Guitars have been played by the artists who define acoustic music. From our workshops to stages around the world, each instrument carries forward the legacy of craftsmanship, tone, and inspiration.
