For as long as I can remember I have been a keen maker of all things wooden; toy boats, go Carts, I even tried to build an aeroplane! So when I began to learn guitar I found that I couldn’t help but tinker with them to try and improve their sound. At the age of 16 I built my first guitar out of old bits and bobs scrounged from here and there. It wasn’t bad for a first attempt but there was clearly much to learn, so after A levels I enrolled at London Metropolitan University (formerly the London School of Furniture) where many of Britain’s guitar makers learned their trade.

 

After graduating with a first class degree in musical instrument technology I escaped the hustle and bustle of East London city life and returned home to the more relaxed atmosphere of the Welsh marches where I have a small workshop in rural Monmouthshire.

 

I can make your guitar out of almost any tonewood you wish, although in my  experience certain woods are more suitable than others. I prefer to use European Spruce for the soundboards and braces and Walnut for bodies. spruce is a traditional choice that has been used for instrument making for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Walnut is an absolutely beautiful, wood, both visually and acoustically, it often has very striking figure and a rich chocolaty colour.

 

In a time of severe deforestation I avoid using exotic rainforest timber, most notably Brazilian Rosewood which has been almost logged out of existence. If the need arises, however I use FSC approved sources of timber to ensure the timber is logged responsibly and legally.

About Richard Meyrick guitars