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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 for myself and after a short while began volunteering and helping to make  π Guitars – run by Gavin Pond, my teacher and friend.

I’m now also building 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 Pi 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

In the workshop with Billy after the show
At the workshop with Billy Bragg and a π Guitar built in 12 hours for his evening concert in Nailsworth.
“Be proud of your craft’s men and women of Nailsworth, for they shall change the world through making guitars”
Billy Bragg