Mansons Guitar Shop can proudly boast one of the most experienced independent guitar stores in the world! Ordering from Mansons online, by telephone or by visiting our vast custom designed guitar store in the heart of Exeter you can be assured of a guitar experience second to none. Unlike some competitors you will find our prices identical whether you visit or order via mail order.
We have operated for over 15 years as a retail outlet and have a sales team happy to assist you on any purchase. Our team is headed by guitar luthier Hugh Manson and bass expert Adrian Ashton. We employ a further 12 staff including three world-tour experienced guitar technicians who can repair, modify or service your guitar for the ultimate in tone and feel. Service and warranty work is carried out in house or by a swift and efficient returns team.
Every employee is a player and lover of guitars first and foremost. Our clients include Muse, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Oasis, The Undertones, Arctic Monkeys, Jethro Tull, McFly, Ash, and many other internationally recognised acts.
Please Contact page for further information on Mansons Guitar Shop.
Shop Hours Monday-Saturday 9am-5-30pm except Friday 10-15am-5-30pm
Our Workshop
Mansons Guitar Shop Workshop is one of the most established luthier workshops in the UK. Originally started by Hugh from his guitar workshops over 25 years ago, the repair centre was soon moved to Exeter in 1992 to cater for a growing clientele and moved again to the new custom workshops in 2003 to offer guitar customising through the use of additional machinery and more space. We now employ four technicians that offer everything from set-ups to extreme guitar custom mods includes effects fitting, routing and special finishes. We are also an authorized Buzz Feiten Retrofitter. These nut upgrades are well worth the effort for the serious guitar player. It is however still traditional repairs that makes up the bulk of the work at Mansons; here is just a very small sample of what we can offer.
Set-Ups
Refrets
Headstock break repairs
Chips/cracks, restorations and refinishing
Replacement nuts
Buzz Feiten nut installation/upgrade
Upgrade bass bridges/hardware/D-Tuners
Replacement tremolos
Pickup replacements/active circuits
Routing work for non standard pickups/electronics
Roland internal synth fitting
Fuzz Factory internal installation
We cater for every player – the enthusiast, hobbyist semi-pro and full touring professionals! See our partial client list in About Us. Please call or e-mail your repair/mod/upgrade requirements – 01392 496379 sales@mansons.co.uk. We can collect and ship guitars across the UK and beyond.
Our Techs
Hugh Manson
Hugh has serviced thousands of instruments in his career. He’s best known for his work with Led Zeppelin and Muse but has a client list (still held, old-fashioned style in his famous blue book!) of hundreds of artists. He has also been a freelance service technician for companies such as Washburn, Tokai and BC Rich in the past. Favourite Guitar: Gibson Les Paul Junior/Fender Esquire "Despite building some fairly complex custom guitars some of my favourites are simple single pickup instruments with a cool vibe"
Tim Stark
Tim qualified as guitar tech at Leeds College of Music 10 years ago and has headed up our Exeter workshop since the move to the new premises. Tim handles all general repairs and specialist repairs such as effects installations. His vast experience has seen him tour as technician to Foreigner, Yes and Asia. Favourite Guitar: Fender Jazz Bass "Nothing sounds or feels like a Fender Jazz Bass – especially in Sunburst!"
Jeremy Owens
Jeremy is the serious player in the workshop. He’s owned over 100 guitars and has customized every one in one way or another. His specialist field is in the woodwork side of repairs – refrets, headstock breaks, lacquer fills, and set-ups. Favourite Guitar: Fender Strat – custom modified extensively of course! "I love vintage guitars but not the playability of them – so I love tweaking them to my specs through several detail changes."
Rom Dobbs
Rom has spent many years at Mansons and headed up our second store site prior to relocation to the new site at McCoys Arcade in Exeter. Previously he was a technician for JHS repairing a multitude of instruments. Rom is an accomplished percussionist and regularly tours with the FOS brothers across the UK. We’ll be updating on Rom’s favourite instrument soon…
Workshop Hours Monday-Saturday 9am-5-30pm except Friday 10-15am-5-30pm
