About Us

Simply put, the namesake is my son, Jett. I wanted to build something he could carry on—a legacy, if he chooses.

I’m JR Heaps. Over four decades I’ve worked across many trades: general contracting, woodworking, sound engineering, consulting, design, distilling, and more. It took time to find what really drives me. Curating woods, shaping tone, and crafting instruments became the work I couldn’t stop thinking about. Funny as it sounds, I love building guitars even more than playing them.

What pushed me to start Jett Austin Guitars was seeing big companies charge thousands for “custom” instruments that didn’t stand behind the price. I wanted something different—guitars made with care, honesty, and real value. When you buy from us, your money supports a family business, not a global corporation’s bottom line.

Every guitar is proudly built in my shop in York County, PA.