Richard Sholer grew up in the farmland of California’s Central Valley during the golden era of music, 60s and 70s. Always drawn to music and especially guitars, he was inspired to learn and eventually play the instrument. In high school Richard studied mechanical and architectural design and drawing, and his favorite class was woodworking. As a young man he yearned to become a guitar builder but instead, went on to become a home builder and designer, music retailer, musician by night, sound engineer on weekends, husband and father.

His young man dreams did come true many years later after being taken under the wing of Master Luthier, Michael Hornick of Shanti Guitars, in Avery California, 2009. Richard Sholer did his apprenticeship with Michael, learning not only how to build but how to do complex repairs such as neck resets, bridge replacements, refrets. Michael Hornick obtained his early knowledge and experience from Santa Cruz Guitar Company as possibly their first employee.

Richard Sholer rebuilt his own shop and equipped it for building Sholer Guitars. He got busy building jigs and molds, ordered tools, supplies, inlay material, started his search for Woods and began building his own masterpieces.  “I put it out to the universe and the universe answered.” It was  answered through friends and relatives that wanted to see him succeed at his new endeavor and to see and hear the wood come back to life as music and art. Richard was blessed to be offered and sold a good supply of well aged Honduras Mahogany by way of an ailing cabinet maker friend, Hawaiian Koa wood from his travels to the Islands and some Brazilian Rosewood and Ebony from a friend’s mother who had passed. There was also some other mahogany offered and Richard didn’t realize it at the time but it ended up being Highly Figured Mahogany from what is now simply called “The Tree.” But that’s another story. As you can probably imagine, all of the woods are special, each with their own story and unique characteristics.