NKForster Guitars Model C

My Model C is built as standard with two exceptions. I have a slightly narrower neck (5mm)and a deeper body (10mm).

Top ??? European Spruce
Back and Sides - Indian Rosewood
Neck ??? 1908 Cuban Mahogany (As Standard!!)
Fingerboard / Bridge ??? Ebony
Headstock ??? Brazilian Rosewood veneer.
Tuners ??? Gotoh
Nut / Saddle ??? Bone
Case ??? Carlton
Looks - Beautiful

Quite simply this is the best sounding guitar I have ever heard. Good quality handmade guitars will always be superior to anything that comes out of a factory be it Martin or Ecko. This guitar, however, is a cut above anything out there. It has perfect clarity across all the strings and a warmth/depth of sound simply not found on most instruments. I play mainly Celtic / fingerstyle and a bit of slide and it perfect for all of these. I don???t think there is any style of music that would not show off the quality of sound. I play in several tunings and it copes well with any of them. I also have the pleasure of knowing that the sound will continue to improve as the years go by!

My guitar was set up specifically for me (another advantage of a custom guitar). In the planning stages Nigel was happy to answer as many questions as I could think of and gave great advice on what would or wouldn???t work. With Nigel???s guitars you are getting something unique that was made for you and every time you pick it up you can tell that. The laquer finish is faultless.

I have had my guitar for just under a year now with no problems. It comes with a lifetime warranty (Yours or Nigel???s whoever goes first!!) so I have no worries in that department. I think the only difference between my guitar now and my guitar in 10-20 years is that it will look even nicer and sound even better.

Nigel is always on the end of a phone or email should you need to disscuss anything about the guitar. A few months after I had the gutar I got a call from Nigel to see how it was playing. I have also taken it back one as I wanted to get the action adjusted this is normal for a new guitar after the first few months as the wood settles in. I also wanted a new nut made to change the string spacing. I should add that I changed my mind about the spacing I did receive exactly what I had ordered. I dropped the guitar off in the morning and not only was it ready in the afternoon but I got a cooked breakfast thrown in as well. I can???t see me getting that in my local music shop!!

I have been playing guitars for nearly 20 years now and really have tried virtually everything out there at some point. There is nothing that plays or sounds as good as my Model C. When I see people paying more for high end Taylors, Martins and the like I just can not understand why and if you play a Forster nor will you. In terms of value 2 & ?? grand is not cheap but does give tremendus value. The neck is near as dam it 100 year old timber and come as standard. This is an instrument taylored for you that will be around long after youv???e gone.
The only thing that took my a bit of getting used to is that the guitar is very responsive to how you play it. It did take me a while to get the best sounds out of it. It sounds a bit strange but after playing it for a while it sort of tells you how to play it. As a previous reviewer mentioned it will show up any flaws in your playing. The flip side is when you get it right you can???t believe the results. Playing this guitar has bought my playing on in leaps and bounds. This is partly due to how much more I play now. Everytime you pick it up you never want to put it down.

Nigels Model C is basically an orchestra model. At my request, he made it 12 fret to the body. Construction is as follows: -

Top - Italian spruce
Back and Sides - Indian Rosewood
Neck - 98 year old Cuban Mahogany
Fingerboard and bridge - Ebony
Headstock - Brazilian Rosewood veneer
Tuners- Gotoh
Nut/Saddle - Bone

I chose not to have a pick up fitted at this stage.
Comes with a choice of a Hiscox or Carlton case

Nigel Forster spent 15 years as a luthier with Stefan Sobell and is now taking his experience and expertise to a new level. His guitars do look like Sobells but have a richness, subtlety and complexity of sound I have never heard before. Even played very gently, you loose none of these qualities or dynamics. It sounds different to the other British guitars I have played, but it is definately not an American sound either. There is an even balance across the whole range and great sustain. I have a few acoustics including a Santa Cruz D, Larrivee OM9 and Larrivee CO9. This guitar is far superior to any of these, both in build quality and tone. I have to be honest and say that I ordered this guitar primarily for DADGAD but it can handle any tunings I throw at it as well as any form of music - jazz, celtic, fingerstyle, even blugrass where it blew away the Martins.
Nigel does not build American copies. He is constantly refining this. His guitar have their own voice and its some voice.

Nigel sets up each guitar specifically for you. The action is perfect and he discusses with you at the planning stag exact dimensions of the neck etc. Just as well as it is an unforgiving instrument, any sloppiness in my play is shown up right away. This guitar misses nothing. It is the first guitar I have owned that felt mine from the very first time I picked it up. Perfectly bookmatched. The laquer finish is very thin and glossy.It is flawless.

I have only had it four months, but I have no doubt that it will be durable and reliable. Nigel puts a lifetime warranty on his work, which says all you need to know. I would have no hesitation in gigging without a back up.

You can phone Nigel directly to discuss any aspects, in fact he even contacted me recently to ask if I wanted him to check it out as I had it a few months. As I said, its a lifelong warranty for the person who bought it.
Nigel is easy to deal with and you quickly realise how much pride and attention he pays to his work. There is no sales pitch to him, he is straight forward, available and professional

I had been very happy with my Santa Cruz and Larrivees and they are really good guitars, however, this is simply a different league. They now seem one dimensional instruments compared to the Forster. His guitars are not cheap, but in relation to what you get, they are fantastic value for money. I resisted posting a review until now in an effort to find something negative to say about this guitar, but I cannot find anything to criticise, but there again, that is why I got a custom built instrument. Difficult to know how Nigel could make them any better, but no doubt he will carry on trying to.