A small team of luthiers working just off South End have carried out repairs on guitars played by some of the biggest names in rock music, including Judas Priest, The Darkness, Franz Ferdinand and Queen’s Brian May.
By NADIA AZIZUDDIN
In tune: Jonathan Law started Feline Guitars in South Croydon 33 years ago
From fretboard servicing to a complete refurbishing of Richie Faulkner’s headstockless Les Paul, after more than 30 years in business in South Croydon, Feline Guitars has cemented itself as a cornerstone of the local music scene.
Owner Jonathan Law chose to open his business on “familiar ground”. After growing up in Croydon in the 1980s, a time when he says that the place was a hub for record shops and live music venues, Law saw opportunity and potential in the location. Three decades on, his judgement appears to have been right.
Feline Guitars’ workshop can be found in what appears to be a flat on Coombe Road, not far from the junction where Croydon High Street becomes South End. There’s no “shop window” as such, just a sign so small it is easily missed from the road and a banner with the business name strung below the upper ground-floor window.
Existing and loyal customers know very well where to find Feline Guitars.
Law has some social media presence, but has tended to rely on word-of-mouth to promote the business, and doesn’t do much to advertise Feline Guitars’ services. That is exactly how he likes it.
Easily missed: the sign outside Feline Guitars
Over time, as well as working on the precious instrument owned by Faulkner, rock band Judas Priest’s lead guitarist, Law and his team at Feline Guitars have done work for members of The Darkness, Franz Ferdinand and for Brian May, from Law’s favourite band, Queen.
Worried that more promotion and any “scaling up” might make his business feel impersonal, Law’s model is entirely service-led,. He values his relationship with his customers and their guitars.
Law believes that every guitar, regardless of its branding or price, can provide good playability. Part of his job is “detecting what each guitar has got going for it”.
Cat nap: Barney, the resident pet
Feline Guitars offers free “health’ checks” on customers’ guitars. Law sees this as a low-pressure, no-commitment environment, which he uses as an “ice-breaker” with potential customers. It is an opportunity to speak with someone about a shared passion, away from the often impersonal world of online business.
Law reckons that he carries out five or six health checks in a day. Often, it is just people needing reassurance that their guitar works fine, but they need to tweak their settings to improve its sound.
Feline Guitars has also been making their own custom guitars. From the names of Feline’s customs (Lion, Tiger or Tabby), to their resident rescue pet Barney, everything in the workshop is cat-themed. Law says that the name gave them a unique identity. Only Feline Guitars have cat’s eyes as the 12th fret marking.
Cat’s eyes: all Feline’s handmade guitars carry the distinctive logo
For Law and his colleagues are luthiers, a term derived from the ancient instrument of Medieval courts, the lute, but which now applies to the skilled craft and art of building, repairing and restoring any stringed musical instruments, including violins, cellos and and mandolins. And Feline’s guitars.
Law says he doesn’t log the hours spent making one of their custom-made guitars, and he calls across the workshop to ask another member of the team for their best guess. Anything up to 60 hours appears to be the norm, which with their years of experience and dedicated craftmanship, puts the typical price for one of their instruments at £2,800 into proper context.
But we are close to the end of another Croydon music era.
Craft work: every instrument is given careful consideration at Feline Guitars in South Croydon
After 33 years, and after making 500 or more custom guitars, Law and Feline Guitars are bringing their guitar-building time to a close. Mostly due to his partner retiring, and partly due to the fact that their guitar servicing business is far more sustainable, time is running out if you want to have your own, unique Feline guitar.
Unlike clothes or technology, Law argues, guitars do not become redundant or out of fashion. What’s more is that they need looking after, strings need changing and components need replacing.
So that’s what he and the team on Coombe Road will be focusing on in future, looking after Croydon’s musicians, who will remain well looked after for years to come.
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Used Feline for many an upgrade or parts change in my younger days. Of course back then Croydon still had venues to attend and Scream Studios to practice in.
I was first made aware of Jonathan when I purchased a bass from Martin Phelps. I think at the time he was working in the little building behind the shop but did visit the workshop when it moved to Coombe Road a couple of times.
Would wholeheartedly recommend Feline Guitars to others and glad to read that the business is still doing well.
Who on earth, and why, would anyone give Rob peck’s comment a thumbs down?
Fat fingers, Anthony. The thumbs buttons are very close to the approve button, especially if administering the site on a smartphone app.
See what I mean?