PRESTIGE
GUITARS
Supplier Spotlight
By Andrew King
T
he mission statement is short and straightforward:
“to offer high-end, custom shop-quality guitars at an
accessible price point.” It’s also longstanding, hav-
ing guided the team at Vancouver’s Prestige Guitars
through 17 years of growth and prosperity so far.
Prestige Owner and President Mike Kurkdjian founded the brand
in 2003 at just 22 after years of buying, trading, and selling used and
vintage instruments. Considering those early experiences, it’s no sur-
prise that Prestige set out to build guitars that are classic and timeless
from day one, and Kurkdjian says that process starts with obsessively
sourcing the best available tonewoods – some of which come from
their extended backyard in B.C.
“Having direct sourcing from rough log to kiln-dried tonewood
is definitely something unique to us, which we’re really proud of and
fortunate to offer,” Kurkdjian tells Canadian Music Trade. He cites
some sought-after varieties imported from around the globe, like
Hawaiian koa, pau ferro, cocobolo, and khaya before mentioning a
few homegrown favourites, like several varieties of maple, poplar burl,
Sitka spruce, and red cedar.
While that’s been a key differentiator for Prestige since the begin-
ning, Kurkdjian notes they – like the wider guitar industry – benefitted
from the forced experimentation with new varieties following CITES’
restrictions on rosewood first implemented in 2017. (Instrument manu-
facturers were eventually exempted from those restrictions in late 2019.)
“In my opinion, it sort of revitalized the industry by introducing
options for musicians to connect with a particular guitar that is new
and fresh in an otherwise classic aesthetic,” he enthuses. “In addition
to classic, time-honoured wood and finish combinations, we started
offering some incredibly exotic choices on our Premier series guitars.
My favourite of late has been the flame Bastogne Walnut top Premier
Heritage Hollow, which we recently showcased at The 2020 NAMM
Show. The response has been great and we’ll continue showcasing this
wood throughout our line in the coming year.”
But while premium tonewoods are at the core of Prestige’s approach
to design and construction, they’re far from the only consideration.
Over the years, Prestige has forged solid partnerships with Seymour
Duncan, TV Jones, Bigsby, TonePros, Fishman, and other renowned
North American part and component producers, ensuring every piece
of every instrument meets their stringent internal standards.
The company continues to innovate and expand its line-up,
recently unveiling the DC Coupe, Troubadour, and Antistar series
while also refining its acoustic and bass guitar offerings.
Among the countless guitarists around the world benefitting
from those efforts are some high-profile endorsers who’ve worked
with Prestige on their own signature models: prog rock legend Devin
Townsend, Shinedown bassist Eric Bass, and guitarists Todd “Dam-
mit” Kerns (Slash, Age of Electric, Toque) and Cory Churko (Shania
Twain, Kelly Clarkson, Toque). And though Kurkdjian and his
colleagues are proud to have such respected ambassadors representing
them, he says the company welcomes input from any of their players,
dealers, and fans along the way.
“Being connected to our audience at every step has been para-
mount to our growth and success,” he proudly touts. That’s exem-
(L-R) PRESTIGE GUITARS’ JADEN NYBERG & MIKE KURKDJIAN, GUI-
TARIST DEVIN TOWNSEND & PRESTIGE’S CHRIS LEMKY
plified with a quick look at the company’s social media pages, which
boast some pretty impressive numbers, though Kurkdjian and his
team are more concerned with community engagement that quantity.
“We have dedicated staff who continue to outdo themselves in
creating engaging posts with dynamic photos and videos across our
platforms,” he says. “Our online marketing has been a great avenue to
connect with fans while also promoting our dealers, brand ambassa-
dors, and featured guitars.”
Prestige has worked hard to grow its international dealer network in
recent years, and Kurkdjian has no plans to slow down on that front.
“Our goal is to continue strengthening our dealer network and
overall brand presence in the marketplace,” he says. “Strangely, our
presence at Canadian retailers has not been as strong as it has inter-
nationally. We hope to improve on that for 2020 by increasing our
domestic marketing and by offering strong dealer incentives.”
He points to the successful partnerships they’ve established thus
far as an example of how a collaborative, supportive approach leads
to shared rewards. “We work closely with every dealer to support
them as part of the family,” he says. “We enjoy hosting in-store dealer
events, brand launch performances, and clinics to show our appre-
ciation and offer sales support for a strong partnership. We feel this
type of engagement is great for brand awareness, but it also rallies the
community around the retailers and Prestige.”
Something that might sweeten the pot for potential dealers
seeking a respected and unique boutique brand specializing in the
low four-figure price range is Prestige’s new custom paint shop. For
an added cost, dealers and customers can order any of the company’s
production guitars with any desired colour scheme or design – “from
a paisley lace finish to a ’67 GT racing finish,” Kurkdjian offers. “If
you can dream it, we can accommodate.”
By continuing to serve musicians in tandem with a growing
dealer network, Prestige Guitars is poised to put more instruments
into the hands of discerning players around the world, and with every
new convert, the brand grows bigger, stronger, and fittingly, more
prestigious.
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Music Trade.
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 17