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In Search Of The Lost Chord

Simon is always striving to design a range of guitars that have mass commercial appeal. He calls this objective, “In search of the lost chord”. He explains further. Read More


Rogues Gallery

We thought it would be cool to create a gallery of our work. Included are concepts that you may have seen before and, for the first time, a number of new ideas that we would like to share with you. Read More


Jam Tomorrow

Jam Tomorrow is the marketing and advertising consultancy we recently created to help anyone who requires something a little different and unique. The consultancy is run by a small team of highly motivated and dedicated individuals Simon calls “The Firm”. Intrigued? Read More


Off And Running

After two years of research and development, evaluation and planning, we officially launched The Raw Guitar Co. at the 2012 Frankfurt Musikmesse Trade Fair. Read More


The Times They Are A Changing

We all know that Simon loves 1950s vintage catalogue guitars. Recently, he has noticed that these old instruments are becoming evermore popular among current iconic guitarists who are looking for something other than Mainstream. Delighted with this discovery, Simon wanted to know why. He began by looking at the guitar industry. Read More


Aladdin’s Cave

Alternative Mainstream, as Simon has termed any guitar not remotely associated with Mainstream, are now becoming popular instruments of choice among current professional guitarists. We thought it would be cool to create an Aladdin’s Cave to illustrate this growing trend.
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Perception (What Is This That Stands Before Me)?

Human perception is an immensely powerful and, therefore, influential parameter when it comes to evaluating, and subsequently, purchasing any number of products, none more so than an electric guitar. Intrigued? Read More


Hitting The Right Note$

Following on from his article on human perception, Simon has taken a look at electric guitar sales, current popular trends and what the future holds for the instrument and guitar-based music. Read More


The Sound Of Silence

There has not been anything new or significant in rock and roll since the early 1990s when Grunge and the Seattle Sound hit the streets. What has gone wrong and can it reassert itself again as a major musical and cultural colossus? Read More


It’s All About Arousal (You Know What I’m Talking About!)

Simon’s guide to guitar design! Read More


Your Continued Support And Company Objective

Many thanks to everyone who follows our development on social media or through our website – your comments and support are greatly appreciated. Read More


Your Ten Most Popular Questions Answered

Since we launched The Raw Guitar Co. in March 2012, we keep getting asked all kinds of questions. We thought it would be helpful to post ten of the best, along with our answers! Read More


Something Different #1 (Ronnie Scott)

Simon’s contemporary take on one of the most popular electric guitars ever played. Read More


Something Different #2 (The Junkyard Dog)

It’s amazing what people throw away. Al recently found a 1958 Framus Capri Archtop in a junkyard skip! After extensive repairs and added Raw emotion, “The Junkyard Dog”, as we have named her, is barking once more!
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Jam Tomorrow's Pink Jamboree

What could have been a momentary lapse of reason developed into something much more meaningful. Intrigued? Simon takes up the story. Read More


More Jam Tomorrow

Jam Tomorrow through the looking-glass! Read More


T&A (The Little Rock ‘N’ Rollers)

“She's my little rock 'n' roll. My tits and ass with soul baby.” Read More


Slide Show! (Modular Design Concept)

Simon has taken one of his favourites concepts and created a number of modular designs that wouldn’t look out of place in anyone’s collection. He takes up the story. Read More


Liberty, Angst & Rock ‘N’ Roll

Three concepts that are symbolic of all we uphold and love: freedom, prosperity and self-expressionism. Read More


The Venue Menu

Our most ambitious and commercially aware project to date. Simon takes up the story. Read More


Live On Maxwell Street . . .

The street performances may have gone but the spirit lives on! Simon takes up the story. Read More


(The Dirty Thirties) Juke Joint Collection

Inspired by 1930s Americana and pioneering electric guitar design, these concepts also have their roots deeply embedded in the Robert Johnson era Mississippi Delta. Read More


Picking Up Where We Left Off

We put just as much creative energy into our pickup concepts as we do our guitar brands. Read More


Picking Up Where We Left Off (Again)

Working with pickup guru, Bob G. Harrison, we have now completed the first prototype in our series of 1950s retro-vintage, “revival” pickups, that complement not only our guitar designs, but would be ideal replacements, or preference for makes of other guitars too. Read More


Picking Up Once More

Simon and Bob have been hard at work creating their latest conceptual pickup and they have gone to 1930s Germany to find inspiration. Simon takes up the story. Read More


Tissues At The Ready!

The Kay “Kleenex Box” pickup is probably one of the most beautiful pickups ever made - so much detail in one neat little package! Simon believes it’s time to bring them back. Read More


Boom, Boom, Boom (60th Anniversary Gibson Gold Top Concept Design Project)

Bob G. Harrison has been hard at work developing our “Breuer” conceptual pickup including a humbucker variant we think would look very cool on a much-loved classic. Simon explains why. Read More


The Skinny And The Candy Store Kid

We have just given “The Skinny” added Jimmy Reed sex appeal in preparation for the forthcoming Mississippi Mudbloods, Candy Store Kid, European tour. Simon explains why. Read More


Reunited

Recently, Simon took the opportunity to meet up again with “The Skinny”, a guitar he designed for British Blues great, Ian Siegal. Ian has been playing the guitar on his European tour with the Blues supergroup, The Mississippi Mudbloods. Read More


Something We Designed In “1959”

Here is a little experiment that Simon has been working on for quite a while, “fifty-three years” to be precise! She is called “92831”, she is orange with Blues overtones and after one or two modifications she is ready to go. Read More


Six Strings Down With Jimmie Vaughan

We had the pleasure of meeting Mr Jimmie Vaughan after he had played an amazing headlining set at the 24th Burnley International Rock & Blues Festival. After the show Simon and Gary were invited back to his dressing room, where they had a little chat about guitars. Read More


Prowling With Mitch

"Your guitar makes me want to play more Bluesy". That was the opinion of Mitch Laddie when we gave him "The Prowler" to play after he had completed his sound check at The Durham Blues Festival. Read More


Prowling With The Bishop

I’ve been playing nothing but slide on “The Prowler” since I came off tour and she’s really come to life”. That was the opinion of Mitch Laddie when we recently met up at the Bishop FM Blues Show studio for an interview with Gary Grainger and live session. Read More


As A (Blues) Matter Of Fact

Blues Matters magazine have just published (Edition No. 66) a very informative article on us, explaining how we gelled together our love of the Blues with guitar design. Written by Christine Moore, with contributions by Gary Grainger and our very own, Simon Raw. For those of you who do not subscribe to Blues Matters we have reproduced the article here. Read More


More Cool Stuff (Simon's Design Archive)




The Sweet Little Angel (Lucille’s Saucy Little Sister)

Recently, Simon found an old photograph from the early 1950s of B.B. King playing a Gibson Les Paul. Inspired by his discovery, he came up with an idea called “The Sweet Little Angel”. Intrigued? Read More


Going Down With The King

“The Cannonball”, Simon’s tribute to the late, great, Freddie King is something he has worked on for a while. The problem was he couldn’t come up with anything remotely majestic, that is, until now. Simon takes up the story. Read More


That’s The Way It Ought To Be

Dancing days are here again! Watching Celebration Day on DVD inspired Simon to design a guitar called “Zoso”. Simon takes up the story. Read More


Get Ready To Rumble!

Simon’s tribute to Link Wray! In this design exercise, he has continued with the theme of fusing 1960s Japanese guitar design with Mainstream Americana. Read More


Ground Zero (The Blues Alley)

Simon has paid tribute to Clarksdale’s Ground Zero Blues Club. Simon explains why. Read More


Viva Las Vegas

“I’m just the Devil with love to spare . . . Viva Las Vegas!” Simon takes up the story. Read More


The (Rock And Roll) Hoochie Koo

Inspired by Mitch Laddie’s forthcoming gig with Johnny Winter at The Sage in Gateshead, Simon’s latest concept blends Mr Winter’s Blues roots with his beloved Gibson Firebird. Simon takes up the story. Read More


My Bother Jake (The Back Street Crawler)

Free at Last! Simon’s tribute to Paul Kossoff. Read More