SLO County man found guitars with ‘holy grail’ sound. Now he’s selling part of collection

A San Luis Obispo County man is sharing his love of guitars that blend elements of acoustic and electric musical instruments in a new online business, Hybrid Guitar World.

On the site, Cambria resident Johan Carlisle, a guitarist, performer and passionate hybrid guitar fan, is selling the high-tech instruments — including some from his carefully curated collection.

Hybrid guitars, which usually feature wooden bodies and steel springs, allow players to “switch between a traditional electric guitar sound and an amplified acoustic tone,” according to Reverb magazine.

That versatility is what makes them desirable, Carlisle explained.

As of July 6, he had listed about a dozen hybrid guitars for sale, ranging from a vividly royal blue Michael Kelly Hybrid Port 60 for $550 to a rare, $1,650 Parker Nitefly Swamp Ash guitar.

In addition to hybrid guitars, he plans to buy, sell and trade accessories such as amplifiers, preamps, pedals and recording equipment.

How Cambria man became a fan of hybrid guitars

Hybrid Guitar World’s founder began playing guitar at the age of 12. He was part of a folk group duo at 14, and, two years later, he joined a rock cover band.

“I played wherever I could, street corners, coffeehouses, for myself. Wherever and whenever I could,” Carlisle said.

Music changed his life, he said.

“For a man in our society to be emotional in public then was very hard,” Carlisle said, “but if you could sing a ballad around a campfire, you could even cry in public.”

In the early 2000s, he said, “I started exploring a sub-genre of guitars … looking for the ‘holy grail’ tone.”

Carlisle eventually found what he was seeking in hybrids, which he described as “guitars with preamp and electric, three-dimensional audio space that can change.”

“Only a hybrid allows the musician to switch genres in mid-number, from out of the mellower sounds from an electric pickup to brittle, sharp sounds of an acoustic pickup — or blend the two signals together,” Carlisle said.

“Now, you’re dealing with a full range sound when your pick or fingernail hits the string,” he said. “A hybrid guitar is the best of both worlds at the flip of a switch.”

Through the Hybrid Guitar World website, “I can share what I’ve learned and help popularize these guitars,” he said, while selling some of them and then buying others for his own collection.

Guitar Bazaar in the works in SLO

Carlisle hopes to soon start hosting Guitar Bazaar events at which people can learn about, hear, buy, sell and trade hybrid guitars.

He’s inviting guitarists to come and perform at the monthly get-togethers, which will be a blend of specialized swap meet, jam session and social gathering for guitar enthusiasts, sellers and buyers.

He’s tentatively scheduled the first Guitar Bazaar for Aug. 12.

Those who would like to participate are encouraged to call Carlisle at 805-203-5564 or email him at johan@hybridguitarworld.com.

For more information about Hybrid Guitar World, visit hybridguitarworld.com.

Kathe Tanner

The Tribune

805-781-7904 (voicemails only)

Kathe Tanner has been writing about the people and places of SLO County’s North Coast since 1981, first as a columnist and then also as a reporter. Her career has included stints as a bakery owner, public relations director, radio host, trail guide and jewelry designer. She has been a resident of Cambria for more than four decades, and if it’s happening in town, Kathe knows about it.