10/02/2026
Now is Always a Good Time for a New Guitar
Some thoughts from Mark Hiebert (aka The Other Mark)
Really, any guitarist will likely agree: Now is a good time for a new guitar. May not be convenient, but it would be good, wouldn’t it? I learned that during my first few encounters with Mark Waldrop at Guitar Tex.
By the end of 2013 the world seemed somehow both topsy-turvy and surprisingly clear for me. I’d just made the move to San Antonio after better than a decade in Houston, after the conclusion of a marriage, and with the aim of making more affirming life for myself. It was a convoluted year, but my little slice of San Antonio felt like home.
Guitar Tex was among the first places I encountered. As a guitarist and customer, walking into the shop was rather revelatory. Waldrop and his colleagues John Ramirez and Gus Wanner were some of the first folks I met and got to know. They created an experience that was welcoming, surprising, entertaining, and educational -- a far more convivial vibe than any other music shop I’ve encountered. I learned something in each conversation became a better guitarist for their kindness, generosity, and wisdom. Also made some fine and fun upgrades in my assortment of instruments, too.
Of course, if you’re reading this, then you’ve probably experienced something similar. I’ve lost count of the stories from customers who experienced the shop in the same manner as me, and it holds true for all of us on the staff, too. When Mark Waldrop opened Guitar Tex in 1999 he created something unique and special, and the goal is to keep that going.
Waldrop continues to guide us, and the staff has grown over the last few years. Our Luthier Logan Mask and Senior Technician John Bierman lead our instrument repair work, with Roberto Granado, David Katakolis, and Connor Montoya serving as technicians (though Connor is on a leave of absence to attend the Roberto Venn School of Lutherie). Lucas Carillo and I lead the sales and marketing efforts.
Waldrop has stories from his time in New York City, walking into shops that were crammed with all manner of magical instruments and characters. Inventory-wise, we’re on par with that robustness of available guitars, and we continue to concentrate on finding, commissioning, and bringing in instruments that are unique and of unrivaled quality. And we continue to strive to do the best repair and maintenance work possible for the community of Texas musicians.
So we’re here as long as you want us, and we’d like that to be enduring far beyond the foreseeable future. That said, the math doesn’t work without your support. We’re grateful for the customers and friends who continue to support this shop and our work; likewise, we’re grateful for the new customers and friends who are just learning about the shop and what we offer. And if there are things we need to be doing better, then we want to hear about it.
Yes, the world may be nuts, but wouldn’t a new guitar make it at least a little better?
