The Gallagher family settled in Wartrace (about sixty miles southeast of Nashville) back in the late 1820s. John William Gallagher was born in 1915, and in 1939 he established a furniture making business. Don Gallagher was born in 1947, and grew up among the tools and wood in the family´s woodworking shop. The furniture business converted to guitar production later in the 1960s. Gallagher and his son Don produced twenty-four guitars in their first year.
In 1976, Don Gallagher took over management of the business, three years before the luthier community lost J.W. Gallagher in 1979. Don Gallagher continues to build acoustic guitars in the family tradition. Source: Tom Wheeler, American Guitars.
Gallagher guitars have been built in very limited numbers. From the opening year of 1965 to 1990, only 2,064 guitars were made. According to the Gallagher catalog, early instruments had paper labels. The serial number on these labels indicate the year and month the guitar was made. Starting in 1970, the serialization began to reflect the number of guitars that had been built. This number, along with the model number, is stamped on the neck block inside every Gallagher guitar.
Instruments currently built in Wartrace, TN since 1965. Distributed by J.W. Gallagher & Sons of Wartrace, TN.

GALLAGHER GUITARS Acoustic Guitars Models

GALLAGHER GUITARS 71 SPECIAL Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS 71 SPECIAL

- dreadnought style, rosewood back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top with voiced bracing, maple B/N/H binding, round soundhole with herringbone purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone snowflake inlays, MOP bell flower heads...

GALLAGHER GUITARS 72 SPECIAL  Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS 72 SPECIAL

- dreadnought style, rosewood back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top with voiced bracing, maple B/N/H binding, round soundhole with abalone purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone snowflake inlays, MOP bell flower headstock...

GALLAGHER GUITARS 75 SPECIAL Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS 75 SPECIAL

- dreadnought style, rosewood back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top with voiced bracing, abalone pearl trim top, sides and back, maple B/N/H binding, round soundhole with abalone purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with special pat...

GALLAGHER GUITARS DOC WATSON Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS DOC WATSON

- dreadnought style, African mahogany back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top with voiced bracing, black body binding, round soundhole with herringbone purfling and inlay, 14/20-wide fret ebony fingerboard with MOP dot inlays, three-per-side tune...

GALLAGHER GUITARS DOC WATSON SIGNATURE Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS DOC WATSON SIGNATURE

- dreadnought style, African mahogany back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top with voiced bracing, maple body binding, round soundhole with herringbone purfling and inlay, 14/20-wide fret ebony fingerboard with MOP diamond and square inlays with...

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-45 Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-45

- dreadnought style, African mahogany back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top, black body binding, round soundhole with W/B/W purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with MOP dot inlays, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridge, tortoiseshell...

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-50 Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-50

- dreadnought style, African mahogany back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top, ivoroid body binding, round soundhole with W/B/W purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with MOP dot inlays, ivoroid-bound headstock, three-per-side tuners,...

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-65 Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-65

- dreadnought style, rosewood back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top, ivoroid B/N/H binding, round soundhole with B/W/B purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with MOP dot inlays, unbound headstock with MOP inlaid G, three-per-side tun...

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-70/A-70/GC-70/GA-70 Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS G-70/A-70/GC-70/GA-70

- auditorium, dreadnought, grand auditorium,or grand concert style, rosewood back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top, ivoroid body binding, round soundhole with herringbone purfling and inlay, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with MOPdiamond and squa...

GALLAGHER GUITARS GC SHORT-SCALE Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS GC SHORT-SCALE

- grand concert style, Sitka spruce top with voice bracing, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with herringbone purfling and inlay, ebony fingerboard with abalone snowflake inlays, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridge, tortoiseshell pi...

GALLAGHER GUITARS RAGTIME SPECIAL Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS RAGTIME SPECIAL

- auditorium style, African mahogany back/sides/neck, Sitka spruce top with voice bracing, round soundhole with herringbone purfling and inlay, ebony fingerboard with abalone snowflake inlays, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridge, tortoisesh...

GALLAGHER GUITARS STEVE KAUFMAN SIGNATURE Image

GALLAGHER GUITARS STEVE KAUFMAN SIGNATURE

- dreadnought single cutaway style, rosewood back/sides/neck, Engleman spruce top, voiced top and back bracing, ivoroid body binding, round soundhole with abalone purfling and inlay, 14/20-wide fret ebony fingerboard with dot and 14th fret...