Gallagher

Gallagher

Also known as: Gallagher Guitar, Gallagher Guitars, Gallagher Guitar Company, Gallagher Guitar Co.

Unclaimed

Gallagher Guitar Company is a small acoustic guitar maker based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, building handcrafted instruments since 1965. The shop was founded by J.W. Gallagher, a woodworker who reportedly cut a dreadnought in half to study its construction before building his first guitar. After J.W.'s retirement in 1976 the company passed to his son Don, then to Don's son Stephen in 2015, and ...

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Gallagher Guitar Company is a small acoustic guitar maker based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, building handcrafted instruments since 1965. The shop was founded by J.W. Gallagher, a woodworker who reportedly cut a dreadnought in half to study its construction before building his first guitar. After J.W.'s retirement in 1976 the company passed to his son Don, then to Don's son Stephen in 2015, and to David Mathis in 2019, who relocated the workshop while keeping the original molds, patterns, and equipment.

Gallagher's catalog centers on traditional flat-top steel-string acoustics built in small numbers, with each instrument taking around 70–80 hours over roughly three months. Standard models include the dreadnought-style G-70, G-60, G-50, and G-45S, along with the GA-72 grand auditorium, the A-30 auditorium, the SG-50 Sinker, the Ragtime Special, and the Bluegrass Bell. Signature and commemorative models include the Doc Watson, the Merle Watson Commemorative G-40, the Jim Hurst, the Josh Rinkel, the JP Cormier, The Shelby, and The Founders Guitar.

The brand is closely tied to flatpicking and bluegrass traditions, owing largely to its long association with Doc Watson, who played a mahogany Gallagher G-50 nicknamed "Ol' Hoss" on many of his recordings. The instruments are sold direct from the Murfreesboro shop and through a small network of acoustic specialty dealers.

Gallagher has 3 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Steel-string Acoustic Guitars. Their gear is featured by 5 artists, with the strongest followings in Folk, World, & Country, Rock, and Blues. Notable users include Doc Watson, Joe Bonamassa, and Johnny Cash.

Artists Who Use Gallagher

Doc Watson uses 2 Gallagher products

Doc Watson

Guitarist · Doc & Merle Watson

Joe Bonamassa uses 1 Gallagher product

Joe Bonamassa

Singer, Guitarist · Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

Johnny Cash uses 1 Gallagher product

Johnny Cash

Guitarist, Singer · The Highwaymen

Ty Meyers uses 1 Gallagher product

Ty Meyers

Guitarist

Sakura Kawasaki uses 1 Gallagher product

Sakura Kawasaki

Singer · 乃木坂46

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