James A. Olson has been handcrafting acoustic flat-top guitars since 1977, building every instrument himself in a workshop behind his home in Circle Pines, Minnesota. Born in 1950 and raised in Hudson, Wisconsin, Jim Olson developed an early passion for both guitar playing and woodworking before launching his guitar-making career in a basement workshop. His instruments gained national attention in the mid-1980s after Phil Keaggy commissioned the first cedar-topped Olson SJ (Small Jumbo) and began playing Olson guitars almost exclusively in concert and on recordings. In 1989, James Taylor purchased three Olson guitars, and his subsequent use of them on virtually every tour and recording brought the brand worldwide recognition.

The SJ remains the model most closely associated with the Olson name — a compact body shape favoring strong overtones, harmonics, and balanced response across the fingerboard, making it well-suited for alternate tunings and capo work. Olson also builds Parlor, Dreadnought, and Jumbo body styles, all to the same meticulous standard. A limited edition run of 100 James Taylor Signature Models is fully sold out, though "clone" versions with identical specifications continue in production. With over 1,500 instruments completed and annual production of roughly 20 guitars, Olson maintains a years-long waiting list. Notable players include James Taylor, Phil Keaggy, Leo Kottke, David Wilcox, Graham Nash, and Sting.

Olson has 4 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Drum Machines, Steel-string Acoustic Guitars, and Acoustic-Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 7 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Folk, World, & Country, and Pop. Notable users include Moby, John Mayer, and Lou Reed.