We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeremy Sheppard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeremy below.

Alright, Jeremy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

🎸 Corporate America just doesn’t get it. 🎸

Big guitar companies and giant retailers are hell-bent on selling you more guitars, not better guitars. They’re pushing quantity over quality, flooding the market with guitars that look shiny but feel lifeless.

Look, owning a ton of mediocre guitars isn’t hard. Anyone with a credit card and 15 minutes can do it. But finding the guitar that truly resonates with your soul, the guitar you’ll pass down to your kids, that’s the hard part.

I see it all the time: players stuck with guitars that just aren’t right. And let me tell you, the wrong guitars can really hurt you—not just your music, but your relationships, your marriage, your life.

Here’s what happens:

❌ The wrong guitars: make you frustrated, restless, and disconnected. They create tension at home (“Did you really buy another guitar?!”). They stall your creativity and block your growth as a musician.

✅ The right guitars: inspire joy, passion, and genuine creativity. They enrich your relationships, bringing laughter and music into your home. The right guitar doesn’t just sound great—it helps you become more patient, generous, and kind. It makes you a better spouse, friend, and human being.

I had a friend who once filled his house with cheap guitars. His wife got tired of the clutter, and his playing never improved. Eventually, he sold almost all of them and invested in one extraordinary guitar. Not only did his playing blossom, but his marriage did too. He found himself happier, more fulfilled, and more present.

Don’t let corporate marketing trick you into chasing quantity.
Instead, seek out guitars with real soul. The ones that speak to you. Because the right guitar doesn’t just change your playing—it changes your life.

Jeremy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

🎸 Hey friends! I’m Jeremy Sheppard, better known as Jeremy the Guitar Hunter. 🎸

I’ve spent most of my life obsessed with guitars—not just collecting them, but finding the ones that truly matter, guitars that become part of your story. I got into this craft early, fueled by a passion that started in my teenage years, when a simple guitar changed the trajectory of my life.

Growing up in rural Virginia, guitars were my escape, my therapy, and eventually, my calling. Over the past two decades, I’ve traveled thousands of miles, bought and sold thousands of guitars, and learned firsthand that there’s a profound difference between just owning guitars and finding guitars worth owning.

Today, I help guitar players do something special: find guitars they’ll cherish forever. Through my YouTube channel, workshops, personal consultations, and my online courses, I empower musicians to choose guitars that genuinely enrich their lives.

Here’s what sets me apart:

🔎 I’m not just about guitars—I’m about people. I believe the right guitar helps you be the best version of yourself—more patient, generous, creative, and kind.

🔥 I solve a real problem: Too many players waste money and strain relationships chasing guitars that never truly satisfy. I help folks skip past years of trial and error, connecting them instead with instruments that become lifelong companions.

🎥 My storytelling approach resonates because it’s authentic. I share real stories and insights about how guitars transform lives, marriages, families, and communities. No fluff—just the truth.

I provide:

✅ Personalized guidance to help you discover guitars that inspire you.

✅ Educational content and workshops to build your confidence in finding, buying, and owning meaningful guitars.

✅ Honest, thoughtful, and practical advice, saving you from costly mistakes.

What I’m most proud of:
It’s not just that I’ve sold thousands of guitars—it’s that I’ve helped thousands of guitar players build a deeper, more joyful connection with their instruments. I get messages daily from players whose lives, marriages, and families improved because they finally found guitars that truly fit their story.

Here’s what I want you to know:
The right guitar isn’t about specs, brands, or price tags. It’s about how it makes you feel, how it brings out your creativity, and how it positively shapes your relationships and your character.

When you connect with me—whether through my videos, courses, or personally—I promise you’ll come away inspired and equipped to find a guitar you’ll love forever.

Because life’s too short for guitars that don’t matter. 🎸

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Absolutely. One of the toughest moments in my journey came when my family and I moved back to Virginia after living in Louisiana for a few years.

We’d been through a challenging season. I had started a guitar shop down south, pouring my heart, energy, and savings into building something special. But when the economy turned and foot traffic slowed down, we faced a painful decision: either keep struggling and risk everything, or close the doors and start fresh.

Choosing to close my shop was incredibly humbling. It felt like failure. But it also taught me something powerful about resilience.

Back in Virginia, instead of letting that setback define me, I leaned into the one thing I knew better than anyone else: guitars and the people who love them. Rather than opening another brick-and-mortar store, I started sharing stories, lessons, and guidance online. I embraced a new format, connecting with people all over the world, guiding them to guitars that brought real meaning and joy.

That tough season of closing my shop ultimately became the foundation of everything I do today. It showed me resilience isn’t about never failing—it’s about taking setbacks and turning them into something even more meaningful.

That experience changed my life and taught me a critical lesson I share with every guitar player I meet: The best guitars often come after your hardest moments.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Guitar Hunter began almost by accident. For years, I was the guy friends called when they needed advice on guitars. On weekends or after work, I’d hunt down great guitars hidden in pawnshops, estate sales, and music stores. It was fun—a side hustle—but I never imagined it could be my career.

Then, after the setback of closing my guitar shop in Louisiana, my family moved back to Virginia, and I was searching for what came next. I still loved guitars deeply and knew I had something unique to offer. One afternoon, I turned on my camera and shared my experiences, my insights, and stories about guitars that mattered.

Slowly but surely, people started paying attention. Emails trickled in from players asking for guidance, for help finding guitars they could truly love. Soon, those trickles became a stream, and my little side hobby evolved into something bigger than I expected.

I started creating videos regularly, not just about the guitars themselves but about the deep human connections guitars inspire—the stories, the joy, the way the right guitar could genuinely transform someone’s life. People resonated with that honesty.

Before I knew it, Guitar Hunter became more than a channel—it was a community, and it grew fast. Eventually, I realized it was time to take the leap. I left my day job and poured all my energy into helping guitar players find instruments that genuinely matter.

It wasn’t always easy, but looking back, every struggle, every pivot, and every moment of uncertainty made Guitar Hunter stronger and clearer in its mission.

Today, Guitar Hunter is a thriving full-time gig because it’s never been just about guitars—it’s about people, relationships, and the stories we tell through the guitars we love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jeremytheguitarhunter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremytheguitarhunter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremytheguitarhunter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-sheppard-25850766/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/jeremysheppard

Image Credits

These photos were all taken by Jeremy Sheppard and all rights are reserved.