" This totally wonderful creation is hand made by a small workshop (a team of 9 men) in China with final setup & electronics fitted in the Gordon Smith workshop in Northampton"

[FT]

There are so many wonderful things to say about this guitar but the first isn't going to be about the guitar. It is about the man behind it - Doug Sparkes.

My hope is that I can raise awareness of such an important factor when buying any product around the World.

Doug has a wonderful humanitarian spirit. I have seen the most shocking photos - demonstrating the risks to health that workers in China are exposed to. These workers are building some of the guitars you see every day in music shops around the World.

Doug has a workshop in the UK which you can visit via appointment. If you want an electric guitar please do check out the wonderful Gordon Smith guitars.

His workshop in China is literally as clean, well managed and SAFE as his UK workshop. I have been overwhelmed by Dougs unique and very personal approach to his staff and ethos towards life.

Continuing on the humanitarian theme Doug is heavily involved with sponsoring a wonderful cause which you can learn more about in the link below and I have decided to donate 2% of every sale of this guitar to this charity - as it has struck such a chord with me personally...

Love - Hope - Strength supporting Caner sufferers

OK - so what about the guitar?!!!!!!!!

IT IS UTTERLY WONDERFUL!!!

All this talk is only of any value to you if the actual product is worth looking at right? Well Auden have blown me away and 2018 hopefully will be the year where I get them on my map of recommendations and into the hands of players like yourself.

I have taken as many pictures as possible to show the detail that has gone into this guitar.

The Chester is a cross bread with a lower bout a little more like a dreadnought and the upper bought more like an OM - the result is an attractive design with wide range of tones capable of full bodied strumming whist also handling fingerstyle too.

A gig bag is included too at this price.

Specification

AAA Cedar Top

Solid Mahogany Back & Sides

Staggering Brad Clark Supernatural pickup AS

Gig Bag

If you are looking for a wonderful character acoustic that looks beautiful, sounds wonderful and represents something deeper than "just" a selfish transaction this is the guitar to buy. You will be supporting the rights of workers in China - helping a wonderful cancer charity here in the UK and receiving an incredible - benchmark leading guitar setup to perfection in our workshop.