Have you ever picked up a guitar and felt like the instrument inspired riffs and songs just as you started playing? There’s a specific kind of magic found in vintage instruments—a resonance, a “played-in” feel, and a soul that most guitars often struggle to replicate. For the modern guitarist, finding that “unicorn” instrument usually means mortgaging a house for a 1954 original or settling for a “reissue” that feels a bit too… clinical and calculated.
Enter LSL Guitars. Based in Southern California, this boutique shop is doing things differently. By combining master-level woodworking with a “make everything ourselves” philosophy, they produce handmade guitars that don’t just look like vintage classics—they feel and sound like them from the very first chord.
Shop the LSL Guitars Collection at Swee Lee
In this post, we’re going to dive into the incredible “garage-to-global” story of LSL, explore their meticulous build process, and look at the stunning Chris Fleming Series Saticoy models currently waiting for you at Swee Lee.
The LSL Story: A Journey of Sawdust and Soul
The story of LSL Instruments isn’t just about making boutique electric guitars; it’s about a lifelong obsession with wood and tone. Founded in 2008 by Lance S. Lerman and his wife Lisa, LSL began in the most authentic place possible: their home garage.
From Berkeley to Burglary
Lance Lerman’s journey started long before 2008. In 1978, he was teaching banjo in Berkeley, California, which led him to become the first employee at Saga Musical Instruments — makers of high-quality acoustic instruments. He eventually moved into instrument repair at a music store and even co-founded D&L Instruments. However, fate had a cruel twist in store: a burglary wiped out the company, leaving Lance with only the tools that were too heavy for the thieves to carry.
China Years and the Return to California
Lance spent 16 years running Sequoia Wood Products in Los Angeles before moving to China to manage massive furniture and woodworking operations. While he was building factories in Shanghai and Dongguan, he was also playing guitar in bars as one of the few American bands in the country.
By 2007, the siren song of home—and the dream of a proper 1950s T-style guitar—brought him back to California. Alas, he couldn’t afford the vintage guitar he wanted, so he decided to build it. That started a cascade of events that would change the landscape of the guitar world as we know it.
The Birth of the LSL “T Bone”
Lance spent months obsessing over jigs and measurements to recreate a ’52 “Blackguard.” When he finished, he took it to legendary guitarist Tommy Kay. Tommy’s reaction was immediate: “I’m blown away. Can you make another?”
That was the “Aha!” moment. LSL was born out of a desire for an instrument that, in Lance’s words, “magically sucks the music out of you.”
Why LSL Stands Out in the World of Custom Shop Guitars
What makes LSL one of the best vintage-spec boutique electric guitars on the market? It’s their refusal to take shortcuts. In an era of outsourcing, LSL is a “family-owned” bastion of in-house craftsmanship.
1. Hand-Picked Lumber for Maximum Resonance
At LSL, the wood is the heart of the tone. Lance’s decades in the lumber industry mean he has the connections to find the highest-quality wood on the planet. They hand-pick every piece, searching for the lightest ash, the most resonant alder, and the most striking exotic grains. This ensures that every LSL guitar is lightweight and rings like a bell before you even plug it in.
2. The Marriage of Tech and Touch
While LSL uses a massive, accurate CNC router for the heavy lifting, they are very specific about its use. The CNC handles the consistent geometry, but the “soul” of the instrument is added by hand.
- Hand-Shaping: The woodworking team hand-shapes every neck to specific profiles (C, D, V, or even a blend).
- Friction Fit: Neck pockets are routed slightly too small and then hand-sanded for a perfect “friction fit,” ensuring maximum vibration transfer between the neck and body.
3. The Art of Ageing and Paint
LSL primarily uses nitrocellulose lacquer, the historically accurate finish that allows wood to breathe and age beautifully.
- Authentic Relicing: The LSL Instruments ageing and relic process is legendary. They can layer multiple colours for a “vintage rub-through” look that looks like decades of honest stage wear.
- Thin-Skin Finishes: Their “Fleming Style” ultra-thin nitro finishes ensure the wood isn’t choked by thick plastic coats, allowing for superior resonance.
4. Hand-Wound Guitar Pickups (California Made)
LSL doesn’t buy any pickups; they make them. Every pickup (with a few exceptions) is hand-wound in-house in California. They’ve dialled in the perfect output for each model, ensuring the electronics are a perfect match for the tonewoods used.
The Chris Fleming Series: A Partnership of Legends
When Lance Lerman and Chris Fleming (a legendary luthier known for his world-class vintage-style builds) joined forces, the guitar world sat up and took notice. The Chris Fleming Series represents the pinnacle of “Old Soul” instruments. These are proprietary builds that you won’t find anywhere else, inspected and signed off by both Lance and Chris.
LsL Instruments SSS Chris Fleming Series Saticoy 50s Classic
This model is a tribute to the “Maple Board” era of the 1950s. Built with a resonant Alder body and finished in a classic Two Tone Sunburst, it features “Light Ageing” by Chris Fleming that gives it an immediate, comfortable feel. This is the ultimate tool for players who want that 50s snap and “quack” with modern reliability.
- Premium Neck Feel: The rift-sawn 1-piece maple neck features a Soft V to C shape that fits the hand naturally. This profile transition provides a comfortable grip for rhythm work near the nut while flattening out slightly for lead playing higher up the fretboard.
- Vintage-Correct Electronics: It features the “VTT5way” electronics layout with the Chris Fleming Recipe pickups hand-wound by LSL. These pickups are voiced to provide that signature 50s chime and clarity without the harshness often found in modern reissues.
- Meticulous Setup: The guitar is set with a neck relief tolerance of .0005” and an action of .06” at the twelfth fret. This precision ensures a buttery-smooth playing experience that allows for effortless bends and fast runs across the 21 frets.
LsL Instruments SSS Chris Fleming Series Saticoy 60s Classic
If your tonal heart belongs to the 1960s, this Saticoy is your dream machine. Featuring a Rosewood fingerboard and a Three Tone Sunburst, it offers a slightly warmer, rounder tone than its 50s counterpart. The “C” shape neck profile is a nod to the legendary guitars played by the blues-rock titans of the mid-60s.
- Classic 60s Tonewoods: The combination of a high-quality Alder body and a Rosewood fingerboard provides a rich, balanced frequency response. This setup is famous for its sweet high-end and punchy mids, making it perfect for both clean blues and overdriven rock.
- Hand-Relic’d Aesthetics: The “Fleming Style” ultra-thin nitrocellulose finish is expertly aged to look like a well-loved vintage treasure. Because the finish is so thin, the guitar feels incredibly resonant against your body, vibrating with every note you play.
- Modern Playability Specs: Despite its vintage looks, it features a 9.5” fingerboard radius and 6105 frets for a modern playing feel. This radius is the “goldilocks” zone that allows for low action without the “fretting out” issues common on original 7.25″ vintage necks.
There is a certain artistry and awe in the way a piece of raw lumber becomes a musical legacy. At LSL Instruments, that transformation isn’t just mechanical; it’s deeply personal. From Lance’s initial dream in his California garage to the meticulous hand-winding of every pickup, these guitars are built with an old-soul reverence that is becoming rare in the modern world.
When you hold an LSL Guitar, you aren’t just holding wood and wire; you’re holding decades of woodworking expertise and a passion for tone that refuses to compromise. It’s an instrument designed to do more than just play notes—it’s designed to be the catalyst for your most inspired musical moments.
Shop the LSL Guitars Collection at Swee Lee
If you are looking for where to buy LSL Guitars online or in-store, look no further than Swee Lee. We curate the finest selection of these California-made masterpieces to ensure you find the one that speaks to you.
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