Showcasing the Turnstone difference

Past Handmade Guitar Builds

A small selection from our portfolio of handcrafted guitars from previous years; spanning custom commissions, distinctive Artisan Collection creations, and limited run Select Series models.

Martin Simpson – His Second Custom Build

After the success of his first Turnstone guitar, Martin Simpson returned for a second custom build, seeking subtle refinements and features to suit his evolving playing style. Having worked closely with Rosie before, Martin trusted the process and wanted an instrument that would push the boundaries of tonal clarity, responsiveness, and playability.

The guitar features sustainable Katalox back and sides with an Adirondack spruce soundboard, chosen for its dynamic tonal range and visual character. It also incorporates a carefully considered neck and string profile to match Martin’s preferred feel and facilitate his fingerstyle technique. You can see the full series of videos made for this build on our YouTube channel.

"I just recorded your guitar... it is astonishing." – Martin Simpson

Jim Turtle – A Family Heirloom in the Making

Jim approached us with a vision: a guitar not just for today, but one to be cherished for generations and eventually passed down to his children. From the very beginning, he knew he wanted something deeply personal, something that quietly reflected his story.

Drawing inspiration from the painted turtle, native to North America where Jim is from, we designed a custom rosette echoing the striking pattern of the turtle’s underbelly, a subtle yet meaningful tribute to his surname.

Jim chose a distinctive pairing of English Yew for the soundboard and Macassar Ebony for the back and sides, creating a guitar with both visual character and tonal depth.

"I would describe Rosie as a player's maker. She really took the time to get to know me and my playing style. The pictures don't do it justice—and it sounds even better than it looks!" – Jim Turtle

Danielle – Celebrating 40 Years of Music

To mark 40 years as a professional musician, Danielle wanted an instrument that would reflect her journey and inspire the next chapter of her playing. Having followed Turnstone for some time, she was drawn not only to the guitars themselves but also to the fact that they were crafted by a female luthier, something that resonated deeply with her.

Inspired by a guitar previously built for another client, her instrument features Tasmanian Blackwood back and sides paired with a Swiss spruce soundboard, chosen for its clarity, and responsiveness. A very different offering to her current go-to guitar which has a cedar soundboard.

To honour her classical roots while supporting her progression into steel-string playing, we crafted a very flat, thin neck profile to mirror the feel of her classical instruments. The rosette was designed collaboratively, based on a drawing she had created, adding a personal artistic touch to the guitar’s identity.

"It's stunning, Rosie. I absolutely adore it." – Danielle

Toby – Crafting His First Custom Guitar to Exacting Tonal Standards

Toby approached Turnstone with a very clear vision: to create his first ever custom guitar, one that would perfectly suit his playing style and expand his tonal palette. Extremely sensitive to sound, he brought examples of guitars he admired and visited the workshop on multiple occasions to try instruments as they were finished.

As an accomplished player and a perfectionist, he was meticulous about every detail of the build, wanting to ensure it was exactly right.

The guitar is a TG model with Bog Oak back and sides and a Redwood soundboard, crafted as a multi-scale design to enhance his dropped tuning playing and add a fresh dynamic to his collection.

"There’s something special about this guitar, not just the timbre but the way it projects, it feels truly enveloping as a player. Other guitars might sound good for a given piece, but they usually project in a more linear, 2-dimensional way. The Turnstone feels like switching from mono to stereo. And this isn’t just a first impression. Nine months on, it still feels incredible." – Toby

Niall – A Guitar of Understated Elegance with Unique Tonewoods

Niall is an avid player and collector, with a deep appreciation for handmade instruments and a history of working with established luthiers. For his Turnstone guitar, he wanted something that would stand apart from the norm, both in appearance and tone, while staying true to his love of the rich overtones of rosewood.

He was drawn to an Indian Rosewood-bodied instrument with a Redwood soundboard and was intrigued to try an English Sycamore neck. Nothing overly ornate or flashy, Niall preferred to let the natural beauty and character of the woods speak for themselves, creating a guitar that is visually refined, yet sonically compelling.

"The guitar is absolutely beautiful. I was nervous about the wood choices as I haven't ordered timbers like a redwood soundboard or a sycamore neck before, but I love how the whole guitar has come together. The sound of the guitar is just glorious and up there with the best guitar makers in the world." – Niall

Passion and dedication

The Turnstone Gallery: A Collection of Legacy Instruments

Here are some of the quiet triumphs of our workshop: guitars that began as ideas and became instruments with presence, gravity, and song. These finished pieces are not inventory, but legacy; bespoke commissions, rare Artisan Collection creations that stand as one-off statements of design and sound, and Select Series instruments built in carefully curated limited runs. Each bears the Turnstone signature: contemporary, distinctive, and crafted with a precision that can be seen as clearly as it can be heard.