Kavanagh Customs

The Gem was unveiled with great pride in early-2006 after spending well over a year in development: the first full-production signature (limited edition) guitar offering from KavanaghCustoms. It was an instant hit.

Limited to only 100 pieces, almost all were very quickly snatched up by keen-eyed collectors and finding their way into the hands of working musicians alike. A collectable masterpiece and a very playable instrument, Gems even made appearances at a number of very high-profile gigs both in the UK and abroad, some of it to even our own surprise..!

Although all 100 have now been allocated, there will be a limited few made available through our website store in early-2008, due to an order cancellation. These will be offered at reduced prices and will not last long once they become available. Click here to visit the Gem section of our shop now and check back often to make sure you don't miss out!

Each and every guitar is made completely from start to finish by just one member of our team with all their time and energies spent ensuring that each instrument meets the high quality standards that our customers have come to expect from us. Each guitar is 'autographed' and dated on the back of the headstock by the builder upon completion.

This sort of attention to detail on a 'production' guitar is almost unheard of in today's world of mass-production. Each one takes up to three months to complete and really is a true labour of love for the builder.

All wood used in the workshop comes from sustainable sources and only the very finest hand-selected materials are used in any of our guitars and the Gem series is no exception.

From the thick indian rosewood fretboard, to the split mother of pearl inlays, to the highly flamed maple cap and mahogany centre, this isn't just a guitar, it's a piece of art.

With such high attention to the aesthetic details, you would be forgiven for thinking that this might be a guitar that only really suits a life hung on a wall - something pretty to show off to the neighbours.

This couldn't be further from the truth. With decades of playing experience to call upon, we have made this one of the hardest-working guitars you will ever lay hands on. The Japanese Wilkinson mini humbuckers were chosen after months of selection for their rich and jazz-like tones which compliment the chambered body perfectly. The neck pickup is additionally rewound to give a hotter and higher-output response ideal for high-gain solos or quieter melodies.

The Gem will only be a limited run of 100 guitars, each headstock numbered individually.

Almost every aspect of The Gem is customisable, especially the colour and finish. You want a bright pink one with purple dots? Well we think you're weird but we'll still happily do it for you!

The three shown below are just examples of some of the different finished available (nitrocellulose black, two-step silver-based nitrocellulose metallic blue and mahogany burst).

To coin an overly-used cliché: the only limitation is your imagination!

The Gem is available now directly from Kavanagh Customs and through a few select retailers in the North . If you want to order your's, please contact us now. Retail enquiries about this, and our other guitars, are also more than welcome.