Klos Guitars The art of making indestructible instruments By M. Shane Richin
K
los guitars, Utah’s only large-scale guitar manufacturing facility, is
internationally distributed, but reflects the rugged adventure found from the mountains to the deserts of our Utah landscape. For those who want to marry the adventure to the art within themselves,
that can tag along with the world explorer.
there are really two instruments that
Ian Klosowiak who, along with his brother
stand out as mascots for life out in the
Adam Klosowiak, founded Klos, put it this
world — the guitar and the ukulele. If
way: “We wanted our guitars to be a piece
you pull out a ukulele around a campfire
of gear. Your wood guitar is a piece of art
and start singing Smash Mouth’s All Star,
that you want to protect. We want you to
you’re likely to get a round of off-key
throw our guitar in the trunk with your
social bonding.
other adventure gear and not worry if it
If you’re couch surfing across the nation and you pull out a guitar in the
can handle the trip.” Ian is soft spoken, but you can tell
apartment of some new friends, someone
he knows the lifestyle his guitars are
will want to show you their rendition of
meant for firsthand. His experience
Wonderwall or Stairway to Heaven. These
with adventure has clearly been drawn
sorts of memories are branded into our
upon when designing the patented
minds, and stories are banked for later
features of the guitar, but it also spawned
withdrawal in our sunset years.
another local Utah business from the two
If a traveler has an instrument, it is
brothers: www.skillboardusa.com. Skill
likely to be a guitar or ukulele, but it’s
Board is a core strengthening balance
also likely to be in rough shape as a
board for extreme sport training.
consequence of the traveling lifestyle.
In the promotional videos for their
Even if you can afford to travel first class
guitars and ukuleles, the brothers drop
on an airplane, the baggage handlers
cinder blocks on their instruments
probably don’t hold the same reverence
and drive over them with a car. What
for your instrument that you do.
makes them so durable is carbon fiber
The folks at Klos aren’t just making another guitar. They are making a guitar
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construction. Ian noticed that the mountain biking world had embraced
