Support the Life and Legacy of James Tyler

It is with great sadness that we share the death on August 29, 2024, of James Lee Tyler, founder of James Tyler Guitars in Los Angeles, California in 1972. James passed away peacefully in his home with family by his side after a long and valiant battle with interstitial lung disease. He was 72.

In his fifty-plus years as a guitar maker, James was a titan in the industry who helped shape the L.A. Studio Sound of the 1980’s and was one of the first to strike out with his own (controversial) trademark headstock. His portfolio of clients was driven almost exclusively by word of mouth and spans across all musical genres. His combined studies of architecture, design, photography as well as his training as a high performance auto mechanic gave him meticulous skill and conceptual ingenuity. His success and popularity grew due to his tenacious commitment to achieving the exact sound, look, and feel of what a customer wanted. He was a true artist and craftsman in every sense.

Since officially retiring from day-to-day operations in 2022, James continued to develop new concepts and products for James Tyler Guitars and set the course for the future of the company. He established the commitment to excellence and built the loyal community that will continue to be the ethos and legacy for years to come. Sarah Tyler, Rich Renken, Ian (Xingang Yan) and the current talented team at Tyler Guitars look forward to sharing more about these future releases and keeping his legacy alive.

Jim was a loving father and man of faith who equipped his daughters to be capable, strong women and always challenged us to do and be better. Our earliest memories are of our dad at the workbench, pounding frets and dialing in the action of his guitars while letting us play and build with wood scraps and copper tape. As we grew, he invested countless hours training and refining our skills for our first jobs wiring pickguards, winding pickups, polishing and shipping, and serving as the customer service team. We’re grateful to carry him forward in our hearts and hands.

To honor the generosity of spirit of our father, we will be creating the James Tyler Guitars Foundation to support current and future generations of musicians. In lieu of flowers/gifts, we gratefully ask that individuals consider contributing to the establishment of the foundation. Memorial services will be announced at a future date.

We are grateful for all of Jim’s friends and customers who made his life so rich and fulfilling.

Sarah Tyler (JTG employee 1987-present)

Jessica (Tyler) Truelyt-Knox (JTG employee 1981-2012)