Guitars and related stuff

20/02/2003: I'm making A new Guitar! I'll be updating pages as I go with info and pictures.

In addition to playing the guitar (mostly very badly!), I have also spent some of my time building a couple. I can't recommend this as a less expensive alternative to buying one (it isn't), but it does give a greater sense of achievement, and if anything goes awry it merely serves as a spur to make it better next time. It does rather become a bug and the desire to build more and more sort of takes you over.

The first batch of links therefore, cover places to visit which are related to building guitars, including some general woodworking links.

Touchstone Tonewoods in Reigate UK, who carry blanks, parts and spares for everything from solidbody electrics to traditional violins. They include many specialist luthiery tools in their catalogue.

John Boddy's in Boroughbridge UK, don't yet appear to have a website, but they do have an e-mail address. My favourite woodworking supplier! More kinds of wood than I know the names of, and more tools than I know how to use. Self service timber store for many of their timbers, and suppliers of bowl blanks for turning (something I'm trying to learn). Last time I was there they had lots of beautifully figured fiddle-back Sycamore (acer pseudoplatanus) and I had to be physically dragged away...

Craft Supplies near Buxton UK, who supply turning blanks and many items for decorative woodworking at their main site. Apparently they've started another catalogue especially for musical instrument makers, but I haven't got round to that one yet. Watch this space...

The remainder of links on this page point to sites by various guitar manufacturers, in no particular order:

Paul Reed Smith Guitars
Gibson Guitars
Fender Guitars (incorporating Guild Guitars)
Martin Guitars
Hamer Guitars