Rat Bait Guitars Made in Devon

Made in England: Reclaimed Grit, Rebellious Tone

In a shed tucked away in North Devon—where the scent of glue and sawdust lingers longer than any factory polish—Rat Bait Guitars is quietly redefining what it means to build electric guitars in England. These are not pristine showroom pieces. They are relics of rebellion, hand-built from salvaged timber and broken instruments, each one a defiant celebration of imperfection and resurrection.

Salvaged Wood, Singular Stories

Every Rat Bait body is crafted from reclaimed materials: old furniture, shattered Stratocasters, fence posts, roofing timber, and worn floorboards. The result is a guitar body that wears its scars proudly—dents, scratches, and all. Whether it’s a Telecaster silhouette or a Strat-style shell, each piece is a one-off, shaped by hand and spirit.

Take, for instance, the Barnwood Hybrid Telecaster—a Frankenstein fusion of a Japanese Jedson and a Stratocaster, built from roofing wood and a shattered Strat that refused to die. Or the rugged red-and-black Hardtail Strat, born from a bookcase and a broken guitar. These aren’t just instruments; they’re artefacts of tone and tenacity¹.

Featured Body: Deep Saffron Strat (HSH)

Among the current offerings is a Stratocaster-style body in deep saffron orange. Manufactured in 2021 and virtually unmarked, it features:

• HSH pickup routing

• High-gloss finish, likely basswood or Paulownia

• 56mm neck pocket (±0.5mm)

• 43mm body thickness (±0.5mm)

• Includes new tremolo bridge and springs

  

What Clients Are Saying

Rat Bait Guitars has earned a loyal following among DIY builders, tone chasers, and lovers of the raw and real. Here’s what customers have to say:

1. “Item was very well packed, as described and arrived very quickly. A good transaction, with excellent comms all round. Very happy – thanks! :)”
2. “Lovely Telecaster copy in scavenged wood, looks great and plays beautifully! Rat Bait are great luthiers!”
3. “Arrived on time—very good guitar, best I’ve ever had. Sound is very deep, all perfectly set up.”¹

Small-Batch, Big Character

Stock is limited and ever-changing. Each body is a fleeting opportunity to own something truly unique. 

• All measurements approximate

• Royal Mail dispatch within two working days

• Reasonable returns accepted

These guitars aren’t for everyone. They’re for those who see beauty in the battered, who hear music in the cracks, and who believe that imperfection is where the soul lives.

We have a selection of new and used guitar bodies in stock, prices starting from £25.00 upwards. We have Telecaster and Stratocaster type bodies, some already painted and some in raw wood.

Occasionally we have 1960s / 1970s Japanese bodies in store, for example: a 1960s Teisco ET-200 Tulip Guitar Body.

  

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References (1)

1 Reviews – Rat Bait Guitars. https://shop.ratbaitguitars.com/reviews/

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