From Farm to Fretboard: Luke Bryan Turns Tennessee Walnut Into a Guitar Worth Waiting a Decade For

In a business that often rushes the moment, this one took ten years, and that’s exactly the point.

Luke Bryan with Bourgeois Guitar | Photo By Katie Kauss

Today, Bourgeois Guitars has officially unveiled the Luke Bryan Signature Series, a pair of acoustic guitars that feel less like merchandise and more like a memoir carved in wood. According to the press release, the guitars are built from black walnut harvested on Bryan’s own Tennessee farm and shaped by the hands of legendary luthier Dana Bourgeois. The collaboration is rooted in patience, friendship, and an almost stubborn belief that great things should never be hurried.

This story doesn’t begin in a factory or a boardroom. It begins with a simple question.

More than a decade ago, Bryan asked Bourgeois whether black walnut, long admired for its beauty but often debated as a tonewood could hold its own in an acoustic guitar. Bourgeois didn’t hesitate. “Heck yeah,” he told him. That answer set off a chain of events that would eventually turn Flint Rock Farms walnut trees into instruments designed to last a lifetime.

Bryan invited Bourgeois to his property, where the two walked the land together, tagging trees and talking music. After the logs were milled, Bourgeois personally selected boards, then did something increasingly rare in modern instrument-making: he waited. The walnut cured in Bourgeois’ Maine workshop for ten years, quietly aging, until it was ready to sing.

Now, it finally does.

A Limited Edition With Deep Roots

The crown jewel of the release is the Luke Bryan Signature Limited Edition, restricted to just 30 guitars worldwide. Each instrument is handcrafted in Lewiston, Maine, built as a short-scale slope-shouldered dreadnought and made with black walnut sourced directly from Bryan’s farm for the back and sides. The top is torrefied Maine Adirondack spruce, chosen for its power, clarity, and lived-in warmth.

Walnut’s calling card, a punchy, sparkling midrange shines here, delivering a voice that feels bold without being brash, refined without losing grit. It’s a sound that mirrors Bryan himself: polished, but grounded.

The visual details are just as personal. A custom antler inlay runs across the fingerboard, a nod to Bryan’s lifelong love of hunting. The ebony headstock bears the Flint Rock Farms emblem, and Bourgeois’ signature sunburst finish ties the entire story together, from Tennessee soil to Maine craftsmanship.

Each guitar is individually numbered and personally signed by Bryan, making every piece not just rare, but unmistakably his.

“These instruments began as trees on Luke’s farm,” Bourgeois said in a statement. “Now, after a managed harvest, Luke’s walnut will live on in the hands of players around the world.”

Opening the Door: The Touchstone Edition

While the Limited Edition is destined for collectors, Bourgeois and Bryan were equally intent on creating something accessible. Enter the Luke Bryan Touchstone Edition, a companion model inspired directly by its Lewiston-built counterpart.

Designed to closely mirror the look and feel of the Limited Edition, the Touchstone features a torrefied Sitka spruce top hand-voiced in Maine, Eastern black walnut back and sides sourced from multiple locations, and a ziricote fingerboard and bridge. The exclusive antler inlay remains, preserving the soul of the original at a more approachable price point.

Side by side, the two guitars tell the same story, one bespoke and deeply personal, the other meant to be played on porches, stages, and songwriting stools everywhere.

More Than a Signature

In an era when “signature model” can feel like a shortcut, this collaboration refuses to take one. It’s slow by design. Intentional by nature. And unmistakably authentic.

From a ridge overlooking Bryan’s Tennessee farm to the workbenches of Bourgeois’ Maine workshop, the Luke Bryan Signature Series is a rare convergence of place, story, and craft. It’s a reminder that the best instruments and the best songs come from knowing where you came from and honoring it every step of the way.

The Luke Bryan Signature Limited Edition is available through select Bourgeois Authorized Dealers worldwide. The Touchstone Edition is available via Luke Bryan’s website and through select dealers.

For full specifications, photos, and purchasing details, visit bourgeoisguitars.com.