Heritage & Beyond
As Gordon Smith Guitars starts a brand new forward-thinking chapter, Doug Sparkes talks about the importance of also respecting the past
When the Auden Musical Instrument Company took over the ownership of Gordon Smith Guitars back in 2015 they faced numerous obstacles, not least how to build instruments in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, in the spirit of GSG founder John Smith’s originals.
Initially, each guitar was effectively custom-ordered from a menu of options but in 2017, Gordon Smith introduced two new concepts – the Heritage range and the first of an ongoing Special Edition model.
“The idea was – for the first time in Gordon Smith’s 40-year history – to have a standard range of guitars that are in stock and could ship on the day they are ordered,” explains Auden/Gordon Smith main man, Doug Sparkes. “A lot of people like to have a guitar built just for them, but these days, if they order something today they want it tomorrow. So the idea is there is a range of guitars that are here, in stock and ready to go. They’re still built in the same way, of course.
“So, we came up with two ranges, the GS1000 Special Edition and the Heritage. The GS1000 is our take on a Gordon Smith, with all the DNA of the original but it’s a more modern guitar in terms of how it looks with the coloured tops, for example.
“The Heritage range is different. There’s a distinct nod back to what John Smith was making in the mid-70s. So we go back to before John introduced Brazilian cedar, for example, to one-piece mahogany bodies and one-piece mahogany necks, the basic GSG wrapover bridge, the humbuckers that are still wound on the original 1974 pickup winder – just like how John and Linda Smith used to make them.
“They’re still relatively simple rock ’n’ roll guitars but they’re built out of the best components and put together in the best way possible. It’s a range of guitars that couldn’t be anything else but a Gordon Smith guitar that reflects the early instruments that grew up through the punk era and the punk generation.
“I took one into Richards Guitars in Stratford-upon-Avon to show Richard and when I opened the case his jaw dropped. He said ‘That’s exactly the Gordon Smith my dad had!’ I thought ‘Great, we’ve got something right’.”
So is the GS1000 Special Edition a limited edition? “It’s not a limited edition,” says Doug, “but it is a special edition in that along with having guitars that people can buy instantly, we’ve always got something new to talk about. So, with this GS1000 Special Edition we started off with four colours and we’re just about to go into production with the GS2000, which will have two humbuckers with different metallic colour tops. So, these Special Editions are not limited by a number but will be limited by time as we move on to the next range of colours and specs.”
Currently the Heritage range consists of the GS1 Heritage and the GS2 Deluxe Heritage we have on review plus the GS1 60 Heritage single-cut (£699), the GS2 Heritage (£899), the Graf Deluxe Heritage (£1,099) and the Graduate Heritage (£1,299). The GS1000 Special Edition has four top colour options – the Vintage White reviewed, plus Post Box Red, Nene Blue and Jet Black.
So, what does the future hold for Gordon Smith? “We’re asking ourselves a lot of questions, including how do we stay in touch with our past, our heritage, but find new a new audience? A lot of Gordon Smiths we’ve sold are to people who already have the guitars and are adding to their collections. But what we’re also trying to do is get a new audience, the next generation of players. We’re absolutely committed to making guitars in the UK – that won’t change – and it’s about making the brand relevant to the new generation.
“There is a really good scene of guitar bands at the moment, I think it’s probably the healthiest it’s been for a while. I don’t get all the doom and gloom stories. My 14-year-old daughter is really into guitar bands and she’s playing me exciting new stuff all the time.
“Bands like Creeper, for example, are now playing Gordon Smith and having them out doing their arena shows with our guitars is fantastic. So, yes, it’s about keeping our heritage but making our guitars relevant for the new generation that are coming through. We’ve improved the consistency, the component quality. We’ve taken the guitars themselves up a notch but we’re determined to keep them affordable, keep them made in the UK, but also make sure we keep them relevant for the new players that are coming through.”
“A lot of people like to have a guitar built for them, but if they order something today they want it tomorrow”