Simon Chapman – from Engineer to Guitar Maker

My background is in Engineering, Consultancy and Project Management. Since retiring in 2022 I have been building guitars in the Nailsworth Community Workshop.

I started at the workshop learning to build guitars with Gavin Pond – my teacher and friend. At first, I was making guitars for myself, but after a short while I began volunteering and helping to make  π Guitars – sponsored by local businesses, sold at National Guitar Shows and donated to charitable music organisations.

I also build my own Simon Guitar designs for sale – with profits funding donations to charities and to the Nailsworth Community Workshop to support the amazing work that it does.

I was a guest on the Guitar Builders Collective podcast in August 2024.

Stroud Times made a great video of the 12 hour π Guitar build and there is a lovely compilation of stills with the closing song from the evening concert at the Subscription Rooms in Nailsworth.

The Nailsworth Community Workshop web site can be viewed here