The past month or so has been busy beyond belief. Setting up a guitar shop, working on customer commissions, doing my day job, and fitting in family life has certainly been a juggle. Amongst all of this, I have happily carved out time to collaborate on a custom guitar for an extra special client, one who knows exactly what he wants. The young client and craftsman in question is my youngest son. He's just turned 11 and wanted one of my guitars in time for his birthday. It's be

We're thrilled to announce that SL Guitar Works is now open! The past few weeks has been so hectic but also incredibly exciting. It's hard to describe the feeling of opening up your own shop for the very first time. There are so many things to consider and so many new skills to learn from Quickbooks, to 3D printing, sign design, website building, the list goes on and on. What a learning curve! It will certainly be an evolution. More stock is coming in throughout the next f

They're not just coming to the UK, they are coming to Doncaster! We’re incredibly excited to announce that SL Guitar Works have been selected to stock the outstanding range of Veelah Guitars here in the UK! All guitarists whatever their budget and level of experience deserve to have a good instrument. SL have thought long an hard about what to stock for our customers in the lower to mid-range that will represent excellent value for money without compromising on quality. We

On Monday, I had the privilege of sitting down for a fantastic conversation with Joe from Hello Sailor Effects, alongside Martin from Crazed Fandango . If you missed it, you can catch up here: It was one of those conversations that just flowed, full of shared passion and enthusiasm for all things guitar. We covered a lot of ground, from my own journey to becoming a luthier to what really makes a great guitar. It reinforced something I strongly believe, great instruments are

Meet Abby. Abby was originally conceived because the owner wanted to explore the depths of lower tunings that a baritone guitar can offer but there was not a guitar available that could offer him what he wanted. So the process began... Abby has been designed and sculpted to the owners desires. A true collaboration of different skills and talents. Credit for the designs of Abby's amazing inlay, body shape and headstock goes to @elesriil.ink. The inlay work itself was done by t

Podcast Debut This Monday + Big SL Guitars News I'm excited to be making my debut this Monday at 9pm on the Hello Sailor Effects Podcast! I'm going to delve into the story behind SL Guitars and my passion for crafting custom guitars, a journey that has been both creative and deeply personal. I'm looking forward to sharing the unique design and features of my instruments and chatting all things guitar! I’ll also be teasing some exciting developments around the future of SL Gui

Norwich's Boutique Guitar Show Just a quick note to say that I will be exhibiting alongside a group of incredibly talented builders at the highly anticipated Fret Fest taking place in June. This event promises to be a fantastic opportunity for enthusiasts and professionals alike to come together and celebrate the art of craftsmanship in a vibrant atmosphere. Fret Fest has taken the initiative to create a 'get to know you' post featuring all the participating builders, which p

Custom built electric guitar in white with black hardware. Stainless Steel frets. Guitar made to order by SL Guitars.

Today is all about getting everything ready for the London Guitar Show tomorrow. The house is a mess with guitars everywhere, but that’s how it usually goes the day before a big show. I’ll been checking over each instrument, giving them a final tune-up, and packing up the display rigging so everything’s ready to roll first thing in the morning. It's a very long drive from here in Yorkshire to London so I like to make sure I'm well prepared the day before. While I’m sorting

Thank you to my customer Simon Aspinall for this fabulous review and video demo: This was kindly sent back in February but I've only just got around to adding it to my blog page. ​ ​​​ "Steve is an exceptional independent guitar maker who truly brought my vision to life. From the start, his communication was fantastic—he listened to my ideas, contributed his own insights, and ensured every detail was carefully considered. The small special aesthetic touches during the build

This year’s Woking Guitar Show was a brilliant opportunity to share my work with real players and boutique guitar enthusiasts. One of the highlights was chatting with Crazed Fandango, who stopped by to check out my SL Guitars and have a proper chat on camera. Instead of just talking specs, he picked up the guitars, played them, and gave honest, thoughtful reactions; exactly the kind of feedback I love to hear. A Closer Look at the Guitars We started with my Wren, a Les Paul–s

Counting Down to the London Guitar Show I’m absolutely buzzing with excitement as the London Guitar Show draws closer. It’s always one of the highlights of my year, a weekend packed with inspiring conversations, incredible instruments, and a shared love of all things guitar. One of the things I look forward to most at these events is meeting people face-to-face and hearing their ideas for custom commission builds . There’s nothing quite like working with players to bring the

A Fantastic Weekend at the Woking Boutique Guitar Show This past weekend, I had the pleasure of exhibiting at the Woking Boutique Guitar Show and what a brilliant event it was. From the moment I arrived, the organisers couldn’t have been more welcoming. Everything ran smoothly, and their genuine passion for the guitar community really set the tone for the day. A huge thank you also goes to everyone who came along. The attendees were exactly what makes shows like this special,

My latest blue wren has made its way to a new home. Just look at the figuring on the beautiful Walnut top. This build has been such a pleasure to work on. Unusually, it has a 24-inch scale. My customer opted for Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups, Gotoh hardware, Cherry neck, and Rosewood fingerboard. Keep your eyes peeled for some more custom build pics coming in the next month or two. Commissioned Custom Built Wren

Isaac has kindly written a glowing review of his SL custom built flying V. This was such a fun build for a young talented guitarist. ​...

Review by Soul String:Best Guitar I've Ever Played?! The SL Guitars Blue Starling!

SL Guitars The Wren - A Handmade Guitar Blows Big Brands Out of the Water!