Guitarists who wish to purchase a custom wood-body guitar have countless options, but if you want a metal-body resonator guitar, your choices dwindle to a small handful. Luthier and metal worker Ron Phillips is one of a very few makers who specialize in individually-made resonator instruments. Having started building guitars loosely based on the National design in 1992, Phillips now offers a wide range of sizes and models, including metal-body ukes and mandolins.

Peghead Nation Blues Guitar instructor Orville Johnson has owned his R.E. Phillips Large Parlor model since 1999. He first met Phillips at the Centrum Blues Workshop in Port Townsend, Washington and was impressed with his guitars. He also liked that Phillips builds virtually everything (except for the tuning machines) himself, spinning the cones, doing the woodwork on the neck, etc.

Johnson’s guitar, which he demonstrates in this video and plays in several of his Blues Guitar course lessons, has a cutaway body made from German silver, a biscuit-style resonator, and an African mahogany neck. He uses light-gauge strings and keeps it set up with action that works well for both slide and standard playing. The guitar is also outfitted with a Schertler pickup.

To study guitar with Orville Johnson, enroll in his Blues Guitar or Fingerstyle Blue Guitars course now!

Fraulini Angelina Fingerstyle blues virtuoso Mary Flower demonstrates her vintage-inspired flattop. Read More

Froggy Bottom SJ A custom slope-shoulder dreadnought built with premium koa and Adirondack spruce. Read More

Lowden O-35 Custom Slack-key guitarist Stephen Inglis demonstrates his fanned-fret Lowden. Read More

Bruce Sexauer Dreadnoughts A trio of custom flattops based on Martin’s classic blueprint. Read More

1982 Lloyd Baggs Classical Read More

Custom Lehmann Flattop Kinloch Nelson demonstrates his wide-neck steel-string guitar. Read More

Lowden Baritone 50 Fan Fret A multi-scale baritone guitar built from African blackwood and sinker redwood. Read More

Larrivée P-10 Deluxe Custom An exquisite custom version of Larrivée’s popular Parlor model. Read More

Preston Thompson 000-12MA Cutaway Custom A cutaway 12-fret that combines vintage tone and contemporary playability. Read More

1993 Lowden O-25c San Francisco Bay Area songwriter/guitarist Kyle Alden demonstrates the Lowden that’s been his main guitar for more than 20 years. Read More