The conversation
Your sound, your playing style and what feels right. Start with a model you love or an idea you have yet to see.
JON SHUKER · INDEPENDENT LUTHIER · EST. 1995
Built around
your sound.
An instrument should feel like it belongs to you.
Handcrafted basses and guitars, made in the Peak District.
MADE FOR
INDIVIDUAL VOICES.
01 / THE INSTRUMENTS
A character
of its own.
Classic inspiration or a shape that breaks convention. Find your starting point, then make it yours.
Basses are only part of the story.
THE BUILD GALLERY
Different players.
Different possibilities.
A closer look at individual Shuker builds. Explore complete instruments, distinctive finishes and the details that make each one its own.
6 of 7 photographs
Guitars with their own voice.
JON SHUKER / AT THE WORKBENCH02 / THE MAKER
His hands.
Your instrument.
Jon Shuker built his first guitar on an old pub table in a shared house in Sheffield. Engineering studies sparked the curiosity. Making instruments became the calling.
Today, his Hope Valley workshop brings together decades of experience and a deeply personal approach. The shape of a neck. The weight on a strap. The response under your fingers. These are the details that turn an instrument into your instrument.
Jon Shuker
Talk to Jon About Your Build INDEPENDENT MAKER
HANDCRAFTING SINCE 1995
AT THE WORKBENCH
Made by hand. Seen up close.
BUILT TOGETHER
It starts with you.
A custom instrument is a collaboration. Your ideas and Jon’s experience, brought together at the workbench.
The details
Explore woods, construction, neck feel, electronics and finish. Agree the specification and quote with Jon.
The making
Your choices become an instrument, shaped, assembled and finished in the Hope Valley workshop.
03 / THE PLAYERS
From this workshop.
To the world’s stages.
Individual instruments for individual players. Meet some of the musicians who have made Shuker part of their sound.
ADAM CLAYTON / U2A CUSTOM BUILD FOR
Adam Clayton.
U2
For U2’s Adam Clayton, Jon created a custom Shuker P Bass. From a small workshop in the Hope Valley to a player known around the world, this build is a proud part of the Shuker story. Explore the photographs below to see the instrument in detail.
Adam Clayton’s custom P Bass.
Five views of the instrument, from headstock to body.
J J Burnel
A signature range developed with Jon, including the Zenith.
Simon Rix
A custom bass introduced through fellow Shuker player J J Burnel.
Freddie Cowan
Custom guitars shaped around the feel and sound of his playing.
“The quality of Jon’s work blew me away”
04 / THE WORKSHOP
Learn the craft.
Look after your sound.
The same knowledge behind every Shuker build, shared through hands-on courses and specialist instrument care.
GUITAR & BASS BUILDING
Make something
you’ll play for years.
Build an instrument with Jon’s guidance. Introductory and one-to-one courses welcome complete beginners, with projects planned around the course and your ideas.
Setups & Repairs
From action and intonation to fretwork, electronics and modifications. Get your instrument playing as it should.
Maintenance Courses
Understand the adjustments behind a well-set-up instrument. Learn about fretwork, truss rods, action and intonation.
EverTune Installation
Professional installation from a preferred EverTune installer. Talk to Jon about suitability for your guitar.
COURSE DATES & DETAILS
Your time at the workbench.
Choose a build course or learn to look after the instruments you already own. Contact Jon to confirm dates and reserve a place.
FROM THE WORKBENCH
The details are
worth a closer look.
Fresh builds, figured woods and the work between the first cut and the final string.
@shukerbassguitars
How does a custom build begin?
Start with a conversation with Jon. Tell him what you play, what you like about your current instrument and what you would change. You can discuss the model, woods, neck, pickups, hardware and finish before agreeing your specification.
How much does a Shuker instrument cost?
The cost depends on the model, construction and specification. Open the price guide below for starting prices, then ask Jon for a quote for your own build.
How long will my build take?
Ask Jon for the current lead time when you enquire. The build schedule and the complexity of your instrument will affect timing.
Can I visit the workshop?
Yes, by prior arrangement. Please email Jon to confirm a time before travelling. Workshop visits are available Monday to Saturday by appointment.
Do I need experience to take a course?
No woodworking or instrument-making experience is needed for the introductory and one-to-one build courses. Jon guides you through the work. Contact him to discuss what you would like to make.
Do you repair instruments from other makers?
Yes. The workshop offers setups, fretwork, electronics, modifications and repairs, alongside EverTune bridge installation. Describe the instrument and the work you have in mind when you enquire.
05 / YOUR NEXT INSTRUMENT
Let’s find
your sound.
You don’t need a finished specification. An idea, a favourite sound or something you wish your current instrument could do is a good place to start.
jon@shukerguitars.co.uk 07901 896021 WhatsApp: 07901 898021Email is Jon’s preferred way to discuss your project. If the workshop is busy, please allow time for a reply.
Visit the workshop
Hope Valley, Peak District, Derbyshire
Please arrange your visit before setting off.Email Jon to confirm a time and directions.
what3words · Workshop entrance///shortcuts.bonkers.amicably- Monday to Friday
- 10:00 to 16:00
- Saturday
- 10:30 to 13:00
- Sunday
- Closed