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Does anyone know any good British Jazz guitar makers? I fancy getting a home made guitar.
Thanks,
John
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01-18-2010 08:08 PM
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I am sure you are looking for an archtop, but George Lowden, actually an Irish luthier, not British (but close), makes an awesome nylon string jazz guitar.
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Two more to consider:
Knight Guitars - Handmade custom guitars, from jazz guitars to mandolins, we make electric guitars, acoustic guitars and semi-acoustic guitars, all built to your spec
Mike Vanden Guitars and Mandolins: Exceptionally fine hand crafted instruments built in the Highlands of Scotland
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Since I enjoy this sort of thing, I did a bit of web research, and can now reveal a further 5 UK-based archtop makers:
Crockett Handmade Archtop Guitars
Archtop Guitars
Welcome to Bailey Guitars
BJH Guitars - quality hand built archtops
Prohaszka Guitars - Home of exceptional handmade acoustic instruments that offer the ideal balance between sound, playability and aesthetics.Last edited by Meggy; 01-20-2010 at 05:54 PM.
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Just found another good one I somehow missed before!:
R J Aylward Guitars
Hope there is enough business in the UK to keep them all busy!
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John Levoi in Alford, Lincs, is a world-class builder of Selmac copies. He also builds flat tops and archtop guitars.
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Did not realise John had branched out into the world of archtop guitars! He is indeed a top guitar maker, and I have had a few repair jobs done by him in the past (he is fairly local to me). He always does everything with great care and thought, no matter how small the job, as well as with great skill and craftsmanship. His own guitars really are beautiful things. Cheers for correcting my omission ES125.
Originally Posted by ES125er
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I hear Jonny Kinkade in Bristol makes an excellent carved archtop acoustic.
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Well, to say that he's branched into archtops would be an overstatement... but he's built a few, and being a custom builder, he will build you one if you want him to. But he's an undisputed specialist of Gypsy Jazz guitars... which are also jazz guitars, aren't they? Originally Posted by Meggy
John has also worked on my guitars a few times when I was living in Lincs. He's really a pleasure to interact with. And since I was lucky enough to find a great deal on one of his django guitars (2nd hand), I'm also a proud Levoi player!
Whereabout in Lincs are you, if you don't mind me asking? I tend to visit briefly once or twice a year (still have a guitar there!).
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Why don't you contact the archtop maker Andy Crockett 01227 71 99 33. or have a look at his website Crockett Handmade Archtop Guitars Originally Posted by Bailz
Andy Crockett is a Canterbury based luthier who specialises in high end archtops, Jim Mullen plays one of his. They are unique and absolutely beautiful.
Andy is always happy to discuss any personal requests.
Good luck to you!
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I am in Grimsby, so not exactly super close to Alford, but please send me a PM if you would like to meet up for a bit of a jam some time in the future, that would be fun! Originally Posted by ES125er
Well, to say that he's branched into archtops would be an overstatement... but he's built a few, and being a custom builder, he will build you one if you want him to. But he's an undisputed specialist of Gypsy Jazz guitars... which are also jazz guitars, aren't they?
John has also worked on my guitars a few times when I was living in Lincs. He's really a pleasure to interact with. And since I was lucky enough to find a great deal on one of his django guitars (2nd hand), I'm also a proud Levoi player!
Whereabout in Lincs are you, if you don't mind me asking? I tend to visit briefly once or twice a year (still have a guitar there!).
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In Ely - there is Richard Bertram - luthier who set up my guitars...
I played his guitars but you have to make your own mind if you like them...
http://www.richardbartram.com/
Michal
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Martyn Taylor has a model made by a British luthier? There's also Elferink archtop guitars in Europe
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Mike Vanden: Home - Vanden Guitars Originally Posted by jads57
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Jon Case
http://www.caseguitars.co.uk/
I have listened to Mr Robson and his fine guitar up close and it sounds very good indeed.
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Paul is just awesome. Call him and discuss your preferences. A man in a shed will always outperform a corner of a factory that otherwise has to be profitable by knocking out product in vast numbers.
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Gordon Wells of Knight Guitars is an amazing luthier, carrying on the tradition laid down by Dick Knight in the good old days when he and Emil Grimshaw ruled. Gordon's son is the man for hardware and electrics, I understand. So a family affair. I have a 1998 sunburst 7-string hand-carved archtop which first belonged to the wonderful Mr Tony Marshall. Tony took it back to Gordon to retro-fit a real 1936-38 Gibson Charlie Christian pickup to it, as well as some nice macassar ebony appointments. Heaven really is in Surrey. Gordon, as was Peter Cook, another fine British luthier, were Pete Townshend's go-to repairers after he'd subject his axes to those strange sacrificial rites that seemed to make so much sense back in the day. They would often have these emergency jobs to carry out in mid-tour. What heroes!
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Knight Guitars did a fantastic headstock repair for me when I dropped my cherished high end jazzbox out of an unfastened case in my living room ... Gordon was a great guy to deal with. Originally Posted by FreddieP
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John Moriarty from Dublin, Ireland.
archtop.ie | John Moriarty Guitars | Dublin | Ireland
Ghee, I'd love to try that 17,5" archtop...
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Beautiful looking guitars!! Originally Posted by Drifter
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Originally Posted by Drifter
I wrote to John about his guitars, but he replied saying his making has been "put on hold". I guess it's not easy. He's a brilliant guitarist, though, and is busy gigging.
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Since Emile Grimshaw was brought up, let's not forget that back in the day one of the world's best jazz guitars was made in England by Emile Grimshaw. Grimshaw basically started out copying the Gibson L-5 design, but with some very interesting innovations.
When I was a teenager, a pro player from Florida was visiting some family friends of mine in the Washington, DC, area. He brought his two main guitars--a '38 Gibson L-5 and a Grimshaw archtop. I don't know the model. I do know that it looked like a 30s guitar based on a Gibson design, but the Grimshaw had a double back--that is, it had a larger wooden resonator on the back and sides of the guitar.
The Grimshaw guitar sounded quite good. (The Gibson, I should add, sounded exceptional--one of the best archtops I have ever heard, before or since.) Grimshaw continued to make guitars through the 50s and into the 60s. Here is Pete Townshend playing a late model Grimshaw acoustic electric:
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Lets not forget these:
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NK Forster guitars:
NK Forster Guitars Archtop guitars - NK Forster Guitars
New arch top design. Disclaimer: I have his Carlos model.
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