In 1972, self-taught luthier Steve Helgeson began building acoustic instruments in an old shingle mill located in Moonstone Heights, California. By 1974, Helgeson moved to Arcata, California, and began producing electric Earth Axe guitars. By 1976, Helgeson had moved to a larger shop and increased his model line and production. Helgeson hit boom sales in the early 1980s, but tapered off production after the market shifted in 1985. Rather than shift with the trends, Helgeson preferred to maintain his own designs. In 1988, a major disaster in the form of a deliberately set fire damaged some of his machinery. SteveĀ“s highly figured wood supply survived only a minor scorching. Helgeson moved and reopened his workshop in 1990 at the current location in Eureka, California, where he now offers a wide range of acoustic and electric guitars and basses.
All Moonstone instruments are constructed from highly figured woods. Where burl wood was not used in the construction, the wood used is highly figured. Almost all necks are reinforced with veneers, or stringers. Bass necks are reinforced with through-body graphite stringers. Moonstone has always utilized exotic woods such as African purpleheart, paduak, wenge, koa, mahogany, Sitka and Engelmann spruce, myrtlewood, and black burl walnut.
Some older models can also be found with necks entirely made of graphite composite with phenolic fingerboards. Helgeson commissioned Modulus Graphite to produce these necks, and used them on models like the Eclipse Standard, Deluxe Basses, Vulcan Standard and Deluxe guitars, the M-80, D-81 Eagle 6- and 12-string models, as well as the D-81 Standard and the Moondolin (mandolin). In 1981, most wood necks were reinforced with a Graphite Aluminum Honeycomb Composite (G.A.H.C.) beam with stainless steel adjustment rod. In addition to the standard models, Moonstone also offers custom guitars designed in accordance with the customer's request. All current prices include a hardshell case. For further information regarding current acoustic guitar models, please refer to the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars.
Instruments currently built in Eureka, CA (guitar production has been in different locations in California since 1972). Distributed directly by Moonstone Guitars of Eureka, CA.

MOONSTONE Electric Guitars Models

MOONSTONE EAGLE Image

MOONSTONE EAGLE

- double cutaway hand carved burl maple body, 5-piece maple/padauk neck, 24-fret padauk bound ebony fingerboard with pearl bird inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, walnut burl peghead veneer with pearl halfmoon/logo inlay, 3-per-side tuners, gold...

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE DELUXE Image

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE DELUXE

- offset double cutaway padauk core body, bookmatch burl top/back, through-body 2-piece maple neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl diamond/star inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, burl walnut peghead veneer with pearl halfmoon/logo in...

MOONSTONE M-80 BASS Image

MOONSTONE M-80 BASS

- offset double cutaway semi-hollow body, four-string configuration, carved flame maple top, mahogany body wings, 35 in. scale, 2 f-holes, through-body 5-piece maple/purpleheart neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with abalone large diamo...

MOONSTONE EXPLODER Image

MOONSTONE EXPLODER

- radical offset hourglass burl wood body, through-body 2-piece maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, figured wood peghead veneer with screened logo, 3-per-side tuners, gold hardware, 2 humbuc...

MOONSTONE VULCAN DELUXE Image

MOONSTONE VULCAN DELUXE

- double cutaway carved burl maple body, 5-piece maple/padauk neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl diamond/star inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, burl walnut peghead veneer with pearl halfmoon/logo inlay, 3-per-side tuners, gold har...

MOONSTONE M-80 Image

MOONSTONE M-80

- double cutaway semi-hollowbody, carved figured maple top/back/sides, f-holes, raised multi layer black pickguard, bound body, 2-piece figured maple neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with abalone snowflake inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece,...

MOONSTONE EAGLE LIMITED EDITION Image

MOONSTONE EAGLE LIMITED EDITION

- double cutaway hand carved burl maple body, (127 individual hand carved feathers) 5-piece maple/padauk neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with Moonstone original pearl bird inlay, bridge/tailpiece, walnut burl peghead veneer with pearl...

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE DELUXE Image

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE DELUXE

- offset double cutaway padauk core body, bookmatch burl top/back, through-body 2-piece maple neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl diamond/star inlay, fixed bridge, burl walnut peghead veneer with...

MOONSTONE VULCAN STANDARD Image

MOONSTONE VULCAN STANDARD

- double cutaway mahogany body, bound carved bookmatch burl maple top, 2-piece maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, burl maple peghead veneer with screened logo, 3-per-side tuners, gold hardw...

MOONSTONE M-80 REISSUE Image

MOONSTONE M-80 REISSUE

- double cutaway semi-hollow (with sustain block through-body) or hollow-body (bracing carved in) body, carved figured maple top/back/sides, 25.5 in. scale, f-holes, 2-piece quarterswan hard maple neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with...

MOONSTONE FLAMING V Image

MOONSTONE FLAMING V

- V-style burl wood body, through-body 2-piece maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, figured wood peghead veneer with screened logo, 3-per-side tuners, gold hardware, 2 humbucker covered Barto...

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE STANDARD Image

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE STANDARD

- offset double cutaway mahogany core body, bookmatch burl top/back, through-body 2-piece maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, burl wood peghead veneer with screened logo, 3-per-side tuners,...

MOONSTONE PULSAR Image

MOONSTONE PULSAR

- mini radical offset hourglass alder body, black pickguard, maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, LQBA bridge/tailpiece, blackface peghead with screened logo, 3-per-side tuners, gold hardware, DiMarzio (or Lawrence...

MOONSTONE VULCAN STANDARD REISSUE Image

MOONSTONE VULCAN STANDARD REISSUE

- dual cutaway mahogany body, carved flamed or quilted maple top, set-in mahogany neck, 22-fret bound fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, stop-ABR tailpiece, 3-per-side Grover tuners, gold hardware, 2 Seymour Duncan humbucker pickups, 2 volum...

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE STANDARD Image

MOONSTONE ECLIPSE STANDARD

- offset double cutaway mahogany core body, bookmatch burl top/back, through-body 3-piece maple/padauk neck with graphite stringers, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, fixed bridge, burl maple peghead veneer with screened lo...

MOONSTONE Z-80 REISSUE Image

MOONSTONE Z-80 REISSUE

- dual cutaway semi-hollow (parabolic baffles under bridge) body, Englemann spruce floating top, 2.875 in. thick rims with Grill soundholes in the cutaways, 25.5 in. scale, 2-piece quarterswan figured hard maple neck, 22-fret bound ebony fi...

MOONSTONE EXPLODER Image

MOONSTONE EXPLODER

- radical offset hour glass burl wood body, through-body 3-piece maple/padauk neck with graphite stringers, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, fixed bridge, burl maple peghead veneer with screened logo, 2-per-side tuners, go...

MOONSTONE FLAMING V Image

MOONSTONE FLAMING V

- V-style burl wood body, through-body 3-piece maple/padauk neck with graphite stringers, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, fixed bridge, maple burl peghead veneer with screened logo, 2-per-side tuners, gold hardware, 2 J-s...

MOONSTONE NEPTUNE Image

MOONSTONE NEPTUNE

- carved figured maple top, swamp ash wings, 5-piece hard rock maple, purple heart stringers, boundy ebony fretboard, graphite reinforced adj. truss rod, ebony head veneer inlaid with mother-of-pearl and abalone crescent, Schaller tuners, B...

MOONSTONE VULCAN Image

MOONSTONE VULCAN

- double cutaway burl maple body, 3-piece maple/padauk neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl diamond/star inlay, fixed bridge, burl walnut peghead veneer with pearl halfmoon/logo inlay, 2-per-side tuners, gold hardware, humbucker...