From Matt Thomas, custom D-style guitar, March 2026
"I spoke to Dave during the summer, offering up something of a wish list of preferred specifications, including ideal tone woods, neck profile and most hopefully, ideas of intricate fret inlays, based on some very personal history. Not only did Dave meet all of my requirements, but he FAR exceeded my expectations. By Christmas, I was the proud owner of a beautiful, one of a kind, moonspruce top, rosewood back, sides AND neck, dreadnought acoustic guitar. We stayed in touch throughout the whole process, and no idea was too big (or too small) and I now have exactly what I pictured in my mind. I would definitely recommend getting in touch with Dave, and seeing what he can do for you."
"I spoke to Dave during the summer, offering up something of a wish list of preferred specifications, including ideal tone woods, neck profile and most hopefully, ideas of intricate fret inlays, based on some very personal history. Not only did Dave meet all of my requirements, but he FAR exceeded my expectations. By Christmas, I was the proud owner of a beautiful, one of a kind, moonspruce top, rosewood back, sides AND neck, dreadnought acoustic guitar. We stayed in touch throughout the whole process, and no idea was too big (or too small) and I now have exactly what I pictured in my mind. I would definitely recommend getting in touch with Dave, and seeing what he can do for you."
OM style guitar
A classic Martin design with a European spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides. Finely profiled bracing gives a sweet full sound from a smaller body.
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J style guitars
Huge sound, here is my regular session instrument with a wonderful figured koa back Based on the classic J200 GIbson dreadnaught, without the C&W bling....
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D style guitars
Based on the classic Martin dreadnaught design, Over the years I made instruments from different tonewoods using the classic bracing pattern to compare with more evolved bracing designs I use now. Below right to left: alpine spruce, rosewood back, sides and neck; sitka spruce with a yew back & sides and sound port and on the left - 'The Holocene' model with a figured redwood top and Norfolk bog oak back and sides. How do they sound? The spruce/rosewood model has the gutsy dreadnaught sound; the spruce/yew/soundport model has a delicate, spacy sound that perfectly suits fingerpicking; the bog oak model is dark and warm but with a sparkle.
'The Holocene dreadnaught' (2018)
Holocene? A geological joke… The back and sides are made from 5250 year old bog oak from the Norfolk Fens, placing it in a geological era… The figured redwood top, unique bracing features and a soundport make this a distinctive instrument in every sense. Dark looks with a warm tone with a top-end sparkle.
Holocene? A geological joke… The back and sides are made from 5250 year old bog oak from the Norfolk Fens, placing it in a geological era… The figured redwood top, unique bracing features and a soundport make this a distinctive instrument in every sense. Dark looks with a warm tone with a top-end sparkle.
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New builds on the way...
This is a view of a new D style instrument made from European spruce with figured mahogany back and sides, braced with mixed materials to optimise brightness and depth. This model will also feature a soundport. More info to come!