We sell new and used classical guitars and we also have unusual instruments from around the world.
Please note we are only open by appointment. I normally have in stock new and used classical guitars by Rodrigo and also Granados. These instruments are better quality than you can buy locally. These instruments are normally available in central London, at The London Guitar Studio.
Our new Blog page will have articles about buying, playing, tuning with some short videos. We also come across lots of music stuff you won't normally see in the UK.
6th April 2024
Weissenborn guitar
Gold Tone: not an exact copy.
Ashbury: this instrument is most like a copy of a Style 3 Weissenborn, Koa with stringing.
17th Jan 2024
National Style 0 from 1930. This guitar would have been manufactured between July and December 1930, the serial number is very low S-1596. I thought it would be interesting to include a previous sale from the USA that I found via searching the serial number on Google.
Listing from 2022, Brooklyn, New York State
This listing is for a Vintage 1930 National Style O Resonator Guitar. This National Style 0 was made in 1930. The serial number is S-1596. The guitar is a 12 fret model with straight F holes and double palm tree etched metal resonator body. The guitar is in quite good shape considering it's age but is in borderline neck reset territory and has fairly high action. The neck shows evidence of being reset before but unfortunately the neck angle is still not ideal and the action or string height is on the high side. Depending on your playing style you may love the guitar how it is with the high action or feel it needs a neck reset. Certainly if you are playing slide and more open tunings you can get by with higher action. The neck also has some visible bow in it which could be corrected during a neck reset, see pics.
The guitar appears to be all original and has not been modified other than the marking on the fretboard from the previous neck reset, see pics. The guitar has a good sound and is still fun to play if you can fight through the higher action. The neck is a nice V profile neck and feels very comfortable. The guitar comes with the case pictures which is in poor condition and not original. The metal resonator body has some scratches and wear you'd expect on a 90 year old instrument but overall the guitar is in good shape and is an excellent candidate for a professional restoration.
Please look at the pictures and message with questions. I am happy to ship internationally but will not falsify customs documents. Please feel free to message to confirm international shipping rates.
More about this National Style 0 guitar. The guitar has been examined by a luthier in the UK, and the neck has been properly re-set, it was also necessary to do a re-fret, to get the instrument into good playing order.
The necks on these early National guitars are made from Maple and the fretboard is ebonised, not made from solid ebony or rosewood (this did surprise me, but it is correct for the period). This means over the years the fretboard has slightly worn with playing open positioned chords on the first 4 frets. I have decided not to fill or discise this in the restoration, the re-fret will make this guitar very playable for many years to come.
The original case: The guitar came with what was said by the dealer to be its original case. It is a Moc-croc cardboard case with a felt lining. It has an internal Gieb metal label. It is the type of case that was normally supplied by the dealers from the 1930's with National guitars. Many examples have been seen in the States. National did not send their guitars out with their own branded cases. So although the case is correct for the guitar, we will never know if it is the original one supplied with the guitar, but it is very nice to have a contempory case with a vintage guitar.
6th July 2023
Purchased from Adaptatrap in Brighton, this Chinese instrument is Height 112cm and 50cm wide, 4 strings and 24 frets. It was sold as a Da ruan, but maybe a Zhong ruan, I need to find out more.
16th June 2023
I have found a book on the hist.ory of the cigarbox guitar, it seems to be the only one available. It covers 150years of history from the first examples from the 1840's. Also talks about violins, ukes and banjos.
18th May 2023
Found a shamisen teacher in Finchley London. Hibiki Ichikawa will supply instruments, and do face to face, or on-line for Tsugaru shamisen lessons. For more details on go to my World music page
9th May 2023
Just started learning the Shamisen from Japan, will put up lots of information and web links soon.
Useful Shamisen links
Bachido has a lot of useful inforation, including 200 folk tunes for shamisen. It also has a forum and instruments for sale. Not my style but a lot of good stuff. Shamisen of Japan is a lot more serious.
16th April 2023
An 8 stringed Nyatiti, normally made in West Africa. This instrument was made by Adaptrap, a music shop in Brighten UK. It is tuned to G pentatonic, low tohigh; G A B D E G A B. This is a convenient tuning for a western player, the africans tune notes in different
7th April 2023
Just ordered another small kora with built in pickup. This instrument has been made for small hands.
7th April 2023
I am having my Kalamazoo KG14 worked on by NoTom in London. It has had to have a neck reset, which is not unusual for a guitar from c1938. Once this has been done the instrument should be in very good condition and ready for sale.
3rd April 2023
My second 3 stringer cigar box arrives, this one has frets but has a slightly higher action for open G slide playing. I always ask for maple neck when having a cigar box instrument made, less movement or warping than oak or sapele. Purchased from Drummond & Hammett
20th March 2023
Terry and Philippa have just booked for a one day kora worshop in June. SOAS will be running many world music classes includeing: Balinese Gamelan, Classical Indian singing, Guzheng and much more. Please look at SOAS website
19th March 2023
The hub cap has arrived and been tested. It has a really well finished neck made from maple. It was made for slide only, with a high action. Sounds very good through my Pignose amp.
18th March 2023
Needed a new portable amp for the odd outside demo, so I purchased a Pignose amp. These are battery powered and can be put on a strap. I am going to use it with a cigarbox.
Decided to go for the tweed look,
10th March 2023
Hub Cap almost complete. This a 3 stringed guitar, fretless and tuned in open G. it has tone and volume control knobs. Manufactured by Mike Evens UK
This video shows tuning used by Bassekou Kouyate for the small size ngoni.
November 2022
I needed a small solid guitar to gig, so I commissioned this instrument wih small body, volume and two pickups. Realy simple desiegn with unusually 5000 yearold bog oak top. This is a very hard wood that only looks better with age.
When trying to purchase a pipa there didn't seem to be any quality instruments on offer. Most of the instruments for sale on line were poor quality, made with plastic parts. In the end I tried a company in China Sound Mountain This turned out to be a good move, for about £400 I got a super quality instrument, shipped to the UK, with no duty paid. I only wish I had spent more money, well recommended.
It is quite difficult to buy an erhu in the UK. When looking for an example I was shocked to find that you can still import with a Cites certificate an erhu made from wild Boa.
You can purchase synthetic skinned instruments but in the end I was lucky to find 2 old instruments that had been shipped to England many years ago.
Hard to find but I can recommend Jali Bakary in Bromley by Bow, who teaches face to face and online.
Getting the keyboaed room ready for new students
Contact us for appointment
Jan 2022
Push Up Player Piano, in good playing condition (now sold)
June 2021
Setting up for a gig at Canary Wharf. What a great day playing on top of a ship right next to Canary Wharf tube station.
This is a c1980's Dobro resonator hat I purchased with quite a bit of players wear. I decided to have some art work painted onto the back of the instrument in fact A Trinidad Sunset. This plays so well that it has turned out to be my best instrument for slide blues. I have put heavey strings 16 guage onto this Dobro instrument.
