EGB CREED
All EGB full members confirm their adherence to the EGB creed:
We, the European Guitar Builders (EGB), are an association of independent artisan guitar builders.
I and my fellow EGB members agree, through principles of friendship and mutual respect, to share knowledge and culture and establish mutual support through co-operation.
We stand for
Constantly refining the art of guitar building. An open-minded approach to learning. Fairness and honesty in business. Respect for the environment through the promotion of sustainability and minimising of waste. Promoting the culture of the instrument maker.
We will
Demonstrate trust, honesty and openness. Offer reliable instruments of high quality and value. Seek fair income/value for our work to maintain self respect and to support our community.
HISTORY
Over the past years we’ve seen individual countries forge associations, groups, or similar organizations to connect guitar builders with each other. Trade shows have come and gone, some were able to grow over the years and build a reputation, some have disappeared from the scene.
In several countries these associations have developed successfully, but mostly they have remained within their borders. The need to have something larger, something ‘European’ has been around for a while.
Finally, in 2012, after intense discussions at the Montreal Guitar Show, several luthiers decided to get together and start the process. In October of 2012 luthiers Juha Ruokangas, Frédéric Pons, Ulrich Teuffel and Frank Deimel came to Vienna to meet with Michael Spalt and Andreas Neubauer with the goal of founding an association intended to become a European-wide organization. Together with the support of Tania Spalt, Kora Jünger, Emma Elftorp and Jacques Carbonneaux they set down the parameters for the association.
In May 2013 their efforts solidified when the registration of the association was confirmed in Germany, to be called ‘The European Guitar Builders, e.V.’ (EGB), located in Berlin.
HISTORY TIMELINE
The Holy Grail Guitar Show is back
"The Art & Future of the Guitar" In Paris, at the “Maison de la Radio et de la Musique”. From November 29 to 30, 2025
. The show has been curated within this theme, incorporating the most representative work of those at the forefront of the profession. Aiming beyond the horizon both technically and aesthetically, the art and future of ...
Symposium 2024
The motto of the 2017 symposium was called "Sharing is Caring", and we wanted to have a real hands-on symposium, where we exchange methods of building itself as well as strategies on woods, sustainablity and business.Therefore we decided to split the days into the morning sessions with the "Pecha Cucha" method ( everyone brought his slides on a ...
Holy Couch Show 2020
2020 The Holy Grail Guitar Show — The Grand FinaleSet to celebrate not only the guitar but also the final HGGS in Berlin it was supposed to be a grand event, again with 135 exhibitors from all over the world. But it was not to be — as the COVID pandemic swept around the world ultimately the Grand Finale also had to be cancelled. But not to b...
2019 Symposium
The EGB Symposium 2019 was held in may 24 - 26, 2019 in Villa Oeiras, Oeiras, Portugal2019 symposium report
Group participations
In September 2018 EGB members started a goup participation at Guitar Summit in Mannheim. More show participation initiatives over the years followed: Guitar Summit, FUZZ show, London Bass Show, Music Austria, SHG Milan, Frankfurt Musikmesse, Padua etc.
Holy Grail Guitar Show 2018
4th edition of the Holy Grail Guitar show at the Estrel in Berlin Germany. 2018 Holy Grail Guitar Show Participant Catalogue
The Holy Grail Guitar Show 2016
Third edition of the Holy Grail Guitar Show at the Estrel in Berlin with over 130 exhibiting luthiers. Introduction of the "Local Wood Challenge"2016 HGGS Exhibiton Catalogue
The Holy Grail Guitar Show 2015
The Continuing Quest For The Holy Grail!
This wonderful festive atmosphere is what we now strove to maintain as we headed into the second edition of The Holy Grail Guitar Show in 2015. Expectations were running high and we had to reach for the bar we so successfully raised. The volunteer effort that made the 2014 edition possible nee...
The Holy Grail Guitar Show 2014
Much effort and sleepless nights culminated in November of 2014, as the first edition of The Holy Grail Guitar Show opened in Berlin. None of this would have been possible but for the dedicated and voluntary support and work by Emma Elftorp, Kora Jünger and Tania Spalt, who stepped up and took on the organizational tasks necessary for the reali...
The long road to the Holy Grail
A press conference on November 8,2013 at the nHow Hotel in Berlin introduced the EGB to the world, and announced The Holy Grail Guitar Show. About 20 luthiers came from all over Europe and joined the intimate event, expanding the small group of EGB members and planting the seed for what would become the exhibitor roster for the first Show. Work ...
MISSION
The European Guitar Builders is an alliance formed by professional independent European luthiers.
We are dedicated to support each other by sharing knowledge, resources, and experience in order to preserve and innovate the art and craft of guitar building in Europe as a vital part of our musical culture.
We strive to support musicians in expressing and developing their art through collaborating closely with them, thereby fostering the European musical culture.
We want to promote sustainable development, ecologic awareness and economic growth in an ethical way. A major goal is to educate consumers about the values they support by their choices and how this impacts the goals of the association.
In order to achieve these goals the association will create and maintain a strong presence in the Internet and Media and organize events like the EGB Symposium and an annual international guitar exhibition.
For more details about EGB refer to the Q & A section or download the bylaws below.
BYLAWS
The European Guitarbuilders e. V. is a registered association (Verein) under German law.
You can download the current by-laws here both in German as well as English (courtesy translation).
EGB Vereinsstatuten / by-laws (Deutsch & English)