Gordon Smith Guitars
Guitar manufacturer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon Smith Guitars is an English manufacturer of "hand-made"[1] electric guitars.
 | |
| Industry | Musical instrument |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1974 in Partington, Greater Manchester |
| Founder | Gordon Whitham and John Smith |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Electric guitars |
| Parent | Auden Guitars |
| Website | gordonsmithguitars.com |
History
The company was founded in 1974 and is named after its founders, Gordon Whitham and John Smith. In April 2015 Gordon Smith Guitars was acquired by British-based Auden Guitars and production moved from Partington near Manchester, England to Audens Guitars' workshop in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.[2][3]
The company aims to produce quality guitars for working musicians and say that they make "guitars, not furniture".[4]
Gordon Smith Guitars are among the highest-rated manufacturers for use of sustainable woods in guitar construction, according to the Ethical Consumer.[5]
Range
The Gordon Smith range includes original designs, such as the Galaxy, as well as S-style, T-style and LP-style models.[6] All models currently[as of?] use a brass nut.[citation needed]
The company offers many options for customising guitars, including a choice of hardware and finishes, single- or double-cutaway and left- or right-handed guitars.[citation needed] Twelve-string and double-necked versions of the range are also available.[citation needed]
Gordon Smith produce their own pickups in-house.[7][8]
Their humbucker pickups are coil-tapped as standard[citation needed] for a broader range of sounds.
Awards
Guitarist magazine reviewed the Gordon Smith GS1000 and gave it their Gold award.[9]
Players
The company does not offer celebrity endorsements. Guitarists known to have used Gordon Smith guitars include:
- Mick Abrahams of Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig[10]
- Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish and The Forces of Evil
- Ian Miles of Creeper
- Rhys Jenkins of The Arteries, Ulrika Spacek and Hot Mass
- Billy Bragg
- Nicky Garratt of U.K. Subs[11]
- Dee Dee Ramone of Ramones
- Kloot Per W of Polyphonic Size and De Lama's
- Pete Shelley of The Buzzcocks
- John Squire of The Stone Roses
- Midge Ure of Thin Lizzy and Ultravox
- James McCreedy of Motion Pictures/Dark Tower/The Biggest Thrill
- Dan Goatham of Spoilers and Snuff
- Members of The Futureheads
- Nicke Andersson of The Hellacopters
- Larry Hibbitt of Hundred Reasons
- Adam Pearson and Mike Varjak of The Sisters Of Mercy[12]
- Frankie Stubbs and Dickie Hammond of Leatherface
- Loz Wong and Simon Wells of Snuff
- James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers[13]
- Dave Wolfenden of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
- Paul Kostabi of Psychotica
- Bill McQueen of China Drum
- William McGonagle of Hell Is For Heroes
- JW of Hookworms
- John Otway
- Richard Holgarth of Eddie & the Hot Rods and John Otway Band
- Phillip Foxley
- Richard Tyler formerly of Rosalita
- Ben Wood & Andy Duke of Ben Wood & The Bad Ideas
- Ian Lovell of Guitar Tuition
- Allan Holdsworth
