Roger Williams - Luthier

..just small selection of customer comments...

"Hi Adrian And Selina (Stafford Guitar Centre)
I'm so happy about my new guitar, that I want to write you a few words about it. I was very nervous buying a guitar that I hadn't tried, but I know now, that The Stafford guitar centre can be trusted. My new Roger Williams guitar is a real beauty, and despite she's a spruce guitar she is already beginning to "open up" after around 3 weeks of everyday playing. This guitar is my new friend, a beautiful guitar with a beautiful sound worth every pound.
John Godsk Jensen
Copenhagen Denmark"

"Hi Roger,
Hope you got back safely from your exhibition and it was a deserved success.
I just wanted to write you a few lines, now that a few weeks have passed by, to say just how delighted and indebted I am to you for the restoration and work to my guitars and of course, I speak particularly of the John Bailey.
After collecting the guitars from you on the Thursday, it wasn't until the weekend had arrived when I could relax, I opened the case and picked up the guitar and started playing, it then fully hit me just what a fantastic job you had done.
The repairs without doubt are first class, I cannot see the split so good is the match. As for the set-up, well where do I begin, simply perfection. The guitar has honestly never ever felt this comfortable to play in all its 25 years and is now sounding better than I can remember indeed, that moment brought back memories for me of when I first collected the instrument from John Bailey in 1982 when as a youth, with a new passion and wanting to play guitar, I was very proud to own the instrument.
To say the guitar seems to have developed a new lease of life is a understatement. it now has a matured richness and brighter and balanced resonance. The action and set-up is perfect 'spot on' and the harmonic and tonal response is incredible. I would confess that playing the guitar has at times become a emotional experience. That is something special. Absolute perfection.  My realisation all these years later, is how you have somehow awakened it's full potential and clearly, this is all down to your skills, knowledge and attention. Your work is truly immaculate.
You mentioned that your real pleasure is helping people to enjoy making music well, although I confess to being much a novice level guitarist, your restoration work has certainly aspired me to wanting to pick up and play the guitar again so I can't thank you enough for that opportunity and I do mean that most sincerely.
It has been a pleasure in meeting you Roger and for me, the search is now most definitely over in finding such a skilled and gifted luthier.  Well, that's all for now. Thank you so much for your time and I will certainly like to contact you again when the guitar next needs a health check.
I hope one day I can approach you on another matter of commissioning one of your own fine guitars which are themselves in a league of their own.
Regards"
Steve (Harrison)

"Hello, just a message to say thank you again for your industry and the work you have so effectively completed on my Hodson guitar. The tone is what it should be with that "ping" in the top registers when soloing and the smooth articulated rumble the guitar produces when accompanying.
You choice of pickup (BBand AST+A1.2 preamp) is bang-on, it's now plug-in & go, no messy wires and I love the way you've concealed the volume control.
It's now an absolute pleasure to play and I'm sure it'll be the envy of a few of my Django/Gypsy Jazz friends when they either hear or play what some of  them call the "Frankenhodsonstein".
In any event all the best and thank you,
Jonathan Smith."

"Sorry about the delay in replying, I have travelled far and wide since we last met ...  The feedback I have received regarding the Favino has been tremendous.  Like myself those who saw the guitar in its dilapidated state had no idea it would after restoration return to almost new condition and with improvements. The hand made bridge and new tail piece give the guitar an outstanding look.  The guitar could not have been in better hands

I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you sometime in the near future

Best wishes

Roger Sheehy"

Roger,
The guitar arrived safely yesterday as planned - absolutely fantastic!  I'm really delighted with it - exactly what I wanted!!  The woods and finish are excellent (the bindings and inlays tastefully striking) and the feel is so
natural.  I'm especially pleased with the neck, which is incredibly comfortable, and the Alessi tuners suit the guitar perfectly.  Even at this early stage the sound is bold and warm but well-projecting: loads of Spanish
character.  I've left the existing saddle in and am quite happy with that setup for now, but it's good to have the other one as an option.  This really is an instrument which I feel will give me a lot of freedom as a
player, so thank you once again for your excellent work.
Nice name too!
Best wishes,
Chris Bundhun (writing about his new Flamenco Negra "Bibiana'")

Selina/Adrian, you may recall that on your recommendation I took my Lopez guitar to Roger Williams for advice on restoration; this is now complete, and I collected it from Roger on Saturday afternoon. He has done a wonderful job - the instrument looks "refreshed" whilst still retaining it's essential character, i.e. it's not at all apparent that it's had a "makeover", which is just what I wanted. He's done a superb job also of re-fretting, which has improved it's playability.  Anyhow, thanks again for the good advice.
Best Regards,

Richard Ormiston

Many thanks for an excellent job of fixing a B-Band pickup to my flamenco guitar. Did some recording with it this afternoon and it slipped into the mix really beautifully. good rounded sound, plenty of warm bass response then put it through the Marshall acoustic amp and it sounds great...still takes a while  getting used to an amplified sound but looking forward to gigging with it.
My gratitude to your fast professional turnaround and excellent service...my guitar was in a very safe pair of hands.  Will report back after doing some gigs.
Best Wishes
Anthony Kimber (Lament)

Recently I recommended and fitted a Highlander IP-2 with a Highlander Internal Microphone to Stuarts Ryan's "Brook Torridge" guitar;  this is what he had to say..

"Just wanted to write to say that the Highlander is fantastic, a lovely rich acoustic sound, particularly when combined with the Raven and a touch of reverb. I've done 2 gigs with it so far, one through a great PA and one through a not so great PA and each time I have been able to get the sound I want.  Sound-checks are also mercifully short now!

Live sound can make or break a performance, with Roger's expert advice on Highlander pickups I have finally got closer to the sound I hear in my head and sound-checks are now a pleasure, not a chore!  Thanks Roger!"

Stuart Ryan

(Stuart was winner of Guitarist Magazine’s ‘Acoustic Guitarist of the year 2002’ award and a semi-finalist for Perrier Young Musician 2001.  Stuart Ryan has been described as “One of the finest guitarists of the young generation” by Martin Taylor MBE.)

"The old (1840's) Roudhloff has been played, I tuned it up to concert pitch very slowly being aware that she is an extra fine old lady and she had been through rough hands, as the steel strings she was fitted with attested. She played well and sounded like a modern guitar, which was surprising as I was expecting the silk and gut strings to produce a new sound experience... have put her away now it will make a special guest appearance every Christmas to entertain the family. 

You have done a good job on her, she looks old but she looks new.  She looks a genuine 1840s guitar with her splits and blemishes showing her character; never mind playing her you can just stare at her all day and marvel how such a delicate thing can survive this long.

Thanks again for the good and careful work you have done."

(Client name withheld)

"Hi Roger

"That guitar of yours sounds wonderful, and will be a huge part of my music making in the future. I love that guitar so much and so do the audiences..."

"I have another 'challenge' for you sir!  I have been given a VERY early Roger Bucknall (FYLDE GUITARS) It needs a refret and the bridge and table have badly lifted requiring I think extra bracing inside to keep the table flat. I look forward to seeing your face when you see it and of course am really excited about seeing the Hagstrom when it's done..."

"Your guitar is STUNNING!"

"The guitar is a wonderful instrument and always will be my friend."

Gordon Giltrap

"I played a concert at Keble College, Oxford last and I have two concerts in Cornwall.. I'm playing your guitar for the opening section of the programme, the baroque items. It suits this style of music really well.  I've played your guitar for the last few months and it's really coming to life. The balance also is excellent. I particularly like the clarity of line which makes it an ideal instrument for baroque music. I can now say that I will definitely be using it for some of the items on my next CD. Well done, it's a fine instrument."

Raymond Burley (Writing about his Classical Guitar "Bella")

Wonderful Guitars....keep it up"

Juan Tiejero -  London Guitar Studio

"After performing live (solo) with my Martin J1, I realised I desperately needed a decent, natural-sounding pickup for the guitar. The cheapish sound-hole pickup that I was using just wouldn't 'cut the mustard'. I happened on Roger William's website and after some initial email exchanges, went to meet him in Lichfield to discuss the installation of a Highlander IP-1 pickup. I was reassured by Roger's obvious expertise and love of his craft, and after a very short time, was delighted to receive my Martin back in excellent condition (actually, Roger had really improved the playability by correcting an earlier 'amateur' set-up by an individual who will remain nameless!). On debuting the new pickup, I was very, very pleased by the warm natural live sound from the Highlander which took nothing away from the 'woodiness' of my Martin. I wouldn't hesitate for a second in recommending Roger Williams to anyone who needs work done on a prized guitar, and I'll certainly be using him again.

Thanks once again Roger!"
Dr. Dave Moreman

"I have used numerous pickups over the 28 years I have been playing guitar, but most never really seem to reproduce the authentic sound of the instrument. In an ideal world, an acoustic guitar should sound as good when plugged in as it does when played without amplification.

I use a Larrivee LV10KK which has Koa back, sides and top. This instrument has tones which I have not found in any other guitar, and the Highlander IP-1 faithfully reproduces its unique sound. It an extremely well balanced pickup, with none of the horrible 'quack' on the attack, as found on many other pickups. The skill with which it was fitted was exemplary; I was very afraid of letting my £5000+ guitar out of my sight, let alone into the hands of someone who was going to drill holes in it! However when it came back to me, it was easier to play than before, and the 'plugged-in' sound was simply awesome!

I used the guitar to play at my friends' wedding recently, where I played a number of John Denver songs and a song that I had written for them, especially for their wedding day. The guitar blew them away...so many guests were asking me about it later, and they were all really amazed at the sound. I am so impressed with this pickup that I will be using the Larrivee to record my CD which is due out soon, despite having several other guitars including Taylor's available. I would recommend both the Highlander IP-1 and Roger Williams most highly."

Mark Robinson - Singer/songwriter

(I have since installed Highlander IP-1 pickups in four more of Mark's guitars!  Guess he's a fan!)