CHRIS ROBERTS 2018

It is always a pleasure to visit Paul’s workshop and to play his guitars. I have been lucky enough to play his Bear-claw Spruce and Flamed Maple guitar, it  really works with you to produce a beautiful, balanced tone right across the fretboard. I particularly enjoy the bass projection that his guitars achieve. They really give life to the lower lines when playing contrapuntal music such as Bach.

GRAHAM ALLISON 2018

I have recently received my Paul Beauchamp guitar . It is both beautiful to look at and lovely to play, with a tone that will improve and mellow even more over time. There is always something special about a real acoustic instrument, and that is what Pauls guitar is, special.

The process began several months ago with some initial ideas about woods and design. We communicated mostly by email but I know Paul is happy to discuss things by phone and welcome people to his workshop if they are visiting. I was content to let Pauls knowledge and expertise lead the way but he always consulted me on decisions whether number of tuning markers or types of tuning machine heads. The guitar was sent in a fine case, safely packaged, by next day timed delivery.

I said to Paul at one point that craftsmanship is always worth waiting for, and that feels even more true now I have my guitar.
For anyone reading this, if you are happy to wait and enjoy the consultation and anticipation you will not be disappointed by Paul’s work and artistry.

Best wishes,
Graham

VINCENT BARANOWSKI 2017

I went to see Paul with the view of having a guitar built, he showed me his workshop which has a wonderful and relaxed atmosphere, a real treat to see.
We had a disscussion regarding various tonewoods of which Paul is very knowledgable
He showed me various instruments he had made, all of which were exceptional, in addition to showing me various batches of wood from which my guitar could be constructed so that I could choose the grain pattern for myself.
All aspects of the construction e.g. fret board size, machine heads and rosette etc were talked about in detail again there were many options and Paul in his warm and friendly manner helped me to decide what would achieve my vision for my new Guitar.
During the time the guitar was being built Paul kept in contact and sent me Pictures of every stage of the guitars construction.
I have since received my guitar, and considering it has not yet been played in, the tone is exceptional, and the guitar is very comfortable to play.
He definitely got the neck width and profile spot on, and the Guitar to look at is absolutely stunning. It is exactly as was discussed prior to Paul commencing work on the guitar, and it far exceeds my expectations as he’s included refinements only a Luthier who loves his work would include.
I already own a small number of instruments none of which are “off the peg” and I must say my family have said it stands out from the rest already.

Thanks again Paul you have made this classical player and my family very happy indeed.

ALAN GOULDING

Walnut and Spruce Concert guitar owned by Alan Goulding

Dear Paul

It was Keats that said “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” and that sums up how I constantly feel about my Paul Beauchamp guitar. With the guitar though, the beauty is twofold: it sounds sublime and even a year after buying it, it still surprises me with its gorgeous, almost chiming, trebles and rich basses but it’s also stunning to the eye. Paul has a fantastic aesthetic sensibility and all his instruments are beautiful to look at. I have to confess that when I’m not playing mine, I sometimes just look at it and feel a little glow knowing that it’s mine. It really is a stunner. He has a terrific ear for the sound of an instrument and as a master craftsman, knows how to produce the sound he wants from the materials. On top of that, he’s a very charming and accommodating man. On the number of times I have visited his amazing workshop, he has been extremely generous with his time, knowledge and hospitality and allowed me to try out and compare the guitars he had present and talked me through their different qualities. 

P.S. thanks for your time this morning. I really enjoyed playing all those different guitars. I can’t wait to see that new one finished. I will watch Twitter with anticipation.

Cheers,

Dusty.

THE BRISENDINE FAMILY

F1 Flamed Maple Flamenco Guitar made for the Brisendine Family.

F1 Headstock with Baljak Tuners.

F1 Flames Maple Headstock with Baljak Tuners.

F1 Flamed Maple back and sides.

F1 Flamed Maple sides and Swiss Spruce Soundboard.

Hello Paul,

I received my F1 today at my home in Pennsylvania with no issues!  Thank you for the care in packing and shipment, the guitar sounds wonderful and is more beautiful than I had imagined! 

I’ve wanted a handmade guitar from flame maple for years, and after finding you on Instagram and reading your bio, I was pleased to find a dedicated craftsman.  Your background in sculpture, photography and art assured me that your attention to detail would be first class, and it truly was.

I could drive 20 miles and buy a guitar from a ‘box store’ this afternoon.  But to have a guitar of this quality, handmade by an artist in Wales, is a gift my family will remember. I’ve appreciated working with you over the past several months in discussing options for wood selection and tuners, as well as my goals for the guitar.  I’m grateful your guidance with the soundboard wood selection… the spruce sounds rich and full. I look forward to playing the guitar with/and passing this instrument down to my kids as a family treasure.

But not yet!  This is a fun guitar to play and it will not leave this house any time soon!    

Thanks again, Paul, for your attention to detail and craftsmanship.  I look forward to working with you again shortly for a couple of ukuleles!

Take care and all the best,

Dave

David R. Brisendine

Ligonier, Pennsylvania – USA

MICHAEL McCARTHY

Anyone can walk into a music shop and buy an instrument straight from the rack, which is just like buying off the peg suits, yes they kind of fit, but they were never made especially for you. For me, it was such an amazing treat to have a hand crafted ukulele that was made using the materials of my choice to the size and spec of my choice. Paul is a warm and friendly master of his art and when I walked into his work shop for the first time, I felt like a kid at christmas. The smells of wood and oils remind you that your not in Kansas anymore, and the time spent with Paul admiring his mixed array of stringed instruments goes by in the blink of an eye. My finished ukulele was beautifully presented in a hard case, which will keep it in tip top shape for many years to come, this wonderful little beauty is such fun to play, stunning to look at and most importantly, sound absolutely perfect. I can’t praise Paul enough, but what I can do is highly recommend this Cardiff based guitar and ukulele maker to anyone who wants a suit that fits.

Sycamore/lacewood tenor ukulele made for Michael McCarthy

ACOUSTIC GUITAR CALENDAR 2016

It was a great surprise and an honour to be chosen for this years Acoustic Guitar Calendar with twelve other illustrious guitar makers from around the world.

JUNE IS A GOOD MONTH