Ryan Gibson Guitars

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Ryan Gibson Guitars

Single handily hand crafted guitars made in Central Scotland.

14/06/2026

Always a pleasure to see the rosette pop under the first session of French polish 😁..

03/06/2026

This modern classical guitar was made for the fantastic guitarist . Check out my previous posts for more details about what went into this guitar.
Here are some overall shots to show the guitar in all its glory!
The guitar features a cedar soundboard traditionally braced with five fan struts and ziricote back and sides.
The body is finished with French polish and the neck has been finished in oil.
The body shape is based on a 1888 Torres concert classical, so an old design with a modern twist!
Let me know your thoughts. I hope to make more of these style guitars in the future. ..

02/06/2026

My latest guitar, a 'modern' classical, features a K&K pickup. I love the K&K for its transparency and natural sound. The four pickups are glued directly underneath the saddle placement inside the guitar. It's a passive system so there's no big boxes or batteries inside the guitar. It's very simple. It can be plugged into any amplifier or desk but sounds better when used with a dedicated preamp.
Some people might see putting a pickup in a concert classical as controversial. However, there are a growing number of players that are looking for a small amount of amplification to lift their signal, especially when playing with other instruments, for example a cello. When done right and using a good enough quality amplifier, it can be barely noticeable to the audience that there is amplification. Personally, I prefer a discreet system like this than any other type of microphone or pickup that has to be placed awkwardly on the guitar or gets in the way of the player.
This guitar also has a strap button added to the heel which in conjunction with the strap button from the pickup output enables the player to use a strap as either an aid when sitting or to play standing. This again is another feature I see being requested for by classical or crossover players. You must always bear in mind when using a strap of the dampening effect of having a large amount of the back of the guitar in contact with your body. This will affect the sound especially when standing. ..

30/05/2026

A 'modern' classical headstock, inspired by Gypsy jazz guitars. By having the headstock sides angle in and not out you allow the strings to follow a more natural path from the nut.
These beautiful custom tuners are from the fantastic I love the ability to direct customers to their design studio so they can have fun finding the perfect design for their one off guitar. The aluminium plates are noticeably lighter too.
The finish is satin oil. ..

26/05/2026

The idea behind the aesthetic choices I made in collaboration with for his modern classical was all about stripping back the traditional ornate decoration. The rosette is a simple ring of solid ziricote wood taken from the back of this guitar. We wanted it to appear as just a dark ring from a distance but as you get closer you see more detail from the wood. The only flourish on the top of the guitar is the single red padauk veneer, which can be found on the rosette, bridge, top binding and fingerboard. This again is hard to see from a distance but can be appreciated by the player or anyone close to the guitar.
The ziricote back is bound in ebony without any extra detailing. Here we're just letting the wood do all the talking.
The neck is finished in oil as requested by the customer but also adds a nice contrast between the French polish. ..

25/05/2026

Just fueling up before launch..... Another cedar & ziricote to be flying the nest soon (hahahaha I think I'm tired 🤦🏻)..

24/05/2026

What is a 'modern' classical? I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to explore some ideas already in my head when commissioned a guitar from me with very similar ideas to my own.
At its heart it's still a traditional concert classical, solid top, 5 fan braces. Austin's guitar is based on an 1888 Torres instead of my own concert shape although dimensionally, they are very similar.
Austin wanted a guitar with a more modern aesthetic, stripped of the traditional ornate decoration. A narrower and thinner neck the modern back profile more closer to a C shape than a D shape. He plays a mixed repertoire and wanted the ability to play the traditional position as well as the guitar on the right leg as a right-handed player.
I will post more photos and discuss each element of this design to highlight our thinking on this project in the coming days. ..

22/05/2026

collecting his new 'modern' concert classical this week! It will have its debut concert tomorrow in the beautiful Isle of Skye Scotland. for more details. I'm sorry I can't be there, but I look forward to hearing how the audience reacts to Austin's new guitar.
I'll post more pictures and details about his guitar soon. ..

08/05/2026

Sneaky peak, buffing this cedar and ziricote modern classical. What makes it modern? I hear you not asking...
I'll let you know later 😉..

13/04/2026

Thanks to Ed for finding this spruce and Santos rosewood concert guitar a new home.
There be another one heading Ed's way soonish hopefully. ..

Address

Stirling

Website

http://www.ryangibsonguitars.com/

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