Fylde Oberon

made in 1974 ; this is an amazing instrument; intensely personal in sound; with an unintentionally skewed spanish guitar shape; he made an error in this his first design and it was all for the best cos it sounds superb....fretboard is so wide that unless you are adaptable you will both love and reject this guitar; the fretwork on mine is sharp on the edges which i will soon be remedying

dont buy this to strum on; not cos it cant do it well but because its strength is turning finger picking into a big rich orchestral sound ...every note is articulated like nothing ive ever heard and ive played lots .....the sound is intense; its not auiet its not huge; its WOODY like a walk in a virginal forest at daybreak ; as the folkies would say ; its also VERY VERY bassy but treble holds its own against it; it can BLAST bass notes ; this is a guitar for a solo performer in folk or singer songwriter or any fingerpicking fusion style

finish on early fyldes was naive ..... the woods are superb; no truss rod so be veeeeeeeeeeeeery careful buying one thats not been well maintained

these guitars are built like tanks but sound like they are lightly braced instruments that want to shout...

fylde is a british institution

i have played 25 years ; every style imaginable including world music instruments and some flamenco and gypsy jazz; also new age" noodling like hedges etc ; i own several luthier made instruments and this is the one i play when alone; its an instrument for therapy; theres something very healing about the walk in the forest glade sound you get from these guitars...

Mine was bought new from Roger Bucknall the maker up in the Lake District in abobut 2001 I think. Spruce top, it has a 'donut' reinforcement around the sound hole which makes the top look much thicker than a normal top- not sure why Roger does this. I think this is why some people have been saying it has a thick top- but actually it is very thin and resonant. All solid wood construction of course- rosewood back and sides, mahogony one piece neck, gotoh tuners (which are the most resposive reliable I have ever tried)
It has a wide neck which some find feels strange but is ideal for fingerstyle- it isn't as wide as a classical. Zero fret. Fitted with a Headway FEQ pickup (fixed eq, no controls) which is an amazingly strong pickup. All in all top quality set up and looks AAA1!!

I play fingerstyle English folk guitar in many altered tunings- this is an ideal DADGAD guitar. The tone is awesome and gets better by the year. I've heard some older Oberons that I don't like the sound of but this is the buisness. The sustain is out of this world it just goes on and on (measured in minutes). It is well balanced between high and low end- because it is a small(ish) size and so is good in studio environments too. I play alot acousticall in Folk Clubs and the volume of this baby is unbelievable, no need to dig in to be heard

The frets are tall which I initially found uncomftable but my technique has matured since I bought this and I now feel high frets are correct for clear fast play.
This guitar is ttally hand built. Let me just say that there are no imperfections in the finish of this guitar and I personally feel that it has been created with absolute precision and love.

I'm a professional musician, and have been gigging with this guitar for 3 years- it has taken an awful lot of stress and is pretty knocked about. I treat this guitar as a tool and although it has been stressed it has never let me down in any way. The sound keeps getting better. It is well lacqered and robust. It has a bolt on neck which not only improves tone (Taylors also have bolt ons) but makes neck transer and repair easier should you need it (I doubt you will) This is my main guitar I do everything on it

Whenever I e-mail Roger (the luthier) he replies with in the hour- now that's service. Because they are a small setup customer support is personal, fast, knowlegable and friendly.

Been playing guitar for 20 years- gone through many acoustics- I have stopped at Fylde and will go no where else. If I lost this guitar I would get another instantly (might have to sell a few things first!). I bought this guitar firstly because it has renown as a folk guitar and my hero Nic Jones used to play one. Now I own one I see why it has the reputation it enjoys- I simply cannot imagine a better fingerstyle guitar. It almost plays itself, it looks beautiful (yet minimal, understated) it isn't vastly expensive, it is totally handbuilt- what more do you want in a guitar

Hand made in the U.K. The Oberon has a 'O' fret in front of the nut... this stabilizes intonation wonderfully, especially at the first fret.

A unique sounding instrument. Works especially well for finger-style and playing spanish melodies with steel stringed brightness. The top wood is thick enough to be a coffee table! Not only does this help with sustain, but does wonders for enhancing tone (could double as a coffee table or ironing board in a pinch... while still mainting that elegant look that the discriminating guitarist and coffee morning host demands)!

This guitar plays like a dream! It is extremely well built, solid, and great attention to detail. My model has gold and bone tuning heads, which give it a very 'elegant' look.

Are you kidding? I've gigged in Europe, Africa, and around N. America with this guitar for 7 years! Solid as a rock.

Roger Bucknall, the builder, is very keen to answer any queries asap. He has been most helpful and dedicated.

Love it! So do my colleagues who want to buy it from me! You can't find them here in Western Canada!

My Oberon has serial number 1800 and was made in Kirkham, England in 1980.
The Fylde Oberon has zero fret,Indian Rosewood back and sides,Solid Sitka spruce top (new ones has Englemann top)Mahogany neck,Ebony fingerboard and bridge and nice wood-binding.
Thick wide V profile neck and short string lenght are ideal for fingerstyle.
The body almost look like a classical guitar I think.
Mine is retrofitted with an undersaddle L.R.Baggs L6 pickup.
The overall impression of the guitar is simple,clean no fancy stuff,thanks Roger!

I also have a very nice Gibson J-185 and Martin J-40.They all are great guitars and I can`t compare them because they have their own character,the Gibson has a beautiful top,the Martin great bass,and the Fylde is somewhat in the middle of the two American made guitars in sound.Very balanced tone that rings forever.Try one if you can,it sure has it`s own sound.

When I got the guitar the neck was lifting from the body cause the glue was loosening from the body,but after some weeks at hospital with my guitar doctor Trond Gudmestad the Oberon was like in new condition.

I always gig with a backup guitar or two,but that is not the guitar`s fault it is the guitar strings that breaks,everybody playing for 30 years or so knows that.I also have one in open tuning.
I don`t want my audience waiting for me to re-tune the guitar or change broken strings.

I e-maled Roger Bucknall with some questions regarding the repair work I had to do for my Oberon(he is the Fylde guitars father)and got a very friendly answer within a minute,what more can you ask for?

I have been playing for more than 30 years,and it is my profession.
Most Blues(fingerpicking)but also folk/country,and Rock.
I have a lot of guitars,Gibson,Martin,National steel guitar,Tele/Stratocasters,Harmony,Guild and a lot more...
If lost or stolen I sure would get me anoter Fylde.
What I love about it? Well,everything it is a stunning instrument.

My Oberon was built n 1978 in Kirkham, Fylde's original home. It has 20 frets. There are no controls beyond my fingures. Body and kneck woods? I'm a journalist not a joiner. Satin top, bridge style is ivory looking pegs pushed into holes. Neck scale is fat, looks to me like ebony.

Music style is varied and amateur. If I xplain that my guitar guru is John James you may understand that I sought and bought an Oberon. No amps, now and again through a mike. Rich/ full or brigh? Depends where you use your right fingers - variety is huge. No dislikes - we've been together for 25 years and that's more than beautiful wife, georgeous son and princess of daughters -pont made?

Not set up properly. After a year or so travelled to Kirkham following suggestion from John James that intonation was wrong. Roger sorted it within minutes. I spent a further four hours driving back to London.Doesn't matter, problem was sorted. Yes, a flaw in the timber which I did not spot, but the retailer did. No impact on sound, yet I got a discount!

Live - yes and has.
Last - yes and has and yes again
The strap button in the singular is fine
Depend - yes
Without a bacjup? What good musician would?

All those year ago, great. RB told me where the next Oberon was to be available in my district and within days I'd done the deal witha guy called Charlie at Sounds Accoustic in Hulme, Manchester. The repair asd detailed above was carried out without question

1976 Model, English Hand made guitar.

Thick but resonant solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck. Ebony fingerboard, abalone inlays, ebony bridge, brass pins. Stnadard Gloss finish.

Thick V profile neck liek a vintage martin.

Chrome Schaller Tuners.

Retrofitted with a Fishman rare earth soundhole pickup.

A fairly individual shape body makes this a comfortable but strong voiced guitar. 14 frets to the body, but a short scale length also help make it great for complex fingerpicking.

For features I'd give it a ten- what more do you need from an acoustic. It might be simple but everything on it is cleverly thought out and first rate.

I play acoustic dance music, traditional folk songs, and acoustic "rock" for want of a better word. Thsi guitar just gives, I can't imagine a type of music that it wouldn't be suitable for!

The first instrument I owned which really drove me to become a better musician.

It certainly now feels like MY instrument.

flawless hand made craftsmanship. Robust yet responsive. What more can you ask for!

This poor thing has seen some abuse...and born it all no problem. Still on the original frets (dressed twice). Couple of cracks from being smashed into furniture, and it has survived fine.

Excellent- took it back to the maker for a fret dress, new saddle slot cutting etc. and they were first rate. also helpful in supplying historical information on the guitar.

I've been playing about 10 years. I own an oakwood handmade cittern, a graham mcdonald electric cittern with two dimarzio humbuckers, a beat suzuki classical and various other stringed instruments.

If I lost or had this guitar stolen, I'm afraid to say I'd ask Oakwood to make me a copy. Fylde don't make with the same neck profile or construction anymore. Their stuff is the best, but in real terms this as an individual instrument is as good as it gets for me.

British made in 2001 this model has a beautiful solid spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back & sides finished with herringbone inlay. Somewhat like Martin '000' but a bit larger and squarer in the shoulders, it has a relatively wide 14 fret (15 counting the zero fret) a short scale neck with the fingerboard and bridge being of ebony. Complementing this is a set of gold Gotoh tuners. Comes complete with Hiscox hard case. I have had an L.R. Baggs active'I-Beam' fitted.

This guitar is astonishing. It just does everything asked of it without fuss and is equally at home with 'dropped' tunings as it is with standard tuning. Everything is crystal clear from bass through the mid-range to the high trebles. What more can I say -when I picked it up and started to try a few things, I just had to buy it. I didn't want to spend the money, but I just had to have this guitar - it is truly outstanding.

Came perfectly set up. The zero fret helps here I think. It means the nut setup isn't so critical. The finish is superb, no other word for it.

There are a few old ones around so they have passed the test of time. Everything is beautifully put together so I have no reason to believe that this guitar will see me out and then some.

I sent an e-mail asking what guage strings the guitar came with from the factory, and had a reply within the hour. I believe they will be just as prompt helpful if I ever need their help in the future.

I have been playing for 9 years now and have graduated through from the usual cheap laminated top, then to the solid top Korean dreadnought, the Super Jumbo Korean cutaway with Fishman electronics, and finally a solid spruce/solid mahogany japanese from the early 1980's but I secretly lusted after a Martin. In fact my 'most wanted' up until September of 2001 was a Martin J-40. I had tried and played various Martins - OOO's, OM's and J's, Jumbo Guilds and Gibsons, various Taylors and Lowdens. I tried an Oakwood which was superb, but once I picked the Fylde up I was stunned. There was no way I could leave without buying it - it was as simple as that. I now know why the likes of Nic Jones,Martin Carthy, Chris WHile & Julie Matthews, Vin Garbutt, Jez Lowe and myriad others own and play Fyldes. They match and beat everything hands down at the price. Would I replace it if I lost it? In the blink of an eye!

The Oberon model is one of Fylde's older designs, although still available. It's a wide body guitar, something like a Martin 000-28 in style, with solid spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard, V-section neck, LR Baggs undersaddle pickup, "antique tint" gloss finish, 629mm scale length and zero fret (yecchh).

This thing sounds like God. The tone is rich, characterful, authoritative and just wonderful. Superb projection and sparkle, deep balanced bass, clear and bell-like treble. It does everything and plays itself. Especially good for fingerpicking. THE best I've heard.....

Everything's just great. Beautifully made, immaculately set up.

I'd have total confidence in it.

Fylde are as helpful and friendly as any company with whom I've dealt, even on secondhand items. Outstanding service.

This guitar inspires, both in its sound and its playability. If it were lost I'd simply have to get another.