One of the most frequently asked questions is: "How long does it take to build a guitar?" The straightforward answer is approximately four months, though the complete story reveals much more complexity. Handmade guitars aren't simply assembled from pre-made components; they represent extensive planning, material sourcing, and careful work distributed across multiple weeks, with attention devoted to each phase.
Why It Takes Around Four Months
Every Ancoats Guitar begins well before any wood gets cut. The builder must source materials and hardware, and each custom build features pickups individually wound by Green Pickups of Manchester.
Stage guitars require ordering necks that still demand manual refining, shaping, and finishing to meet quality standards. Full custom builds involve close collaboration with customers regarding every specification—from scale length and neck profile to custom inlays and finishing choices.
Actual hands-on labour typically ranges from 20 to 50 hours depending on complexity, but this work spans multiple phases including painting, curing, wiring, and setup—all requiring patience.
Pickups Hand-Wound by Green Pickups
Rather than using mass-produced pickups, the builder collaborates with Green Pickups of Manchester, who hand-wind each set to specification. This means pickups are custom-crafted individually for each instrument, adding production time but delivering superior tonal characteristics.
Handcrafted Details That Take Time
Fine details receive hand finishing rather than CNC processing. Pickguard edges receive hand bevelling for distinctive handmade character. The signature "Future Relic" finish involves layered paint—as guitars age naturally, underlying colours emerge gradually, creating distinctive personalised aesthetics.
This method demands more time than factory finishing, yet ensures every instrument feels distinctive and built for decades of playing.
The Reality Behind the Craft
The builder currently maintains employment three days weekly as a proton radiotherapist at a Manchester cancer specialist hospital—work that provides genuine fulfilment. Guitar building occupies remaining weekdays and frequent weekends as a deeply valued creative pursuit. This balanced approach defines what makes Ancoats Guitars distinctive: "built by hand, with care, and never rushed."
Final Thoughts
Ordering from Ancoats represents investing in thoughtfully constructed work, completed incrementally by hand. Though four months constitutes a considerable wait, the resulting instrument proves genuinely unique, personally meaningful, and designed to inspire for years ahead.