This article originally appeared in Acoustic Guitar magazine. © String Letter Publishing, all rights reserved.
Tippin Guitar Company
Bill Tippin's workshop in Marblehead, Massachusetts, is located on the second floor of the building that he shares with a boatyard and a shop that sells live lobsters. His shop occupies only a couple of rooms, where hand tools and unfinished guitars lie on wooden benches, and the smell of freshly cut wood hovers in the air. Here Tippin and his two assistants meticulously craft about 60 instruments per year: Martin-inspired guitars with their own distinct voices. There are six basic models, and each is available with a variety of custom options. The line as a whole is strong, consistent, and relatively affordable in the realm of individually made guitars, with a base price of $2,300.
Tippin's success is the result of three decades of woodworking experience. He grew up in Florida, where he developed an interest in sailboats, and he later moved to Marblehead, a mecca for competitive sailors from all over the world (Tippin Guitar Co., 3 Beacon St., Marblehead, MA 01945; [781] 631-5749; www.tippinguitar.com). For many years he supported himself by working in yacht maintenance and restoration as well as building and restoring furniture in the off-season. Tippin is also a self-taught guitarist, and he built his first guitar from a kit in the '70s when he couldn't afford to buy a new instrument. His sense of perfection and adventure soon led him to begin building guitars from scratch. He began by examining classic Martins, "really analyzing how Martin built their guitars," he explains, "since they pioneered the industry." By 1992 he was ready to go into full-time production.
Tippin doesn't build Martin replicas, however, but modifies their design to suit his own tastes. His most successful OM model, for instance, is deeper than standard and has a correspondingly deeper tone. He describes the voice of that guitar as "the most unique and original" of his guitars. One of his dreadnoughts is shallower than typical and features a flat back. "It was designed as a 12-fret guitar with a wide neck--a fingerstyle guitar," Tippin explains. A mahogany 12-fret 000 model that was in progress when I visited the shop displayed great volume and punch and a delicate response. It retained many of the classic design's best traits, but it also featured a slimmer neck profile and a versatile sound that would appeal to the contemporary player.
Tippin currently orders rough-cut neck blanks from fellow luthier Brian Galloup, but he plans to invest in his own CNC machine in the near future to handle some of the more repetitive tasks of guitar building. He doesn't feel limited to woods traditionally associated with guitar construction. Cocobolo has become one of his favorites for the backs and sides of his guitars, and he also uses Asian rosewood as well as walnut. As a result of his years in the furniture business, he enjoys a great rapport with a variety of wood suppliers, which often results in some unusual choices, such as Cuban mahogany. His location above a boatyard gives him access to yacht restorers' heavy woodworking equipment, which allows him to resaw large boards into guitar-friendly sizes.
Tippin's instruments combine a respect for tradition and an understanding of contemporary players' needs. His extremely high efficiency allows him to build instruments of remarkable value. Models in progress, such as a new baritone guitar, should further showcase his spirit of innovation, and a growing dealer network is resulting in greater visibility. The Tippin Guitar Co. is definitely one to watch.
--Teja Gerken