Custom Electric Guitars, Built to Be Played
At Borealis Custom Guitars, we build electric guitars that feel alive in your hands. From bold, one-off builds to fully custom commissions, every instrument we make is shaped by curiosity, patience, and a genuine love for playing guitar.
Just two friends in a Maine workshop, building guitars we’d want to play ourselves.
Meet John & Clay
Borealis Custom Guitars is built by John Porterfield and Clay Hawks — two friends who bonded over music, woodworking, and a shared appreciation for great guitars. Both of us work regular day jobs, but when the workday ends, the shop lights come on.
Between us, we bring decades of playing experience, a background in the trades, and a lot of hands-on time building, finishing, and dialing in instruments. We started building guitars because we were curious, and kept going because the results felt right in our hands.
The name Borealis came after a late-night build session, when we stepped outside and watched the aurora borealis light up the sky. That moment stuck. The sense of wonder, natural beauty, and surprise you feel looking up at the northern lights is the same feeling we try to build into every guitar.
What We Build
Prebuilt Guitars
Our prebuilt electric guitars are one-of-a-kind instruments we design and build from scratch. No duplicates, no production runs. If one speaks to you, it’s ready to play.
Full Custom Builds
If you want something built specifically for you, we offer full custom guitars. Some players come in with detailed specs. Others just have a sound or a feel in mind. We’re happy to work either way.
Featured guitars
Each Borealis guitar is a one-off build shaped by the wood, the design, and the moment it was made. Here are a few instruments that represent what we’re currently building.
More Coming soon
We’re still early in the journey. More guitars, build photos, and behind-the-scenes looks at our process are on the way. If you catch us at a show, stop by and say hello — we’re always happy to talk guitars.
Contact Us
Interested in an available guitar? Thinking about a custom build? Or just want to talk shop? Reach out — we’d love to hear from you.