Meet Your Maker is Performer’s monthly column where we get to know the people behind your favorite brands. This month our guest is Evan Rubinson, CEO of Dean and Luna Guitars.
How long has Luna been in business?
Luna celebrates 15 years this year!
How did Luna Guitars get started?
In 2005, Luna Guitars was launched by my father, Elliott Rubinson, as a primarily acoustic-oriented guitar brand, with a stained-glass influence embodied within its aesthetic. Throughout the early years, Luna models featured artwork from well-known graphic and tattoo artists, heavily inspired by nature scenes and Henna designs, among other patterns. All of this came with a goal in mind to place a unique touch on an already mainstream instrument. Luna Guitars were built with slimmer necks and lighter bodies, keeping the female guitar-player, traveling guitar player, and acoustic aficionado in mind by offering a comfortable alternative to other guitars in the marketplace. As time has progressed, we have expanded the line to include a multitude of product offerings including ukuleles, bluegrass and percussion, which has helped diversify our audience and demographic.
What are your most popular models?
Many will recognize the Luna brand with the Tattoo Concert Mahogany ukulele, which features a laser-etched tattoo design on top of a concert body. Another popular ukulele is the High Tide Koa Concert, which takes its inspiration from the full moon, which begins at the first fret with a pearl dot and causes the abalone wave fret markers below it to “rise” as they make their way up the fretboard towards the moon’s pull. On the guitar side, the Vista Deer model is our most popular acoustic from the Vista Series, which features a portrait of animals in their natural landscapes, depicted by using a variety of tropical woods across the body of the guitar.
Luna Vista Wolf
What sets you apart from other brands?
From pioneering the use of laser-etching to form designs, to creative artwork made of abalone, and utilizing different tropical woods to create landscapes, the goal was to encourage uniqueness and excel in our craft. It was this type of creative thinking that landed many of our instruments in recording studios, on stages and in the stores of many trusted retailers across the globe.
What are some of your coolest features?
To understand the thought-process behind Luna instruments is to understand and appreciate world culture, nature and art. This is most evidently displayed in the delicate, abalone inlay work of the High Tide series, the tropical wood selection which creates a palpable scenery within the Vista Series, as well as the unique renderings of tattoo artists, stained-glass artists, and Henna laser-etched artist designs. Our high-end offerings come complete with Fishman electronics, and all Safari travel guitars, as well as most ukulele offerings, include a road-worthy gig bag.
Have you learned any lessons from your time with Luna?
The biggest lesson learned – by far – from building instruments and running a business is that growth can be challenging, but perseverance and precision will always reign king. Ed Macauley said it best: “When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him, he will win.” That’s the motto my team and I like to live by when building instruments.
What do you want musicians to think of when they think of Luna?
As a lifestyle brand, Luna promotes happiness through adventure, learning new things and channeling your inner creativity. The idea is to choose an instrument that inspires you to think above and beyond and perform like no one is watching. We offer instruments that meet the needs of our beginner players, experienced musicians and support singer-songwriters along their tough but rewarding journey. We’re designed by artists for artists.
Learn more at www.LunaGuitars.com and follow on Instagram @LunaGuitar