First Came Guitars, Then Came Chickapig

John Matthews, staff writer

Brian Calhoun, the co-founder of Rockbridge Guitars Company and the creator of the board game Chickapig, is an easy-going, kind man who lives his life doing what he loves.

Calhoun has been building guitars for eighteen years. Though he made mandolins and violins at the beginning, Calhoun found more enjoyment in making guitars because he can play the instrument.

Calhoun co-founded Rockbridge Guitars Company, located just off the downtown mall, in 2002 with Randal Ray. Calhoun originally never planned on starting a guitar making business; it was just something he enjoyed doing.

“I like making things, and I liked music, was going to do as a hobby or side job,” said Calhoun. What started as a hobby has turned into a sixteen-year-old business with guitars in high demand. Rockbridge Guitars are played by not just local Charlottesville musicians, but that of well-known musicians like Dave Matthews, Keith Urban, Jason Mraz, and Warren Hayes.

“What makes them unique is they are unique,” stated Calhoun.  Not following the usual trend of replicating previous models, he focuses on making the guitars how he and Ray want to make them. The resulting instruments “end up with [their] own sound.”

Calhoun’s desires would continue on with the success of his guitars. He brought to life another creation of his, Chickapig, a board game enjoyable for both adults and children. The idea of creating his own board game arose after playing a game he found to be boring.

Calhoun, who enjoys playing chess, said what he had wanted a game “with a little bit strategy, a little bit chess-like, but was much sillier.” Narrowing down with the farm theme came the arrival of Chickapig, the combination of a chicken and a pig, a pooping cow and hay bales.

Chickapig has come a long way since its creation, recently being labelled “Amazon’s Choice” for board games to buy.

Calhoun gets joy and satisfaction from the feedback he receives. He expressed how parents and teachers described the game as “good for the students.”

Another parent told him, “Our teenage boys put down their cellphones to play the game.”

From making high-end guitars to the creation of a family-friendly board game, Calhoun has taken his passion and made it available to all.