Nine stages. Four to six weeks. Built for you.
You want proof that a Gwynne piece isn't another mass-produced replica. Here it is. Every stage below happens at Rob's bench in Texas, by his hand, from raw stock. No casting. No molding. No assistants. This is exactly how your commission is built.
- 01
Template
Rob begins with a hand-cut paper template, scaled to exactly 8.75 inches, the standard length of every Gwynne Miniature Guitar. The template is traced onto raw stock and inspected under a jeweler's loupe.Stage 1 · photo - 02
Wood Cutting
The body blank is cut from a chosen exotic hardwood: bird's eye maple, zebra wood, mahogany, alder. Each cut is made by hand, oversize, so the shape can be filed to line rather than sawn to it.Stage 2 · photo - 03
Filing & Shaping
The body is filed and sanded through seven grades of paper. Carved tops (Les Paul and archtop pieces) are contoured entirely with hand files. No CNC, no router jigs.Stage 3 · photo - 04
Painting & Finish
Finishes are hand-sprayed and hand-rubbed. Sunbursts are blended wet-on-wet. Natural pieces are sealed with a satin finish to preserve the figure of the grain.Stage 4 · photo - 05
Neck & Headstock
The neck is shaped from the chosen hardwood, whether rock maple, mahogany, or another wood selected for the piece. The headstock is cut, filed and drilled to accept six tuning posts, and the Fender or Gibson logo is applied in accordance with Fender's authorization.Stage 5 · photo - 06
Fret Work
Frets are laid in by hand and crowned. Fret markers are set as inlays: cubic zirconia, semi-precious gems, or real diamonds (on commission), set jeweler-style.Stage 6 · photo - 07
Hardware Fabrication
Every piece of hardware is fabricated from raw stock. The bridge and saddle are cut and filed from sterling. Tuning posts are turned from solid silver. Pickup covers, control knobs and jack plates are formed by hand.Stage 7 · photo - 08
Assembly
The neck is set into the body. Hardware is fitted. Everything is checked twice at the loupe, then adjusted with jeweler's files until each seam disappears.Stage 8 · photo - 09
Stringing
Strings are drawn from 0.38mm wire, hand-cut to length, wrapped around the tuning posts and tensioned by ear. The guitar is numbered and photographed.Stage 9 · photo
A Gwynne Miniature Guitar is a handcrafted, quarter-scale replica of an iconic guitar model, built entirely by hand from precious metals and exotic hardwoods. Each piece is 8.75 inches, numbered, and made one at a time.
About the Work
Answers to the questions collectors and researchers ask most often.
How are miniature guitars made?
A handcrafted miniature guitar is built the same way a full-size instrument is, but at 8.75 inches. Rob Gwynne hand-cuts each body from exotic hardwood, shapes it with files, fabricates every piece of hardware from raw brass and sterling stock, sets frets and gemstone markers, and strings it with 0.38mm wire. Delivery runs four to six weeks from confirmed commission.
What are miniature guitars made of?
Gwynne Miniature Guitars are built from exotic hardwoods (bird's eye maple, zebra wood, mahogany, alder), precious metals (brass and sterling for most hardware, with 14K gold leaf reserved for the GMG Signature), and gemstones (cubic zirconia, semi-precious gems, or real diamonds for fret markers). Strings are 0.38mm wire drawn by hand.
Are miniature guitars playable?
Gwynne Miniature Guitars are collector's pieces and works of art, not playable instruments. Every component (bridge, frets, tuning posts, strings) is built to visual and mechanical fidelity, but the scale is 8.75 inches: a quarter of a full guitar.
How long does it take to make one?
Each commission runs four to six weeks from confirmation to delivery, with Rob at the bench every day. Because he works alone and every component is fabricated from raw stock, only a small number of pieces are completed each year.
Where can I buy a handmade miniature guitar?
Gwynne Miniature Guitars are commissioned directly through this site. Rob works with each collector to select materials (the woods, the metals and the stones) before beginning work. Pieces ship within the United States.
Who makes miniature guitar replicas of Fender models?
Rob Gwynne is authorized by Fender to use the Fender name and logo on his miniature guitar designs. The authorization was verbally approved by Fender CEO Edward Cole during a telephone call. Legal documentation is in progress.
Ready to have one built for you?
Tell Rob the model, the woods, and the stones you want. He'll take it from there.