Interview: Bryan Hubert of Hubert Guitars
Today we interview Bryan Hubert of Hubert Guitars.
Bryan is building custom guitars and woodwork using cigar and whiskey boxes, as well as traditional bodied six-string guitars.
He’s worked with Garrison Brothers Distillery, had his work displayed in the National Blues Museum, and has worked with some big names in both the music and whiskey space.
Today, he took some time to share with us about him, his company, and his journey building Hubert Guitars and learning about whiskey, its industry, and its history.
Tell Us A Little About You:
I’m married with four kids. I did the whole college and grad school thing and have had a nearly 20-year professional career in financial services.
I grew up outside Detroit, MI playing hockey and I’m still an avid fan of the game. I’ve played guitar and bass guitar since high school and in 2017 started building cigar box guitars as a hobby and it’s now one of my passions.
I fell into the world of whiskey by accident after building a whiskey-themed guitar and found a lot of similarities and connections between the two. I love history in general and I’d like to think I’m a decent storyteller. So, any time I can share a drink, play a song, build a guitar, and talk to all the other folks who like this stuff, I always have a good time.
How Did You First Get Started?
I started building cigar box guitars in 2017 after seeing Seasick Steve play a hubcap guitar on TV. It took a few months before I actually made one and when I did, it was crap.
I found that one of the largest suppliers of parts was here in the Tampa area. I reached out for advice and ended up learning a ton. Fast forward a few years and I got my hands on a Garrison Brothers Cowboy bourbon box, made a guitar, sent them a photo and they loved it. I ended up partnering with them and my guitar was part of their marketing for the 2020 release of the Cowboy.
They gave me the go-ahead to sell them as well, so I had to get a website and really go legit. Right around the same time, one of my guitars was selected to be part of an exhibit at the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, MO. Since then, it’s continued to grow and I’m loving every minute!
What’s The Biggest Challenge You Face?
A normal day is pretty busy, get 4 kids under 8 out of bed, off to school, go to my day job while also answering emails and calls for Hubert Guitars, looking for leads or opportunities to grow the business, come home for some family time, then build guitars for a few hours.
Every day is busy for sure.
Having young kids makes finding the right work/life balance difficult at times. Regarding Hubert Guitars, it was difficult to convince musicians that my guitars are more than novelty instruments. While I make more traditional 6 string guitars, I love seeing how shocked people are when they hear one plugged in and rock!
How To Learn More About Bryan & Hubert Guitars:
https://www.facebook.com/HubertGuitars/
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