My name is Simon O’Nions and I am the owner and leading luthier at Arden Guitars, Warwick, England. I hope you enjoy your visit to my website, and that we may have the opportunity to meet in person and discuss your exact musical requirements. From the menu on my home page you will be able to navigate to different sections, such as the woods, testimonials and also more about me.
I have always been passionate about music and especially guitars. I am fascinated by the tone of the guitar and how different woods and techniques effect the clarity, resonance, playability and beauty of the instrument. The woods are sacred, and it is the responsibility of us all, but especially luthiers, to protect and preserve these beautiful woods for generations to come. I see my role as treating the woods with respect and allowing their natural beauty to shine through with a clear and distinct voice. "IN ME TACE VITA, IN MORTE DULCE CANO". “ In life I was silent, in death I sweetly sing”.
For every guitar that I make; I donate a proportion of the sale to support ecological projects.
Work With MeArden is an area in the centre of England which was one of the largest forested areas in the whole of the UK. The English Forest of Arden stretched from Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire to Tamworth in Staffordshire, covering vast swathes of land including the present-day cities of Coventry and Birmingham.
Born in Stratford in 1564, William Shakespeare spent his formative years on the doorstep of the forest of Arden and, although its size had begun to decrease, the Forest remained intact throughout Shakespeare’s lifetime.
Forests are traditionally considered to be places of magic and intrigue, and nowhere is this more clearly represented than in Shakespeare’s works. From the Athenian woods of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the Scottish Birnam Wood in Macbeth and the ‘mighty oaks’ of The Merry Wives of Windsor, forests and woodlands fill his plays with a sense of wildness and rebellion and provide a feeling of magic and mystery.
Each and every Arden Guitar is designed and crafted as a ‘one off’ bespoke and unique instrument. It will be proudly handed down for generations to come.
"A few years ago, I was lucky enough to see and hear one of Simon’s early guitars and was immediately struck by the clear, resonant sound and superior quality of the workmanship" - DB Fellows (Warwickshire)