would you like to help me make guitars in Somerset?

Would you like to help me build guitars?

I'm looking for a core group of two or three people to help me do nothing less than take on the mass of cheap Asian guitar manufacturers which have flooded the UK market with inexpensive, very poorly made instruments over the last twenty years.

Alongside this core group I would like to invite those that would like to learn about guitars, guitar making and repair (luthiery), and manufacturing processes. I would also be interested to hear from those seeking experience with business administration, social media management, and mechanical design.

Here in the UK we have access to fine native hardwoods, top-quality hardware and electronic components, a generally temperate and stable climate, and a long history of both engineering and musical excellence. As a happy bonus, down here in Somerset we have access to the M4 and M5 motorways, the A303 leading to Portsmouth and Southampton, and lots of beautiful open space.

Here's the deal, I'm looking for two different types of person. On the one hand I need people with woodworking experience, preferably cabinetmaking and the use of industrial cutting machinery, and, on the other, I need people that are willing to learn. I am especially interested to hear from people that are currently unemployed in the area and would like a route back into work, or school and college leavers that want to stay in the area.

What can Matt Martin Guitars (MMG) offer? Well, financially, not a great deal. Guitars don't make money in the same way that working in an office or a supermarket does. Guitars are what people spend money 'on', like ballet, or champagne, or a season ticket to support The Dollies at home. The UK has some truly excellent guitar manufacturers such as Patrick James Eggle and Gordon Smith, but the beautiful instruments they produce are out of reach for most of us. Please don't misunderstand me, the PJE and GS guitars are worth every penny of their retail price (I own a GS myself, and have long coveted a PJE Discus model), but these guitars are at the very top of the guitar hierarchy. I am planning on producing a number of Journeyman level guitars to make them accessible to all players (all designs are currently under wraps), the focus being on targeting the marketplace of (and hopefully eliminating) mid-range guitars like this.

So:

• Are you interested in making guitars in Somerset?

• Do you have any experience with industrial cutting machinery (or would like to learn)?

• Do you live in or around the Glastonbury area and would like to stay here rather than being tempted away from our beautiful county just for work?

• Do you know anything about guitar culture (and are willing to listen to me talking about guitars and music for hours on end)?

• Are you currently unemployed in Somerset and are looking for a route back to work?

If so, please get in touch. The ideal person would want to be part of a group producing accurate, beautiful, quality instruments in England. They would be a little bit obsessive about the quality of workmanship, they would not be afraid to ask questions, they would not be afraid to make suggestions, and they would want to be proud of what we make, not just for financial gain or corporate profit, but because playing a guitar that you have made as part of an organisation is possibly the most exciting thing in the world.

If you have read this far, you might like to read a little more. Click here for an insight into building beautiful guitars.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Matt (February 2022)

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