Zemaitis Guitars is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 guitar-manufacturing company based in Tokyo, Japan. The company's guitars are based on designs by the Lithuanian luthier

Luthier

A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...

 Tony Zemaitis. The company is led by his son, Tony Zemaitis, Jr., and produces both electric and acoustic guitars.

History

Tony Zemaitis began producing guitars in the 1950s and entered the guitar making profession full-time in 1965. During the 1970s, he began experimenting with placing a metal shield on the top of the guitar in order to eliminate microphonic noise picked up by the guitars' pickups. To enhance the visual aspect of the guitars, Zemaitis enlisted the skills of gun engraver Danny O'Brien. The designs include elaborate pearl inlay, either of figures like dragons and skulls or complete mosaic-like inlaid tops.

Since Zemaitis Sr.'s death in 2002, the Zemaitis family continued the guitar-building business in Tokyo, offering both high-end hand-built guitars, and a more affordable "Greco Zemaitis" line of guitars. The current production is based on original drawings by Tony Zemaitis Sr.

Guitars made by Zemaitis are featured in a museum in Tokyo.

External links

• Zemaitis.net, official company website
• Interview with Tony Zemaitis, Jr.