Where in the UK can I go and try out luthier made guitars?

[Honkycat]

Originally Posted by Wolfram

Yes, there are some great shops like Coda with some excellent guitars, but the beauty of TAMCO and TNAG was that you could try 30+ guitars from a cross-section of some of the world's greatest luthiers back-to-back. It was a real eye-opener for me, to be able to directly compare guitars from the luthiers discussed on AGF: Somogyi, Matsuda, Greenfield, Traugott, Baranik, Taran, Sheppard, Tippin, Sexauer, Shenk, Kinnaird etc. For my tastes, some vastly exceeded my expectations (and yes, some guitars were purchased ); some others, with stellar reputations on AGF, were not to my taste at all. Any one of you would probably have had a completely different selection of favourites!

And more than anything, my mind was blown by what a really, really great acoustic guitar, perfectly aligned with my preferences, could do for my tone and my playing. I could genuinely say it was life-changing - that moment ignited my passion for the acoustic guitar and led me to quit my job and start Wolfram, to bring that same no-compromise ethos to the tools players use to interface with the guitar.

Nowhere else in Europe that I know of has that kind of stock - even Fellowship of Acoustics, great thought their collection is, is dominated by high-end Martin and small factory builders like Lowden and Bourgeois; they actually have very few single-luthier guitars.

So it is sad that we must now make guitar choices in isolation - either chasing one or two guitars that happen to be in stock, or speculatively ordering from abroad or directly from a luthier. Let's hope places like Dream Guitars endure, to keep that dream alive!

Cheers,
David

LOVE my Wolfram by the way! Game changer.

[JC.]

Originally Posted by Sijos1

It was always an 'interesting' customer experience at TAMCO! I cant believe the market in the UK for boutique/luthier acoustics is so small it cannot be viable but then again I am no way brave enough to start a shop myself!!

I guess it would be somewhat self-fulfilling. I am interested in luthier built guitars BUT I want to play/buy finished guitars, rather than having a guitar built to order. I would also like a choice of builders under one roof. I have no real interest in commissioning a guitar from a builder, with all the risk & delay that entails. Sounds like the OP is also in this situation.

If there are more like us, then perhaps a store is viable.

On the flip side, perhaps it is the case that luthiers are selling all they can produce anyway, so there would be no uptick in sales by having a retail outlet...

[Sijos1]

We could organise a UK buy/swap meet!

[steveh]

Originally Posted by JC.

It would be interesting to know whether TAMCO stopping guitar sales "proves" that the UK market isn't big enough to support such an operation

Perhaps not big enough to support two - TAMCO and TNAG were direct competitors in a very small niche.

Also, no real point having a bricks & mortar store (with all the costs that entails), since drop-in sales would be vanishingly rare. I only saw one drop-in when I was at TAMCO, and that was some guy after a set of strings. Better to run it from your front room (like some high-end hi-fi dealers I know).

I always had a great time at TAMCO - Trevor was a great guy if you got to know him. Fabulous selection of instruments. Also enjoyed TNAG as well - they sure weren’t shy about letting you try anything - It was pricing that was an issue (and the daily “sales”, so you never really knew the price of anything).

Cheers,
Steve

[FrankCousins]

... What we need in UK is a 'collective' approach. The problem for shop owners is that the overheads and margins needed make it very challenging for a 'business' to operate at a profit.

The ideal set up would be a not for profit 'shop' which carries these instruments with out the need to invest several hundred thousand in stock, but allows folks to try and then get directly in touch with the builders (or buy the sample model with full purchase price (minus any shipping etc) going to builder.

The running and admin would be covered by an annual charge for the shop overhead to break even. It would need a sort of retired/semi retired person who loves guitars to run it with out taking a salary... ;-p

Couple of things - if no one does this in next couple of years, I might do in 2024/5 - subject to enough Luthiers willing to pay the annual subscription, which would of course get lower and lower the more that partake.

Problem is for many of the top tier, their order books are so full for many years, they no longer need this service, so it might be best for new and up and coming Luthiers?

[steveh]

Originally Posted by FrankCousins

if no one does this in next couple of years, I might do in 2024/5

Fabluous idea but location is important as well...Fife?!

I've had two guitars from Roy Dowling but am still waiting to try and visit his workshop; it's just too far for a sensible day-trip. Expensive as well (for the benefit of those reading outside UK mainland, our trains are insanely expensive). Same goes for DK guitars, who I'd like to visit but just too far.

The best compromise is London, since it's easy to get to (and excoriatingly expensive) or, more sensibly, somewhere in the Midlands.

Personally, I have been best served by afficionado get-togethers where zillions of guitars from the participants are available to play (and with out dealer hype and hard-sell). The obvious is Ian's on the South Coast; if Chris Stern turns up, that's 50 guitars for starters!

Cheers,
Steve

[nickv6]

What is Ian's on the south coast?
Nick

[itsLars]

Just to add another option:

You could have a look at Lakestone guitars (https://www.lakestoneguitars.co.uk).

[steveh]

Originally Posted by nickv6

What is Ian's on the south coast?

Ian is a member here who very generously has hosted an annual get-together at his place in July. Running for several years, SARS-Cov-19 saw to it that 2020/21 didn't happen. Given that it's a major highlight of my year, that wasn't good news but can't be helped. Hoping 2022 occurs.

Loads of the UK acoustic "cork-sniffers" turn up (as do several luthiers) and we sit around, compare guitars, eat, and get inebriated. TBH, I don't know how Ian and his lovely wife, Shar, cope with it.

There are mountains of guitars, and a very high proportion are sole-luthier product, usually with several examples from each maker.

Cheers,
Steve

[FrankCousins]

Originally Posted by steveh

Loads of the UK acoustic "cork-sniffers" turn up (as do several luthiers) and we sit around, compare guitars, eat, and get inebriated.

Cheers,
Steve

Sounds rather good ;-)

[Yrksman]

Ian’s do is a great day!

If or when up north visitors always welcome here to try any of my guitars. I have 43 guitars: Ralph Bown 6 Martin 8 Jamie Kinscherff 4 Collings 3 James Olson 2 Kathy Wingert 2 Froggy Bottom 1 Santa Cruz 1 Circa (John Slobod) 2 Stefan Sobell 1 Dale Fairbanks 2 Pre-War Guitar Co 1 Kevin Ryan 1 Simon Fay 1 Franklin (Nick Kukich)1 Bill Tippin 1 Fine Resophonics (Mike Lewis) 1 Mark Beneteau 2 Northworthy (Alan Marshall) 1 Hofner Violin Bass (1963 as Macca) Fender Thinline Telecaster.

Numerous other instruments.

[nickv6]

How brilliant, I shall look out for that, sounds amazing.
Nick

[verbs4us]

Originally Posted by steveh

Fabluous idea but location is important as well...Fife?!

Rory (Taran Guitars) is about 20 minutes drive NE of Edinburgh, where he first opened shop and needed more (and affordable) space, so bought the farm (so to speak) in a wee village. Worth the trip. I tried a small-bodied instrument he made of all maple--which usually leads to a harsh and treble-heavy tone. It was lush and full with incredible sustain.

[borborygmus]

Originally Posted by FrankCousins

... What we need in UK is a 'collective' approach. The problem for shop owners is that the overheads and margins needed make it very challenging for a 'business' to operate at a profit.

I wonder if there is appetite for a UK high-end guitar get-together. Location in the Midlands (central), low cost venue. No bells and whistles. Invite all the UK (and European?) artisanal luthiers for a table-top. One day only. Charge modestly for exhibitors and punters. Have places to be able to play where you can hear yourself. Kind of like a pop-up guitar showroom. Anyone interested can stay over and party on into the evening. Have some focus on the builders who are nearer the beginning of their journey to give them some exposure and experience, but ask the old-timers too.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by borborygmus

I wonder if there is appetite for a UK high-end guitar get-together. Location in the Midlands (central), low cost venue. No bells and whistles. Invite all the UK (and European?) artisanal luthiers for a table-top. One day only. Charge modestly for exhibitors and punters. Have places to be able to play where you can hear yourself. Kind of like a pop-up guitar showroom. Anyone interested can stay over and party on into the evening. Have some focus on the builders who are nearer the beginning of their journey to give them some exposure and experience, but ask the old-timers too.

Being here in the US, I can’t speak to the appetite there in the UK, but I can say that from an attendee’s perspective, guitar events like you describe are fantastic . The challenge is that they take a lot of time and resources to pull off well. The Healdsburg Guitar Festival that was held every other year from about 2001-2013 here in Northern California was well attended and much loved but the folks putting it on got completely burned out. If you get a committed sponsor, a decent venue, and someone with event experience to run it well, including engaging a solid group of guitar geek volunteers, you’d have a chance for success.
I have been completely spoiled over the years - luthier shops and high end guitar shops are very accessible in the SF Bay Area. I’ll hold a good thought for you in the UK for a good option to be created.
Being a newly retired guitar geek, I would plan a visit to the UK if it included a high end guitar event. :-)
Best,
Jayne