The Nautilus Range
I originally designed the Nautilus around the premise that it was my dream guitar. I suppose that's probably a common story among guitar makers, we can't find the guitar we are looking, so we build it ourselves! I learnt how to play on a Squier strat which I loved, it always felt so comfortable, but a lot of my favourite players were all playing Les Pauls, and I lusted after a low slung single cut. The first Nautilus models were built with carved tops, rib cage contours and a more Fender style 25.5" scale length. Over the last 15 years, the Nautilus concept has evolved into its own range of guitars. There are many options available to suit any player looking for an heirloom quality set neck. I invite you to explore the range, each model is a fusion of tradition and innovation, where hand-selected tonewoods and precision engineering combine to create an unparalleled playing experience.
Nautilus Junior
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication
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The Nautilus Jnr quickly became one of my most popular models. The stripped back specifications really capture the magic of the classic late 50’s student guitars.
The first Junior I built was for Tim Mills, owner of Bare Knuckle Pickups, and it was the first Nautilus model to feature the traditional shorter scale length often associated with this style of guitar. The 24.65" or 626mm scale length gives a slightly looser feel and a softer treble compared to the 25.5" Nautilus models.
The single P90 fitted with high quality pots and cap offers quite a variety of tones just by utilising the volume and tone controls. Wound up and flat out these things can roar, but backed off slightly and a more edgy bluesy tone or even a cleaner Jazzy tone appears.
As with all my guitars, I set out to create timeless instruments that can be passed down the generations, the Nautilus Junior with it's modern spin on a bonafide classic is no exception.
Price starting from £3899 inc vat
Export outside of the UK from £3249 ex vat
Overall body thickness 45mm.
The Nautilus Junior features a slab body with a vintage radius.
The Nautilus is available with a lightweight Obeche body as standard. It's the perfect weight and resonance in my opinion to get as close as possible to lightweight Mahogany of the 50s. It has clear highs and a warm bass response, with a mid range very similar to light Mahogany. The Obeche we use is all sourced from FSC certified sustainable forestry in West Africa.
We can also offer the Nautilus with an African Mahogany body or a True Swietenia mahogany body as special order but please note modern day mahogany is generally a heavier wood than the vintage mahogany of the 50s and is in short supply.
The Nautilus neck wood is selected from stock and is either Mahogany or Spanish Cedar depending on quality and availability, as either represent the perfect balance of springy-ness and stiffness that I want from a set neck. Both timbers look virtually identical and share the same tonal properties as well as their excellent stability characteristics.
As standard, the Nautilus Junior comes with a full deep 59' type profile, but is always available to order with any of our other neck carves.
Nautilus fingerboards are usually either Indian rosewood or African ebony.
Hardware is sourced from a variety of premium manufacturers who specialise in making the best bridges and machine heads on the market. I use a mixture of Gotoh, ABM, Tone Pros and others depending on the requirements of the model.
Pickups are selected from a range of high end manufacturers, including Bare Knuckle and Mojo pickups. All pots and switches are of the highest quality.
As my personal choice, I favour a traditional nitro cellulose for my guitars. I like the look and feel of nitro, especially lightly aged to give a played in feel and a timeless look.
We can offer other finishes including a variety of metallics, sparkles, high gloss and satin finishes and also hand rubbed oil and wax finishes.
Nautilus Standard
Anything but standard...
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The Nautilus Std offers a wealth of options on which to base your dream guitar. Equally as elegant, stripped right down to just the essentials or spec’d up with beautiful figured woods. Alluring in its simplicity the Nautilus Standard delivers some beautifully refined tones and playability. While in many aspects paying respect to the historical golden era of set neck guitars, the Nautilus is an evolution of design. I set out to design to an honest and timeless range of guitars and I think the Nautilus delivers.
Prices starting from £4299 inc vat
Export outside the UK from £3582 ex vat
Overall body thickness 45mm.
The Nautilus standard features a contoured body with either a drop top or a flat top option. The Nautilus is available with a lightweight Obeche body as standard. It's the perfect weight and resonance in my opinion to get as close as possible to lightweight Mahogany of the 50s. It has clear highs and a warm bass response, with a mid range very similar to light Mahogany. The Obeche we use is all sourced from FSC certified sustainable forestry in West Africa.
We can also offer the Nautilus with an African Mahogany body or a True Swietenia mahogany body as special order but please note modern day mahogany is generally a heavier wood than the vintage mahogany of the 50s and is in short supply.
The Nautilus neck wood is selected from stock and is either Mahogany or Spanish Cedar depending on quality and availability, as either represent the perfect balance of springy-ness and stiffness that I want from a set neck. Both timbers look virtually identical and share the same tonal properties as well as their excellent stability characteristics.
It is also possible to order any Nautilus with a flamed maple neck as an option.
Neck carves are available in two profiles and three depths, slim, medium and deep.
Fingerboards are selected from Indian rosewood or African ebony.
Hardware is sourced from a variety of premium manufacturers who specialise in making the best bridges and machine heads on the market. I use a mixture of Gotoh, ABM, Tone Pros and others depending on the requirements of the model.
Pickups are selected from a range of high end manufacturers, including Bare Knuckle and Mojo pickups. All pots and switches are of the highest quality.
As my personal choice, I favour a traditional nitro cellulose for my guitars. I like the look and feel of nitro, especially lightly aged to give a played in feel and a timeless look.
We can offer other finishes including a variety of metallics, sparkles, high gloss and satin finishes and also hand rubbed oil and wax finishes.
Nautilus Modern
An elegant powerhouse
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Featuring a beautiful carved top, slimmer neck profile and a hot set of pickups, the Nautilus Modern is a powerhouse.
Built using the 25.5″ (648mm) “F” style scale length on this kind of instrument means you will find a blend of tight bass response, clear articulation across all strings, with a very open, harmonically rich tone. The clean sounds retain a sweet clear tone while the overdriven sounds sing with sustain.
The clarity and increased defintion delivers on both chording and lead lines.
The Nautilus modern is an elegant single cutaway with a choice of available options to tailor the look or tone to your needs. The sweeping cutaway allows easy access to the top frets with no obstructions, and very a comfortable playing position both seated or standing.
Prices starting from £4999 inc vat
Export outside the UK from £4165 ex vat
Overall body thickness 50mm including the carved top.
The Nautilus modern features a carved top and a rear ribcage contour.
The Nautilus is available with a lightweight Obeche body as standard. It's the perfect weight and resonance in my opinion to get as close as possible to lightweight Mahogany of the 50s. It has clear highs and a warm bass response, with a mid range very similar to light Mahogany. The Obeche we use is all sourced from FSC certified sustainable forestry in West Africa.
We can also offer the Nautilus with an African Mahogany body or a True Swietenia mahogany body as special order but please note modern day mahogany is generally a heavier wood than the vintage mahogany of the 50s and is in short supply.
The Nautilus neck wood is selected from stock and is either Mahogany or Spanish Cedar depending on quality and availability, as either represent the perfect balance of springy-ness and stiffness that I want from a set neck. Both timbers look virtually identical and share the same tonal properties as well as their excellent stability characteristics.
It is also possible to order any Nautilus with a flamed maple neck as an option.
Neck carves are available in two profiles and three depths, slim, medium and deep.
Fingerboards are selected from Indian rosewood or African ebony.
Hardware is sourced from a variety of premium manufacturers who specialise in making the best bridges and machine heads on the market. I use a mixture of Gotoh, ABM, Tone Pros and others depending on the requirements of the model.
Pickups are selected from a range of high end manufacturers, including Bare Knuckle and Mojo pickups. All pots and switches are of the highest quality.
As my personal choice, I favour a traditional nitro cellulose for my guitars. I like the look and feel of nitro, especially lightly aged to give a played in feel and a timeless look.
We can offer other finishes including a variety of metallics, sparkles, high gloss and satin finishes and also hand rubbed oil and wax finishes.
Nautilus Classic
An original tribute to the golden era
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The Nautilus classic is my tip of the hat to the golden era single cutaway guitars from Kalamazoo.
Glued necks with long tenons, carved maple tops and a whole host of available options make the Nautilus classic a timeless choice.
Options include modern 50mm body depth or full vintage 60mm body depth, a choice of scale lengths including the shorter vintage accurate 24.65" scale or the longer more "F" style scale of 25.5". If you would like to discuss these options and the effect on the instrument as a whole please feel free to get in touch. We are always happy to talk guitars.
Weight relief or semi hollow chambering is also an option if desired.
Although not pictured here, the Nautilus classic is also available as a double bound, multiply binding "custom" variation with block style inlays.
Prices starting from £5499 inc vat
Export outside the UK from £4582 ex vat
Overall body thickness options:
Modern 50mm contoured body,
Vintage 60mm full depth slab body.
The Nautilus is available with a lightweight Obeche body as standard. It's the perfect weight and resonance in my opinion to get as close as possible to lightweight Mahogany of the 50s. It has clear highs and a warm bass response, with a mid range very similar to light Mahogany. The Obeche we use is all sourced from FSC certified sustainable forestry in West Africa.
We can also offer the Nautilus with an African Mahogany body or a True Swietenia mahogany body but please note modern day mahogany is generally a heavier wood than the vintage mahogany of the 50s and is in short supply.
The Nautilus neck wood is selected from stock and is either Mahogany or Spanish Cedar depending on quality and availability, as either represent the perfect balance of springy-ness and stiffness that I want from a set neck. Both timbers look virtually identical and share the same tonal properties as well as their excellent stability characteristics.
It is also possible to order any Nautilus with a flamed maple neck as an option.
Neck carves are available in two profiles and three depths, slim, medium and deep.
Fingerboards are selected from Indian rosewood or African ebony.
Hardware is sourced from a variety of premium manufacturers who specialise in making the best bridges and machine heads on the market. I use a mixture of Gotoh, ABM, Tone Pros and others depending on the requirements of the model.
Pickups are selected from a range of high end manufacturers, including Bare Knuckle and Mojo pickups. All pots and switches are of the highest quality.
As my personal choice, I favour a traditional nitro cellulose for my guitars. I like the look and feel of nitro, especially lightly aged to give a played in feel and a timeless look.
We can offer other finishes including a variety of metallics, sparkles, high gloss and satin finishes and also hand rubbed oil and wax finishes.
Nautilus Hollowbody
Timeless elegance
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With the Nautilus hollowbody I set out to create something both elegant and timeless. These hollowbody’s are built to the same size and dimensions as the Nautilus solid bodies, but with two large hollow chambers either side of a solid centre block. The beautiful tops are also carved both inside and out to an even thickness. These factors combine to give an exceptionally resonant guitar that doesn’t suffer from common feedback issues. The vintage style F holes are the perfect aesthetic to define the hollowbody model.
Prices starting from £5999 inc vat
Export outside the UK from £4999 ex vat
Overall body thickness 50mm including the carved top.
The Nautilus Hollowbody is available with a lightweight Obeche body as standard. It's the perfect weight and resonance in my opinion to get as close as possible to lightweight Mahogany of the 50s. It has clear highs and a warm bass response, with a mid range very similar to light Mahogany. The Obeche we use is all sourced from FSC certified sustainable forestry in West Africa.
We can also offer the Nautilus with an African Mahogany body or a True Swietenia mahogany body but please note modern day mahogany is generally a heavier wood than the vintage mahogany of the 50s and is in short supply.
The Nautilus neck wood is selected from stock and is either Mahogany or Spanish Cedar depending on quality and availability, as either represent the perfect balance of springy-ness and stiffness that I want from a set neck. Both timbers look virtually identical and share the same tonal properties as well as their excellent stability characteristics.
It is also possible to order any Nautilus with a flamed maple neck as an option.
Neck carves are available in two profiles and three depths, slim, medium and deep.
Fingerboards are selected from Indian rosewood or African ebony.
Hardware is sourced from a variety of premium manufacturers who specialise in making the best bridges and machine heads on the market. I use a mixture of Gotoh, ABM, Tone Pros and others depending on the requirements of the model.
Pickups are selected from a range of high end manufacturers, including Bare Knuckle and Mojo pickups. All pots and switches are of the highest quality.
As my personal choice, I favour a traditional nitro cellulose for my guitars. I like the look and feel of nitro, especially lightly aged to give a played in feel and a timeless look.
We can offer other finishes including a variety of metallics, sparkles, high gloss and satin finishes and also hand rubbed oil and wax finishes.
Nautilus in Action
Here is a wonderful video recorded by Guitarist Magazine with Kris Barras showcasing his Nautilus classic. Please check out our YouTube channel for lots more great videos.
