Skipper Custom Instruments

Top-quality guitars, mandolins, violins, banjos, and other instruments for musicians of all acoustic genres

This custom OM-sized guitar goes to a Maryland owner of four other Skipper instruments: mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and another guitar. The guitar features a red spruce top and Bostogne walnut back and sides. The barbed-wire neck and headstock inlay is of paua abalone, and the body purfling is of pink abalone. The eccentric rosette includes both colors, plus a gorgeous piece of bookmatched koa. The owner recently endured some good-natured teasing about owning so many Skipper instruments. His response: "As soon as the economy picks up, I'm going to own a lot more."

This custom mandolin is set up in the white, ready for staining and finishing. This is a premium instrument, with red spruce top, five-ply celluloid bindings, Waverly tuners, James tailpiece, and an impressive curly maple back. As soon as it's ready, I'll post pictures of the finished product. This one is on its way to Pittsburgh to a retired Pittsburgh Symphony violinist. He also has on order a custom violin, on which construction has just started.

Whatever the instrument you're searching for, if sound and quality are your primary considerations, you've found the right site. Take a look at what we've done, and what we're doing. Contact us if you have questions. We'd love to build a dream instrument for you.

         - Roger Skipper