Steve Agnew - Luthier (pics)

grayn · #1 10-05-2008, 09:09 AM

After having recently bought one of Steve Agnew's 000 guitars - http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=136833
I went up to his new workshop in Edinburgh yesterday.
I have known Steve for less than a year,yet have become quite a fan of his guitars. Tonally, they pretty much surpass anything else I have played. With quality workmanship and the most playable necks, it's hard not to like 'em.

Here's Steve, playing my 000.

Here's his main workbench.

An octave mandolin under construction.

Steve already has 4 instruments in an Edinburgh shop "Red Dog". Which I visited. Nice shop with a very good acoustic guitar selection.

The left guitar is all mahogany. The right one is spruce and rosewood (I think) with a lot of "Awabe" (crushed shell) decoration, that fortunately, does not look over-the-top.

I had a great few hours with Steve, even my wife took an interest in his skills.
He even put strap buttons on my newbie as part of his after sales service.

A nice time in Edinburgh, had by all.

FLDavid · #2 10-05-2008, 09:21 AM

Your post inspired me to do a search, and I came across THIS ARTICLE about him from about a year ago
He is building quite a reputation!

grayn · #3 10-05-2008, 09:33 AM

Thanks FLDavid,
Steve still has the old mandolin, in that article. He likes to collect "lame ducks" and bring them back to life.

Here it is, with one of Steve's (left).

Fliss · #4 10-05-2008, 09:39 AM

Thanks for the report and photos, Grayn. Steve's workshop looks very clean! I haven't yet had the opportunity to try one of his guitars, but have played a couple of his mandolins when I visited Eagle Music earlier this year, and thought they were very good.

Glad to hear you had a good visit to bonny Scotland

FLDavid, thanks for the link to that news story, that was interesting reading.

Fliss

marty bradbury · #5 10-05-2008, 11:55 AM

very cool report indeed....inspired to take a guitar road trip for a day now.

grayn · #6 10-06-2008, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fliss

Thanks for the report and photos, Grayn. Steve's workshop looks very clean! I haven't yet had the opportunity to try one of his guitars, but have played a couple of his mandolins when I visited Eagle Music earlier this year, and thought they were very good.

Glad to hear you had a good visit to bonny Scotland

FLDavid, thanks for the link to that news story, that was interesting reading.

Fliss

Thanks Fliss.

Yes, Steve doesn't strike me as someone who likes working in clutter. His old workshop, in Skipton, was a third the size of this new one, and was even more pristine. Well there is just so much equipment and accessories a luthier has to have to hand.

I have not played any of Steve's mandolins but I played his bouzouki, which I would have definitely liked to have taken home. His mandolins at Eagle Music use the "Erin" name. At other shops, they go under his name. I'm not sure if there is any difference.

Here's another photo of Steve's workshop, looking a little scruffier. The half finished mandolin, hanging up, is apparently one of Steve's few failures. He leaves it there to remind himself "not to be such an arse" in the future.

Kabalan · #7 10-06-2008, 10:19 AM

nice worhshop
cheers for steve
with a Lia Fail(scottish ale)

Eblen Macari

mishmannah · #8 10-06-2008, 10:24 AM

Nothing nicer than seeing chisels all neatly lined up...

What a clean workshop!!!

Thanks for posting this, and I'll read the article later.

grayn · #9 10-06-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mishmannah

Nothing nicer than seeing chisels all neatly lined up...

What a clean workshop!!!

Thanks for posting this, and I'll read the article later.

Glad you enjoyed it.
A neat line up of repairs is also cool.

The guitar on the left, is a Tanglewood, that had all it's neck binding coming off for some reason, leaving some evilly sharp fret ends. It's all smooth and very playable now.
2nd in from the left is a Hofner Congress. It's neck was twisted like a fairground ride, making it unplayable. No truss rod, so various heating and re-fretting with bass frets had to be done ,to bring this oldie back to usefullness. It actually plays very nicely now. It's tone is an acquired taste, yet this 60s survivor is still quite a looker though.
The guitar on the floor, bottom left, is an ancient Eros dread. Found in a skip, it's in a bad way. Even some of the bracing has disappeared. Steve says he'll bring it back to life. Now that will be something to see.