Musicians come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and personalities. Pandora has 250 channels of music. Why so many? Because musical tastes are as varied as the artists creating the songs and the people who love to listen to them. Who among us hasn’t at least dreamed of being a music star?
Learning to play an instrument might be the first step towards stardom. For those who want to be the next guitar hero, Monkton Guitars is the place to start. Unlike the manufactured glitz of a national chain store, this guitar sanctuary exudes character and style.
“I wanted to build a place where guitars felt at home, and guitarists could stop by to sort of reconnect with an extended family,” says David Williams, the owner of Monkton Guitars. “That’s why I set up shop here in Broomfield.” Instead of leasing retail space in a strip mall, David envisioned something warmer and a little off the beaten path. What used to be a U.S. Post office at 1505 W 1st Avenue is now a gallery of guitars for the beginning to expert player. It's all about the guitars and the people who play them.
It starts with music instruction. David suggests first learning to play an acoustic guitar, and he has a room dedicated to them. You can choose a new entry level wood laminate, a top-of-the-line Furch from the Czech Republic, or a seasoned 80-year-old classic.
To pick and strum along with history, play the Recording King M by Regal, a company that manufactured guitars for Montgomery Ward stores in the late 1930s. Constructed of maple, mahogany, and Brazilian rosewood, this guitar has aged like a fine wine and produces a warm sound nearly impossible to achieve with a brand-new model.
For a more fanciful statement while on the stage, you could play one of Monkton’s limited-edition Felix the Cat Little Martin guitars. Built between 2004 and 2007, they are very rare, especially when available as a set. All the artwork was designed by Don Oriolo, the son of Joe Oriolo, who created Felix the Cat. Imagine your part in a trio of cool cats getting together to jam on these babies!
Want something more high-tech? The McPherson Guitars’ Sable Blackout Carbon-Fiber guitar is a great option. Since it is made almost entirely of carbon fiber, this gem is durable, lightweight, and heat- and humidity-resistant. Designed with an offset soundhole and cantilevered neck, this guitar is unique, just like you!
If you are of the mind that, “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to,” Monkton hears you. How about the vintage Rickenbacker Model A-22 lap steel electric guitar that was built in 1933? It was the first commercially successful electrified string instrument. (Gee, who’d have thought an electric guitar would be a success?) With a look and style all its own, it is a piece of musical lore. Made of aluminum, it was marketed as a Hawaiian guitar and nicknamed “The Frying Pan” due to its unique shape.
It’s hard to bring the crowd to their feet if your electric guitar has no juice, so you better plug in that amp. The handmade 2014 Gabriel V-18 combo amplifier should get them talking about last night’s show. It is an all-tube/hand-wired amplifier built solely by Gabriel Bucataru. The materials, time, and energy required to make it eventually proved to be too much for the Romanian-born inventor. He disappeared from the music scene several years ago, but his impact lives on.
All these toys and many more can be found at Broomfield’s own Monkton Guitars. Novices and headliners alike continue to build their persona and perfect their chops on the vintage, classic, and new guitars available at the shop with a style all its own. His grassroots notoriety has been built by word of mouth, and he has created a place to help you grow yours. You only need to decide how that will look and sound.
“I wanted to build a place where guitars felt at home, and guitarists could stop by to sort of reconnect with an extended family.”
"Novices and headliners alike continue to build their persona and perfect their chops on the vintage, classic, and new guitars available at the shop with a style all its own."