Austin Hadlock - Luthier

I was born into a family of entrepreneurs in the early 90's. What this meant for me as a child was early exposure to a manufacturing facility filled with various types of machinery and equipment. That is where I learned not only the basics of woodworking but also the art of developing a manufacturing process and running a business. As early as 8 or 9 years old I can recall carving scrap blocks of pine wood left over from the saddle tree production into little boats, and then testing them for buoyancy in a sink in the shop office. From there my interest for woodworking began to grow, and by the age of 14, I decided I wanted to learn to build guitars. 

I attended Roberto-Venn School of Lutherie in Phoenix, AZ in the Fall Class of 2011. There I built my first three guitars, and simultaneously discovered my love and passion for the art of Lutherie. In March of 2012, I established Hadlock Guitars. At about the same time I began working for a local music store where I did all of the stringed instrument repair work for 6 of their retail front locations. After about 2 years of doing this work full time and barely making ends meet, I decided I wanted to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Another 5 years went by while I studied at UTSA, worked a few part-time jobs, and continued doing guitar repair on the side for various clients. After earning my Engineering Degree, I immediately began working as a Manufacturing Engineer for Caterpillar Inc. After four years at Caterpillar, I was recruited by Gibson Brands to fill the role of Engineering Luthier at their Custom Shop in Nashville, TN. I accepted that role, and now reside in Greenbrier, TN with my wife Susan , and our three pets while continuing to perform guitar repair services on the side.