Artists
Alex Farran
Gigging musician, session guitarist and a private guitar teacher, Alex is a Gypsy-Jazz, Country and Blues sensation. Recently he’s been focusing on teaching via his YouTube channel and Patreon page where he has over 500 monthly students Worldwide.. and growing fast!
“I play many vintage and “roots” styles, specialising in various aspects of jazz (trad, swing, bebop and gypsy), country music and blues. I have a nice collection of vintage guitars. Gibson arch tops and Teles but the Karl Longbottom hollow T16 is fast becoming a first choice for many scenarios.
It’s so lively and resonant, and so lightweight.. an absolute pleasure to hold and play.. just so comfortable. The clean tones are really three dimensional and crystal clear. Note definition holds up beautifully under dirt too.
The build quality and attention to detail is second to none and I can’t recommend Karl’s guitars highly enough!
Without a doubt I’ll be putting this guitar to good use for many years to come.”
Testimonials
“The S4 is a really beautiful guitar, having lived with it for over a year now I have learned a lot more of what it is capable and it is a joy to play. Sonically, it probably has the edge on my vintage ‘63 Strat (although don’t tell anyone I said that!!)”
- Adrian, Birmingham
"The Fulvia feels so fresh, yet so authentic. Play it like a Strat, a Tele or a Les Paul and it will behave like that. This is a guitar that feels like home to me"
- Sasha Ivantic
"I absolutely love my Karl Longbottom S4 . It sounds incredible, feels as comfortable as you could hope for, it stays in tune, regardless of what you do with the trem, as good anything in its class, if not better. I've been playing guitar since the early 80's. I was selling them in a Midlands Music Shop from mid to late 80's. I have been in several gigging bands and still play at least once a week, which I'm so blessed to be able to do. I met Karl at the Birmingham Guitar Show and loved his work. He was so busy, there wasn't enough time to play, I was very impressed, not only with the quality but also the attention to detail and the sound. "Wow!" He's pretty much able to accommodate most things you'll ever need in a guitar. The S4 "Hollow" is an intriguing concept, incredibly light, so you can play all day. The construction still means it resonates and sustains as normal, if not a little longer, for some reason. I'm sure that the top notch components have something to do with it mind. Thanks Karl”
- Jas Parker
I’m a big fan of guitars that have their own look and sound, and I’ve loved the Fluvia since I first picked it up. It’s an incredibly comfortable and lightweight guitar, the neck is perfect and it has a real voice of it’s own - sounds very different to all me other guitars. It’s awesome! Karl makes beautiful instruments with exceptional build quality.
- Matt Webster
“I chose to order a guitar from Karl for his wealth of experience in woodworking and I couldn't be happier with my Fulvia. Karl was very accommodating and a pleasure to deal with. My guitar looks, feels and sounds amazing and has some real mojo!”
- Tom Pounds
“The Fulvia is very special guitar, it feels familiar for many reasons, but at the end of the day it stands well apart from the crowd when you play it. It huge tonal range due to the Firebird pickups in combination with the Korina body and it is really comfortable to play, whether you are sitting or standing. I couldn’t have asked for a more personal experience when it came to getting the look of the guitar right, and would have to say the end result was amazing, it looks and feels like a vintage guitar that never was!”
- Adrian Hobbins
