I Built the most scottish guitar | guitartan
an aesthetic of tartan and whisky…
I must make something clear upfront: I’m not a guitar builder.
I’ve dabbled in maintenance and modification of instruments, I’ve also tried my hand at making guitars before, but I certainly don’t have the skills, tools, or workspace to be considered a real luthier. My education is in physics, not in wood working.
Despite this, when I was invited to be part of the Great Guitar Build Off, a competition designed to bring attention to the art of guitar building while also raising money for charity, I accepted the challenge. This was a fantastic opportunity to accomplish with basic tools and a limited workspace what the other competitors could achieve with fully kitted out workshops and big boy power tools.
Everyone loves an underdog story, right?
Before I could start building a guitar, I would need a concept. Something with a strong theming that would evoke an emotional reaction, while also being achievable in a short time limit with mostly hand tools.
As I sat down one night in my kilt, poured a wee whisky, and settled in to enjoy my haggis dinner to the relaxing sound of bagpipe music I thought to myself “what about me is unique that naebody else is gonnae dae?”
The answer was obvious: A Scottish guitar! A Guitartan!
With an aesthetic of tartan and whisky this would be a striking instrument. I soon got to work gathering the required materials.
The main part of the instrument would be made from a kit supplied by Crimson Guitars - a large sapele body blank and a multiscale neck.
To this I would add a cap made from the wood of a whisky barrel. I acquired a cask end which would be worked into thin slats and glued to the top of the guitar.
The wood was not only beautifully figured, but smelled lovely while being worked.
The tartan would be used for more decorative elements. The scratch plate and control covers all feature Scott Green Ancient tartan visible behind a frame of polished aluminium.
The bridge humbucker also got this treatment, with the tartan’s pattern aligning with the main guard.
The remainder of the tartan was fashioned into a guitar strap which mimics the shoulder plaid of a highland outfit, complete with a brooch featuring a celtic motif.
While these elements would look fantastic in isolation, when playing the completed guitar while wearing a kilt of matching tartan this instrument blends into the outfit.
The Guitartan was further decorated with a kilt pin in the shape of a Claymore, three walnut knobs with celtic knot engravings crafted by Indra Guitars, and a custom set of my very own Heraldry Pickups:
Claidheamh Mòr - a powerful twin rail humbucker in the bridge position, topped with tartan.
Sgian Dubh - a single coil sized humbucker in the neck position, a secret weapon for ripping lead tones.
This guitar will be up for auction between 22 June and 2 July on the Great Guitar Build Off site with the money raised being split between GGBO’s charity and my chosen charity - Simon Community Scotland. Below are the links to the auction, a Just Giving page to raise money for Simon Community for those who don’t want to bid on the guitar, and Simon Community Scotland’s website so that you can find out more about the work they do.
Links:
Guitar Auction - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164923480440?hash=item2666349978:g:CxgAAOSwrJNgzKEK
Donate - Just Giving Donation For Simon Community
Simon Community Scotland - https://www.simonscotland.org/