03 Jun Changing of the Guards
(from left: Jeff Huss, Brian Dickel, Kimberly Dalton, Mark Dalton)
It is with mixed emotions and a sense of nostalgia that Huss & Dalton Guitar Company (H&D) announces the impending retirement of company co-founder, Jeff Huss. Together with business partner, Mark Dalton, Jeff began this journey over 25 years ago in his humble garage before quickly growing into one of the most respected leaders in the boutique guitar market. In conjunction with Jeff’s retirement H&D is pleased to announce that Brian Dickel, former bassist for The Steel Wheels, has partnered with Mark to continue the tradition of excellence and provide new energy and vision for the future.
Jeff’s humor, demeanor, and steady leadership will be missed. Not one to seek the spotlight, Jeff has remained behind the scenes quietly innovating guitar design and building techniques since those early days in his garage. If you’ve played a Huss & Dalton, you have most likely played on a Huss neck. Having carved nearly every one of the 5,500+ necks to perfection, it is just one of the tasks that Jeff has quietly attended to with a desire to figure out solutions to the many challenges presented daily. Jeff will continue working at H&D during this transition and has made himself available for consultation in the future to ensure the legacy and craftsmanship that you have come to expect remains high.
Brian Dickel began working at Huss & Dalton in 2000 and continued as production manager for over 10 years. During that time, he took a leadership role in the day-to-day operations and kept the shop running smoothly. Never one to shy away from the challenges of guitar building, he quickly moved into fretting and final setups to ensure that each instrument was flawless. Ownership of Huss & Dalton was always in the conversation but around 2010 Brian’s music career with The Steel Wheels began to take off and the difficult decision was made to leave H&D to tour full time. Ten years later, as touring ceased during Covid restrictions, the opportunity to return to H&D began to take shape during the Summer of 2020. Discussions were had and decisions made and the partnership between Mark and Brian solidified in the Spring of 2021. They are excited about the continuing success of the company and the skill sets each bring to the table. It is a partnership that has been in the making for over 20 years.
Our company name remains the same as do our fine team of luthiers. We appreciate your support through the years and into the future as we continue to build some of the finest acoustic and electric instruments in the world. Stay tuned as we begin the next exciting chapter of the Huss & Dalton story!