Tin-Tone

Experimental Stringed Instruments and Amplifiers ~ Sonic Fascinators ~ Handmade in London from Recycled Antiques. Tin-Tone Guitars & Amps are entirely hand-built by Jon Free. Each one is Unique. Jon has been a performing musician for some 23 years, playing in the bands Gin Palace and Penthouse, guesting with Country Teasers and The Cesarians, and has supported bands such as The Fall, Link Wray, Bob Log The Gossip, and The Kills. Jon also worked as a live Sound Engineer for 10 years, and has been a guitar builder and repairman for even longer. Coming from a background in building and restoring vintage Archtop Guitars, Tin-Tone Guitars are constructed in an unique manner; inspired by the engineering ingenuity of c.1920s Resonator and Stroh-Guitar designs, and the resoucefulness of turn-of-the-century Cigar-Box guitar-builders, Tin-Tones are assembled using re-assigned antique tins and reclaimed seasoned hardwoods, fitted with hand-crafted parts of our own design. Tin-Tone Guitars are individually hand-made to meet the exacting standards of the modern-primitive player, and have been described as "Genius" by artists as diverse as Lydia Lunch,"Sick!" by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth,"Brilliant" by Bedders from Madness/Morrissey's band,"Beautiful. Quite Magical" by Jandek. and even as "Simply Artistic Genius!" by Ted Crocker, builder of the Honeydripper guitar for the John Sayles film of the same name. Owners/Players include Seasick Steve, Heavy Trash, and Sonic Youth