Nightingale Guitars

11/12/2024

🎄 Still searching for the perfect Christmas gift? 🎁
Give something truly special and meaningful this year with a Nightingale Guitars Gift Voucher!

You can choose the amount you’d like to gift, and the voucher will be redeemable for the first 6 months of 2025. 🌟

🎸 What can the voucher be used for?

- A hands-on Guitar Setup and Maintenance Course — perfect for guitar enthusiasts.
- A unique bespoke guitar-making or repair lesson — an experience to remember.
- Setup and repair services — keeping their instrument in top shape.
Make this Christmas unforgettable with a gift that’s as experiential as it is thoughtful. 🎶

Drop me an email today at [email protected] to get your voucher in time for the Christmas! 📩

All the best
Ash Nightingale

23/11/2024

Meet my 16" Model the N400! 🌟Experience the powerful sound and deep bass response of a traditional dreadnought guitar, now enhanced with a more elegant look and feel. This model is an ideal choice for fingerstyle players who appreciate both sound and style. 🎶

This particular guitar, an N400F 12-Fret, showcases exotic ebony for the back and sides paired with a stunning sinker redwood top. The unique combination of redwood and the 12-fret neck join delivers exceptional balance across the frequency range, making it ideal for intricate fingerstyle pieces. At the same time, it offers plenty of headroom for strumming bold, open chords.

For full details, head over to my website 🌐 link in bio!

22/11/2024

Top and back are brought to near-final thickness and cutout ✂️. I had to go full tunnel vision on this rosette for a couple of days—I always aim to push my limits with every guitar 🎸, and this one is no exception. This time, I incorporated some interesting materials: various wood species 🌳, stabilized maple burl (in blue) 🌊, and unbleached bone 🦴.

The rosette aligns with the blue and white theme running throughout the guitar, a tribute to the client’s grandmother 💙, whose favorite color was blue. A guitar is more than just an object; it’s a story 📖 and a tool for creative expression—for the player and the luthier alike 🎶.

11/11/2024

This is the N380 🌟 my OM equivalent that brings the comfort of a smaller guitar together with the power and projection of a larger model. Ideal for fingerstyle and versatile across playing styles, this guitar offers the same elegant aesthetic in a perfectly sized package. 🎶

This particular N380 is crafted with exquisite PNG ebony and AAA Swiss moon spruce🌙 giving it a unique tonal character with bright, clear trebles, a strong fundamental and a full yet crisp bass. With a standard scale, it delivers a familiar, balanced feel that works well for a range of musical expressions.

For full details, head over to my website 🌐 link in bio!

07/11/2024

You can also see some blue and white pinstripe purfling that I’ve been planing. This is pushing the boat out for me 🚤 as I usually like to keep these elements understated, but I am LOVING the way this is looking so far! That sharp contrast really accentuates the design. More on this coming very soon! 🔥👀

05/11/2024

Say hello to the N360! 🌟 Discover the charm of the smallest Nightingale model, featuring sweet trebles and a surprisingly rich bass response that defies expectations for a compact guitar. 🎶 Enjoy the same elegant aesthetic with added comfort. This particular model showcases Indian rosewood and moon spruce —perfectly paired for a balanced tone across the frequency range, with a short scale for comfortable playing and a warm, full sound. 🌹🌙

For full information please head over to my website 🌐 link in the bio

04/11/2024

Get an inside look (pun intended 😉) into what makes a Nightingale guitar unique. I’m meticulous about the internal joinery, making sure every fit is tight and precise. At the London International Guitar Show, I talked with people about how the same level of attention to detail you see in the guitar’s exterior is also applied to each internal component. Every piece is crafted with care, and the interior is finished with a coat of shellac to protect against humidity changes—ensuring your instrument lasts a lifetime. 🎸✨

31/10/2024

Introducing the next two models in my lineup! 🎸✨ On the left is the N400, measuring 400mm (15.75") across the lower bout, with a 12-fret neck join 🎶. On the right is the N430, a larger model at 430mm (17") across the lower bout, shown here as a baritone acoustic guitar 🎼.

It’s been a journey to bring these models to life, each with its own unique voice and character. For more details on dimensions, specs, and pricing, head over to my website! 🌐

30/10/2024

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be introducing the 4 guitar models I’ve been developing over the past few years 🎸✨. It’s been an epic journey of growth, learning, and refining 🌱. There’s still more to explore, but I’m proud to now offer 4 unique guitars across 4 sizes that reflect this evolution 🚀.

On the left is the N360, my smallest guitar with a 360mm (14") lower bout 🎶, and on the right is my OM equivalent, the N380, measuring 380mm (15") across the lower bout 🎼. For more details on dimensions, pricing, and all my models, check out my website! 🌐

21/10/2024

As you can see 👀, the sides are fitted snugly to the rimset, and I’m getting ready to lock in this shape by gluing in the blocks. Sound like a plan? 👂 Thanks to the stability and conformity of the laminated sides, I don’t have to battle with the materials much at this stage. Everything just falls into place, with a bit of tinkering at each intersection to fine-tune the fit. I can almost feel the guitar taking shape in my hands and I’ve got a really good feeling about this one! 🎯

20/10/2024

Check out the latest episode of the 'Building a Custom Acoustic Guitar' series over on YouTube

In Episode 3 of Building a Custom Guitar, we dive into shaping the guitar sides, creating the taper and the rounded contours of the top and back. Along the w...

18/10/2024

Ah, the lesser spotted Ash Nightingale in his natural habitat... surrounded by guitars and chaos! 🎸🐦

This week has been full-on. I kicked it off by teaching a 75-year-old client how to set up his guitar (legendary!). Most of my time has been spent pushing forward on this custom commission, but I had to break away for a last-minute photography shoot 📸—gotta have all my ducks in a row for the London show on October 27th. 🦆

Juggling guitar building, teaching, repairing, and running the business can feel like a circus sometimes 🎪, but honestly, this is my element. It’s what keeps me going.

Oh, and I’ve been doing a lot of filming lately! 🎥 Determined to bring you some valuable content over on YouTube. After nearly a decade of making and repairing guitars, I think it’s about time I share some of that experience with you all. I’m all about putting out imperfect content and learning a little with each video. Filming, editing, sound, storyline—it's a steep learning curve, but I do love a challenge. So, if you’ve got feedback or ideas for what you’d like to see, hit me up! I’m here to improve and provide as much value as I can to the acoustic guitar community. Let’s do this together! 🙌