Welcome to Ole Rufus Guitars by Rufus J. Thames. 

I make acoustic guitars the very old fashioned way. By hand. One at a time.

Guitars made in the 1930’s (Pre-War) are considered the Holy Grail of instruments for serious pickers and collectors. During those years the best materials were readily available and the workers were true craftsmen.

Demand far exceeds supply and there are very few 1930’s guitars in circulation anymore for the average musician.   I am a serious picker and when I decided to build guitars, I commited to honoring the vintage style. By using traditional materials and building methods as similar as possible to those used by 1930's craftsmen, I hope to capture the spirit of these iconic American made instruments.

My materials include traditional tone woods such as Brazilian rosewood, Honduran mahogany, and Appalachian red spruce. Other tonewoods are available. My building methods include making all the wooden parts by hand: carving the braces, carving the guitar neck, carving the ebony bridge and securing all the pieces together with hot hide glue.  

I build in Bristol Virginia/Tennessee, in the shadow of the Blueridge, the home of the Carter Family, the Stanley Brothers, WOPI Radio, and the 1927 “Big Bang of Country Music” where Ralph Peer came from New York to record “mountain music” for Victor Records. Heritage and inspiration permeates the air here and I am lucky enough to breathe it in every day in my workshop. I am also proud to “recycle” wood from a fallen tree – to give it a second life – one full of music!