I have been creating custom instruments, amplifiers, and horn speakers (among other things) in my Chicago shop since 1986. Each creation is a Specimen, made by hand. In 2005 I founded the Chicago School of Guitar Making to keep the art of luthiery and tube electronics alive and thriving.
—Ian Schneller
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Open House & Studio Tour – Autumn 2018 Oct 26, 27, 28 – RSVP – Ticket Required
$0 -
Single-ended Hi-Fi Stereo Tube Amp
$4,900 -
Calla: 43-inch Audio Horn Speakers
$3,800
From the Blog
Specimen Repair Journal – Rickenbacker 208
On the repair bench is a Rickenbacker 208 double neck steel guitar, produced in the post-war era. An antique coveted for the sound of its pickups. The History page of the Rickenbacker website states that in the 1930’s and ’40s Sol Hoopii and Dick McIntyre, two popular Hawaiian steel guitarists, played Rickenbackers on influential recordings.
In the News
Enjoy Illinois
According to Ian, in today’s society, not many children learn how to make and design products from scratch. Specimen Products aims to fill that gap. In some ways, Ian says, the Chicago School of Guitar Making is like “Montessori for adults.” It’s about working with your hands, about the tactile experience of creating something, about […]