Steel String Acoustic Guitars

All instruments are individually crafted in a humidity-controlled environment that ensures all components are stable during assembly.

A look at some of the procedures and techniques used in the construction are shown below. Click the thumbnails to see a larger version of each.

Note: these features are those available for the base price. Customisations and other features not listed can be included for an additional charge.

• Basic Specifications:
  • 24.9" (short) or 25.4" (standard) Scale length
  • Soundhole Rosette
  • GHS Phosphor Bronze Strings
  • Hand scarved interal braces
  • Left or right-handed construction
  • Grover Rotomatic (solid headstock) or Sta-Tite (vintage-style for solid or slotted headstock) tuners
• Tonewoods:
  • Solid bookmatched Indian Rosewood, Sapele, Queensland Maple or Tasmanian Blackwood for back and sides
  • Solid bookmatched Spruce soundboard (Sitka, Engelmann or Lutz)
  • Solid spruce internal braces
• Bindings:
  • Solid wood or plastic binding on top and back edges
  • Top edge purfling
• Fretboard:
  • Ebony or Indian Rosewood
  • Mother of Pearl position markers
  • Nickel/Silver Frets
  • Genuine bone nut
• Bridge:
  • Ebony or Indian Rosewood
  • Hardwood bridge pins
  • Genuine bone saddle
• Finish:
  • Pre-Catalysed Lacquer (sprayed)

For an additional fee, the following tonewoods can be used. These prices are only starting prices; higher grades of tonewood can be selected for extra.

• Highly figured Tasmanian Blackwood - $300
• Bearclaw Sitka/Engelmann/Lutz Spruce (soundboard) - $300
• Western Red Cedar (soundboard) - $200
• Alpine Ash - $100
• Tiger Myrtle - $350
• Cocobolo - $350
• Walnut - $250
• Koa - $500

Contact me if you'd like more information about alternative tonewoods.

The following customisations can also be included.

• Venetian Cutaway - $500
• Abalone top purfling/rosette - $750
• Gotoh 510 Tuners - $200
• Waverly Tuners - $300+

Contact me if you'd like more information about alternative tonewoods.

As standard, all guitars are finished with a satin pre-catalysed lacquer. This finish adds a richness to the appearance of the instrument, bringing out the natural beauty of the woods.

For an additional charge of AUD$500, any custom guitar can be finished with a gloss lacquer. Such a finish will generally add a minimum of four weeks onto the expected completion date, due to the necessary periods of levelling, respraying, buffing and curing that aren't required for normal satin finishes.

The Model V (Classic) is finished with a full gloss lacquer as standard.

Each year a small number of acoustic guitars are built by Richard Wilson Guitars. Rather than building an endless number of different models, on ofer are four of the most popular designs of acoustic guitars -- including small-bodied Parlours, OM and 000s, Jumbos and Dreadnoughts. Each guitar is individually hand crafted from the best traditional tonewoods and materials available.

Contact me to talk about the options you have in mind. When you are ready to go ahead I will send you an invoice for the order. A 50% deposit is required to secure a spot in the waiting list; balance is due upon completion, plus postage/shipping costs.

A 5% discount is offered for guitars which are paid in full up front. Postage/shipping costs aren't paid until completion of the guitar.

Note: click the thumbnails to view a larger version of each photo.

Parlour Guitar

Note: click the thumbnails to view a larger version of each photo.

000 / OM

Jumbo

Dreadnought

Custom Acoustic Guitars