David Whiteman is one of Britain’s leading guitar makers. Born in Abingdon in 1965, he started playing the guitar at the age of 14, inspired by figures such as Julian Bream. From a young age David also had a great interest in making things and his love of the guitar led him to teach himself to build his first instrument at the age of 16. In 1984 he enrolled at the London Collage of Furniture and undertook a guitar making course and in 1987 he set up his own workshop in Sussex making classical guitars professionally. From 1992-2001 he was Senior Lecturer at the London Guildhall University, where he specialised in teaching guitar making. Since 2001 he has concentrated solely on producing his own instruments. David has contributed to many books including Guitar Through the Ages (2002) by James Westbrook and Eyewitness Companions-Guitar (2004) by Richard Chapman where an important new instrument is featured.

In 1992 his work was the subject of the television program The Guitarist and his Maker with recitalist Richard Durrant.
Fascinated by the history and diversity of the instrument he has also worked on restoring a number of famous antique guitars and he also produces a limited number of his own instruments based on 19th and 20th century designs including Herman Hauser.
His work is partly inspired by nature, landscape and archaeology and his instruments represent English classical craftsmanship at it finest, combining tradition with carefully considered elements of innovation.
David Whiteman is married to Caroline, an artist. They live on Shoreham Beach in Sussex with their three children, Hannah, Elsie and Ned.

Richard Chapman, Isfield