Jake Dewar
All projects

Dewar Guitars

Marketing and application site for Dewar Guitars, my father's luthier shop in Massachusetts. The shop produces 12 instruments a year.

dewarguitars.com
Role
Brand & Website Designer / Developer
Timeline
2024 – Present
Built with
Next.js · TypeScript · Tailwind CSS · Vercel

The problem

Dewar Guitars had no real web presence. Sales ran through word of mouth, which capped reach and made the shop harder to find than the work warranted. Prospective buyers had no way to see the current collection or understand how the build process works.

The design direction

I designed and built a site focused on the instruments and the application flow. The layout leans on photography and short copy. A guided application replaces a standard checkout, which fits the shop's limited annual production better than a typical e-commerce flow.

Decision process

How the design took shape

Each choice follows the same path: identify the signal, make a focused decision, and be explicit about what that decision leaves out.

  1. 01

    Should a guitar be bought or applied for?

    Signal
    The shop makes only 12 instruments a year, so a conventional cart would imply inventory and immediacy the business cannot offer.
    Decision
    Replace checkout with a guided application that starts a conversation about fit and availability.
    Tradeoff
    The path is slower than one-click commerce, but it matches the scarcity and personal nature of each build.
  2. 02

    What should carry the brand?

    Signal
    The physical instruments already contain the strongest evidence of the shop's taste and workmanship.
    Decision
    Let large-format photography lead, supported by restrained typography and short copy.
    Tradeoff
    The design depends on a smaller set of strong images rather than using dense marketing copy to explain every detail.
  3. 03

    What does a prospective buyer need before reaching out?

    Signal
    Word of mouth created interest, but left the build process and current collection invisible to someone discovering the shop online.
    Decision
    Pair the available instruments with a clear account of how each guitar is made.
    Tradeoff
    The site prioritizes confidence and understanding over a broad catalog or frequent promotional content.

What shipped

  • Designed and built end-to-end in Next.js, deployed on Vercel
  • Photography-led layout with a restrained visual identity
  • Application flow in place of a standard checkout
  • Sections covering the build process behind each guitar
  • Ongoing updates as new instruments are completed