King of the Kustomizers

It’s CARS and GUITARS man!

That’s the way I have to describe the music recorded and put together for this unique disk. But first, let me rewind and tell you a little about how this hot rod guitar music came about.


Hallmark Guitars was founded by Joe Hall in 1965 in Bakersfield California shortly after the British invasion hit and electric guitars were in huge demand. The companies very first offering was named the "Swept-Wing", looking somewhat like the “scoop”-shaped side panel of a vintage car. Its silhouette conjures up a vague but definite allusion to the custom cars made for television series of the mid-‘60s.

I took over the operation about 10 years ago, and in the spirit of the original models, introduced more and more, custom guitar lines, even one of kind pieces for guitar enthusiasts such as The Neanderthals "Rock N Bones" guitars, and many others. Having guitars to impress the girls and enthusiasts in my book is what its all about! After all, why do you think they call it SHOW business? Having a passion for creating a car or guitar that has something really unique to offer, and visual separation from the rest of the pack is what defines Kustom!

I grew up attending the Rod and Custom car events as a young boy thinking those custom 60’s show cars were the baddest, coolest things in the world. Those show cars were really larger than life, and standing in line for however long it took to get a close glimpse was never a problem for me.

One day several years ago, I was reading a book I purchased called "Barris TV And Movie Cars". The book features a lot of the knock out cars designed and built by George Barris which were seen on the silver screen and tv sets throughout my youth. I could not get out of the book. Then I started to think how custom guitar and custom car builders are in a sense very much related.

Our creations use strings, and theirs use wheels, but when you get to the soul and raw sense of it, you are custom builders with no rules, whose creations are an individual expression of artists' vision and passion for the wild.

Then a light went off in my head. I immediately called Barris Kustom............fast forward.


Since that phone call Hallmark Guitars have delivered Barris endorsed products that have surprised and pleased car and guitar fans all over the world!

From the legends of rockabilly “The Collins Kids” with a brand new remake of “Hot Rod” to new breakout solo tunes by the one and only fire blazing "Larry Collins", to one of the greatest guitar arrivals and entertainers to hit the scene,"Deke Dickerson" who wrote and performed the "King of the Kustomizers" “Barris Theme” song, to many more revved up guitar tones and original hot rod car tunes.

It is my pleasure and honor to bring you some of the worlds finest artists who play our unique Hallmark brand guitars.

This CD disk is a tribute to the undisputed Kustom King himself, "George Barris" whom without, my youth would not be nearly as interesting and exciting!

Thank you for your interest, and please let us know if we can help YOU with a custom guitar of your own.

Keep it chromed,


Bob Shade/ Hallmark Guitars USA