Life & Work with Chase Gullett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chase Gullett. 

Hi Chase, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Growing up in a rural town in Ohio, I was always a curious kid. Always interested in creating art, drawing, reading interest in music instruments. Eventually, as I grew a little older, I found myself in shop classes working with my hands and really pushing the creativity from that aspect. And as I got older, you know, I started playing guitar, playing in bands with my friends, things like that, and eventually found myself in my day-to-day career working in the cabinet shop that turned into the obvious. Let me see if I can build a guitar just like everybody else’s story, but it worked out really well, and the next few guitars became better than the first, and so on and so forth. Eventually, I found myself and a position where I decided to kind of go out on my own and start my company chasing vintage guitars. After A few years with a business partner who taught me a lot about operating a legitimate business, I decided it was time to rebrand the company and expand into service and repair as well creating gullet guitar company. I partnered up with Adam Furay at the Delaware Music Center to offer an excellent brick-and-mortar location offering lessons, retail, band rehearsal, service and repair for musicians of all skill levels, online shopping options, and a private showroom featuring Gullett Guitar Co’s handmade instruments, amplifiers and a curated selection of boutique effects pedals and vintage instruments. With an ever-growing client list and plenty of word-of-mouth advertising, We strive to be one of the premier shops in Central Ohio. We are tucked neatly in the center of downtown Delaware with our own dedicated parking and access from both William St and Franklin. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There was an absolute learning curve when it came to the business and things. Luckily, I had a partner in the early days that helped along with that showing me the ropes of how to navigate things like taxes and licensing and all the other stuff that nobody wants to learn about when it’s time to start your own business. First couple years were incredibly tight financially. I was very lucky that I have a wonderful wife who believed in me and supported my goals and dreams, and was able to see that there was something more there. She stuck through it with all the slim years. We had a lot of peanut butter and jelly and bologna back then, but eventually, the work just continued to come in, and now nearly a decade later, we’re still growing every day, and we’re looking to scale the company up with the addition a few employees to increase instrument production and keep up with our backlog of repairs and service. Our current hurdles are the same as most in any manufacturing industry. Post-COVID. The supply chain issues are real, and Inflation has been real, but I’m confident we’ll navigate this storm the same as we have all the others and come out stronger and more experienced on the other side. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We offer handmade instruments with unique designs in excellent playability. We work with some of the best pickup and hardware manufacturers in the industry to provide the finest instruments we can. Beyond that, we are also a full-service maintenance and repair shop offering everything from string changes and fretwork to complete refinishes and restorations. We are also a Taylor Guitars’ certified warranty center and licensed dealer for many of the industry’s top pickups and hardware manufacturers, as well as an excellent selection of boutique effects pedal with a spotlight on other Ohio-based builders. 

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
We make really cool guitars; not to sound too proud here, but we offer really stylish, comfortable original designs, taking elements of classic instruments and reimagining what tradition looks like. Putting countless hours and energy into instruments that have a really original look and feel while being familiar enough that the client feels comfortable with it immediately. By offering these fresh designs, we provide the artists the tools to inspire creativity without the predetermined sounds expected from the handful of iconic designs that seem to be just constantly reproduced in this industry. That’s really the key principle behind our Handmade to Inspire motto. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GULLETTGUITAR.com
• Instagram: @gullettguitarco
• Facebook: @gullettguitarco

Image Credits
Bobby & Isolda Photography