Kauer

Kauer Electric Guitars — Sacramento Built, Seriously Fun

Doug Kauer grew up in Elk Grove, California, spending summers in his father's cabinetry shop learning to work with wood before most kids learn to drive. By high school he was programming CNC machines. By his mid-twenties, a particularly figured piece of maple walked into the shop and changed the trajectory of everything.

He mentioned offhandedly that he wanted to build a guitar from it. His girlfriend, now his wife, bought him pickups and tuners for his birthday. That guitar turned into a few more, a few more turned into a reputation, and in 2008 Kauer Guitars was officially born in Sacramento, California.

Today, Kauer is one of the most respected boutique guitar builders in the country, with a roster of artists that includes Scott Holiday of Rival Sons, Tom Dumont of No Doubt, Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Dennis Casey of Flogging Molly, and Dane Kinser of Kane Brown. The secret to that reputation is straightforward: Doug builds guitars he actually wants to play, and it turns out a lot of other people want to play them too.

Modern Craft Meets Vintage Soul

Kauer guitars occupy a space that very few builders manage to find: instruments that feel immediately familiar, rooted in the shapes and tonewoods of the golden era of American guitar design, but with a personality, playability, and finish palette that is entirely their own. Spanish cedar bodies, roasted maple necks, wenge fretboards, and premium pickups from Wolfetone, Lollar, and TV Jones are the foundation. From there, the options are almost limitless.

Every Kauer is PLEK'd in house, ensuring a level of fret precision and playability consistency that most builders at this price point simply cannot match. Doug has always embraced technology in service of craft, understanding that the goal isn't to prove something by doing everything by hand, but to deliver the best possible guitar every single time.

The Models

Banshee STD — The offset workhorse of the Kauer lineup and the model that first put the brand on the map beyond Sacramento. The Banshee STD takes the ergonomic advantages of the classic offset body, pairs it with a Spanish cedar body and neck, and delivers a guitar that is as comfortable on a three-hour gig as it is in a recording session. A foundational Kauer model that rewards players across every genre and style.

Banshee Deluxe — Everything that makes the Banshee STD great, elevated with premium top wood options, upgraded appointments, and a level of visual refinement that makes it as impressive to look at as it is to play. The Deluxe is the choice for players who want the full Banshee experience with a little extra flair.

Starliner — A slab-bodied mahogany monster that Doug describes as bringing Kauer Guitars back to its roots. Built from Spanish cedar with a matching one-piece neck, the Starliner is available in four configurations: the single-pickup JR, the all-mahogany Express, the maple-topped Deluxe, and the Thinline, each one capable of covering more sonic ground than its straightforward looks might suggest. If you want a do-it-all guitar with no frills and no compromises, this is it.

Korona — Kauer's take on the classic California single-cut, and by many accounts the most versatile model in the entire lineup. The Korona pairs a thermo pine body with a roasted maple neck, bound wenge fretboard, and a universal pickup routing system that opens up near-limitless configuration options from Lollar, Wolfetone, and TV Jones. Twang, jazz, full-tilt rock and roll: the Korona handles all of it without breaking a sweat.

Korona Supreme — The Korona taken to its highest expression, with upgraded tonewoods, premium appointments, and the kind of attention to detail that makes this the choice for players who want everything the Korona platform has to offer pushed as far as it can go.

Super Chief — Doug Kauer's personal favorite model, and the one he has more of in his own collection than any other guitar he has ever built. The Super Chief is a 15.5-inch wide semi-hollow featuring Kauer's proprietary I-beam internal construction, a Spanish mahogany core and neck, and maple or mahogany front and back plates that deliver a huge, clear, punchy sound unlike anything else in the lineup. Players including Scott Holiday of Rival Sons, Josh Ramsay of Marianas Trench, and Will Swan of Dance Gavin Dance have all made the Super Chief a centerpiece of their sound.

Gripen — The newest and most visually striking model in the Kauer family, the Gripen is a joint design between Doug and his son Max. Angular, cubist, and modern, the Gripen is built around a neck-through Spanish mahogany construction with beveled edges that make it extraordinarily comfortable against the body. It is the first truly new Kauer design in nearly eight years, and it arrived fully formed: Tom Dumont of No Doubt debuted his Gripen at the Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles, in front of one of the largest audiences a Kauer guitar has ever played to.

Built to Be Played, Built to Last

Kauer guitars start around $3,500 and are built entirely in Elk Grove, California, by a small, dedicated team that cares as much about the instrument leaving the shop as Doug does himself. Whether you order from existing inventory or commission a fully custom build, the experience is the same: a guitar that plays better out of the box than most instruments play after a professional setup, finished in whatever color suits your personality, from understated vintage bursts to full Baja Blast splatter.

Browse our full selection of Kauer electric guitars, and reach out if you'd like help choosing the right model or spec for your playing style.