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The journey of this guitar began with a project to create a guitar for both my son and Kim Chang-wan 

of the band Sanullim.

I have been making classical guitars since 1998, crafting about three to five guitars a year, and I am still making them consistently. My connection with Kim Chang-wan dates back to more than ten years ago when we first met at a makgeolli bar near Hongdae in Seoul. 


At that time, I was teaching students at a university while also making classical guitars. Later, at Kim Chang-wan's request, I made an acoustic guitar for him, but it did not meet his expectations. After that, we occasionally greeted each other and met in the neighborhood.

The journey of this guitar began with a project to create a guitar for both my son and Kim Chang-wan of the band Sanullim.



I have been making classical guitars since 1998, crafting about three to five guitars a year, and I am still making them consistently. My connection with Kim Chang-wan dates back to more than ten years ago when we first met at a makgeolli bar near Hongdae in Seoul. 



At that time, I was teaching students at a university while also making classical guitars. Later, at Kim Chang-wan's request, I made an acoustic guitar for him, but it did not meet his expectations. After that, we occasionally greeted each other and met in the neighborhood.



When my son was in the third grade, I made an acoustic guitar for him, intending to teach him how to play. 



Even then, I couldn't shake off my lingering desire to make acoustic guitars. However, just because one makes classical guitars doesn't mean they can easily master making acoustic or electric guitars.


In the third grade, my son joined his school's band and wanted to play electric guitar. So, I bought him a custom IBANEZ guitar. But then, he asked me to make him his own electric guitar. So, I began searching for quality wood. Since 2020, I’ve been gathering old swamp ash, mahogany, quartersawn maple, and other fine woods.



One day, while buying a cake for my son's birthday, I ran into Kim Chang-wan again. Strangely enough, this chance meeting happened at 8:30 in the morning when I went to the bakery. Kim Chang-wan, whom I hadn't seen in a while, bought my son’s cake and 

asked how I had been. I told him that I was still making guitars and that I was planning to make an electric guitar for my son. During our conversation, it naturally came up that I would like to make a guitar for him as well.


To be honest, the idea of making an instrument that would satisfy an artist like him seemed quite audacious

Although I had been making classical guitars for a long time, creating an electric guitar was an entirely new adventure, as I mentioned earlier.


First, I was recommended a book called "Complete Guitar Wiring" by someone I know, and I read it. As expected, the United States, being the birthplace of the electric guitar, had a book that could teach you how to make one. This book explains all the electrical components of an electric guitar.


I then embarked on creating an instrument for an artist. The first thing I did was listen 


to all of Kim Chang-wan’s music. I also looked up the articles he wrote and his interviews. Studying the personality and musical preferences of the artist for whom you are making a guitar is extremely important.

When my son was in the third grade, I made an acoustic guitar for him, intending to teach him 

how to play. 


Even then, I couldn't shake off my lingering desire to make acoustic guitars. However, just because one makes classical guitars doesn't mean they can easily master making acoustic or electric guitars.


In the third grade, my son joined his school's band and wanted to play electric guitar. So, I bought him a custom IBANEZ guitar. But then, he asked me to make him his own electric guitar. So, I began searching for quality wood. Since 2020, I’ve been gathering old swamp ash, mahogany, quartersawn maple, and other fine woods.


One day, while buying a cake for my son's birthday, I ran into Kim Chang-wan again. Strangely enough, this chance meeting happened at 8:30 in the morning when I went to the bakery. Kim Chang-wan, whom I hadn't seen in a while, bought my son’s cake and 

asked how I had been. I told him that I was still making guitars and that I was planning to make an electric guitar for my son. During our conversation, it naturally came up that I would like to make a guitar for him as well.


To be honest, the idea of making an instrument that would satisfy an artist like him seemed quite audacious


Although I had been making classical guitars for a long time, creating an electric guitar was an entirely new adventure, as I mentioned earlier.

First, I was recommended a book called "Complete Guitar Wiring" by someone I know, and I read it. As expected, the United States, being the birthplace of the electric guitar, had a book that could teach you how to make one. This book explains all the electrical components of an electric guitar.

I then embarked on creating an instrument for an artist. The first thing I did was listen 

to all of Kim Chang-wan’s music. I also looked up the articles he wrote and his interviews. Studying the personality and musical preferences of the artist for whom you are making a guitar is extremely important.


In some ways, this can be seen 

as a kind of religious ritual.

For example, when a maker crafts an instrument for a renowned musician, 

they spend a lot of time talking to the musician. It's not just about discussing music

they meet often, talk frequently, and try to incorporate what the musician wants into

the instrument. 


When making classical guitars, there isn't a specific technique that allows you to precisely adjust the tone or clarity by tweaking certain parts. Instead, the instrument is made based on a general feel, existing forms, and technical practices. 


You can't magically imbue the instrument with the texture the musician desires.

However, I believe that through a kind of study and connection with the musician, 

some sort of wish or intent gets embedded into the instrument.


So, for this Kim Chang-wan project, I made eight instruments, and two of them were chosen by Kim Chang-wan. Fortunately, the artist was satisfied, so it was a success. More instruments will be made in the future.

   

The brand name HUEMAN was created by Kim Chang-wan. Among several brand name options, both Kim Chang-wan and my son simultaneously chose HUEMAN, and that’s how the name was brand


Going forward, the guitars will be made under two plans

the Analysis Project and the Progress Project.


The Analysis Projec involves reinterpreting traditional guitars like those in a modern way to create a series that stands out from the existing instruments.


The Progress Project focuses on recreating the sound of old guitars from the past.


DISTINCTION


The most distinctive features of our instruments lie in the top material and the pickups. Unlike traditional maple tops, our tops undergo a special fusion process that enhances both the dye and the strength. Even if scratched or dented, the color does not wear off because the entire top is colored all the way through, including the interior. 

These features offer a unique aesthetic experience compared to previous models.

We also manufacture our pickups in-house. Notably, the bobbins are made of wood, each one carefully carved by hand. This results in a significantly different sound compared to traditional plastic bobbins. Lastly, the bodies are made from high-quality woods such as swamp ash, mahogany, limba, and okoume, while the necks are crafted from quarter-sawn maple, curly maple, mahogany, and other premium woods.