Though he didn’t know it at the time, Jeff Figley was on his way to becoming a luthier when he moved to a small farm in New Hampshire to open the King Blossom Cabinet Shop in 1983. While making pieces of high-end cabinetry over the years, he found himself setting aside some of the more beautiful pieces of wood that came through the shop, with the intention of saving them for something special. Not necessarily thin king about guitars as a future project, Figley built up quite a stash of gorgeous wood.
Figley always had a passion for music and began playing guitar in the early ’70s. But it wasn’t until the late ’80s that he built his first, when he found his creative side left unsatisfied by building only cabinets. With honed woodworking skills, a woodworking shop, and a love for fine wood already in place, Figley borrowed a couple of books from a luthier friend and set out on a two-year journey to build his first instrument. Constructed from both spalted and bird’s-eye maple, Figley still owns his No. 1, which is still his favorite guitar for tone thus far.
When asked about design inspiration, Figley cites PRS as a major influence because of their use of highly figured materials. “I’m all about the wood, so I strive to create a noble purpose that equals its beauty,” says Figley. But he isn’t afraid to experiment with other materials—he came up with the idea of using truck-bed liner as a guitar finish. “I just don’t add the optional ground rubber, and when it’s thinned properly, it makes a roadworthy textured finish,” he says. “The purists knock it, but these guitars have great tone.”
With an interest in passing his experience to hopeful builders-to-be, Figley offers periodic internships at King Blossom Guitars, allowing an intern to build their own instrument under his supervision. “Just start, don’t stop, and don’t pay much attention to what others are saying and doing,” is his best piece of advice for an aspiring luthier. “Most people don’t think outside of the box. Be an original and hone your skills.”
Figley recently incorporated CNC technology to King Blossom for some of the rough work, enabling him to be more creative and develop new ideas, but he steadfastly maintains the importance of handcrafting in building guitars. “The attributes of a world-class guitar will never be achieved by anything but refined, custom handwork,” shares Figley. “I have no intention of getting away from this aspect that defines a superior instrument. It’s the hands-on detailing that I love.”
Pricing and Availability
All King Blossom guitars are custom
built to a client’s specs. Figley will guide
a customer gently so they end up with
a finished instrument built to their personal
preferences. Guitars are available
by ordering direct and the current wait
time is approximately three to six months,
depending on the complexity of the build.
Figley currently makes 12-15 guitars a
year, but with the recent incorporation of
CNC to his shop, he intends to bring that
number up to 75-80.
Model 1 #0018
This chambered-body Model 1 features a
big-leaf maple burl
top with soundholes
created with some
help from Mother Nature. Utilizing
mahogany for the
body and neck, the
27-fret ebony ’board
boasts illuminated,
fiber-optic side dots. With a DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF
pickup in the bridge
and a DiMarzio EJ Custom in the
neck, this Model
1 also features
a piezo-loaded
bridge from Graph Tech.
Model 1 #0012
Utilizing highly figured
maple burl to top the
mahogany body of this
version of the Model 1,
it too is adorned with
fiber-optic side dots
for guidance along
its ebony fretboard. Outfitted with Sperzel
locking tuners and a
bridge and tailpiece by
TonePros, this looker
is loaded up with a DiMarzio 36th Anniversary
PAF pickup
in the bridge and a DiMarzio PAF in the
neck position.
RGM #0001
This RGM model’s
maple top rests on
a body carved from
poplar and features
Figley’s use of truckbed
liner for a road-ready
finish on the
back and sides. The
maple neck is topped
with a rosewood fretboard
and the instrument
is outfitted with
a ResoMax bridge and
tailpiece by Graph
Tech. For electronics,
this RGM has a pair of DiMarzios, with a PAF
Pro in the bridge and
a PAF in the neck.
Riffguy Signature RGM
The Riffguy Signature
RGM is the culmination
of a two-year project
between Figley and one
of his artist clients that
incorporates features of
an SG, Strat, and Les
Paul. The Khaya African
mahogany body is
capped with a highly
figured maple top while
the Khaya African
neck is topped with
a scalloped Bolivian
rosewood fretboard
sporting an antique
walrus-tusk nut. This
RGM is loaded up
with a Riffbucker Articulator 1 bridge pickup and an Articulator
2 in the neck.
RPG #0005
Finished with a classic
sunburst, this RPG
utilizes AAAAA-grade
quilted maple for the
top, back, headstock
veneers, and pickup
rings. With a DiMarzio DP223 36th Anniversary
pickup in the
bridge and a DiMarzio DP190 Air Classic in
the neck, this axe is
outfitted with Sperzel
TrimLok tuners, a Graph Tech nut, and
bridge and tailpiece
by TonePros.
RPG-RS Prototype
Figley’s RPG-RS
Prototype is designed
to maximize the
acoustic properties
of the electric guitar.
The hollow mahogany
body houses soundports
in the horn
cutouts, which allows
the guitar to breathe
and project sound
without feedback
from floor monitors.
The one-piece maple
top integrates the
pickup rings, bridge
mount, armrest, and
straight string-through
tailpiece, all of which
are carved out of one
solid piece of wood.
“This guitar is far
more alive than anything
I’ve ever built,”
says Figley.
