St. Blues Guitar Workshop – 645 Marshall Ave. www.saintblues.com

Just a stone’s throw from where Elvis made history at Sun Studio sits St. Blues Guitars whose original co-founder, Tom Keckler, has created guitars for a veritable Who’s Who of rock ‘n’ roll royalty including the King himself.  An affable and enthusiastic man, Keckler (or TK) was gracious enough to spare some time to fill me in on the history of St. Blues and his life as a luthier when I stopped by the shop earlier this week.

Early on Keckler didn’t aspire to create a celebrated line of guitars—he just liked to tinker.  He was always hands-on guy, customizing cars and motorcycles as a young man, trying to make, as he says, “what was good even better.”  Playing in local bands, he extended his ingenuity to customizing his guitars.  His reputation grew when he joined Mike Ladd at Mike Ladd’s Guitar City.  The store, which was located across the street from Graceland, was the place for local guitarists in the ‘60s.  

But it didn’t remain simply a local favorite.   

In 1968, during Led Zeppelin’s first U.S. tour, Jimmy Page sought the duo’s customizing expertise.  Impressed by their work, he enlisted Ladd and Keckler to convert several Les Pauls and recommended their work to his friends.  As word of their work spread, so did their impressive list of clientele.  They even created a customized guitar for Elvis, which he used in Aloha from Hawaii.

In 1978, Keckler left for Los Angeles to form the original Schecter Guitars with David Schecter and Tom Anderson, but the Bluff City drew him back in 1983 when he joined Charlie Lawing and Chris Lovell, the co-founders of Strings ‘n’ Things, to form St. Blues Guitars.  When it came time to design their first guitar, Lawing and Lovell suggested using a guitar Keckler had given them back in the mid-‘70s that he had built from a trashed Telecaster and a Les Paul Jr.  The “Tele-Paul” as they had dubbed it was renamed the Bluesmaster and became the signature model of the St. Blues line.  Soon Eric Clapton, Bono, Glenn Frey, Billy Squier, Billy Gibbons, Joe Walsh, Albert King, Marshall Crenshaw, Bo Diddley, and others were letting it rip on their own Bluesmasters.

When the cost of parts rose substantially in 1989, St. Blues ceased production of its guitars, focusing instead on custom work.  But in early 2006, looking to capitalize on the interest in St. Blues guitars that persisted among musicians even 17 years after production ceased, Bryan Eagle, a Memphis businessman, bought the trademark.  Eagle had the marketing savvy to promote the brand, but he knew he needed someone with guitar know-how to provide insight on new designs and be a hands-on man in the workshop.  

Who better, then, than Tom Keckler?

With over 40 years experience crafting and customizing guitars, Keckler, the company’s consultant and master luthier, shows no signs of slowing down.  From 5:00-12:00 Monday-Friday, he runs TK’s Guitar Services, and then from 1:00-3:30, he’s in charge of things in St. Blues’s retail storefront.  In addition, he hits the road for tradeshows to promote the St. Blues line.  And, as in the early days, some of the best promotion comes from musicians in the national spotlight playing a St. Blues.  Memphis’ own Zac Meyers, lead singer of Shinedown, plays a Bluesmaster on stage, and according to Keckler, there’s video of Keith Urban rocking out on one at a recent show in Atlanta.

The St. Blues line up consists of six standard guitar models, one bass, and four models that comprise the new Workshop Series.  With the six standard models and the bass ranging from $969-$1,175, St. Blues offers a combination of high-quality craftsmanship and affordability that’s hard to beat.  For guitarists looking to splurge a bit, the Workshop Series guitars are handmade in the U.S.—routed and finished in Nashville and assembled by Keckler in Memphis—featuring boutique woods and components, nitro cellulose finishes, and custom designs.  The WS guitars run from $2,199-$2,399.  For a detailed look at each St. Blues model, click here:  Saint Blues Guitar Workshop :: The Line-Up 

Whether you’re looking to buy a new guitar, need an old one fixed up, or just want to get a first-hand look at some classic guitars and vintage memorabilia—and if he’s not swamped, chat with TK himself—head down to St. Blues.  You’ll wish you’d gone sooner.