Producing high-quality, handcrafted electric guitar bodies, necks and kits is a group project. That’s why we’ve worked to develop our manufacturing techniques and designs. Everywhere we can do so, we produce our own products in our factory outside of Portland, Oregon. Additionally, we partner with manufacturers who value craftsmanship and quality. Each of our partners has a long legacy of making and selling products that are beautiful, meaningful, and made to last. In every case, we assure that parts that we source externally work well together.

We love working with OEM customers to see their product ideas realized and on the market.

We are a family-owned company building products and traditions that we expect to last for a long, long time. We produce instrument kits with exacting specifications, high quality production, and domestic, sustainably-cultivated sources of materials whenever possible.

Our People


Steve Bennett

Co-Founder, Business Development

Steve worked in high-tech for a couple of decades, resulting in some cool and useful technologies entering the world. Steve has about 80 granted utility patents from this work. He left to start his first business (a digital photo service). He has since run several other small businesses. Steve founded Alloy Guitars with Joseph Burrow in 2014. Steve has played the guitar (quite poorly) since 8th grade. Always liked playing with the gear as much as playing the music! 

Joseph Burrow

Co-Founder, Product Development

Joseph is also a high-tech veteran with lots of experience in automating and optimizing production. He founded Alloy Guitars with Steve in 2014.

Wendy Burrow

Production Support Services

Wendy has a background in architecture and design. Wendy supports all of our production efforts as well as contributing to our marketing efforts and helping to manage the office.

Toni Carlo

Sales, Marketing and Strategic Projects Specialist

Toni has a diverse background with lots of time spent in executive roles in the non-profit and small business world. She contributes to Alloy Guitars’ efforts in a large number of ways, helping us improve our sales, planning, resource usage, marketing, and customer relations. She also leads a variety of special projects and events, and facilitates our outside relationships.


Rick Lowe

Assistant Luthier

Rick spent time as a high school English teacher before coming to Alloy. So if you have questions on any literature, he is your man. Before teaching, Rick worked in a wide variety of roles in film and video production. Rick has been building guitars independently here in Portland and making music. At Alloy, he contributes to all the efforts in the shop.

Eric Faria

Director of Brand Experience

Eric came to us highly recommended for his passion for the guitar community and ability to understand our customers’ needs. He only recently learned guitar as an adult. His musical background was as a singer in a NuMetal band that played alongside bands like Trapt and Papa Roach. While learning to play guitar, Eric dove into the world of guitar building. He has since helped other guitar kit and luthierie brands build their social community and create new products. Eric’s career as a salesperson, marketer, and manager grew from his martial arts career. He was a multiple time amateur Muay Thai champion before becoming program director and manager of different gyms.


Charles Townsend III

Shop Manager

Chuck spent many years managing businesses of his own (including several Jimmy John’s shops) and working in high tech before venturing out to become a luthier making fully custom stringed instruments. At Alloy, Chuck is our lead design and CAD/CAM person, as well as directing all the work in the shop. All of our OEM customers work with Chuck to get their design prototypes built.  “Shop Manager” doesn’t give Chuck enough credit for what he does, but it is the title that he wants to have.