Guitar Market Intelligence

Collings Guitars was founded in 1973 by Bill Collings in Austin, Texas. What began as handcrafted instruments built on a kitchen table grew into a 27,000 sq ft factory producing some of the world's most revered acoustic and electric guitars. Bill Collings passed away in 2017, but his team has continued his legacy of meticulous craftsmanship. Collings guitars are played by Pete Townshend, Joni Mitchell, Brian May, and countless other professionals who demand the finest instruments. The brand is known for exceptional build quality, precise tolerances, and tonal excellence across acoustics, electrics, mandolins, and ukuleles.

Reverend Guitars was founded in 1997 by Joe Naylor in Michigan. The brand's tagline—'Born in Detroit, Perfected in Toledo, Played Around the World'—captures its Midwest roots and global appeal. Reverend guitars feature Korina (White Limba) bodies as standard, Railhammer pickups invented by Naylor, Bass Contour knobs for tonal shaping, and Pin-Lock tuners for stability. These innovative features deliver exceptional value at accessible price points. Reverend has built a loyal following among players who want distinctive design and professional-grade components without boutique pricing.

Hagström was founded in 1925 by Albin Hagström in Älvdalen, Sweden. The company began manufacturing accordions before expanding into guitars in 1958. Swedish-made Hagström guitars from the 1960s and 70s became cult favorites—Pat Smear (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) and Frank Zappa played the originals. The brand ceased production in 1983 but was revived in 2004. Modern Hagströms feature Lundgren Design pickups and honor the classic Viking (semi-hollow), Swede (LP-style), and Super Swede designs. Vintage Swedish instruments command $500-$3,000; modern reissues offer the look and feel at $500-$900.

Mayones was founded in 1982 in Gdańsk, Poland—behind the Iron Curtain, where the company developed a unique design language free from Western market pressures. Every Mayones guitar is 100% handcrafted. The Duvell, Regius, Aquila, and Hydra series have become favorites of progressive metal and djent artists including Periphery, Monuments, Architects, and Tesseract. The Master Builder Collection represents the pinnacle of custom work. Mayones offers a custom configurator for players who want to specify every detail. Duvell Elite runs $3,400-$4,400; Regius $2,500-$3,500.

Legator Guitars was founded in 2012 in Los Angeles with a focus on modern metal. The brand specializes in extended-range instruments (6-9 strings), headless designs, and multiscale (25.5"-27") configurations. Legator's Ninja series runs $850-$1,030; the Ghost headless model sits at $1,030. Hive 2.0 pickups deliver the clarity and punch modern metal demands. Legator has built a strong following among djent, progressive metal, and metalcore players who need instruments built for low tunings and complex techniques.

Suhr Guitars was founded in 1997 by John Suhr in Lake Elsinore, California (JS Technologies). Suhr had served as Fender Custom Shop Senior Master Builder from 1995–97 before striking out on his own. Early on, he partnered with Rudy Pensa to create the Mark Knopfler signature model. Suhr guitars are 100% USA-made, combining CNC precision with hand finishing. The lineup includes Modern, Classic S, Classic T, Classic JM, and Standard models—all built to boutique standards. New guitars range from $2,500 to $5,000+, with used models averaging $2,200 and appreciating about 3% annually. Notable players include Mark Knopfler, Scott Henderson, and Guthrie Govan.

Strandberg Guitars was founded in 2012 by Ola Strandberg in Uppsala, Sweden. A mechanical engineer by training, Ola began developing his 'ergonomic guitar system' in 2007. The brand is best known for the patented EndurNeck—an asymmetric trapezoid neck profile that reduces hand fatigue and improves playability. The flagship Boden series includes Original ($2,999+), Standard ($1,699+), and Classic ($1,199+) models. The Sälen series offers traditional body shapes with headless design from $1,499+. In 2025, Guitar World named Strandberg among the 50 Best Guitar Gear of the Century. Used Strandbergs average $1,500 with 6% annual appreciation. Notable players include Plini, Jacob Collier, and Jordan Rudess.

Vox began as Vox Sound Ltd in 1958 and started manufacturing guitars in 1961. The brand is famous for innovative designs: the Phantom (1962) featured a trapezoid body and won international design awards; the Mark VI became iconic as Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones' choice. The Starstream model pioneered battery-powered onboard effects. Modern Vox guitars are owned by Korg and were redesigned after 2006. Vintage 60s Vox guitars command $1,000–$10,000+; modern models range from $300 to $1,500. Used Vox guitars average $500 with 5% annual appreciation. Notable players include Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) and Stereolab.