#1
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Where in the UK can I go and try out luthier made guitars?
I am UK citizen and fingerstyle guitarist.
I'm looking to play some guitars and hopefully choose one. Up until recently Kent guitar classics was the classical guitar shop near me that stocked a lot of interesting luthier made instruments. Is there someone that also does that in the UK for Acoustics? Thanks! |
#2
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https://thenorthamericanguitar.com/ would be one option.
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#3
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Quote:
Im looking to view them ideally in person |
#4
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Hi, apart from Alister Atkin, I think that most British builders, being one man to small factory don't sell into the trade, so you'd need to go direct.
I'd suggest that you check out Richard Osborne, Nick Benjamin, Brook, and possibly, Dave King. Stefan Sobell, NK Forster, and Alan Bown. More on : https://www.luthierdirectory.co.uk
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#5
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For high end guitars, try:
Mak's guitars in London Project music in Exeter Vintage and Rare in Bath Guitar Village in Farnham Guitar Guitar in several locations (mainstream brands, but includes Atkin and Collings and Lowden) But for truly luthier built / custom, I guess you'd have to visit the makers themselves, unless there's a hidden gem of a shop I've yet to discover. I don't believe the North American Guitar has a store in the UK anymore, sadly. They do trial periods, with no quibbles returns. But personally I don't have the nerve to ask them to ship a £10,000 guitar to me from the States when there's a high likelihood I'll return it. I guess some people do. Otherwise, what I sometimes do is just buy a second hand guitar to try it out, knowing there's a high chance I might sell it. I might lose £200 for the privalage of playing a boutique guitar for a few months. |
#6
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Unfortunately, nowhere any more.
The Acoustic Music Company in Brighton used to have a fantastic range of luthier-built guitars; sadly they now only deal in mandolins. The North American Guitar no longer has a UK showroom; they are based in Memphis, TN, USA. I'm not aware of anywhere similar to either TAMCO or TNAG, and I for one miss them greatly. So the only option is to buy online from abroad or used via Reverb / eBay. Cheers, David
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#7
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John Brook ‘Lamorna’ OM (European Spruce/EIR) (2019) Lowden F-23 (Red Cedar/Claro Walnut) (2017) Martin D-18 (2012) Martin HD-28V (2010) Fender Standard Strat (2017-MIM) |
#8
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AFAIK, the TNAG no longer has a showroom in the UK, but it has a representative presence in the person of Ben Montague. Their showroom is in Nashville TN.
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John Brook ‘Lamorna’ OM (European Spruce/EIR) (2019) Lowden F-23 (Red Cedar/Claro Walnut) (2017) Martin D-18 (2012) Martin HD-28V (2010) Fender Standard Strat (2017-MIM) |
#9
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That's good to know. I have been in touch with them about same guitars and at no point did they mention that they didn't carry any stock in the UK, or that they don't have some kind of showroom. The guitars that we discussed were all used and still in the possession of their owners, so it seems like they are nothing more than a brokerage now.
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#10
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Hi all (first post - but UK-based threads seem to come up infrequently so I thought I’d jump in) - add Coda Music to the list. Atkin, Bourgeois, Collings, Brook all there in varying numbers and I recently bought my first Atkin there (000-37S). Also bought from Guitar Village and would recommend both.
Cheers, Michael |
#11
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Check out Michael Watts on youtube, he demos and interviews many of the top UK luthiers and is a mean guitar player.
There's a short video titled: Your First Custom Acoustic Guitar - 5 Questions to Ask! Well worth a visit just to hear the guitars from Turnstone. |
#12
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We are really poorly served in the UK - TNAG and TAMCO were just about the only reliable source of new luthier or small shop guitars in the UK. New will be next to impossible now, unless you look at a British luthier (and we have some fine ones). For anything else, you will just have to keep your eyes open and keep scouring the web for second-hand examples. You can get lucky though - Wunjo in Denmark Street occasionally gets some nice stuff, as do Vintage and Rare in Bath. In general, look at the independent shops, rather than GG, PMT etc, who will likely charge what they think the guitar is worth based on US prices and their usual $1 = £1 exchange rate. I count myself very fortunate to have found some nice guitars - a Huss & Dalton 12 string via Preloved, of all places, and my Stephen Kinnaird FS12 (aka 'The One' for me) from Moto Music in Cardiff via a Reverb ad.
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#13
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Quote:
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Chris Stern Guitars by: Bown Wingert Kinscherff Sobell Circa Olson Ryan Fay Kopp McNally Santa Cruz McAlister Beneteau Fairbanks Franklin Collings Tippin Martin Lowden Northworthy Pre-War GC Taylor Fender Höfner 44 in total (no wife) Around 30 other instruments Anyone know a good psychiatrist? www.chrisstern.com |
#14
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With TAMCO and TNAG no longer offering a UK shop for high end acoustics, what about The Fellowship of Acoustics in The Netherlands? Just a ferry ride away?
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#15
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Newark College?
There are quite a few student builders making some excellent instruments which you could probably pick up for a very reasonable price.
My last two instrument builds were classical guitars, and the only steel-string I have at hand is the only one I’ve built to date - as a predominantly steel string player myself I really need to build more of these. Feel free to PM me. Nick Last edited by nikpearson; 07-27-2022 at 02:08 AM. |