Gordon Smith Super-Lite | Extremely lightweight electric guitars

With swamp ash becoming ever harder, and more expensive to source, we started investigating alternatives. Enter paulownia, a hardwood with a long history in musical instruments, super light and beautifully resonant.

Gordon Smith Guitars are the UK's longest established electric guitar manufacturer. Founded in 1974, we've been handcrafting working guitars for working musicians for over 40 years.

[anthonylong]

Amazing guitars built by a fantastic, accessible and very skilled team - I love my Gordon Smiths!

[samerbata]

oooh, how punchy is that guitar?!! sounds lovely. Great playing :) Well done team GS!

[SwanseaTitanFan]

Adding to my Christmas list. Fingers crossed Father Christmas gets me one. I love my 97 Graduate but she is about 9 lbs.

[Butterfliesandzebras]

Love to see you take advantage of the lightness with a bit vibrato

[Gunnerpunk]

Still waiting for that set neck guitar demo "in a couple of weeks"!

[StratsRUs]

How do you ensure that the neck does not dive ?
I would love a S type light guitar.
There are very cheap brands using Paulownia, such as Eko, as well as guitar kits with bodies priced at Forty pounds.
But I'd love a superlite GS Strat, providing that all the parts and screws do not strip away over time.Thanks.

[MrSonorbakken]

Sounds and looks great!
I’m looking forward to try it out.

[jpizzleforizzle]

I had a $100 Dean Vendetta years ago, made of Paulownia. Super light, strong, and acoustically resonant. Everyone was always surprised how light it was.

[TorySlusher]

sounds pretty great, I like the idea of the lightweight-ness as well...

[angganugraha]

Is a guitar with a light weight good quality?

[dejaliloquy]

Empress wood is excellent for guitars. I have one (not your model) but I love the look and sound of your models

[JeighNeither]

I went to the website & couldn't find any guitars using this wood? I'd like something w/an HSH or HH setup. I'd love that in a tele body, but the body shape isn't so important.

[moham]

I watched this after seeing the launch videos for the PRS NF53 yesterday. You guys have nailed a much more tele guitar which sounds and looks better, and is way cheaper. Love my Partington GSs and I play my GS2 every day - I will have to get a new one to try out the craftsmanship of Higham Ferrers!

[jasfiona]

Ooooo, that sounds amazing and the neck is as beautiful as mine. Shame mine doesn't sound as good, or maybe it's just my sloppy playing.

Great idea with the wood sourcing and complimentary adjustments to the pups. What exciting times.

[JakeWieczorek-irvu]

Hey mate - are you getting natural vibrato by bowing the neck as you play? Is that easier to do as the guitar is lighter?

[cleangoblin]

I had a candlenut body before.
It should be lighter than Paulownia.
It works. Really light but the neck dive is abyssmal playing sitting down.

Standing up it was great.
But i like how my alder body vibrates when you struck a chord

[mediastarguest]

The weight, choice of wood and neck and intonation and setting and tension of strings influence how comfortable and easy (or not) the guitar is to play but have very very little to do with the tone and sound.
The pick-ups and amplifier (and pedal, if used) are 99% responsible for the sound of an electric guitar.
Ther is bobody alive who can tell the difference between the sound a 4.25kg mahogany-bodied guitar makes versus a 3.5 kg alder bodied guitar once they are jacked up to a fuzz box and valve amp.
But even a beginner could probably tell the difference between the speed, action and comfort of paying each guitar.

[johnnybgood]

I’ve got the Gordon Smith S Style in paulownia and it is absolutely stunning both to look at and play! Think F*nder Custom Shop then half the price.
I’m now seriously considering a Classic T type one like this next.

[DazzleRebel]

Would love a new Gordon Smith guitar for under £6 😜

[CotmanKenny]

I purchased a lightweight guitar from Kritz (Belgium guitar builder) 2, 3 kg or 5 pounds.