Office Phone:	480-609-6650
	Address	7130 E. Becker Lane Scottsdale, AZ 85254
	Email	sharon@haightguitars.com
	Website	www.HaightGuitars.com

About Haight Guitars – a dream come true

Just after 911 Norm’s German based electronics company closed its American offices. It occurred to his wife, Sharon, that this might be a good time to become a full-time luthier, something Norm had been working towards for over ten years. They spent a few years attending various Bluegrass, Renaissance and art fairs to sell his instruments and her crafts. Here they discovered that there are players very much interested in truly handmade instruments. The problem was that the outdoor nature of these venues was very hard on the instruments. There seemed to be virtually no stores offering hand crafted instruments and while there were many websites offering to sell handmade instruments, it seemed to them that buying an instrument is a personal experience and can only be disappointing done online.

Then they attended their first GAL (Guild of American Luthiers) convention in 2004 where they met over 300 other luthiers and became convinced that there was a ready supply of exquisite handcrafted guitars from small, independent luthiers who have few formal outlets for their instruments. Most guitar stores were only interested in selling standard factory instruments and really didn’t have the knowledge base to properly represent and sell hand crafted guitars. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a store where the staff actually knew about building and playing guitars?

Haight Guitars officially opened in October of 2006, combining Norm’s extensive love of the instrument – his teaching, performing, composing & lutherie skills - with Sharon’s administrative and people skills. They represent over a dozen independent luthiers and enjoy working with these artists, helping them get their instruments into the hands of players who love them. Sharon and Norm publish monthly newsletters and hold occasional salons to educate guitarists about the advantages of owning hand crafted instruments, what is involved in the craft of lutherie, and maintenance tips. The store itself is designed to reflect a living room, the most common place for guitar playing, giving it a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. They encourage guitarists to bring in their current favorite instrument when shopping for a new guitar for comparison; after all, what is the point of spending three thousand dollars or more on a new guitar if it isn’t an improvement over what you’re currently playing? And the coup de grace? They can make any guitarist’s dream of a totally personalized, customized guitar come true through their design studio or through their 1 Week – 1 Guitar camps, where every camper crafts his or her own guitar.

Haight Guitars is located in the heart of the Valley of the Sun, Scottsdale, Arizona; the perfect location for Sharon, Norman to open their dream store.

Luthier defined:

lu·thi·er loo'te-?r) n. One that makes or repairs stringed instruments, such as violins.

Luthier: Norman began to build his first guitar in 1989, which he continues to use in his recordings today. Now a seasoned luthier, Norm crafts quality classical nylon-string and steel-string guitars and mandolins, complementing them with a variety of original designs and inlays. He also repairs and refurbishes any stringed instrument.

Musician: Norman began his music career with violin at age ten. He moved on to oboe, which he studied for six years. His passion for the guitar started at age fourteen and he began teaching at age sixteen. As an adult, Norm specialized in classical guitar studies in Austin, Texas. He has been the featured guitar soloist at Ascension Lutheran Church in Paradise Valley, and accompanied the Fountain Hills Community Chorus on bass and classical guitar for several years. His newest album, At Home, features his own compositions played by him on instruments he built. His other albums include Renegade Renaissance, which features classical music from the 14th to the 20th centuries, and A Guitar for Christmas, comprising many long-time favorites played on classical guitar and mandolin.

Teacher: Norm loves to share his passion for the guitar and teaching is one of his favorite methods. This year he is debuting his 1 Week – 1 Guitar camp where the participants will learn lutherie techniques while assembling their own Haight Guitar. This promises to be a fun and rewarding experience. Norm also teaches guitar and gives presentations about guitar repair and construction to youth groups and civic organizations. His lessons blend playing styles and techniques with elements of music theory and composition.

Today: Today Norman composes, performs, records, teaches, builds and repairs guitars and mandolins at his studio and shop at Rosewood Weyr, in the beautiful desert region of Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as offering his and other independent luthiers’ instruments for sale at Haight Guitars, the store. www.HaightGuitars.com

More About the Owners

Sharon and Norman Haight have been married for over 25 years. Their son, Mikki, is attending Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Their official greeter at the store is Topper, their King Charles Spaniel.

It is with great pleasure that Norm and Sharon Haight, of Haight Guitars, will be my Special Guest this week.

Please plan on joining us to socialize and meet new friends.

Thanks all.