Karl Longbottom Guitars
Skipton
The Karl Longbottom Guitars Story
In 2001, Karl’s wife bought him his first guitar—an Epiphone Les Paul™. It wasn’t long before he started thinking about how he could build his own. Fascinated by how things work and how they can be improved, Karl has always approached design with a "why not?" mindset. This philosophy has driven him to develop his own original shapes while refining classic designs from the past.
With over 30 years of experience in woodwork and joinery, guitar building was a natural next step. In 2004, Karl came across Melvyn Hiscock’s book Make Your Own Electric Guitar, which helped bridge the gaps between traditional woodworking and instrument crafting. From there, Karl Longbottom Guitars was born.
In the Workshop
How They're Built
Karl builds every guitar by hand in his workshop in the heart of Yorkshire. Each instrument is built to order, fully custom to the player's specifications. He uses premium hand-selected tonewoods throughout, including South American Mahogany, Swamp Ash, Alder, Indian Rosewood, and Ebony. Where possible, he uses one-piece bodies and necks, a mark of quality you rarely see at this price point.
Hardware and electronics are sourced from the best in the business. Pickups come from Sunbear, Radioshop, or Bare Knuckle (or the customer's preference). Pots are CTS, capacitors are paper-in-oil, and all switching is Switchcraft. Hardware options include Gotoh, Wudtone, Callaham, and Wilkinson. Karl's standard finish is nitrocellulose lacquer, chosen because it ages naturally over time, developing the played-in character that synthetic finishes never achieve.
The lead time on a full custom build is typically 15 to 20 weeks from receipt of the first deposit through to completion. That includes consultation on every detail, from body shape and wood selection to pickup voicing and neck profile.
What Sets Them Apart
What sets Karl's guitars apart is his deep understanding of wood. Over 30 years as a professional joiner gave him an intuitive feel for how different species behave, how grain orientation affects resonance, and which pieces will make exceptional instruments. He hand-selects every piece of tonewood for its sonic qualities and visual character.
His range has grown to 15 distinct models spanning solid body and hollow body designs, each developed from original shapes while refining classic designs. Models like the 037 Deluxe, the Gordini, the S4, and the T16 have their own distinctive personality. The naming reflects Karl's broader interests beyond guitars. Nitrocellulose finishes come in a huge range of options, from transparent blondes and butterscotch to candy colours, metallics, and sunbursts. Every finish ages gracefully, developing character with each year of playing.
