Guitar Makers of the North — including North Wales
Bill Dinsdale — historical archive
I first met Bill in the late 1970's. Both Kieran 'Fish' Carr and myself had paid a visit to Sounds Acoustic guitar shop in Manchester and been knocked out by the sound of one of Bill's guitars. This lead to us ordering two (one each) and with Kieran eventually taking delivery of a '000' solid headstock, 14-fret to the body model and me a '00' slotted headstock, 12-fret to the body box. A couple of days later I re-visited Sounds Acoustic as one of the frets had a tiny projection sideways from the neck which I wanted stoning. They rang Bill, gained permission for them to give me the address of his workshop (then in Bradford) and I drove over whereupon Bill sorted things out for me.
At this time Bill was a very young 21 and had recently completed his luthier's course at the Royal College of Furniture Makers in London - the major qualification course for instrument makers in Britain. He was a charming young man with a superb eye for detail and the woodworking skills to match. His enthusiasm at this time was extreme and his ideas and interest in his subject were boundless. However, working by oneself in complete isolation with no feeling for deadlines or others to push one forward was reflected in the fact that Bill was a bit of a dreamer - in the nicest possible way of course.
Prior to setting up a workshop in Bradford Bill had produced, during his course, a copy of a Gibson J-200 guitar. A big, bold, and beautiful instrument which was purchased by Andy Gibson; a blind chap who was to become a wizard of acoustic guitar in the area of North Wales. Andy still plays this guitar today (2000) and uses it both in his performances for charities and in his teaching.
In the early days Bill went out with Ann but the financial recompense from guitar making was small. Consequently, in an effort to reduce expense (though that was certainly not the only reason) they got married and Bill turned his thoughts to maximising his output without lowering his production standards. After a few years this led to a consortium of instrument makers working together under the name of Opus Workshops. However, with time and the arrival of a couple of children Bill finally decided that he and his family needed greater financial security than luthiery could possibly provide. The consortium was broken up and Bill went back to college where he gained his teaching/educational qualifications and became a teacher.
Good luck Bill !! We shall greatly miss your 'new' guitars; it was always a wonderful pleasure to be able to visit the workshop and smell the woods and the glue, to talk guitars and music, and just to be in your company. The acoustic guitar world will sorely miss you though I am sure the kids will greatly benefit from your outlook on life.
Historical note: Bill subsequently returned to guitar making and produced a further body of highly regarded instruments, but he has now retired from guitar making and his former website is no longer active. The material above is therefore retained as a historical account of his work and of the Dinsdale guitars that played an important part in the early development of the Tape 'n' Tab circle.
Roger Bucknall — Fylde Guitars, Cumbria
Roger Bucknall is the founder and principal maker behind Fylde Guitars. Fylde's workshop produces individually hand-built acoustic guitars and small batches of standard designs, with the workshop team dividing specialist construction stages while Roger concentrates heavily on custom orders, neck shaping and final assembly. The range extends beyond guitars into instruments such as mandolins, mandolas, bouzoukis and related acoustic instruments.
Contact: Fylde Guitars, Cumbria. Email and contact facilities are provided through the Fylde Guitars website.
Narelle Freeman — Reiver Instruments, Cumbria
Narelle Freeman established Reiver Instruments in Cumbria in 2014. She has more than two decades' experience as a professional luthier, having begun as an apprentice in a violin shop in Australia and graduated from the Newark School of Violin Making in 2002. Her workshop produces hand-crafted acoustic, classical and archtop guitars using traditional methods, alongside violin-family instruments. She also makes commissioned instruments, with careful selection of materials and, where possible, locally sourced tonewoods.
Contact: Cumbria · Reiver Instruments.
Graham Skimming — Lucem Guitars, Cumbria
Lucem is a boutique British maker whose current instruments include the Paradox and ST models. The company combines distinctive contemporary electric-guitar design with traditional woodworking and carefully selected tonewoods. Lucem's work is particularly interesting as an example of a North-of-England maker moving beyond conventional vintage replicas into original instrument design.
Contact: sales@lucemguitars.co.uk · 07789 773068 · Lucem Guitars.
Richard Thompson — Tomson Guitars, Wigan
Tomson Guitars was established in 1987. Richard Thompson is a guitarist, maker and repairer who builds instruments to individual musicians' specifications as well as repairing and setting up guitars and other stringed instruments. His work has included guitars, mandolas, mandolins and bouzoukis, making Tomson an especially relevant North-West example of a small independent workshop serving both players and makers.
Contact: Wigan, Lancashire · 07792 136801 · Tomson Guitars. Visits are by appointment.
K.G.B. Musical Instruments — Birkenhead, Wirral
K.G.B. is a long-established Wirral workshop providing custom guitar and bass work alongside extensive repair and modification services. The workshop undertakes custom bodies and necks, fret work, nuts and saddles, inlay, refinishing, electronics and acoustic pick-up installation. It is included here because it is particularly relevant to the North-West and to players who need a local workshop capable of substantial instrument work.
Contact: Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 1LJ · 0151 647 3268 · keith@kgb-music.co.uk · K.G.B. Musical Instruments.
Matthew John Bascetta — Wirral, Merseyside
Matthew John Bascetta has been making stringed instruments since 1999. Originally from Connecticut, he learned acoustic-guitar making in the USA before moving to Britain and studying classical guitar and violin construction at Leeds College of Music with Bill Dinsdale and Kevin Wilkes. Based on the Wirral, he makes and repairs steel-string and classical guitars, as well as dulcimers and instruments of the mandolin family.
Contact: Wirral, Merseyside · Matthew John Bascetta — Luthier Directory.
Shane Haigh — Haigh Guitars / The String Surgeon, Yorkshire
Shane Haigh has more than 30 years' professional experience building and repairing guitars. His work ranges from custom-built guitars to refrets, resprays, neck repairs and general maintenance. The workshop has also worked on instruments for professional musicians and bands, making this a useful example of the overlap between guitar making and high-level repair work.
Contact: by appointment · 01924 277930 · 07748 015115 · Haigh Guitars.
Sam McClaren — McClaren Guitars, North Yorkshire
Sam McClaren hand-builds bespoke guitars of his own designs, with both steel-string and nylon-string models. His approach places considerable emphasis on voicing, player requirements, comfort and individual setup. He normally builds only two guitars at a time, allowing him to concentrate closely on each instrument. His background includes training at the Totnes School of Guitarmaking and further study at Newark.
Contact: Sutton on the Forest, York, North Yorkshire · +44 (0)7540 637515 · mcclarenguitars@gmail.com · McClaren Guitars.
Peter Barton — Addingham, West Yorkshire
Peter Barton has been a professional luthier in Addingham since 1986, concentrating initially on classical guitars and later extending his work to steel-string acoustic guitars and other fretted instruments. He trained in traditional instrument making at West Dean College under Roger Rose and has made more than 200 instruments. His workshop also undertakes repairs and restorations, making him a useful example of both new acoustic-guitar making and specialist restoration work in West Yorkshire.
Contact: 36 Main Street, Addingham, West Yorkshire, LS29 0PL · 01943 830447 · pete@peterbartonguitars.co.uk · Peter Barton Guitars.
Warwick Stevens — Stonehammer Music, Congleton
Stonehammer Music's in-house luthier Warwick Stevens has been designing and making his own range of stringed instruments for more than 20 years. His work includes acoustic guitars, bass guitars, ukuleles and mandolins, alongside repair and servicing work undertaken through the Congleton workshop. The business also offers custom builds for players wanting an instrument designed around their own requirements.
Contact: 12 High Street, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1BL · 01260 280778 · info@stonehammermusic.co.uk · Stonehammer Music.
Richard Osborne — Osborne Guitars & Mandolins, Llanidloes
Richard Osborne is a Welsh luthier making acoustic guitars, mandolins and bouzoukis. His workshop in Llanidloes also runs intensive guitar-making courses, allowing students to build their own instruments under his guidance. The combination of instrument making, repair/pick-up work and teaching makes Osborne an important part of the contemporary Welsh acoustic-instrument scene.
Contact: Llanidloes, Mid Wales · enquiries via the Osborne Guitars & Mandolins website.
Carlo Errico — Wrexham
Carlo Errico is an Italian/Welsh luthier based in Wrexham, with a particular association with classical guitars. His former business, Carlo Errico Classical Guitars, was listed in Wrexham and offered guitar repair work. He is also documented undertaking restoration work on Victor Garcia classical guitars. The original Carlo Errico website is no longer readily accessible, so this entry is deliberately limited to his documented classical-guitar making and restoration work rather than implying that he is currently accepting new commissions.
Contact/information: Wrexham, North Wales · UK Luthier Directory listing.
Richard Meyrick — Richard Meyrick Guitars, Abergavenny
Richard Meyrick established his workshop in 2008 after studying guitar building and repair at London Metropolitan University. His guitars are made completely by hand using traditional woodworking techniques, with each instrument built to the player's requirements. He also undertakes repairs, setups, restorations and modifications to fretted stringed instruments.
Contact: Lower Ground Floor, The Gallery Building, The Old Workhouse, Union Road, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 7RL · 07779 595891 · info@RichardMeyrickGuitars.co.uk · Richard Meyrick Guitars.
Ieuan Connick — Connick Guitars, Pontypridd
Connick Guitars is a small Pontypridd luthiery specialising mainly in handmade steel-string acoustic guitars, using traditional methods. Ieuan Connick trained under Phil Messer at the Totnes School of Guitar Making and is also a Taylor-authorised service technician. The workshop offers custom instruments alongside repairs and setups.
Contact: 17 Towyn Way, Tonteg, Pontypridd, CF38 1NB · 07825 200068 · ieuan@connickguitars.com · Connick Guitars.
Why include luthiers on a guitar player's site?
A good handmade guitar is not simply a collection of expensive materials. Body geometry, bracing, voicing, neck design, scale length, setup and the individual maker's judgement all contribute to the way an instrument responds to the player's hands. For fingerstyle players, where bass, melody, harmony and percussive detail may all be produced simultaneously, those differences can be particularly noticeable.
The makers above represent a mixture of approaches: some concentrate on individual bespoke acoustic instruments; some build several types of stringed instrument; and some combine making with repair, restoration and setup work. They are included as a regional resource rather than as a ranking or recommendation.
TablEdit resources
TablEdit — guitar tablature and notation software.
TablEdit Tutorials: TablEdit Tutorials · Create Publisher Quality Scores · TablEdit.com Online Tutorial
