Swannell Guitars are designed, built and finished in Ely (UK) by me, Jamie Swannell. Working alone allows me complete freedom in decision making, from wood choices to string lengths. I focus on making great sounding instruments combining a clean, modern design aesthetic with the finest personally selected materials.

Typically, players remark that Swannell Guitars are well balanced and responsive across the entire range. Built with the belief that the guitar is at its best when it goes unnoticed by the musician after the point of first contact, I achieve this through meticulous attention to the setup and playability. 

Each element of the guitar is carefully considered from the wood choice, structural and aesthetic design. All executed with high quality craftsmanship and painstaking attention to detail. 

The onus is on makers to promote the use of sustainable and ethically sourced materials. I am proud to have been actively engaged in the Leonardo Guitar Research Project which brought to light the plain fact that great guitars can be made with non-tropical timbers. Understanding the history and provenance of the timbers we use adds to the story of a custom made guitar, and while some tropical species can be intensely beautiful, there's beauty too in the humility and modesty of most non-tropical wood. 

In June 2015 I graduated at the Newark College of Guitar Making. In addition to graduating with a Distinction, I also received the 'Outstanding Guitar Making Student of the Year' Award and was invited to join the teaching staff immediately after graduating. I worked at Newark for 2 years before leaving to focus on my own building. 

I also undertake a variety of guitar repair work alongside my regular building time.