String Musical Instruments - Guitars, Banjos & Ukuleles

The Ashthorpe String Instrument Collection

String instruments have a long and rich history, with simple beginnings and have evolved from rudimentary instruments into lyres, violins, cellos, guitars and more. Today, you have endless options when it comes to these wonderful instruments.

Ashthorpe’s collection of string instruments features a variety of vibrant, beautifully crafted acoustic, electric-acoustic, and electric guitars, as well as banjos, ukuleles, violins and cellos.

Our wide selection of string instruments is perfect for everyone, including professional musicians, beginners, school band members and parents looking to get their musically inclined children their very first instrument.

Whatever Your Sound Is, You’re Covered

Enjoy playing the smooth, mellow sounds of a jazz guitar? Do you want to get a little more emotional and play the blues? Or are you looking to pick it up a bit and play blue grass, jam to some rock or create sweet island vibes?

Not a problem, Ashthorpe is sure to have an instrument that’s perfect for you and your playing style. Our electric, acoustic and combo electric-acoustic guitars are great for a variety of musical genres. If blue grass is your thing, our banjos are the perfect option. When it comes to sweet island sounds, our collection of ukuleles is the ideal choice.

Even if you exclusively play classical music, our selection of exquisite violins and cellos are sure to meet even the most discerning players expectations.

Guitars for Every Style of Playing

Ashthorpe knows you love creating your own, unique sound and has a variety of acoustic-electric guitars to fit your style and let you play with passion and ease. From dreadnought to cutaway, you can easily play what you want to hear with an Ashthorpe electric-acoustic guitar. Our classical acoustic is a great choice if you prefer the pure sound of just you and your instrument. If your young ones are just getting into music (or can already play a bit) we also carry kid’s acoustic guitars. Left-handed? Not a problem as we’ve designed a line of left-handed guitars that’re perfect for the southpaw player.

Dreadnought and Cutaway Guitars

The first dreadnought style guitars were produced in the early 1900s. They were (and still are) larger and bolder than the smaller acoustic guitars popular then. A dreadnought guitar typically creates sharp, low and mid-range tones for an extensive sound providing huge chords and highs to great blue grass riffs.

The advantages of a dreadnought guitar include:

• Better, easier strumming
• A large, broad body
• Powerful, loud sound perfect for playing in a band

The Cutaway Guitar

The cutaway style is exactly what it sounds like and features a section that’s been cut away where the neck meets the guitar. Some musicians find its look to be aesthetically pleasing. If you’re looking to play super-fast solos on your acoustic guitar or want the space to move further up the neck and into the upper frets a cutaway guitar is perfect for your playing style.

As for the sound, cutaway guitars tend to have a slightly more treble-heavy, brighter sound than guitars that don’t have cutaways. Some musicians also find cutaway guitars provide a more balanced sound.

Ashthorpe has several dreadnought and cutaway style acoustic-electric guitars that are expertly crafted. Not only do they look and sound great, they’re a sheer pleasure to play.

Fantastic Mahogany Finishes

The type of wood used to build a string instrument has a huge impact on the sound it produces. Ashthorpe has several guitars crafted out of mahogany that create a powerful, midrange, earthy sound with subtle overtones. The strong sound produced from a mahogany guitar also makes it easier to hear when you’re playing with other instruments in a band.

An Acoustic-Electric Guitar Bundle for Every Need

Whether you’re going on the road, gigging at a local club or just playing at home, you’ll need all the proper accessories. Most Ashthorpe guitars include all the accessories you need to start playing right out of the box. Our bundles include:

• Guitar
• Soft, nylon padded gig bag
• Three celluloid picks (thin, medium and heavy)
• Extra set of guitar strings
• Shoulder strap

Electric Guitars That Keep You Rockin’!

In the 1930s the first acoustic guitar was played with a pickup attached to body and is thus the first electric guitar. One problem with the early models was the annoying feedback they produced. To fix this, the solid-body guitar was created, eliminating the hollow cavity in acoustic guitars, making it harder for sound to resonate and cause feedback.

Ashthorpe’s electric guitars are designed for all levels of musicians, from beginners, to intermediate players, and even professionals. You get a great variety of options, from sound (whammy bar, humbucker pickup or single-coil pickup) to iconic designs and fantastic colors.

Ashthorpe also knows you’ll need all the fixins’, so all of our electric guitars include a strap, extra strings, guitar cable, padded gig bag, polishing cloth and set of picks.

Features for a Full, Great Sound

The first tremolo systems showed up on guitars in the 1930s. These pitch control systems have evolved since then and are perfect for adding a unique dash of flair and style to your playing. By putting pressure on the tremolo bar (or whammy bar) you release string tension, flattening the sound’s pitch. When you pull the bar away from the guitar’s body you sharpen the pitch. Several of our electric guitars include a whammy bar to increase your playing options.

Our electric guitars with a humbucker pickup are perfect when you want to create a big, warm sound as opposed to the bright, speedy sound provided by single-coil pickups. They’re also great for stifling external noise.

If you prefer the snappier sound of single-coil pickups, we’ve got you covered. You can also find an Ashthorpe electric guitar with SSS pickups (three classic, single-coil pickups).

Ukuleles For Every Style

The ukulele is a fun and fascinating instrument. Sure, it’s mostly associated with strumming away bright chords on some beach or tropical island. But it’s a versatile instrument that also lets you play arpeggios, solos, reggae or even rock. Looking specifically for a soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele? Ashthorpe’s got it. Look for your beginner kid’s ukulele? Yup, we’ve got those too. Many of our ukuleles are crafted with a solid mahogany neck in a walnut-finished and sapele body that provides an incredible sound with rich, bright tones.

A Bundle of Great Sound with Our Ukulele Kits

Ashthorpe’s variety of ukulele packages are great for professional players and beginners alike.

Our standard ukulele kit includes:

• Aquila Super Nylgut Strings
• Pre-installed strap buttons
• Premium, fabric-padded gig bag case with pocket, carry handle and shoulder strap
• Ukulele strap

Our bundle package includes:

• Aquila Super Nylgut Strings
• Pre-installed strap buttons
• Premium, fabric-padded gig bag case with pocket, carry handle and shoulder strap
• Ukulele strap
• Extra set of Aquila Super Nylgut Strings
• Three celluloid picks (thin, medium and heavy)
• Polishing cloth

Unbeatable Prices, Top-Notch Quality

Ashthorpe is a recognized leader in affordable, quality guitars, ukuleles, banjos as well as other string, brass, percussion and digital instruments. We put our heart and soul into everything we create, just like you do when you start playing your favorite instrument.

We know the performance of our instruments is crucial, so Ashthorpe uses high-quality woods and finishes to provide a great sound, look and feel. Our craftsmanship is also outstanding and can be seen in our beautifully designed electric, acoustic, electric-acoustic guitars, banjos, ukuleles, violins and cellos.