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Jim Fleeting Guitars: Bolivian Rosewood OM
It’s been a busy few weeks. Here’s the latest custom acoustic, fresh from my guitar workshop: Plenty of bear claw in that Sitka spruce top, not to mention lots of mellow bass and clear, ringing trebles. A great piece of wood. The top is Sitka spruce; the back is Bolivian rosewood; the ebony bridge and fingerboard are both bound with high-flame koa. That’s koa on the headstock,... [Read more]
Why Gibson Doesn't Suck Right Now.
So I put a post up about Gibson, then I see this. The most stunning attribute of the new SG Carved Top–Autumn Burst (and there are many) is its highly figured maple top that rises unexpectedly from the traditional – yet still radical – dual-horned SG mahogany body shape, which is then given a gloss Autumn Burst nitrocellulose finish to bring out the full depth of its stunning grain. It is without... [Read more]
Why Gibson Sucks Right Now
Not my favourite brand this week, but in the interests of impartiality I will begin with a list of what I like about Gibson. The Good: Gibson is without doubt one of the most important and innovative brands when it comes to fretted instruments. Gibson has made the world’s most sought after banjos and mandolins. The Gibson Les Paul has been a staple of the electric guitar market since it’s... [Read more]
Basschat Yorkshire Bass Bash
The Basschat Yorkshire Bass Bash, which took place in Harrogate at the weekend, saw the area’s bassists and basses get together. It was organised via the popular Basschat.co.uk web forum, and I was invited along to give a talk. For a bass nerd like me, it was great to be in an enclosed space with so many amazing instruments, talking to so many musicians about what they like best about their... [Read more]
Jim Fleeting Guitars in the Guardian
A very nice piece was written about me in Saturday’s Guardian. It’s a feature about people with “dream jobs”. Before I began making custom guitars I used to work in a grey office fixing computers; I had my Eureka! moment halfway up a mountain in the Basque Country. (You can read more on this blog’s About page.) The online version of the Guardian article is here. I like... [Read more]
Guitar Repair: refurbishing a 1969 Gibson SG
Sometimes it’s hard to believe what is on my desk. Gibson only made SGs with front accessible controls in 1969. It should have a bigsby trem, and a scratchplate. It should also have a fingerboard. What a mess. This customer bought the guitar as is, as he knew that this could be a very valuable guitar with a lot of work. The neck has been cracked a number of times, and I’m pretty... [Read more]
Koa is my favourite wood
Koa is beautiful. It is full of rich colours, and the figure that can be found in it is as good as I’ve seen in any wood. I built this bass in 2005. The koa top has a subtle flame and a rich, brown colour. Koa (acacia koa) is a hardwood native to Hawai’i, and was used by ancient Hawai’ians to build dugout canoes. It is used frequently in making ukuleles, but is rare, due to logging.... [Read more]
My latest acoustic build – progress
As satisfying as it is to build a guitar, there are certain moments that really stand out. The obvious one comes at the end: when you string it up, and hear the first notes from the newly-made instrument. Another great moment is when you apply the first coats of finish; at that moment, you get a glimpse of what the final guitar will look like. Today I enjoyed another one of my favourite moments:... [Read more]
New Nine String Bass
An exhibition called Guitars, made in Britain, played the world over, is running at the Hub National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, until 19 January. It showcases “the very best guitar making in the UK” and the curator is none other than Gordon Giltrap: one of Britain’s most influential acoustic guitarists. I was honoured when, almost a year ago, Gordon asked... [Read more]
Guitar Repair: fret job on a 1970s Gibson Heritage
There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from an excellent fret job – both for the player, and the luthier. It is always a pleasure to work upon an instrument that is evidently well-played and well-loved. At the Jim Fleeting Guitars workshop, partial and complete refrets are a staple of our day-to-day repair work. Some of our customers are (pleasantly!) surprised when they discover how much... [Read more]
Hello. My name is Jim Fleeting. At my workshop in Ripon, North Yorkshire, I create custom guitars and basses for customers around the UK and Europe. The Guardian describes me as one of the UK’s leading luthiers, which is nice of them. I built the UK’s first nine string bass and popped up in Guitarist and Guitar & Bass magazine, after winning an award from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. I also head Jim Fleeting Guitars’ thriving repair shop.