Zemaitis Guitars

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Zemaitis Guitars is a guitar-manufacturing company based in Tokyo, Japan. The company's guitars are based on designs by the English guitar maker Tony Zemaitis. The company is led by the luthier's son, Tony Zemaitis, Jr., and produces electric and acoustic guitars.

Zemaitis guitars are world-renowned as handcrafted, precision instruments of the highest quality. Some models are highly collectible and sought after and have a particularly high price tag. The guitars are also noted for their engravings by Danny O'Brien.

Pearl Front guitar.
Pearl Front guitar.

Tony Zemaitis began producing guitars in the 1950s and entered the guitar making profession full-time in 1965. During the 1970s, he began experimenting with placing a metal shield on the top of the guitar in order to eliminate microphonic noise picked up by the guitars' pickups. To enhance the visual aspect of the guitars, Zemaitis enlisted the skills of gun engraver Danny O'Brien. Such designs include elaborate pearl inlay, either figures like dragons and skulls and bones, or complete mosaic-like inlaid tops.

Since his retirement in 2000, original Zemaitis guitars have become highly collectible and demand very high prices.[citation needed] After his passing in 2002, the Zemaitis family continued the guitar building business from Tokyo, offering both high-end hand-built guitars, and a more affordable "Greco Zemaitis" line of guitars. The current production is based on original drawings by the luthier.

Guitars made by Zemaitis are featured in a museum in Tokyo.

Owners of guitars made by Zemaitis include: Tony McPhee, Long John Baldry, Spencer Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Ron Wood, Bob Dylan, Greg Lake, Marc Bolan, Ronnie Lane, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, Ralph McTell, Donovan, Mike Oldfield, Mike Rutherford, Bobby Womack, Steve Hackett, Steve Harley, Dave Gilmour, James Honeyman-Scott, Nils Lofgren, Peter Frampton, Francis Rossi, Mick Moody, Joe Brown, Alvin Lee, Carl Perkins, Richie Sambora, Dave Edmunds, Gilby Clarke, John Dawson Read, and Rich Robinson.

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