At Munson Guitars, ethical guitar building is at the heart of everything we do. We believe a great electric guitar should feel alive in your hands, sound exceptional in any setting, and carry a conscience behind every chord. Our mission is simple, to craft custom instruments with care, using local, sustainable materials and ethical practices from forest to fretboard.
But what does “ethical guitar building” really mean? And why does it matter to today’s musicians and collectors? In this post, we’ll walk you through what makes a guitar not just well-made, but responsibly made, and how your next custom build can reflect your values as much as your playing style.
What Is Ethical Guitar Building?
Ethical guitar building is about more than checking a few boxes. It’s a holistic approach to craftsmanship that considers how and where materials are sourced, who is involved in the process, and the long-term impact of what we build.
At Munson, it means:
- Using locally sourced tonewoods from managed British woodlands
- Choosing reclaimed or salvaged wood whenever possible
- Working with UK-based suppliers and craftspeople
- Minimising waste and energy use in the workshop
- Building guitars to last – not to be replaced
In short, we create instruments that sound incredible and stand the test of time, without cutting ethical corners.
Why Local Wood Matters
Most electric guitars today are made from exotic timbers shipped from across the globe, mahogany from Africa, rosewood from Brazil, ebony from Southeast Asia. These woods often come with environmental and legal baggage, such as deforestation, habitat destruction, and black market trade.
We take a different approach. Our guitars are built from native English species like ash, yew, walnut, sycamore, and even reclaimed pine. These woods are not only beautiful and sonically rich, they’re also:
- Readily available from responsible UK sawmills
- Lower-impact, reducing the carbon footprint of transport
- Uniquely expressive in grain and tone
English ash, for example, offers the punch and clarity beloved in vintage guitars, but with a tighter environmental footprint. Yew brings a warm, resonant character with dramatic figuring, unlike anything from a catalog.
When you play a Munson guitar, you’re hearing the voice of British forests.
Sustainability in Every Step
Sustainability isn’t just about wood. It’s baked into how we work, too.
We handcraft every guitar in our UK workshop, selecting each piece of wood ourselves, often pieces others have overlooked or discarded. Sometimes the most inspiring builds come from a knotted board or a salvaged beam. For us, “flaws” in timber are stories waiting to be told. Checkout the antique pine Tempest.
We also keep things local as much as possible. From British pickups to UK-built hardware and cases, we support small, ethical suppliers who share our values. This keeps quality high, supply chains transparent, and the entire process grounded in trust.
Built to Last, Made to Matter
Mass-produced guitars are often designed for volume, not longevity. But we build with the opposite mindset: your guitar should be an heirloom, the kind of instrument you reach for over a lifetime, not just a few years.
That’s why every Munson guitar is made to order, carefully tailored to the player’s needs, and finished by hand with precision and patience. It’s why we obsess over every detail, not just because we love guitars, but because we want to build better guitars: better for the player, better for the planet.
Own a Guitar That Reflects Your Values
An ethical guitar isn’t a compromise, it’s an upgrade. You get the tone, feel, and style you want, along with the peace of mind that it was made with care for the world around you.
If you’re a musician or collector looking for something truly personal, we’d love to show you what’s possible.
Explore our builds or start your custom journey today, and discover what it means to play with purpose.