A British family workshop, shaped by woodcraft, engineering and a belief that a guitar should be built around the player.
Munson Guitars grew from a family tradition of making, repairing and working with wood. Today, that same approach sits behind every guitar we build, carefully designed, individually made, and shaped around the person who will play it.
A History of Woodcrafting
Munson Guitars began with a simple idea: to build a British electric guitar company with the care, patience and individuality normally reserved for fine furniture and bespoke craft.
The Munson name has long been connected with wood, making and invention. After serving in the Royal Air Force, Ernie Munson built a successful joinery business, creating everything from timber-framed buildings to fine handmade furniture. That combination of practical engineering, woodcraft and ambition still shapes the way we work today.
Where the Model Names Come From
Ernie Munson’s time in the Royal Air Force became part of the family story, and later inspired the naming of our Custom Shop models. Avenger, Tempest, Marauder and Mosquito are not random names. They are part of a wider thread that connects British engineering, aircraft heritage and the Munson family history.
Continuing the Tradition
Carl learnt his craft and passion for wood from his father. While his career took him into the world of electronics and computers, he continued working with wood. Lovingly restoring antiques and making everything from furniture to finely-worked objects became his hobby.
After three decades spent in the technology sector, Carl felt that he needed a new direction. He wanted to create physical things that people could hold and use instead of just virtual products. The story continued to evolve, and in a way came full circle.
Carl Munson – The Return to Making
Carl Munson grew up around woodcraft, learning from a family background rooted in joinery, furniture and practical making. His career later moved into electronics, computers and digital systems, but the pull of physical craft never left.
Munson Guitars brought those worlds together: traditional woodcraft, modern design tools, careful engineering and a belief that an instrument should be built around the person who will plays it.
Jon Munson – Never Far From the Music
Jon’s background brought the player’s perspective into the workshop. After years of playing, recording, live sound and working closely with musicians, he developed a practical understanding of how instruments need to feel, respond and perform.
That experience matters in a custom build. A Munson is not designed simply as an object. It has to work as a musician’s tool: comfortable, reliable, expressive and personal.
Why Munson Exists
We believed there was room for a different kind of British guitar company: small, personal and highly considered. Not a production line. Not a catalogue of fixed options. A workshop where each instrument could be designed with the player, built carefully, and followed from first conversation to final setup.
Precision Where It Matters. Handwork Where It Counts.
We use modern design and machining where it improves accuracy, repeatability and safety. Body shapes, neck pockets and critical dimensions can be planned carefully before handwork begins.
But that is only the starting point. Shaping, sanding, finishing, fretwork, setup and final feel are all completed by hand. The result is an instrument that benefits from modern precision without losing the judgement and touch of the maker.
Built With the Player
Every Munson build starts with a conversation. You are not passed through a sales process or handed over to a production department. You work directly with the people responsible for the instrument.
From the first design discussion to the final setup, the relationship is personal. That matters, because a custom guitar is not simply a list of specifications. It has to feel right in your hands, respond to the way you play, and reflect what you wanted from the beginning.
British Made, Wherever Possible
We source locally wherever it genuinely improves the instrument and supports the standard we want to achieve. That includes British-grown woods, locally made pickups where appropriate, British strings and carefully selected components.
Some specialist parts still come from further afield, but the principle remains the same: choose materials and suppliers for quality, responsibility and suitability for the build.
Three Ways to Own a Munson
Custom Shop
Start with an established Munson model and shape the woods, pickups, hardware, finish and details around your playing style.
Bespoke
For players and collectors who want something designed from the ground up, with greater freedom in body shape, construction, materials and concept.
Private Stock
Finished or in-progress Munson instruments available without waiting for a full commission slot.
Whichever route you choose, the aim is the same, a carefully considered instrument built around the player, not a production line.
Where We Go From Here
Munson Guitars will remain small by design. We are not trying to become a mass-production brand. Our focus is on a limited number of carefully made instruments, meaningful design conversations, and continuous refinement of our models, materials and electronics.
The aim is simple: to build distinctive British guitars that feel personal, perform beautifully and carry the story of the player as much as the maker.
