About Me
I was born in Ä°zmir, Turkey, and studied Computer Engineering at Ege University. I graduated in 1992, but I actually started designing and building electric and bass guitars even earlier—around 1990. So this has been a lifelong parallel path for me.
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Along the way, I’ve written two books in Turkish about electric guitars, amplifiers, and effect devices, and I’ve been contributing articles to music technology magazines for quite some time. Since 2009, I’ve written regularly for Sound magazine in Turkey, and since 2013, I’ve also been part of Sustain magazine in Berlin, where I focus on new music technologies, experimental instruments, and sound art.
Since 2014, I’ve been a support member of the European Guitar Builders association, which has been a really inspiring community. I gave two talks at the EGB symposium in 2016 — one on defining guitar quality through physical analysis, and another on how pickups shape tone.
So my journey is really a combination of engineering, design, and a deep fascination with sound—not just as function, but as form, as meaning.
Our Story
Ocek Guitars was born from a lifelong dialogue between sound, design, and cultural storytelling.
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While pursuing a successful international career in corporate leadership and engineering, Cem’s passion for instrument design never faded. He authored two pioneering books on electric guitar technologies in the 1990s, published articles in respected music technology journals, and led seminars for international luthiers across Europe.
Eventually, the voice of craftsmanship called louder. Ocek Guitars was founded as the culmination of decades of research, passion, and creative freedom — blending traditional Anatolian motifs, ancient mythology, modern engineering, and a Zen-like approach to design.
Today, each Ocek Guitar embodies this journey: where precision meets imperfection, where modern materials honor ancient echoes, and where every instrument tells a story.