Welcome to fretsireland the home of Terry Cromer Guitars
I make one-of-a-kind guitars and related instruments. I make them in the same hand crafted European tradition of small batches however their design is very much 21st century. I come from a background of 40 years in the recording industry as an acoustic engineer, a recording engineer and producer and a great passion for all things wood. I built my first instrument 40 years ago, original shapes and design features that were outside of the factory guitar norm and I've continued with that philosophy ever since.
The inquisitive side of being an acoustic engineer is I don't always regard a traditional approach as being the definitive one so I have redesigned much of the structure of a guitar. We forget that the modern 14 fret steel string guitar was the first new guitar for 200 years and was designed as an industrial product in 1930. Factory production methods determined that design and in a one person workshop have no place there.
I understand the physics of tone woods and how to use them to adjust the tone and sustain of the instrument. This results in a lively, more responsive instrument more in tune with allowing the player express themselves to the full.
If you are looking for a clone of a factory guitar maybe this isn't the website for you. If you are looking for something that captures the essence of vintage sound with traditional woodwork techniques and some unusual techniques then I think you will be rewarded by continuing to the other pages here.
I also set-up, repair and modify guitars, mandolins, banjos, bouzoukis, and slidey things such as dobros, resonators and lap and pedal steels.
Electric or acoustic, I can make it sweet again..
Please feel free to contact me and we can talk about getting that guitar you always wanted. It might be in progress in the workshop with your name on it
