As Olivia Rodrigo kicked off her Unraveled Tour in support of her third album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” the internet had a lot to talk about, from her melting dress and flower-covered stage design to her custom-made pink heart-shaped guitar.
The guitar was built by Mexican-American guitar technician and luthier Luis Muñoz. Small repair shop in East Los Angeles
Originally from El Paso, Munoz moved to Los Angeles in 2009 and took guitar repair classes in Hollywood, hoping to find his way into the music industry.
Music was always with Munoz. He remembers discovering Slash after his family got cable television. Fascinated by the Guns N’ Roses guitarist, who attracted attention with his top hat and searing guitar solos in the videos for “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” on MTV’s Hot 100 music video countdown, Muñoz knew this was what he wanted to do.
He took his father’s old guitar and began learning to play, experimenting with strings and teaching himself along the way.
His first opportunity came as a guitar technician with singer-songwriter LP. Muñoz admits he overestimated his skills to get a foot in the door, but he was determined to seize the opportunity.
“Once you’re in, you’re in,” he said.
-
Share via:
Over the years, Muñoz has toured with artists like Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, Bush, Anthrax, Fall Out Boy, and his most recent touring gig was with Rodrigo after his wife, the pop star’s former bassist, told him she was looking for a new guitar tech.
Rodrigo’s heart-shaped guitar was another opportunity to show off his craftsmanship.
“I’m pretty sure Olivia was in the DMs of every guitar company in the world and she was still relying on a little shop in East Los Angeles,” Muñoz wrote on Instagram alongside photos of Rodrigo with the guitar.
“Five prototypes before we got the body right. It had to look great, be easy to play, be comfortable, and most of all sound good. It was done entirely by hand, late at night after shop hours.”
Muñoz recalled the moment Rodrigo’s team reached out to request a custom-made guitar. He knew he had only one chance to do it right: “In the back of my mind, I think, I only have one chance, and it has to be done with love.”
The guitar took several months to complete and was made entirely by hand. He then hinted that it was one on one for now. After Rodrigo shared the guitar with fans, Muñoz’s one-of-a-kind creation quickly became part of the tour’s visual identity—but for him, the importance went beyond the instrument itself.
Muñoz, who has now retired from touring to spend more time with his family, including his 18-month-old daughter Rosie, says moments like seeing young fans in the crowd are what stick with him.
“One of my favorite things about being on tour was seeing all the little girls lose their minds. The power of seeing that. They immediately think, ‘I can do that, too.'” Imagine me playing a small part in this, yes…all day.”