Building a Custom Guitar for an Acoustic Guitar Legend! Episode 1 - The Journey Begins

This is the first episode in a new video series, embarking on a special project—building another custom guitar for the legendary Martin Simpson!

Known for his innovative fingerstyle and deep roots in folk and acoustic music, Martin’s artistry continues to inspire generations.

In this episode, we reflect on our previous build for Martin, explore his incredible career, and dive into the sustainable FSC-certified tonewoods we’ll be using. This new guitar will be tailored to his specific needs, including custom string spacing and unique design details.

And, as you’ll see in the video, we need your help! Got a favourite piezo pickup? Let us know in the comments!

Subscribe and hit the bell to follow this exciting build journey from start to finish. Stay tuned!

Chapters
00:00 Introduction - A special Project Begins
00:50 Who is Martin Simpson?
01:41 Our History with Martin
02:00 The first custom build
02:40 A New Challenge: Wider String Spacing
04:15 Sustainability and FSC certified Wood
06:20 Tonewoods selection
17:40 Design Details and Specifications
18:03 Focus on String Spacing
18:48 Pickup Selection: We need your help
19:31 Special Features for Comfort and Playability
20:00 What’s next? Stay Tuned!

#guitarbuild #customguitar #MartinSimpson #luthierlife #acousticguitar #handmadeguitar #fingerstyle #sustainableguitar #FSCwood #guitarmaking #BritishFolk #TurnstoneGuitars #guitarcraftsmanship #acousticmusic #guitarjourney

[MichaelWatts]

Oh yes! Can’t wait to see this one in action!

[MuseumsBloke]

Yes, ”excited” is emphatically the word!

[TheArtOfLutherie]

Great video Rosie! Can't wait to see this project unfold and the final result!

[wamgoc]

Wow! I’m really looking forward to the next episode of this guitar build and ultimately the finished instrument, hearing Martin creating beautiful music with it!
I’m sure it’s going to be epic!
Thank you for sharing!!!!👌

[stonehenge]

This is really exciting! To be able to watch the crafting of a new guitar with such exacting standards is going to be terrific!

[glennc]

What an exciting project and very commendable. Hopefully it will be an eye opener for guitar players. Great sounding guitars need not be made only from endangered Rosewoods and master grade Spruce cut on a blue moon. 👍

[fusion-music]

I found this video with Martin fascinating. Watched it twice. I guess the rays you spoke of are medullary rays which is really only found when wood is cut at the right angle to the growth rings. Chatoyance is also a lovely thing to behold, but that depends on the planing of wood and avoiding sanding the wood. Because I play mainly flamenco guitar, I get problems using electric and steel strung guitars & my solution is to build just like Martin wants his build. So, I have a project of building necks for all my guitars. It's very refreshing to see a discussion with a musician who wants to embrace the changes in the world, as regards wood choices & so-called blemishes. Lovely also to know luthiers who listen & want to investigate how different woods will respond to tools and sound. Thanks.

[DrustIV]

Hey Rosie, beautiful Anglepoise lamp! I have one just like it. A guitar that reveals every blemish? I need the opposite, ha-ha.

[frankcousins]

This will be fun to watch! 🙂 Thank you for posting and sharing this build for Martin.

[robertnewell]

And about time, too! A wonderful conversation between two masters. I think Rosie and Martin have talked guitars on this channel before, but this is stellar, and a great demonstration of two people from different disciplines seeking and finding a common language.

[kinnjohn]

World class guitar geekery! Looking forward to this..🙂

[phillipbancroft]

Thanks for sharing this build with us, your audience. I have appreciated Martin’s work for sometime and your guitars are very fine indeed. It’s going to be a wonderful journey & I for one can’t wait.

[colinnorth]

Really looking forwad to seeing the series, l've admired your work for a long time.

[YegresAL]

Cool! It's really interesting to see how one "simple" request could change approaches to building of the instrument.
Looking forward to episode where saddle compensation will be, hopefully, discussed.
Happy building!

[BleedinArtGuitars]

Wow, what a start! Some beautiful timber there. Looking forward to this series!

[MitchWild-kxtx]

This will be really good. That's an understatement.

[chrisgunn]

Happy days, just found your channel and have smashed that subscribe button and rung that bell very loudly, looking forward to the build, thank

[markusjablonski]

Great video.
Pickup?
An excellent system is the L.R. Baggs Anthem.
Greetings from Germany.

[waynejames]

no matter how good the sound, i'm still listening on my computer! AHHH

[tobypark]

Awesome. And I'm sure I recognise that outro music!