1921 – 1999
John Roberts began his guitar making adventure in the jungles of Nicaragua, as an executive pilot for Robinson Lumber Company in the 1960’s. With the dream of building a yacht he enlisted the help of the native Mikito people to gather a large supply of rosewood and mahogany. When his wife Dottie developed eye problems they decided to return to the states, and John shipped the wood to Phoenix, Arizona, to start an import hardwood business. Local guitar makers Carl Samuels and Ron Carriveau discovered John and convinced him that he should be making guitars with this beautiful and rare wood. His new friends taught him the acoustic guitar making art, which he soon began passing along to others through his new business venture, Juan Roberto Guitar Works. The idea for a guitar making school evolved out of this apprenticeship cooperative.