Nestled deep in the Shenandoah Valley you will find a small luthier shop that is making a big impact. Steve Showalter, master luthier, has been working with wood for six decades while also maintaining several careers and raising a family with his wife, Esther. Their family of four children has grown now to include 21 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Upon retirement from clock making, fine furniture building, brick masonry, big rig and school bus driving, and pilot instruction, Steve became a full time artisan guitar maker.
Since 2011, Steve has made over 180 unique guitars and is still going strong.
Steve’s daughter, Maria, joined the business in 2023, first as office manager then as luthier in training. By the end of 2025, she has built 5 guitars and is looking forward to more creative ventures in the guitar world as time continues. Maria is mother to six children, a son-in-law, and one grandchild. She enjoys working with her hands and spends a good amount of her time homeschooling and tending her home. Showalter Guitars specializes in using local wood, decades of craftsmanship experience and unique details to create heirloom guitars people want to grow old with.