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UK based guitar makers

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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    edited January 2019
    I'd recommend not commissioning a guitar unless the maker has examples of that model available for you to try, and has made enough of them to be confident of consistency.

    The fewer guitars that a maker has built, the greater variation there will be between them. 

    Also, good acoustics in the price range you are in vary massively in the way they play, much more than electrics I think.
    I'd advise a visit to a shop that stocks a lot of brands. TAMCO would the the best, although he only stocks US made normally. Also Ivor Mairants, Coda

    Are you certain you want UK made?
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    Looking at your location, I'd say visit Frailers, Sounds Great

    for a USA one this would be excellent:
    https://www.dadsguitars.com/guitars-c1/acoustic-guitars-c5/pre-owned-c9/2007-bourgeois-country-boy-d-model-p123
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    For a UK maker, I'd say Avalon. They are the workshop and team that built all the Lowdens during their reputation-building phase. You could get a ferry over there and see what they have in stock

    I have 5 of them, that should tell you how highly I regard them
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  • Obviously it's about personal preference, style and technique, but if I was to pick out  favourite I'd go for McIlroy Guitars in Antrim. I've played a couple of their instruments and I was blown away with the quality and sound.
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    Merrick said:
    Obviously it's about personal preference, style and technique, but if I was to pick out  favourite I'd go for McIlroy Guitars in Antrim. I've played a couple of their instruments and I was blown away with the quality and sound.
    He's another ex-Lowden builder
    They stock them at Sounds Great, drivable distance from OP.
    I was a little less impressed with 2 of them than I expected, I'd need to go again to see if that was a fluke or bad strings
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  • MerrickMerrick Frets: 4
    edited January 2019

    We all experience something different when we pick up a guitar. Having that "moment" with an instrument can be influenced by so many factors. Dead strings, bad acoustics, etc, can have as negative an impact as when you're in a bad mood and can't seem to get your fingers to work properly. Everything sound s**t.. Conversely, you can still be buzzing from the previous nights gig, spare cash in your pocket and a hot women waiting for you. You could find a reason to buy every guitar in the shop! I've learned over the years to be patient, go back, try it again and then stand back listen to someone else play it before deciding. I hope to be adding a McIlroy to my arsenal in the coming months.


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  • Anyone heard of these? seem like nice guitars  http://www.lakestoneguitars.co.uk/guitars.html
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    edited January 2019
    Merrick said:

    We all experience something different when we pick up a guitar. Having that "moment" with an instrument can be influenced by so many factors. Dead strings, bad acoustics, etc, can have as negative an impact as when you're in a bad mood and can't seem to get your fingers to work properly. Everything sound s**t.. Conversely, you can still be buzzing from the previous nights gig, spare cash in your pocket and a hot women waiting for you. You could find a reason to buy every guitar in the shop! I've learned over the years to be patient, go back, try it again and then stand back listen to someone else play it before deciding. I hope to be adding a McIlroy to my arsenal in the coming months.


    I slightly disagree, for most of us it's how it sounds to us when playing it that is the most important. It affects your playing so much, that any shortcomings in sound out the front are minor in effect, and usually can be fixed with EQ

    Also, everyone plays guitar completely differently, I play acoustic fingerstyle very loudly, and I've had people tell me "I've never heard my guitar sound like that before" when I try theirs. If they play softly, what use is it finding out that it responds well to me driving the soundboard really hard?

    My method in a shop is to try to calibrate the experience with more commonly seen guitars if they have them, or by bringing one of my own if possible
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  •   I play acoustic fingerstyle very loudly, and I've had people tell me "I've never heard my guitar sound like that before"


    You and me both. Hard tension strings and builders hands. I was once paid an enormous compliment after a gig when one chap came up and said I was the reason he'd started learning to play fingerstyle. Ordinarily I'd have been thrilled at such a compliment but he followed up with "Yeah, If you can play guitar with fingers like that then anyone can!"

    Doesn't have quite the same ring to it.......

    I totally agree about making your own distinctive sound but I find it very helpful to get a sense of how the instrument projects by listening from in front. It's not too difficult to make allowances for other styles of attack. A good idea to take one of your own instruments along as a benchmark.

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  • BidleyBidley Frets: 2912
    edited January 2019
    Proud Bartram owner here. His workshop is about 3 miles down the road from me, mine is the best guitar I've ever played. Every bit of it is handmade apart from the tuners and bridge pins. Richard is old school and a true gent.
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  • old thread but thought id list two other great makers. Anyone played one of Nicks or Richards Guitars?

    Richard Osbourne Guitarshttp://www.osborneguitars.co.uk

    Nick Benjamin http://www.benjaminguitars.co.uk
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  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    edited January 2020
    I own a Brook Taw. An interesting thing about it is that it's not very pretty or particularly ornamental. It just sounds great and is nice to play. So if you're looking for wow factor as a player, it might tick the boxes for you, or not. If you like a fat Lowden neck, for example, you might not like the thin Brook one. If you're looking for it to look special or expensive, it probably won't. 

    Lowden is also in the UK. They sound lovely too. 

    At last years guitar show in Birmingham, I played a Turnstone which really did it for me. 

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/125932/turnstone-at-the-guitar-show-2018#latest

    I'd love something like that one day...
    Just to put the record straight re Brook - their "standard" model is simple and unadorned but is made and finished to an extremely high standard. Things like custom neck thicknesses and fretboard widths can be incorporated into the standard model by Andy and Simon - usually at no extra cost unlike some makers. If you want something special then they can do almost anything and there are plenty of examples on this forum - including the custom Taw lefty which I picked up last October (with a 46mm wide fretboard at no additional cost).

    I've been so impressed with the Taw I've just placed a custom order with Brook for a lefty crossover nylon (ready in about 7 months).

    I've also got a custom Avalon and a "standard" Lowden and both are very good too - although a custom Lowden would probably out of your price range
     
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  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    I thought I'd add - although it pains me to say it because there are many fine little-known makers out there - if you ever need to sell a custom guitar then you'll usually do a lot better with one from a "name".

    Just like with cars, expensive added optional extras will not significantly add to the resale value
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  • ArchtopDaveArchtopDave Frets: 1367
    edited January 2020
    Mark Bailey (baileyguitars.co.uk) makes good guitars, or you could, as I did, go on his Build Your Own Guitar Course, and make one for yourself.
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  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    It would be remiss of me not to mention the excellent Glastonbury-based luthier Alan Miller. Alan specialises in fan-fret guitars but can do just about anything - including cellos and harps http://http//www.alanmillerguitars.co.uk/
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  • @mgaw had a Benjamin
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  • mgawmgaw Frets: 5239
    I did, Benjamin JOM Braz back and sides  superb guitar..long wait and a big price tag though.
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  • https://williamsguitars.co.uk @Haydn ;

    I believe he made his name in acoustics but I own three of his amazing electrics.  Cumbria.
    Trading feedback info here

    My band, Red For Dissent
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    edited January 2020
    I've just procurred an Atkin Essential D a week ago. Having spent a long time looking and comparing, it gave me what I wanted, and right on the OPs budget too.
    Very pleased with my guitar.
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