Justin Eisenman opened his first wood shop “JJ’s Carpenter Shop” at age eight, producing wooden fishing lures, downhill buggies, sailing (sinking) rafts and collapsible bent nail shooters for the inevitable invasion of God-knows-what. Meanwhile his fathers’ guitar playing was giving him his first taste of acoustic tones; laying the framework for his lifelong dream of being both a carpenter and a musician.
Four years later, Justin rebuilt, rewired and refinished his first electric guitar, (the bill for this work remains unpaid to this day) setting the course for the coming decades of repairs and research in materials, design and construction of stringed instruments.
Justin was taken by new-age, finger style acoustic music while studying music at McNally Smith University in Saint Paul, MN. Soon after graduating he immersed himself into bluegrass music where he played hundreds of festivals, venues and competitions across the states and abroad on Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo and Upright Bass. All the while, doing re-frets, nuts, saddles, installations, repairs and dreaming of building a better guitar. With the changes of fatherhood fast approaching, he knew the time had come to do just that. He built his first guitar with a few basic hand tools in the twilight hours in the spare bedroom next to his restlessly sleeping, pregnant wife. Since then he has built heirloom quality, custom guitars on commission for professionals, amateurs and hopefuls all around the country, including some of the biggest touring acts in North Carolina.
Eisenman Guitars repair shop is preferred by a large network of musicians, featured in multiple publications and is trusted and contracted by several notable music retailers.
Today, when not in his workshop or playing with his kids, Justin blissfully plays his Eisenman Guitars Western Special Model guitar on stage with his wife, in “Aubrey Eisenman and The Clydes.”
You can visit Eisenman Guitars in the mountains of Asheville, NC to experience the tone, craftsmanship and music of Eisenman Guitars and full service repair shop.