About Martyn Booth Guitars

We are designers and builders of high quality handcrafted guitars based in Suffolk.

A luthier since 1975, Martyn Booth worked for Gibson guitars in the UK before moving on to Yamaha UK throughout the 1980s as their guitar specialist. During this time he designed and developed the MSG/Image guitar which became something of a cult classic. He also co-designed a guitar for Martin Taylor, one of the world’s finest jazz guitarists which was used as the basis for their AEX 1500.

In 1991 he set up his own repair business in the Suffolk countryside to offer his uncompromising skill and standard of workmanship to everyone and in the mid 1990's was also a reviewer and columnist for Guitarist and Guitar Techniques magazines.

In 2002 he decided to start building his own hand crafted guitars using tried and tested traditional construction techniques to the same “no compromise” standards which have been the hallmark of his career. The Martyn Booth Classic was the first of such instruments, quickly followed by the Martyn Booth Signature.

In 2005 his brother Nigel and customer David Perryman joined the business to help develop and expand it. The company has grown steadily since then and exhibited at a national show for the first time at Music Live at the NEC in Birmingham in November 2005. The Martyn Booth Special was launched at the London Guitar Show at Wembley in 2006, the Martyn Booth Standard at the London Guitar Show at Excel in 2007 and this year sees two more new models in the shape of the Deluxe and Special Plus.

In keeping with the spirit and ethos of making beautiful guitars, our philosophy is to deal with every customer on a personal basis to fulfil their requirements. Many of our customers become personal friends. Even our company secretary was originally a customer!

Customers have the opportunity to choose their own figured or plain maple top, ebony or rosewood fingerboard, pickups, hardware, finish and unique personalised headstock inlay. They can also specify neck dimensions and fretwire to ensure the ultimate in playability. Whilst some people know exactly what they want, others find the thought of having to choose certain technical options daunting. They needn’t worry. We also have standard configurations available or alternatively will happily talk customers through the specification process step by step, offering guidance and explanation. As with all good design, quality time spent with the client beforehand reaps benefits later. Being involved in the project of building something personal should after all be fun, not a chore!