Photos by Machmer Media.
CSU music professor opens a boutique guitar shop out of his Fort Collins home
Jeff LaQuatra has long dreamed of owning a guitar store, but not the kind you’d find in a strip mall. As a lifelong musician, he’s always been fascinated by high-end, handmade guitars and the nuances that make them one of a kind. But those instruments were nowhere to be found in his city of Fort Collins or even the greater Northern Colorado region. So he brought them here.
“Fort Collins boasts being this music-centric, arts-oriented community, but the only offering we have is a huge conglomerate guitar store,” says LaQuatra, a senior instructor of music at CSU whose classes include guitar for music therapy majors and history of rock and roll. “If I’m able to help someone find exactly what they want, whether it’s the professional player, the collector or the novice hobbyist, then that’s what makes me happy.”
LaQuatra first picked up a guitar at age 7 and has spent his life performing as a classical guitarist and member of several groups, including the Denver-based ’70s tribute band, Mr. Majestyk’s 8-Track Revival. He knew from an early age that guitar was his calling, and now, after decades of performing and teaching at the college level, he’s excited to expand his repertoire to include retail.
“It’s rare to have a shop offering these instruments that’s owned by someone who has been doing this their whole life and is a professional musician,” he says. “I come to it with a unique perspective and a lot of experience.”
Dan Smocke Legacy Archtop – “The Milwaukeean”
Handcrafted instruments
Earlier this month LaQuatra opened his online shop, Majestyk Guitars of Fort Collins, bringing handmade guitars from some of the world’s top luthiers into his home. His inventory ranges from classical guitars to electric guitars and everything in between, encompassing all the styles he plays and loves. He works closely with each guitar maker to design the different instruments, weighing in on everything from the strings to the type of wood used.
“What a great guitar is to one person could be completely different to another person in terms of the look and sound,” he says. “I’m not designing the guitars I want; I’m designing the guitars I think other people will want. But there are already a few I’ve gotten that I’ve told my wife about, like, ‘I really hope no one buys that because, boy, I love that guitar.'”
Each instrument is made by a single luthier or small independent shop instead of in a factory, which means better quality control, LaQuatra says. He’s met many of the guitar makers himself, either through professional connections or conventions such as the NAMM Show, which is put on by the National Association of Music Merchants and gathers makers to show off their latest designs. At this year’s NAMM Show, LaQuatra met several guitar makers whose instruments he now carries. Most of his guitars are made in the U.S., though he also has guitar builders in Israel, Argentina and Italy.
“I’m excited about building relationships with the luthiers as well as being able to offer 100-percent unique instruments,” he says. “Having a personal relationship with them makes a big difference.”
Anyone interested in LaQuatra’s guitars can schedule an appointment to go play the instruments at his home before making a purchase, and those who aren’t local can schedule a video call with him so he can give them a demonstration. LaQuatra loves the opportunity to share his knowledge and “geek out” over what makes, say, an archtop guitar different from a standard acoustic guitar. At a price point of several thousands of dollars, there is lots to talk about.
“It’s the same when you’re buying anything,” LaQuatra says. “If you’re going to buy outdoor gear, you want to go somewhere where the person you’re buying from does that activity. Whether it’s a fishing rod or a pair of boots or a kayak, you want someone who can say, ‘I’ve been in that kayak. I can tell you this is great.'”
Paoletti 112 Loft – Made in Italy
Sharing stories
In addition to opening Majestyk Guitars of Fort Collins, LaQuatra recently launched The Majestyk Guitars Podcast to give listeners the chance to hear from professional musicians he knows as well as the luthiers who make his instruments. It’s an idea that arose when LaQuatra and his wife were out to breakfast with friends.
“Because of Jeff’s experience being in bands and doing solo projects practically his whole life, he has amazing stories from concerts and performances he’s been in,” says friend David Starck. “We were like, ‘How can you leverage those stories and tie it into the business?'”
Starck has known LaQuatra for more than a decade and is a part of many of those stories as his former bandmate and band manager. He strongly encouraged LaQuatra to start the podcast and is excited to see where it will lead.
“Jeff knows a lot of really cool people in the industry,” Starck says, “so the podcast is an opportunity to stay connected and let others know that it’s not just about the guitars that he’s selling but the relationships, unique perspective and stories.”
LaQuatra’s first podcast guests are a rock musician and songwriter from Tennessee and a Grammy award-winning classical guitarist. He’s also interviewed the musician who inspired him at a young age to become a guitar player. The Majestyk Guitars Podcast is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other streaming services.
“I want it to be equal parts informative and entertaining and really get to the human side of the guests,” LaQuatra says. “I’ve listened to some podcasts that are very technical oriented, and even if I’m into the subject, sometimes I find myself drifting. I want this to be something that is fun.”
Paoletti – Terry Reid Signature tele
Community support
Even before LaQuatra opened Majestyk Guitars of Fort Collins, word spread quickly among other guitarists, he says. Many fellow music instructors and gigging musicians have shown interest in his guitars, so much so that he’d sold three instruments by the time he’d opened up shop.
“I’m touched by the amount of support and encouragement I’ve been getting,” he says. “It’s unbelievable.”
LaQuatra’s biggest supporter is his wife, Michelle Stanley, who had performed with him for many years before the two became a couple. Stanley, a professional flutist and the associate dean of undergraduate studies for CSU’s college of liberal arts, says LaQuatra is the perfect person to open a boutique guitar store.
“He’s an encyclopedia of rock and roll, and he’s an encyclopedia of classical music,” Stanley says. “You know those people who can tell you the baseball player who played second base for the Yankees in ’61? Jeff is like that with music.”
