Luthier Abraham Wechter began his guitar building career in the early 1970s by making dulcimers and repairing guitars in Seattle, Washington. Shortly thereafter he started looking for a mentor to apprentice with. In December of 1974, he moved to Detroit to begin an apprenticeship with Richard Schneider. He was captivated by Schneider´s art, along with the scientific work Schneider was doing with Dr. Kasha.
Wechter worked with Schneider developing prototypes for what later became the "Mark" project at Gibson Guitars. Schneider was working regularly for Gibson developing prototypes, and as a result Wechter started working for Gibson as a model (prototype) builder. Schneider and Wechter moved to Kalamazoo in December 1976. After a few years, Wechter was given the opportunity to work as an independent consultant to Gibson. He continued on until June of 1984, performing prototype work on many of the guitars Gibson produced during that time period.
While at Gibson, Wechter continued his apprenticeship with Schneider, building handmade, world-class guitars. He actually rented space from Schneider during this time and started building his own models. In 1984, when Gibson moved to Nashville, Wechter decided to remain in Michigan. Wechter moved to Paw Paw, Michigan, a rural town about twenty miles west of Kalamazoo, where he set up shop and started designing and building his own guitars.
Wechter built handmade classical, jazz-nylon, bass, and steel-string acoustic guitars. He did a tremendous amount of research into how and why guitars perform. As a result, he became sought after by many high profile people in the industry. Between 1985 and 1995, Wechter designed and hand built guitars for artists like John McLaughlin, Steve Howe, Al DiMeola, Giovanni, John Denver, Earl Klugh, and Jonas Hellborg. During this time period he developed a reputation as one of the world´s finest craftsman and guitar designers.
In November of 1994, Wechter built a prototype of an innovative new design, and realized that it would have applications far beyond the high price range he was working in. This was the birth of the Pathmaker guitar. The Pathmaker model is a revolutionary acoustic guitar. The double cutaway construction provides a full nineteen frets clear of the body in a design that is both inherently stable and visually striking.
Wechter then laid out the groundwork for mass production and distribution of the Pathmaker - the first production models were scheduled for January, 1997. A limited number of handmade premier models are being built, along with a small number of classical and jazz-nylon guitars. Wechter has since expanded to offer a full line of Pathmaker-style guitars along with traditional acoustic guitars, resonators, and a budget line known as Maple Lake.
In 2000, Wechter began offering resonator instruments that are designed by Tim Scheerhorn. In 2004, Wechter began importing guitars from Asia and Wechter regularly travels to Asia to oversee production and quality. In 2008, Wechter relocated to Fort Wayne, IN. Wechter is also one of the few guitar manufacturers that owns a Plek Pro that levels the frets on fingerboards for all Wechter instruments. In 2010, Wechter introduced a line of solidbody electric guitars.
For more information on availability and pricing, contact Wechter Guitars directly. Biography courtesy Abraham Wechter and Michael Davidson, August 2, 1996.
Instruments curently built in Fort Wayne, IN since 2008 and in China. Previously produced in Paw Paw, MI between 1997 and 2008. Distributed by Wechter Guitars in Fort Wayne, IN. Distributed in Japan by Okada International, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan.

WECHTER GUITARS Acoustic Guitars Models

WECHTER GUITARS 5711/5712C/5713/5714 Image

WECHTER GUITARS 5711/5712C/5713/5714

- dreadnought (Model 5711), grand auditorium cutaway (Model 5712C), jumbo (Model 5714), or parlor (Model 5713), body style, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, black and white binding, abalone rosette, nato neck, 14/20-fret rosewood...

WECHTER GUITARS PATHMAKER MODEL 3101/3102/3103 Image

WECHTER GUITARS PATHMAKER MODEL 3101/3102/3103

- double sharp cutaway, spruce top, maple back and sides, mahogany neck, 19/22-fret rosewood fingerboard with offset dot inlay, tortoise pickguard, rosewood bridge, bound body and neck, chrome hardware, optional electronics (Fishman Aero 50...

WECHTER GUITARS SCHEERHORN MODEL 6510-F/6510-R Image

WECHTER GUITARS SCHEERHORN MODEL 6510-F/6510-R

- resonator body, mahogany top, back, and sides, two f-holes (Model 6510-F, disc.) or a round soundhole (Model 6510-R), square neck, 19-fret fingerboard with dot inlays, three-per-side tuners, available in Antique Natural or Tobacco Sunburs...

WECHTER GUITARS 1600 TRAVEL GUITAR Image

WECHTER GUITARS 1600 TRAVEL GUITAR

- single cutaway miniature body, spruce top, maple back and sides, multiple black and white binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, rosewood bridge, black pickguard, electronics, available in Black, Blue Sunb...

WECHTER GUITARS SCHEERHORN MODEL 6524-F/6524-R Image

WECHTER GUITARS SCHEERHORN MODEL 6524-F/6524-R

- resonator body, curly maple top, back, and sides, two f-holes (Model 6524-F, disc) or round soundhole (Model 6524-R), square style neck, 19-fret fingerboard with dot inlay, three-per-side tuners, available in Almond Sunburst finish, curre...

WECHTER GUITARS 2200 SERIES Image

WECHTER GUITARS 2200 SERIES

- dreadnought or dreadnought 7/8 size, spruce top, agathis back and sides, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, rosewood bridge, black pickguard, Natural finish, disc. 2005.

WECHTER GUITARS NASHVILLE-TUNED ELITE NV-5413 Image

WECHTER GUITARS NASHVILLE-TUNED ELITE NV-5413

- parlor-style body, solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, nato neck, 14/21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, bound headstock with black overlay and pearl logo/inlay, three-per-side c...

WECHTER GUITARS 2411/2411-78/2412/2413/2414 Image

WECHTER GUITARS 2411/2411-78/2412/2413/2414

- dreadnought (2411), dreadnought 7/8 size (2411-78), grand auditorium (2412), jumbo (2414), or parlor (2413) style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, tortoiseshell binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, rosewood bridge...

WECHTER GUITARS TRAVEL TV-1710 Image

WECHTER GUITARS TRAVEL TV-1710

- travel-sized parlor-style body, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with multi-ring rosette, multi-ply white binding, nato neck, 12/18-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, three-per-side tuners, rosewood...

WECHTER GUITARS SCHEERHORN MODEL RS-6610F Image

WECHTER GUITARS SCHEERHORN MODEL RS-6610F

- resonator body, laminated mahogany top, back, and sides, two f-holes, single-ply body binding, round nato neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, black headstock overlay, three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge, chrome hardw...

WECHTER GUITARS 2611C/2612C CUTAWAY Image

WECHTER GUITARS 2611C/2612C CUTAWAY

- single cutaway dreadnought (2611C) or grand auditorium (2612C) style, spruce top, lacewood back and sides, tortoiseshell binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, rosewood bridge, black pickguard, Natural finish, disc. 2008...

WECHTER GUITARS 2613/2614 Image

WECHTER GUITARS 2613/2614

- jumbo (2614) or parlor (2613) style, spruce top, lacewood back and sides, tortoiseshell binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, rosewood bridge, black pickguard, Natural finish, disc. 2008.

WECHTER GUITARS TRAVEL TV-1720 Image

WECHTER GUITARS TRAVEL TV-1720

- travel-sized parlor-style body, solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with multi-ring rosette, multi-ply white binding, nato neck, 12/18-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, three-per-side tuners, rosewo...

WECHTER GUITARS DN-2411CE CUTAWAY ELECTRIC Image

WECHTER GUITARS DN-2411CE CUTAWAY ELECTRIC

- single cutaway dreadnought body, solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, maple binding, set mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, black headstock overlay with &q...