ST. BLUES

Guitar repairman Tom Keckler and Strings & Things founder Charles Lawing founded the St. Blues brand of guitars in 1983. The focus of St. Blues was to recreate the blues sound that had become synonymous with Memphis. The Bluesmaster was their first and most popular guitar that was played by Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Albert King, and Joe Walsh to name a few. Unfortunately, St. Blues struggled with sales and a lack of cash forced them to close in 1989. By the early 2000s, vintage St. Blues models were beginning to bring quite a bit of money in the vintage market and a Memphis investor took notice. Keckler was hired as a consultant for design and production of the new line of guitars. In 2005, St. Blues guitars were built overseas and set up in their Memphis shop. As of early 2011, St. Blues now offers a line of boutique quality USA/Memphis made guitars, and basses and has discontinued the import pro series. For more information, visit St. Blues' website or contact them directly.