[Ash Nightingale]

Hi Folks, I just wanted to introduce myself here and let you know what I’ve been up to, specifically the 4 guitars I’m currently building. I post a lot on Instagram but I thought it worth getting more active here for the benefit of those who aren’t on ‘the Gram’.

My name is Ash Nightingale and I’ve been building guitars since 2015, I’m trying to find my way in the industry but I’m deeply passionate about my craft and very determined. This is the only thing I’ve found which I can see myself doing for the rest of my life, so I’m really still just at the beginning of my journey.

In the very early days, I started off building guitars for friends and family and then started to get a few commissions where I would build anything/everything I was asked. So I ended up with a somewhat random selection of guitar models. 2 years ago I moved back to my home town (Stroud Gloucestershire UK) and took on a commercial premises with a view to launching myself properly. I’ve been doing full time guitar repair since then to keep the wolf from the door whilst I develop 4 new models that will be my official offering from now on. I wanted to come up with a family of guitars that is congruent in design across 4 sizes to cater for the individual preferences of each of my clients.

I come from a background in architectural joinery, completing an apprenticeship with a small firm in Cornwall. Day to day we were making one off, high end, staircases, kitchens and pieces of furniture so I learned a lot about working with hardwood, hand tools and machinery. Every item was unique, so I got experience designing and building something from the ground up which was invaluable looking back. I also trained with the late, great David Charlesworth in 2013, a highly esteemed and renowned cabinet maker. Learning with him was really where my eyes were opened to the lengths you can go to to achieve precision with wood. I was very sad to hear of his recent passing.

The rest of the guitar building experience I have has been trial and error, pushing myself a little further with each build and always aiming for each build to be a little better than the last. I own many books, Cumpiano, Somogyi, Gilet/Gore, Benedetto (Just to name a few) which have been very useful in my education as a guitar maker. I planned to go to Galloup school but was unable to do so due to Covid so I invested my money into equipment, materials and books.

My new models are named as follows: N360, N380, N400, N430 with the number relating to the millimetre measurement of the lower bout. Essentially that’s 14”, 15”, 16” and 17” sizes. If its got a cutaway I add a F for Florentine or V for Venetian so an N380 with a Florentine would be an N380F. I wanted my model names to say something about the guitar itself, for example I’ve always found the way Martin name their models a little confusing.

My current build philosophy:
The rim:
I use laminated sides with a cross grain mahogany core and a finishing veneer on the inside. This is paired with solid linings of Spanish cedar. I find this construction yields a very stiff rim-set whilst keeping the whole thing light, the cross-grain veneer helps with stability as well as eliminating any potential for splitting along the grain. With this construction I don’t need any side braces however I do put 2, one under each end of the transverse brace to transfer some of the load from it into the sides.

I cross grain laminate my neck and tail blocks as well to make those 2 areas of the guitar strong, stable and resistant to impact. All my blocks and linings are made from Spanish cedar as it has all the desirable characteristics of mahogany whilst being one of the lighter weight mahogany family woods. I also use a tongue on the top and back of the neck block (similar to a Spanish heel) as I feel this helps the upper bout area to be super rigid by sharing some of the torque of the neck with the back. My tail block is carved in line with the linings to allow maximum working area of the top and back.

The Top:
I like to take as much guesswork out of the top as possible by testing the tops and bracewood for deflection and weight, this way I can ensure consistency of the materials. With bracewood I will discard any pieces that don’t fall within my target numbers for either of these variables and with tops I will thickness them to a target deflection rather than dimension. My overall philosophy for the top is to keep it very light with all the braces being tall, very thin and evenly distributed. I use my variation of the traditional X bracing pattern with a relatively substantial upper transverse brace in a further effort to keep the upper bout rigid.

The Back:
I use a very lightly braced back with an X brace at the lower bout and 2 ladder braces higher up. I’m aiming for a responsive back plate that will contribute maximally to the tone of the guitar and I feel the lower x brace helps me to achieve this.

The neck:
I feel guitars can often be a little neck heavy so I’m using Spanish cedar, carbon fibre reinforcement, a titanium truss rod and open gear machine heads to keep the neck balanced with the lightweight body. I am also using an elevated fingerboard design, so the taper of the guitar is applied to the top rather than the back, this means the end of the neck and the carbon fibre extends over the body. This helps the face of the fretboard stay true over time as well as being an ergonomic benefit, the fretboard being slightly further from the top makes it that much easier to reach even with a non cutaway guitar.

Anyway that’s a brief overview of how I’m currently constructing my guitars for any of you guitar nerds out there. If you’ve read this far, I’m grateful for your time and I’ll follow this up with a few photos of where I have got to. Questions and feedback much welcomed.

(Please scroll down for images)