The story of Solace Instruments is profoundly shaped by a remarkable lineage of master luthiers. Our founder, Dave Pauling's path, is intrinsically linked to Vincenzo Trusiano Panormo and his son, Louis Panormo (1784-1862). Louis was a celebrated English luthier, a pioneer, and renowned for adopting the Spanish style of guitar making.

In an extraordinary twist of fate, Louis Panormo emigrated and spent his final years in Orua Bay, New Zealand, not far from where Solace Instruments are crafted today. This powerful ancestral connection, stretching from 17th-century Italian shores through 18th-century London workshops to the coast of Aotearoa, provides a deep-rooted inspiration. It fuels Dave's innate desire to create distinguished instruments, directly linking his modern craft to a storied past of artisan electric guitar making.