Who am I?
Hi, and thanks for visiting Hahn Guitars. My name is Chihoe, and I am the founder and sole builder of the guitars that you see on this site and at my official site, www.hahnguitars.com.
I have been a musician for over 30 years and have played guitar from New York City to Athens, GA, to LA, and back. I have been fixing, tweaking and modifying guitars for over 20 years. I have been making guitars for five years -- basically out of my desire to find an ultra-responsive, clear, articulate guitar that sounded like the old country, soul and rock records that I love.
My guess was that the plastic finishes and production parts found on the countless new guitars I had purchased over those 30 years (running total was around 40 guitars) had something to do with it, and every "vintage" guitar I ever owned either had lots of "issues" or was too valuable to take out. So, "why not make a guitar with the same quality components and using the same processes as those great vintage axes?" Anyone who has ever picked up a 50s or 60s guitar knows that the finish is palpably different, and the guitar's resonance and acoustic sound is simply better than what is generally available today. And so my guitar-making journey began.
After many trials and tribulations, the guitars that you see on this site were born. Great materials, true processes and lots of attention to detail: that's the formula that creates great electric guitars, and that is the simple formula I use to make Hahn guitars. They are not new under the sun, but they play and sound really good. I put my heart into each one, and play it, tweak it, play it and tweak it, and play and tweak it some more, until it's done.
If you are looking for a guitar with a true, woody tone, great resonance, great electric energy and dynamics, then look no further. This is what my guitars are all about, and I hope you get a chance to own one.
Build Philosophy
Our philosophy is simple -- make a simple guitar, the right way. We stay true to the straightforward build methods and ethics of the great guitar makers: use great woods, the finest hardware and pickups, and only allow lacquer on the guitar so that it can breath and sing like the "acoustic" instrument that it is.
Only the highest quality woods are used for our necks and bodies. The wood is cured, then comes grain filler, sanding sealer and nitrocellulose color and clear coats. All sanding and buffing is done by hand.
I build primarily with swamp ash and alder for the bodies (6 3/4 to just under 8 pounds), and maple necks are available with maple or rosewood fingerboards.
Pickup choices are limited in production guitars as I have found great pickups that work with my guitars. Typically, I build with lower output “vintage” tone pickups, or the hotter variety for those who want to drive their amp a little harder. Tone is still well within the “vintage” spectrum with these hotter pickups. Of course, custom orders can be made, and any pickups can be requested.
When the neck is placed in the pocket, you can lift the guitar up and carry it around – the fit is that tight. The integration of the neck and body in my guitars is second to none.
Bridges are made in-house from stainless steel, saddles are compensated and made in-house from the finest brass, and all knobs are extremely heavy knurl brass with nickel plating. Pots are all measured and matched, and all wiring, caps, solder and switches are the highest quality. Pickups are all ear-tested and are from the finest boutique pickup makers such as Jason Lollar, Lindy Fralin and Seymour Duncan.
The guitar is then assembled – every screw is put in by me, and every point is soldered by me. I then crown and polish the frets and complete the setup. The final result is a great-playing guitar with responsive action that strikes that perfect balance between lead and rhythm, but is capable of being taken to hot-rod status with minimal effort.
When the final balance is just right -- when the wood, hardware, pickups and setup all compliment each other and create a coherent, brilliant tone -- the guitar is done.
Sound
There is nothing like the clarity and tone of a great vintage guitar. We believe that, while no new guitar can achieve its full potential without being played extensively, our guitars start at the best possible place in terms of tone, expressiveness, responsiveness and aesthetic beauty.
We are building the guitar that you would have bought as a pure production model in 1954 -- you can break it in or relic it yourself by playing it!
The sound of a Hahn guitar is unmistakeable -- it's new, but it sounds old. The tone is absolutely clear, but is not analytical – the goal is a coherent ringing tone where each string is articulate, but blends seemlessly with the next and all the others – musicalilty! You can hear the strings snap when you snap ‘em and the sound plunky when you pluck ‘em, and you can you’ll have consistent, true sustain up and down the fretboard.
Play these guitars through a blackface or tweed amp and you are in heaven! | 
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