06/08/2026
New Sunday guitar making class in Bristol starting up - sign up now! https://www.guitarmakingschool.co.uk/service-page/sunday-morning-guitar-making-classes?referral=service_list_widget
Alex Bishop Guitars
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Guitar Luthier Alex Bishop Guitars specialises in the construction of finest quality hand-crafted and custom-built gypsy jazz guitars.
I predominantly build Selmer-Maccaferri style guitars, I offer a range of contemporary design features. These include side sound ports, chamfered arm rests, custom rosettes and inlay work. I also build contemporary '000' and 'OM' folk guitar models.
05/08/2026
Kit Hawes performing Jack Hall on one of our handcrafted guitars. Built with a Lost Tunnel redwood top and back, wrapped around a western red cedar core, this combination delivers warmth, clarity and a responsiveness that lets every note breathe.
Every instrument we make is individually crafted around the player, creating a guitar that's as unique as the music it's made to play.
If you've been thinking about commissioning a custom guitar, we'd love to hear what you're looking for and help bring your ideas to life.
https://www.alexbishopguitars.com/team
31/07/2026
Almost 200 years old and still holding its story. This Honoré Derazey Romantic guitar (c. 1830) came in for rosette restoration. Here's the process of hand engraving mother of pearl to match what was already there. ✨
30/07/2026
🔧 Full fretwork on this Gibson L-7 from the 40s. Levelled, crowned, polished, and brought back to life. There's something special about bringing an 80-year-old archtop back to life. More of the process coming soon...
28/07/2026
Ever wondered what goes into restoring a vintage guitar without destroying the very sound that makes it special?
In this month’s Confessions of a Luthier, I take on a fascinating 1960s Harmony Sovereign with a warped soundboard, impossible action, and an exceptional tone. The obvious repair wasn’t the right one, so I had to find a different solution to preserve its unique voice.
Read the full story and discover why, sometimes, perfection isn’t the goal.
🔗 Click the link: https://www.alexbishopguitars.com/post/an-unconventional-vintage-guitar-repair
13/07/2026
The best guitar fretwork is something you’ll never notice… but you’ll definitely feel.
This month I’ve been writing about one of the most demanding stages of building a guitar: fretwork. From preventing fret sprout with bound fingerboards to shaping every fret end by hand, it’s these tiny details that make the difference between a guitar that’s simply good and one that’s effortless to play.
If you’ve ever wondered what goes into making a truly exceptional instrument, click the link to read the full article.
https://www.alexbishopguitars.com/post/sweating-the-small-stuff-the-secret-to-perfect-frets
15/06/2026
Some instruments don’t just need a setup; they need a second life.
This month’s project is a mid-60s Höfner violin bass with a badly collapsed neck and some serious structural issues. A careful, methodical restoration begins on the bench, starting with preserving what’s left of the original finish before tackling the neck reset.
Full write-up in the link in bio.
08/06/2026
Tone: part science, part storytelling, part stubborn myth.
This month I take a run at the big question: what actually makes a guitar sound like it does? From tonewood legends to design choices that quietly do most of the heavy lifting, it’s a look at what really matters when you plug in or sit down to play.
Spoiler: it’s not just the wood.
Full article via link in bio.
22/05/2026
These tired old plastic bridge pins had become loose and poorly fitted over years of restringing, affecting both tuning stability and how securely the strings seated against the bridge plate.
In this video, I’m replacing them with a properly fitted set of rosewood bridge pins. Using a tapered reamer, each bridge pin hole is carefully adjusted to achieve a precise fit, allowing the strings to anchor correctly and seat firmly where they should.
Clean fit, better stability, and a much more satisfying finishing touch to the instrument.
Follow along here and over on YouTube for more guitar repair, restoration and lutherie workshop content.
21/05/2026
to some tasty shots of 's Cherry OM. Since the photos this guitar has been upgraded with a pair of pickups for isolating the bottom two strings to create some massive bottom end when they are performing live.
Most of the UK-grown fruit woods make exceptional sounding guitars. If you're considering getting a one-of-a-kind custom made instrument just get in touch to arrange a workshop visit and we can help guide you through the process of tonewood selection. 🪵
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Unit 11, 32 Easton Road
Bristol
BS50DB