Christopher Dean

Christopher Dean – Guitar Craftsman

Early Life and Passion

Born in 1958 in Lincoln, England, Christopher Dean is a gifted visual artist and guitarist who was captivated by the instrument from a young age. Hailing from a family with a rich tradition in craftsmanship and engineering, he merged his love for music, particularly the works of Bach and Villa Lobos, with an innate interest in the form and construction of the guitar. At the age of 17, he had already crafted his first instrument. Since then, he has dedicated himself to becoming a truly exceptional guitar maker, garnering a world-class reputation and clientele.

Education and Career Development

After graduating in Musical Instrument Technology from the London College of Furniture, he collaborated with another leading British guitar maker – Paul Fischer – a partnership that would establish Christopher Dean within the mainstream of European guitar making.

Own Workshop and Signature Style

In 1985, Christopher Dean founded his own workshop in the heart of the Cotswolds and has been selling guitars worldwide to an admiring and steadily growing customer base. Christopher's instruments are distinguished by their aesthetics as well as consistently outstanding sound, seamlessly blending balance, sustain, and tonal brilliance in a distinctive and unique manner that is unmistakably his own.

Philosophy

"I am passionate about building guitars. The transformation, almost through a kind of alchemy, from beautiful yet inert wood into a living instrument with its own distinct characteristics and personality, still fascinates and delights me. The outcome I aim to achieve is a guitar that looks and sounds intuitively 'right' in all its proportions and aspects, surpassing the expectations of its new owner in every way." – Christopher Dean