Fret-King
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/FRET-King_by_Trev_Wilkinson_-_Musikmesse_Frankfurt_2013.jpg/220px-FRET-King_by_Trev_Wilkinson_-_Musikmesse_Frankfurt_2013.jpg)
Fret-King is a UK-based manufacturer of stringed instruments and musical accessories. The company was founded by guitar designer Trevor Wilkinson in the early 1990s. Fret-King manufactures electric and bass guitars, primarily inspired by traditional designs from the 1950s, such as the Les Paul, Stratocaster, and Telecaster. These instruments often feature non-standard pickup configurations and Gibson-style hollow bodies, alongside some models with unique shapes.[1]
Since 2008, the Fret-King brand is owned by UK musical instrument distributor John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd. (JHS), and is headquartered in Garforth, Leeds.
Fret-King has designed signature model guitars for a number of artists, including Jerry Donahue, John Etheridge, Gordon Giltrap, John Verity, John Jorgenson,[2] Elliott Randall, and Danny Bryant.[3]
Notable guitarists who have supported Fret-King guitars include Manic Street Preachers guitarist James Dean Bradfield, Parker Lundgren, Gavin Coulson of Oliver/Dawson Saxon, Jeff Brown of Cats In Space,[4] and Andrew Pipe of The Mentulls.[5]
Trevor Wilkinson parted ways with JHS in 2018.[6][7][8]
See also
- Vintage Guitars
References
- ^ Burrluckpublished, Dave (16 March 2020). "Fret-King 'Black Label' Country Squire Semitone Special review". guitarworld. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ "NAMM 2019: Fret-King updates its John Jorgenson signature model". 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Danny Bryant Signature Fret-King Guitar".
- ^ "Jeff Brown / Artists / JHS". www.jhs.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ "Andrew Pipe / Artists / JHS". www.jhs.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ Leonard, Michael (5 September 2014). "James Dean Bradfield's guitar collection". MusicRadar. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ "Builder Profile: Trev Wilkinson". Premier Guitar. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ Barrett, Andy (22 February 2008). "COMPANY PROFILE - Fret King". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2015.