FURCH GUITARS (prononced: Ferk)
What we learned as we were deciding to add Czech-built Furch Guitars to Meadowood's offerings is that František Furch built guitars well before the guitar company's 1981 founding date.

František Furch built his first guitar as a teen and later built guitars in an unofficial ‘garage’ company that operated 'underground' because the Communist government did not permit private enterprise. Despite this challenge, Furch built superb instruments and became known in the Czech music scene as a premium guitar builder. Many top musicians played his guitars.

In 1989, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Furch was able to build and sell his guitars without fear of persecution. He officially founded Furch Guitars as a legal entity and he took on his first employee in a workshop that was only 215 square feet. 

Initially, Furch Guitars were sold only in the Czech Republic, but their reputation grew and demand from other European countries led Furch to increase the size of his shop and workforce. By 1999, 25 luthiers worked for him. That same year, Furch expanded the number of models the company offered: the Vintage Series and Millennium Series cover a wide range of body types, wood and construction features.

With the turn of the century, Furch entered the North American continent, first in Canada and then in the USA. This increased demand again led Furch to increase the size of his facilities and workforce. He acquired a 16th century mill complex in the village of Velké Němčice and retrofitted it as a modern building facility. By 2011 the mill complex was home to a workforce of more than 40 employees. Increased production did not decrease quality.

In fact, quality is paramount at Furch Guitars. Petr Furch joined his father's company and the two now work together to apply modern research and technology to develop new designs and construction techniques. Both the elder and younger Furchs are driven to produce spectacular guitars appreciated by both recreational players and top musicians. We are delighted that we opted in as a Furch dealer when the company's guitars found their way to the US.