Glenn Canin

Mill Valley, California

Glenn Canin builds his concert guitars in Mill Valley, California, just north of San Francisco. He studied classical guitar at San Diego State University under the Romero family, supporting himself by shaping custom surfboards, and later taught the Alexander Technique for several years. His path into lutherie began almost by accident: after building an experimental flamenco guitar, he showed it to the renowned flamenco guitarist Jason McGuire, who purchased it and encouraged him to build professionally. Canin started with flamenco guitars before turning to the classical instruments that remain his true passion.

Today Canin is widely regarded as the leading double top maker in the United States, and among the finest anywhere. He builds cedar and spruce double tops over balsa cores, pairing them with elevated fingerboards, soundports, slim C shaped necks, and low, buzz free setups that have earned his guitars a reputation as some of the most comfortable concert instruments available. Intonation is a particular strength, flawless across the fingerboard, and his instruments are played by top concert artists and professors worldwide, most notably the Turkish guitarist Celil Refik Kaya.

We have handled Canin's work across his whole arc, from early 2011 examples to brand new builds, and each one confirms why players seek him out. A 2023 spruce and Madagascar rosewood double top offered singing trebles, muscular basses, and sustain among the very best we have played. We were also honored to offer the 2016 cedar double top that served as Celil Refik Kaya's concert and recording guitar, heard on five Naxos albums. If you are looking for a Canin, our expert team is happy to help you find or reserve one.