"It's a real honour" - Co. Antrim man makes guitars for some of the world’s best-known musicians
Chris Moffitt counts Lewis Capaldi, as well as guitarists for The Killers and Hozier, among his growing list of customers.
A County Antrim man is making his dreams a reality by making guitars for some of the world’s best-known musicians.
Chris Moffitt, founder of Kithara Guitars, said it still feels surreal every time he makes a sale.
The Ballyclare man began his unconventional journey by studying guitar making under master craftsman Sam Irwin at the Lagan Lutherie School, with a vision to bring a fresh, creative approach to his trade.
To make this dream career a reality, Chris followed in his father’s footsteps, taking over the family garage and transforming it into a fully equipped workshop where he uses his bare hands to create one-of-a-kind guitars bespoke to each guitarist.
Seven years later, Kithara Guitars is going strong, and Chris counts Lewis Capaldi, as well as guitarists for The Killers and Hozier, among his growing list of customers.
The world class guitar maker spoke to Downtown / Cool FM: "Once you let that guitar into the world it's out there. My name is on that guitar; it really gives me a responsibility to make sure I'm building the best that I can. It is amazing just seeing these people in Canada and America, uploading themselves playing these guitars that were made in Ballyclare."
"I recently finished one for Two Door Cinema Club, which was awesome having a local band that were heroes of mine growing up. Orders are really healthy. I've got a lot coming from America which is an amazing market to be in. It's awesome to see what is coming out of this workshop."
"It's a real honour to have people put such trust in what I do, and it’s really special because I can see what it means to them, to have something that will long-outlive me. It’s a legacy that I can see carrying on and it's just so special to see what those guitars mean to them, and the connection I have to them, through my guitars."
Chris went on to say that business started picking up after making a sale to Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi: "That really opened up doors to the likes of Sam Fender. Dean, from his band, he plays one that I was able to custom make with a pint of Guinness... which was a really nice touch from home."
More recently, the Killers invited Chris down to their show, so he showed up with two guitars: "That was amazing, just seeing ‘Mr. Brightside’, and ‘Human’ being played on my guitars."
After reaching out to Go Succeed, Chris received valuable mentoring that enhanced his business acumen and connected him with the right people to take his business to the next level.
Go Succeed is funded by the UK Government. The service supports entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses with easy-to-access advice and support including mentoring, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan, at every stage of their growth journey.
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