Steve Toon is a classical guitar maker based in Gloucestershire. He has been working as a guitar luthier since 1990 and has carved out a reputation as one of the best classical guitar makers in the UK.

Steve started out in the furniture trade, sharing his expertise by working as a consultant in the industry. He trained at London College of Furniture in 1977 (now part of London Metropolitan University) before pursuing his passion for guitar making from 1990 onwards. Steve Toon has been a full-time guitar luthier since 2004 and continues to operate at the highest level to this day.

When building a classical guitar, Steve uses over 40 years’ worth of experience to carefully select the finest woods and materials. He understands that wood is an organic material, and that no two pieces are the same. Because of this, every guitar he makes must be individually tailored to ensure he gets the very best out of the materials available to him. The end result is an outstanding classical guitar that possesses as wide tonal palette and even balance between treble/bass.

It’s always interesting talking to a classical guitar luthier about their instruments and more broadly about music in general. Like any art form, they understand their medium in the most intricate ways and Steve Toon in no exception. In speaking to Steve, it became immediately apparent that he is a man who knows exactly what he wants a classical guitar to sound like, and he has been working obsessively for decades to perfect the art of guitar making to bring his vision to life.

When I asked Steve to tell me more about his designs, he was clear to point out that he does not make “copies” of popular designs (Torres, Hauser etc), but uses their designs as a starting point for his own inspiration. This departure from making replica guitars is in part what gives his classical guitars their own unique character.

Earlier this year I had the great privilege of playing some of Steve Toon’s classical guitars at his workshop in Gloucestershire. When trying his concert model, the first thing that struck me was the great sense of separation between each note. Even the notoriously tricky mid-range has acres of space to sing unimpeded and without fear of losing their integrity. The fine-tuned balance between the strings is a very impressive achievement, and one that I can tell he takes great pride in.

Notes are clear in every part of the fretboard, which makes shaping phrases an absolute joy. The notes are not weighed down by excessively thick texture, the spruce top ensuring every note is pure and is able to sing cleanly. If clarity and purity of sound are qualities that you covet in a guitar, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better classical guitar than one of Steve Toon’s.

Playing his standard concert model, I was instantly at ease. I felt immediately acquainted with the instrument, as though I’d been playing it for years. This is partly to do with the carefully dynamic balance between the strings, but also with the physical set up and weight of the guitar. I’ve been trying to pin down what makes his guitars feel just right, and I think it’s the sheer lack of effort required on the players part. Sitting with the guitar takes no special adjustment or thought on behalf of the guitarist. With the stage perfectly set, creating music with the guitar is a simply pleasurable experience.

The guitar Steve showed me was a secondhand concert model from 2015, which he has personally restored to near mint condition (now available on our website). The top has opened up beautifully, ringing with warmth and charm. The fact that this near mint instrument is a secondhand guitar means it offers incredibly good value for money at just £2,600. Steve Toon concert model guitars usually retail at around £3,800 brand new, so you stand to save £,1200 for what is essentially the same product. A more attractive prospect perhaps, as it has already passed it’s awkward ‘playing in’ stage.

Whilst I was with Steve Toon, he also introduced me to a parlour style guitar; his ‘Prestbury’ model. Like his concert models, the Prestbury parlour guitar is no carbon copy imitation, but his own design. This model is particularly special as it features a nomex doubletop and double thickness back/sides. The theory behind this is that the reinforced back and sides help to direct energy into making the top resonate. Whilst I understood this in practice, I wasn’t prepared for the incredibly powerful, rich and sonorous sound that followed when I played this guitar. I’ve been very fortunate to play a number of fine handmade classical guitars over the years, but this one genuinely blew me away.

Given its size, this guitar has no business projecting as boldly as it does. It’s quite simply stunning. You’d expect notes to lack in body and depth, but again this guitar delivers. More than that, the more compact parlour style body seems to give notes even more directness and focus. There is a real purpose to the voice of this guitar that’s hard to put into words.

Like all of Steve Toon’s guitars, the Prestbury model is a joy to work with. The responsiveness of this guitar makes playing with articulation especially delightful. When noodling around with Mauro Giuliani’s Grand Overture, I found myself able to get more contrast with my staccato/legato phrasing than I can using my own doubletop concert guitar (which is a very nice guitar in it’s own right!). This guitar breathes fresh excitement and rejuvenation into the art of playing music. It offers something not possible with a traditional concert classical guitar. Those who are in a position to afford adding this wonderul parlour model to their collection should not hesitate at the chance.

We currently have two classical guitars by Steve Toon available in our guitar shop; a concert model from 2015 and his ‘Prestbury’ parlour guitar.

Book a retail appointment to try these beautiful instruments for yourself or place an order online.