G.H. Reno Bio

"You want it done right or do you want it done right now," the man states without batting an eye. That's G.H. Reno (Jerry to his friends) speaking to a potential client. Reno is founder of G.H. Reno Custom Guitar located in the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Performing authorized warrantee service for the prestigious Martin Guitar Company as well as a host of other well-known guitar manufacturers keeps a steady flow of repair work on his bench. "That's what pays the bills," he says with a laugh, but his real love is custom guitar design. This fifty-year-old Tulsan is a throw back to the days of the journeyman craftsman. In this day of high output, quick turn around, bottom line mentality, he stands apart. "I'm just a wood whittler," he offers humbly, but Reno is a builder of uniquely classic electric guitars and, I might add, a builder who thinks outside the box. Not content to just imitate renowned innovators like his hero Leo Fender, he is actively advancing guitar technology...

Twenty-one years ago, a small, out-of-the-way guitar shop opened up just off of Tulsa's piece of the mother road, Route 66. "Custom Guitar Works" was born. In those days, guitar repair was Reno's first order of business. One day, a local musician came to him with a problem. He'd purchased a guitar kit with full intentions to construct it himself but quickly realized he lacked the tools and the skill to complete the job. Not quite realizing it at the time, Reno made a pivotal decision when he agreed to take on the project. Word spread and he soon found himself building more and more of these guitar kits, each one customized to the delight of its intended player. As his customers' desires became more varied, the platform the kits offered became too confining. Thus, the "Reno" guitar was born.

Through constant revision, he has developed his own neck shapes, body styles, finishes, pickups and hardware. These designs are driven by a desire to reinvent the electric guitar; to see it with new eyes. "It's all about tone," he says passionately. "Only the finest materials are used for these guitars. You can't always see the difference but the end result will become obvious. These guitars will still be around fifty years from now while other cheaper-made, mass-produced guitars will probably end up in a yard sale somewhere." Two decades later, the product speaks for itself.

An experienced player in his own right, he continues to address issues he and others have had with the classic designs. In the process, Reno has developed his own tools used to aid in its construction. Modification is clearly the cornerstone of Jerry's faculty for design, but he will be the first to admit that without the help of machinist, John Shipley, many of those modifications might never have left the drawing board.

As a teenager, Jerry built model cars as did many of his contemporaries, but he displayed a flair of ingenuity. He took stock model kits and created his own bodies out of ordinary playing cards to resemble the super modified race cars that could be seen competing every Saturday night at the Tulsa Speedway. This theme is still evident today in the aesthetics of some of his creations. Glow-in-the-dark flames, vinyl graphics and other "trick" features adorn many of his guitars.

Over the years, he has created numerous novelty guitars for clients. Most notably, a "Bootar" made from a "Doc Marten" boot as well as a colorful "Route 66" guitar - all fully functional playing instruments. Don't let those forays into fun fool you. He is a serious guitar builder. Just ask Bill Cooley, guitarist for Kathy Mattea. He's the proud owner of a Reno guitar. Others include Shedaisy, The Almighty Ultrasounds, Glenn R. Townsend, Billy Rader of Ocean Opry, Paul Roper and Monty Anderson of RPM, Chris Compton, Paul Karlskint of Rewake, Jack Boydstun, guitarist for Jana Jae, Glen and Dale Harris of Commoner, Justin Dolan of Freak-Speely, Soup Bone and Brandon Jenkins, Justin Titus of Vent, Steve Simenowitz, Chris Priddy, Red Polston of Halo Jordan, and Dart Steed of Strange New Fish - just to name a few. And the list continues to grow.