“There’s nothing I would change, except perhaps wishing I’d taken the plunge sooner.”

I play banjo and wanted a tenor guitar with the same nut width and scale length as my banjo, as I’m frequently switching instruments on stage. I also wanted good access up the neck, so I was looking for a body with a cutaway, and I wanted a tenor with a big but balanced voice—most tenors I had played sounded a bit “thin.”

“He was upfront about the wait time, and it was well worth it. Along the way, he made some suggestions about cosmetics that I absolutely love.”

When I heard some of Nigel’s sound clips, I was blown away. After exchanging a few emails and discussing specs, I felt he completely understood what I was after, both physically and sonically. He was upfront about the wait time, and it was well worth it. Along the way, he made some suggestions about cosmetics that I absolutely love.

Seeing the instrument come to life was a thrill, and I’m so glad I took the chance to have it built. I always get compliments about its sound and appearance, and other musicians are eager to try it. When it arrived, the moment I felt the neck and played the first few notes, I knew it was exactly what I’d hoped for.

It’s very organic—no glitz, but with beautifully understated appointments that reflect my style perfectly. I can go seamlessly between this and my banjo without missing a beat. There’s nothing I would change, except perhaps wishing I’d taken the plunge sooner.

Bari put off commissioning a tenor guitar for too long — only to find himself wishing they’d done it earlier. If you’ve been hesitating, maybe now is the time to take the plunge.