“I’m just a working musician..
…Chasing tone for 40 years”
The Luthier
I’m just a working musician - like most of you reading this I’ve been chasing tone for as long as I’ve been able to play
Back in the 80’s I didn’t have particularly deep pockets, but I as the kind of kid who wanted to take everything apart to see how it worked. And that’s how I got my guitars. Cheap junk modified with parts from the spares bin at my local music store in Thetford.
I tried playing for a living in the early 90’s but grunge and Brit pop wasn’t my scene so I went into industry for a while. Building generator controllers, driving HGVs, the chemical industry. But in 2005 I decided to have another go and opened the teaching studio in Hunstanton.
Immediately I was back to tinkering, mainly at first for students, and then for new customers, repairing and customising guitars
In 2009 I recorded a solo album, for which I used far too many guitars and realised that I needed something to take out on the road. So I sold my Les Paul Custom, and bought some wood and tools, and the first totally custom guitar was built.
I had the tools, so it seemed silly not to make some more. To my surprise two junior models sold within days.
So I just kept going. Slowly I moved from teaching to guitar building, and by 2020 I was no longer teaching but running a full time luthierie and pickup winding shop.
The world has changed a lot in the last 20 years. I’m still a working musician, but the internet has altered the music industry forever - almost totally stripping away the independent retailers who used to supply much of the service element to the musical community.
So although I’m not a dealer and I don’t buy and sell guitars - I’ve been able to step back into that gap to supply a lot of the services that independent stores used to provide : Set up and servicing, advice, repairs, customisation, pickup repairs and replacement.
And of course, I’d like to help you design and build your dream guitar.
