Sad news - Rexter Guitars is no more

rexter · February 2023

impmann said:

rexter said:

I've been hiding out in my mountain lair since last August, working through left over jobs, selling my gear and rehabilitating myself back into normal life as somebody who doesn't work with guitars

I haven't been on here since probably before I closed the workshop down and I'm really touched to see the kind words you guys. Things got so hectic in the last few weeks of the business that I needed a good few months away to decompress.

@rze99 you were a loyal supporter and friend from day one, thanks so much for the post likewise Bill and Tim, thank you guys!

I caught up with @IvisonGuitars in November last year which was great and have enjoyed chatting to @GoldenEraGuitars a few times and flogging him some tasty sprayguns!

@TTony - been meaning to get in touch with you for so long, your help was great along the way and I hope you and the family are all doing really well.

I left things slightly ambiguous (at least on my website) but I know now that I won't be doing any commercial finishing for a long time, possibly never. But... the habit is hard to kick so I'll definitely be making some guitars in time.

Thanks to everybody over the years - it got to the point where we were getting way more job requests than we could take on and waiting times for some customers were getting really long. Many were happy to wait 6 months or more but it stressed me out.

Getting so many amazing vintage restorations in was fantastic and had really steered the business that way in the past two years.

But... the dust and the fumes and being away from home for long hours everyday were starting to grate on me. The rising cost of everything and the sneaky charges being added by the landlord just made me consider whether it was still worth it.

I realised that perversely I'd be making multiple times my annual turnover working from my laptop at home so the decision was kind of made for me.

I am setting up a small home workshop with the tools I've held onto and my stash of old mahogany and rosewood etc and I'll be making some stuff once I've got a few good contracts under my belt for my new business and don't have to worry about the bills so much!

Thanks everyone!

Great to hear you're OK Jon - and totally get what you mean about work/life balance and money. There's a huge part of me that wants to go back to being a writer, but I also understand that the journo lifestyle really isn't healthy for me... and I can't afford to live on the proceeds (unless I either suck corporate chod, forgetting I have any integrity etc or take on the pressure of being an Editor - neither appeals, so here I am back in the MI).

Two of my fave guitars are ones you created the bodies for and for that, I shall always be grateful.

Don't be a stranger!

Thanks Tim! Yeah work, life, money

... funny - I didn't know you were a writer. I'm actually going back that direction, was a subeditor and designer before the guitars. I've moved into content design and strategy & copywriting again - definitely corporate chod, but at this point I'm fine with that, needs must!

It's been really hard to retrain myself into being able to sit at a desk/screen again, but after 6 months I can just about manage it now

rexter · February 2023

Jimbro66 said:

I delivered a Tele with a truly gruesome finish to Jon and he transformed it into this:

Jon gave me plenty of progress photos and the communication was always great. I couldn't have wished for more.

Best wishes for a rosy future Jon. I hope all goes really well for you.

Hey Jim, I remember that tele well. I have such a love of mahogany backs with metallic tops! Thank you

rexter · February 2023

Roland said:

Jon hasn’t mentioned that he has a few bodies to sell off: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/242400/rexter-guitars-nitro-strat-bodies-korina-mustang-body

Thank you Roland

rexter · February 2023

rze99 said:

rexter said:

I've been hiding out in my mountain lair since last August, working through left over jobs, selling my gear and rehabilitating myself back into normal life as somebody who doesn't work with guitars

I haven't been on here since probably before I closed the workshop down and I'm really touched to see the kind words you guys. Things got so hectic in the last few weeks of the business that I needed a good few months away to decompress.

@rze99 you were a loyal supporter and friend from day one, thanks so much for the post likewise Bill and Tim, thank you guys!

I caught up with @IvisonGuitars in November last year which was great and have enjoyed chatting to @GoldenEraGuitars a few times and flogging him some tasty sprayguns!

@TTony - been meaning to get in touch with you for so long, your help was great along the way and I hope you and the family are all doing really well.

I left things slightly ambiguous (at least on my website) but I know now that I won't be doing any commercial finishing for a long time, possibly never. But... the habit is hard to kick so I'll definitely be making some guitars in time.

Thanks to everybody over the years - it got to the point where we were getting way more job requests than we could take on and waiting times for some customers were getting really long. Many were happy to wait 6 months or more but it stressed me out.

Getting so many amazing vintage restorations in was fantastic and had really steered the business that way in the past two years.

But... the dust and the fumes and being away from home for long hours everyday were starting to grate on me. The rising cost of everything and the sneaky charges being added by the landlord just made me consider whether it was still worth it.

I realised that perversely I'd be making multiple times my annual turnover working from my laptop at home so the decision was kind of made for me.

I am setting up a small home workshop with the tools I've held onto and my stash of old mahogany and rosewood etc and I'll be making some stuff once I've got a few good contracts under my belt for my new business and don't have to worry about the bills so much!

Thanks everyone!

Lovely to hear from you Jon and glad your return to normality is beneficial for you.

Maybe your Rexter guitar finishes will become highly collectible …..in which case I’ll be Rich!

Thanks Richard! So far so good, a lengthy break but needed it to tie up loose ends. Hope you're doing great.
If they become collectible then yes - you've got a pretty nice portfolio set up there!

hoops · February 2023

All the best Jon. Goldtop you did for me is aging beautifully. Cheers.

Howdy, Stranger!

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Sad news - Rexter Guitars is no more

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