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Hilditch Handmade Guitars New Build Thread

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HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
edited June 2023 in Made in the UK
Hi all
some of you may (most won't haha) remember me from a couple of years ago, predominantly for making a guitar with a Marshall MS2 in built into it.
I'm back, with a slightly more mature view on the instruments I make (haha), having taken the brave decision to make it my full time occupation. 
I'll not waffle on too much for fear of boring you, but this all started just before the C word ruined everything, when I started a new job in a furniture workshop. Originally i began in the machine shop - turning slabs of tree into usable timber for the bench joiners, but having built my first guitar back in school, and since developed a fondness for hobby wood working in general, I knew the benches was where I wanted to get. The opportunity arose and I decided to have a go at making a proper guitar from scratch, that I could use and be proud to 'show off'. Then Covid ruined it all for me, but I was lucky enough to be allowed to take some timber home for the lockdown which gave me chance to hone my skills (my product appeal developed much later ha). 
I ended up with a new job making timber roundhouses and after 18 months of site work - weeks away from the family and my man cave - I eventually found myself in a position where I could see this becoming the new bread winner. And that pretty much brings me to today.

So my aim is to use this thread to get up to speed with what I've been creating over the past 18 months since escaping the rat race (to an extent anyway) 
Of course, everything I post is viewable on my website (hilditchguitars.com) and socials (using the handle @hilditchguitar) but I'll try to condense things on here. Unless you good folks want the uncondensed versions haha.

So let's dig in...


Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    My first 'proper' commission was this left handed S type. I eventually named the model Scorpius and this one was knicknamed Ethel after my dog at the time. She loved this customer.

    Rosewood and Maple through neck with Walnut wings and 15mm Flame Maple top (originally destined for a carve but plans changed)
    Super V tremolo
    Schaller tuners (changed to Grover due to stability issues on the Schallers)
    XJ Jescar stainless frets
    Sunbear custom humbuckers
    Push/pull coil splits and killswitch
    Tusq XL nut
    Gloss nitro finish
    Magnetic flush cover
    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023





    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    From this I developed my Bobcat model. Similar to a PRS I guess, but I wanted something a bit more rounded and easy on the eye.
    Ash body with chamber
    Flame Maple top
    Maple and walnut bolt on neck
    Wilkinson 2 point tremolo
    Locking tuners from Northwest Guitars
    Stainless steel frets
    Radioshop custom humbuckers
    Tusq XL nut
    Gloss nitro finish

    (I've now worked out how to add multiple images to one comment)


    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    Then I reworked my Tao model
    Meranti body
    Flame Sycamore top
    Rosewood, Maple and Purpleheart set neck
    Purpleheart and Ebony 2 tone fretboard
    Grainger fixed bridge
    Medium jumbo stainless steel frets (this became my new standard from here on)
    Northwest Guitars Locking tuners
    Bone nut


    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    And made another Bobcat, my first go at spraying 2k Poly too

    Mahogany and Iroko body with chamber again
    Quilt Maple top
    Mahogany Maple and Iroko bolt on neck
    Stainless frets
    Push/pull coil split on volume
    Ebony fretboard



    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    Then I developed a T type and a public vote came up with the name T-Bone
    And on this I used a 0.1 mfd capacitor which gives a gnarly fuzz tone when you roll it all the way off.
    Sycamore body
    Iroko bolt on neck
    Stainless frets
    Retrosoul (now closed) custom humbuckers
    Grainger fixed bridge
    Oil and wax finish

    This got snapped up almost instantly


    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    Another one that got snapped up the day after I finished it... I stupidly didn't take any pics as I thought it would still be coming home from a show with me. D'oh

    Rosewood, Walnut and Maple deep tenon set neck
    Elm body
    Flame Maple center strip
    Grainger fixed bridge
    Northwest Guitars locking tuners
    Stainless frets
    Wormy Ebony fretboard with glow in the dark markers and filled worm holes
    27" scale

    This got a nickname of Firebeast, easy to see why haha


    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Then I got my first bass order (the previous guitar was actually a test of the shape for the bass order)

    Maple, Padauk and Pang Panga through neck
    Ash wings
    Fishman Fluence pickups
    Gotoh bridge and tuners
    Satin nitro finish
    Stainless frets





    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Now this was a guitar of many firsts for me;
    WBW binding
    Floyd Rose (genuine)
    Sustainiac
    Scalloped frets (15-27 (yep))
    Sperzel tuners

    Walnut and Maple deep set tenon neck
    Meranti body for light weight
    Matte nitro finish

    27" scale to fit the sustainiac because the customer wanted 27 frets haha. But this thing has toured a lot of the world in a very well known (in the scene) thrash metal band, and the guy actually has an Iceman that was owned by Sam Totman which is his backup, behind mine. We coined the model name Wayman as his name is Wayne and it's based on the Iceman (clever haha) and it's nickname is The Hate Machine







    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Another commission, based on Jerry Garcia's Tiger, dubbed The Grateful Dregg

    Mahogany body
    Walnut top
    Maple and Padauk bolt on neck
    Gotoh VS100n bridge
    Gotoh locking tuners
    Killswitch and mini switch for unlocking more pickup configurations
    SD hot stax
    Can't remember the humbucker models but they're Dimarzios

    Originally not fussed about weight, this one actually came back to go on a diet after the customer decided he did like his back in one piece after all.



    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    Another T-Bone, this time in 26.5" scale
    Again, snapped up at it's first public outing by a guy who had seen the other one a good few months prior, and spent the whole time kicking himself with regret haha. 

    Sycamore body (same board as the turquoise one)
    Padauk and Maple bolt on neck
    Rosewood fretboard
    Gotoh Vs100n tremolo
    Gotoh locking tuners
    Tusq XL nut
    Satin nitro finish


        

    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Another first - 7 string. And multiscale because why not!?

    27-25.5" scale
    Ash body with purple grain filler 
    Flame Maple top
    Walnut, Maple and purpleheart bolt on neck
    Curly Mango fretboard
    Grainger individual saddles
    Fishman Fluence pickups
    Sperzel locking tuners
    Gloss 2k PU finish
    Purpleheart Scorpion inlay, not to everyone's taste but it's too late now haha

    The pickups just sound incredible for extended range stuff







    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Then we went back to crazy, but it was a commission so it's ok right
    For the lead guitarist in an 80s hair metal inspired originals band from Scotland
    Gloss nitro finish
    2nd Sustainiac
    Gotoh VS100n
    Tusq XL nut
    Sperzel locking tuners
    Through neck 






    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Followed by this bling Explorer. People who like Explorers have loved this at shows.
    It was an order for a friend and he let's me take it to shows

    Mahogany body and set neck
    Crazy flame maple top
    EMG 81/85
    LEDs controlled by push/pull pot
    Northwest Guitars hardware
    Gloss nitro with slight pearl in






    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Continuing the purple theme, on to this V
    Maple through neck
    Swamp Ash wings
    Quilt Maple top - 20mm
    Genuine FR with KMS upgrades
    Bare Knuckle Miracle Man pickups with push/pull splits
    Grover mini Rotomatic tuners
    Gloss PU finish





    It was a 21st present hence the inlay

    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited June 2023
    Another first with this order - crackle finish (I've put a short thread in making and modding about this one)
    Maple and Walnut through neck with Mahogany wings
    Gotoh FR
    Hipshot industrial tuners
    Legacy pickups
    Killswitch
    Boost switch
    Bottle opener on the back ha






    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Another Wayman model and my first go with resin
    Spalted Beech body
    Bog Oak top
    Iroko, Walnut and Maple bolt on neck
    Gotoh FR
    Gotoh locking tuners
    Warman Destroyer pickups
    Gloss PU finish








    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • And bringing us right up to date is this Scorpius Oil Slick
    26.5" scale
    Mahogany body
    Wenge top
    Walnut and Maple set neck
    Birdseye Maple fretboard
    Gotoh 510UB wrap around bridge
    Northwest Guitars tuners
    Warman pickups
    5 way blade giving N/N+B/B/N+B split/N split (though I'm going to swap them round as it just isn't that great on pos 4+5)







    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Chris.BChris.B Frets: 238
    That looks like a fine collection of guitars - excellent work.

    Good luck with your business, I expect it is quite difficult at the moment, but I hope it all goes well for you. 
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  • HilditchGuitarsHilditchGuitars Frets: 318
    edited July 2023
    Very kind of you Chris. Very tough atm yes, but I'm hanging in whilst I'm still building the rep. I figure if I can weather this storm It'll put me in good stead
    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Latest commission completed for the rhythm guitarist of Bad Actress
    25.5" scale
    Meranti body
    Maple top
    Maple/Padauk/Walnut neck
    Ebony fretboard
    Custom Sunbear pickups
    Gotoh hardware
    Gloss PU finish






    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • pt22pt22 Frets: 102
    You are an artist. Amazing work. 
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  • pt22 said:
    You are an artist. Amazing work. 
    Very kind of you, thanks
    Self proclaimed Luthier and guitar building addict, professional man-cave dweller Website . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube
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  • Chris.BChris.B Frets: 238
    Even nicer than the previous one - I love the colour.  Superb craftsmanship. 
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