ROOTED IN CRAFTSMANSHIP Furch Guitars, celebrating 45 years in 2026, has grown from Frantisek Furch’s basement workshop into a globally recognized brand renowned for innovation and player-focused design. Proprietary innovations and unique finishes continue to set Furch apart. — By Kimberly Kapela
F urch Guitars’ story begins not in a board- room or a polished factory, but in a base- ment in 1980s Czechoslovakia, where musi- cian and metalworker, Frantisek Furch, set out to build the guitar he couldn’t find. His underground operation, born out of necessity and creative drive, has, decades later, evolved into one of the largest guitar manufacturers in Europe, with more than 70 authorized deal- ers around the world and a loyal following. Today, Furch Guitars is guided by a new generation. Under the leadership of Frantisek’s son, Peter Furch, who serves as owner and CEO, the company has embraced modern manufacturing, integrating CNC machinery and precision-based processes that lets build- ers pursue more detailed, consistent work. In 2018, Peter shifted to a fully Furch-branded distribution model and established a dedicated U.S. operation. Marc Harris, managing director for that U.S. operation which is based in Nashville, Tennessee, said that when musicians play Furch Guitars, they find a uniqueness due to the vibration of the wood. In fact, the brand received significant attention from retailers who voted in our 2025 Excellence Awards last month. “There’s an instant reaction when people realize that Furch’s guitars are something different,” Harris said. “They really fall in love with them.” Much of that distinction comes from the company’s proprietary innovations, including its custom UV finish, which is an ultra-thin coating roughly one-third of the mass of traditional nitrocellulose finish, yet harder and more protective. “Furch also created a CNR neck reinforce- ment, and that’s an apparatus that is inside every one of the necks that creates a stability and a sustain that’s unique to our guitars,” Harris
ergonomic enhancement that reimagines how a guitar should feel against the body. “Furch came up with a feature they call bevel duo which is a comfort curve on the front, which we see on a lot of other acoustic guitars, but on ours, we also put the curve on the back, similar to the cutaway on the back of an electric guitar or Stratocaster,” Harris said. “People find it very attractive, very com- fortable to play. I find that the average age of guitar players keeps getting older and older, and the players need comfortable guitars.” Though many guitar manufacturers mix their brands with laminated woods with dif- ferent imports, every instrument bearing the Furch name is built entirely in the company’s facility in the Czech Republic, crafted by the same team of luthiers who carry forward Frantisek’s legacy of hands-on construction. “There’s no confusion as to if you have a Furch guitar,” Harris said. “It was built by our builders in our building, and made of all solid woods, so I think that’s another aspect that makes us unique compared to the other brands.” Furch Forward As 2026 marks Furch’s 45th anniversary, the company is preparing to celebrate nearly half a century of innovation and global growth. A central part of that celebration is Furch Back- stage, the company’s annual event that brings together dealers from Europe, Asia and the U.S. “That’s when we focus on new product developments,” Harris said. “At this month’s NAMM show, the Performance Series [will be displayed], which includes the bevel duo and the CNR active, a new sound port called the booster sound port. We’re also working on relaunching a Furch mandolin which used to be made 20 years ago. We’re still busy perfecting it.” MI
Marc Harris
said. “This year, we enhanced that by adding a feature called CNR active that incorporates the original CNR neck, but adds an active ele- ment, which uses a block of wood as a hinge. It’s automatically perpetually adjusting the action of the instrument based on humidity.” Designing for the Modern Musician Amongst American players, Furch is known for its travel guitars, especially its Little Jane travel guitar. “Frantisek is a Harley-Davidson rider and needed a guitar he could fit in his Harley saddle bag, so he designed a travel guitar that breaks down into three pieces,” Harris explained. “The neck comes off, the headstock splits from the neck. That’s completely unique. Nobody makes anything like that, and it’s an all-solid wood guitar, so even though it’s a scaled-down size, when you put it together, it’s in tune and has a big guitar sound.” Beyond its travel-friendly designs, Furch continues to push the boundaries of comfort through its celebrated Color Series. Central to the series is Furch’s proprietary bevel duo, an
14 I MUSIC INC. I JANUARY 2026
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