Who do you consider to be the UK's top guitar builders?

fretfinder

If you want a 50s style Junior or Special then it’s @IvisonGuitars obvs! 

jamesoliver1234

Dave Dearnaley for me 

elkay

FelineGuitars said:

elkay said:

I see Feline get a lot of mention. Before I started doing mods myself, I took my very first pickup swop to him, and he didn't return the original pups (Fender American Standard). This was way back when he worked out of a shed behind Martin Phelps. Good thing in a way, as that prompted me to do all my own mods from then on.

Which would have been an accidental oversight rather than deliberate, and may mean that the set of USA standard strat pickups that has sat in our "customer parts box" - sat nearly 20 years waiting to be reunited with their owner ......may actually be yours........

I apologise if you've felt that we'd pinch your parts for all these years, but a quick phonecall would have resolved that ...feel free to pop in for them 

Bravo Feline! My comment was intended to be slightly tongue in cheek and entirely without rancour, since, as I live only 10 minutes away from you, I could have come back to claim the pups at any time had I wished to do so. The pups in the picture are definitely mine as I recognise the dust! Just under 20 years would be about right, as I had then only just bought my 1999 American Standard Strat. Amazing!!!

fandango

elkay said:

FelineGuitars said:

elkay said:

I see Feline get a lot of mention. Before I started doing mods myself, I took my very first pickup swop to him, and he didn't return the original pups (Fender American Standard). This was way back when he worked out of a shed behind Martin Phelps. Good thing in a way, as that prompted me to do all my own mods from then on.

Which would have been an accidental oversight rather than deliberate, and may mean that the set of USA standard strat pickups that has sat in our "customer parts box" - sat nearly 20 years waiting to be reunited with their owner ......may actually be yours........

I apologise if you've felt that we'd pinch your parts for all these years, but a quick phonecall would have resolved that ...feel free to pop in for them 

Bravo Feline! My comment was intended to be slightly tongue in cheek and entirely without rancour, since, as I live only 10 minutes away from you, I could have come back to claim the pups at any time had I wished to do so. The pups in the picture are definitely mine as I recognise the dust! Just under 20 years would be about right, as I had then only just bought my 1999 American Standard Strat. Amazing!!!

Well, what you waiting for. Go get ‘em! Just hope Feline don’t charge you for 20 years storage costs. 

hubobulous

elkay said:

FelineGuitars said:

elkay said:

I see Feline get a lot of mention. Before I started doing mods myself, I took my very first pickup swop to him, and he didn't return the original pups (Fender American Standard). This was way back when he worked out of a shed behind Martin Phelps. Good thing in a way, as that prompted me to do all my own mods from then on.

Which would have been an accidental oversight rather than deliberate, and may mean that the set of USA standard strat pickups that has sat in our "customer parts box" - sat nearly 20 years waiting to be reunited with their owner ......may actually be yours........

I apologise if you've felt that we'd pinch your parts for all these years, but a quick phonecall would have resolved that ...feel free to pop in for them 

Bravo Feline! My comment was intended to be slightly tongue in cheek and entirely without rancour, since, as I live only 10 minutes away from you, I could have come back to claim the pups at any time had I wished to do so. The pups in the picture are definitely mine as I recognise the dust! Just under 20 years would be about right, as I had then only just bought my 1999 American Standard Strat. Amazing!!!

They’ve got vintage mojo now :-)

OilCityPickups

I can't help putting up a bit of guitar p0rn from Mike at Stonewolf Guitars.

The top isn't flamed wood ... it's puckered cloth encapsulated in resin ... his guitars are pure works of art.

Yes the pickups are Oil City BlackWolf Custom Slant 7s ... the world's only clear bobbin 7 string pickups as far as I know.

Mike and I spend hours chatting on the phone about pickups, guitar building, and life and general, and like Jonathan at Feline Guitars and Chris at Carillion ... he's a true gentleman. I count myself very lucky to work with brilliant and above all really 'nice' luthiers, it makes my job worthwhile.

JayGee

pintspiller said:

@octatonic Gordon Smith now owned and made by Auden Guitars

And, on the basis of the ones I tried at a guitar show recently[1] they’ve managed to sort out all the idiosyncrasies and issues people used to report without losing the character.

[1] Interestingly when I spoke to a couple of blokes on the stand about a guitar I particularly liked (single cutaway, single P90 Junior style) one of them had done the (excellent) setup on it and the other one wound the pickup so it’s still the proper small builder, deal directly with the craftsman experience...

Philly_Q

I think @Three-ColourSunburst should look into Stone Wolf guitars.  Surely he'd approve of guitars containing large amounts of "non-tonewood" resin with multi-laminate necks and carbon rod reinforcement.

OilCityPickups

Philly_Q said:

I think @Three-ColourSunburst should look into Stone Wolf guitars.  Surely he'd approve of guitars containing large amounts of "non-tonewood" resin with multi-laminate necks and carbon rod reinforcement.

Because I build the pickups for Stone Wolf I get to play them often. Personally I've not noticed any difference in tone from an all wood guitar ... remember, a significant part of the instrument is still wood. I intend to get Mike to build me something for my personal use at some point in the future, probably something featuring Filtertron style pickups :-)  

NelsonP

fandango said:

elkay said:

FelineGuitars said:

elkay said:

I see Feline get a lot of mention. Before I started doing mods myself, I took my very first pickup swop to him, and he didn't return the original pups (Fender American Standard). This was way back when he worked out of a shed behind Martin Phelps. Good thing in a way, as that prompted me to do all my own mods from then on.

Which would have been an accidental oversight rather than deliberate, and may mean that the set of USA standard strat pickups that has sat in our "customer parts box" - sat nearly 20 years waiting to be reunited with their owner ......may actually be yours........

I apologise if you've felt that we'd pinch your parts for all these years, but a quick phonecall would have resolved that ...feel free to pop in for them 

Bravo Feline! My comment was intended to be slightly tongue in cheek and entirely without rancour, since, as I live only 10 minutes away from you, I could have come back to claim the pups at any time had I wished to do so. The pups in the picture are definitely mine as I recognise the dust! Just under 20 years would be about right, as I had then only just bought my 1999 American Standard Strat. Amazing!!!

Well, what you waiting for. Go get ‘em! Just hope Feline don’t charge you for 20 years storage costs. 

Yep, do it @elkay - this story needs a happy ending. You can always flog them on here.

Dainty

IMHO @Danielsguitars ; are the finest guitars I've ever played. The first model I played was a flat top tv yellow (Just Sold) it does the lot. I've been dealing in guitars for over 30 years and this is simply stunning. Also, a blackguard 52 which I took on a rehearsal and the band were blown away... If you want Traditional builds then this UK based builder is the man! 

mark_jwedge

dickieguitar said:

42nd Street.

Bit biased because I'm thinking of selling one, but it is stunning.

@dickieguitar what 42nd street are you thinking of selling? I have had 2 in the past and both have been exceptional

(sorry for the slight thread hijack!)

webrthomson

For me - Feline, Mansons, Ryder and Kemp guitars - had stuff from all of them, all very nice to deal with, knowledgeable and proper gents!

We are extraordinary lucky in the UK to have such a pool of talent making guitars that are up there with the very best getting made anywhere else in the world!

OilCityPickups

webrthomson said:

For me - Feline, Mansons, Ryder and Kemp guitars - had stuff from all of them, all very nice to deal with, knowledgeable and proper gents!

We are extraordinary lucky in the UK to have such a pool of talent making guitars that are up there with the very best getting made anywhere else in the world!

However, post Brexit you may hear a commonly used phrase on the lips of us UK music industry makers ... 'Do you want fries with that?'.

sweepy

webrthomson said:

For me - Feline, Mansons, Ryder and Kemp guitars - had stuff from all of them, all very nice to deal with, knowledgeable and proper gents!

We are extraordinary lucky in the UK to have such a pool of talent making guitars that are up there with the very best getting made anywhere else in the world!

Agreed, my Ryder really is exceptional and it’s a wrench to sell it but me and Les Pauls just don’t work

poopot

Dainty said:

IMHO @Danielsguitars ; are the finest guitars I've ever played. The first model I played was a flat top tv yellow (Just Sold) it does the lot. I've been dealing in guitars for over 30 years and this is simply stunning. Also, a blackguard 52 which I took on a rehearsal and the band were blown away... If you want Traditional builds then this UK based builder is the man! 

Have to agree with this... The guitars @Danielsguitars builds are simply stunning... His own guitars and also the replicas he makes...

If you want very accurate '50's style set neck type guitars there is no one else that can get as close to the originals as Darren can... Ive tried pretty much all of the "Booteak" and Custom shop guitars over the years and have played examples from a lot of folk mentioned in this very thread... Nowt touches @Danielsguitars stuff IMO... all handmade by him (and no one else) no CNC... and made to true vintage specs!!!!!!

However, I will admit that this post could look more than a bit biased as I have just been given a beautiful burst on permanent loan... It will be coming out on the road with me over the next few months and I will also do a back to back with a genuine burst for the sake of balance!!!!

If anyones interested its the faded one in this vid... (excuse the shonky playing was a quick and dirty demo)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ojrKWyUuG8

Peace out...

Poopot x x x

dickieguitar

mark_jwedge said:

dickieguitar said:

42nd Street.

Bit biased because I'm thinking of selling one, but it is stunning.

@dickieguitar what 42nd street are you thinking of selling? I have had 2 in the past and both have been exceptional

(sorry for the slight thread hijack!)

@mark_jwedge it's an R-Cab in blue. Message me if you're interested. 

Winny_Pooh

@octatonic said:

Winny_Pooh said:

Probett look awesome but have never played one. I really like the recent Gordon Smith models.

They had massive quality issues a while back.
Have they been sorted?

Yes, very little in common with the old ones. Played more than one killer GS 1.5. (maple necks ones are great too)
I'd likely buy one if I didn't have an S2 Mira.

Alnico

Feline.

I'd like a Firebird.

fretfinder

poopot said: The guitars @Danielsguitars builds are simply stunning... His own guitars and also the replicas he makes... 

If you want very accurate '50's style set neck type guitars there is no one else that can get as close to the originals as Darren can... Ive tried pretty much all of the "Booteak" and Custom shop guitars over the years and have played examples from a lot of folk mentioned in this very thread... Nowt touches @Danielsguitars stuff IMO... all handmade by him (and no one else) no CNC... and made to true vintage specs!!!!!!

However, I will admit that this post could look more than a bit biased as I have just been given a beautiful burst on permanent loan...

Your post could also look more than a bit biased because, as you’ve said previously on this forum, you use his workshop, he’s helped you make replica guitars and you’re his mate! Fair enough though, I’m sure his guitars are very good and best of luck to him.

But there are other builders out there who make 50s inspired guitars that are “made to true vintage specs”. Like @IvisonGuitars who I recommended earlier on in this thread. Bizarrely someone lol’d my post - can’t think why anyone would do that unless they like knocking other builders.

I didn’t recommend Neil because I’m his mate, but because I know he’s owned more vintage Juniors and Specials than it’s healthy for any man to have, he’s worked on many others, and he’s measured them all meticulously and used those details for his own builds which are stunning. I’ve owned eight 1950s Juniors/Specials myself and having played a few of Neil’s builds I can say that they are scarily close. Journalist Neville Marten agrees as do more than one name guitarist who’s played an Ivison Junior. And other builders, some mentioned on this thread, have been known to tap him up to pick his brains to assist with their own builds.

Unlike you, I wouldn’t say there’s “no one else that can get as close to the originals” and that “nowt touches his stuff”, because that’s implicitly knocking all other makers. I think there’s room for other builders to replicate the best of 50s Gibsons and I wish them all success.