Maybury Guitars
The Maybury Guitars Story
Jason Snelling spent over twenty years in operations management before turning to guitar building full time. He studied at Ravensbourne Art College, and that combination of creative training and professional discipline defines everything Maybury produces. The logistics background means builds run to schedule, communication is clear, and nothing falls through the cracks. The art school background means every instrument looks like nothing else on the rack.
Maybury's tagline is "A Tribute to Wood, Tone, and Timeless Craftsmanship," and it holds up under scrutiny. Jason's designs draw on the classic silhouettes of the 1950s and 60s but reinterpret them with modern creativity, distinctive finishes, and a material philosophy that most builders have not caught up with. He works alone in his Surrey workshop, building every guitar from scratch to the customer's exact specifications.
The sustainability commitment is not a marketing angle. It is how the workshop operates. Bodies built from reclaimed 1930s floor joists. Necks salvaged from Squier guitars, stripped back, and refurbished with new frets, brass and resin inlays, and a proper setup. Hardware recycled from donor instruments. The Upscaler line takes this approach to its logical conclusion: a fully handmade guitar built almost entirely from reclaimed materials, at a price that undercuts most production instruments. When Guitarist Magazine gave the Teal Fish Hook S Upscaler a 9/10 and named it Editor's Choice in their 2023 Gear of the Year, it validated what Jason had been proving for years — that reclaimed materials in the right hands produce world-class instruments.
We carry Maybury because every guitar that arrives is genuinely one of a kind. Not in the way that marketing departments use that phrase, but in the literal sense: different woods, different donor components, different finishes, different histories. Jason builds guitars that tell a story before the first note is played. That is rare, and it is worth stocking.
Artists Using Maybury Guitars
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How They're Built
Jason Snelling builds every Maybury guitar by hand in his workshop in Woking, Surrey. Each instrument is built to order, fully bespoke to the player's specifications. The process begins with a consultation covering body shape, wood selection, scale length, hardware, pickups, and finish. Jason sends photos throughout the build and involves the customer at every decision point. A typical build takes five to twenty days of hands-on work, with a total lead time of six to twelve weeks including finishing and curing.
Sustainability runs through the entire operation. Bodies are often built from reclaimed 1930s floor joists, salvaged Squier necks are stripped back and refurbished to spec, and hardware is recycled wherever possible — vintage bridge components, chrome tuners, even 1970s record player knobs repurposed as control knobs. Where new wood is needed, Jason sources sustainable African hardwoods. Nothing is wasted, and nothing is treated as disposable.
The finishing is where Jason's Ravensbourne Art College education shows. Chalk paint, nitrocellulose lacquer, Shou Sugi Ban (charred wood), teal greens, cherry bursts — every Maybury guitar has a visual identity as distinctive as its tone. Jason treats each instrument as a piece of functional art, not just a tool.
What Sets Them Apart
The guitar range spans six core models: the Cholla (an offset body), Fish Hook T and Fish Hook S (Telecaster and Stratocaster-inspired), and the Saguaro (a double-cutaway). On the bass side, the Meloca, Chuck Bass, and X Bass cover everything from classic to modern voices. Each design draws on 1950s and 60s silhouettes but reinterprets them with modern creativity and Jason's distinctive aesthetic. Pickups come from Sunbear Pickups, a UK boutique winder, or are recycled from quality donor instruments depending on the build.
The Upscaler line is what truly sets Maybury apart. These are budget-conscious instruments built almost entirely from reclaimed and recycled materials — reclaimed spruce bodies, refurbished Squier necks, salvaged pickups, recycled hardware. Guitarist Magazine gave the Teal Fish Hook S Upscaler a 9/10 rating and named it Editor's Choice in their 2023 Gear of the Year. That a guitar built from reclaimed materials can compete at that level says everything about the craftsmanship behind it. In the boutique world, sustainability is usually a premium add-on. Maybury flips that: the sustainable option is the most accessible one.
