Specimen Products

We’ve opened a slew of new classes. These will be the last at CSGM’s Chicago campus before our full move to Polo, IL in early August.

There is much more to say and more will be said in the coming months, but for now, we’re so grateful for more than 25 years in Humboldt Park and hoping to close this chapter with a vibrant season of learning. New faces and old friends - come help us celebrate and join for a class. We’d love to see you.

For those aspiring technicians looking for a deep dive, we’ve got three upcoming Guitar Technician Programs in April, June, and July. Take all of our repair classes in one go, or, join for any of the a la carte classes included in the program to study at your own pace. And for those with weekday jobs, there will be a set of weekend guitar repair classes in May: Guitar Set-Up & Maintenance on Sat May 9th, and Fretting on Sat-Sun May 16-17th.

For tube amplifier enthusiasts or anyone electro-curious, our amp curriculum will return in July for Tube Amp Building with Ian Schneller on Sat-Mon July 18-20th and Tube Amp Diagnostics & Repair I&II with Kye Kennedy on Weds-Thurs July 22-23rd and Sat-Sun July 25-26th. Building and repair classes feed into each other nicely; join for both to up your skills and learn the tricks of the trade.

There’s something for everyone. Here is your chance to chart the course for a lifetime of luthiery. Be a part of Chicago’s rich history of guitar making! Learn how to make things right.

** links to our full course calendar in bio **

Two week only, two for one set-up special! Get two set-up’s for the price of one from now til November 25th! Our repair shop is thriving, most recently with a pair of neck resets featured in photo number three. Bring in your instruments for an early winter tune-up.

You may know that most of the world’s modern fretted instruments join the body at the 16th fret. Leo Fender and the popularity of the Telecaster and its family cemented this contract. But did you know that Leo’s last instrument offering to the universe joined the body at the 10th fret and had only fifteen frets total?

Well it did.

Warpage had become a serious problem and was limiting the playability of instruments with longer necks. The Bass V solved the problem via retreat. With a shorter neck, 10th fret body join, and the addition of a higher pitched C string, the Bass V preserves the range of a J Bass or P Bass and eliminates the problem of playability clearance in the upper register due to neck ramp/bend.

The Specimen “Bass V” recovers this oddity lost to time. Made with precision, fortitude, and uncompromising standards of fit and finish, every Specimen is a complete story. An archeological statement ready for excavation. An expression that leads into other lifetimes. Those beyond the horizon.

This instrument is available now - link in bio to learn more.