Island Instruments

Nic Delisle, Guitarmaker

Island Instruments is a one-man operation, focused on meticulously crafting original one-of-a-kind instruments entirely by hand, in close collaboration with each individual customer

Since I was a kid, I’ve had an obsession with guitars.

From the moment I first saw one and understood what it was, music and the guitar began to permeate my existence. I was a teenager, listening to Primus and lurking on bass forums when I found out people made guitars, with their hands, for a living. A spark went off and little did I know then, that spark would change the course of my life. The idea of luthiery remained a dream as I went to film school to pursue my directorial ambitions but music – and the instruments - remained a central element of my life.

After a few years, my interest in film school, and my happiness began to wane. In an increasingly digital and disconnected world, was longing to create something tangible, with my hands, that would connect with people and transcend my time on Earth, but film was no longer the medium for me to do it with.

My long-withstanding passion for musical instruments and a chance encounter (turn apprenticeship then job) with luthier Lenny Piroth Robert re-lit that spark and led me back to guitarmaking. Despite my fears and hesitations, I dove in head-first and never looked back.

My designs are largely inspired by, and based off of the department store catalog instruments I consider to represent a peak of creativity in the electric guitar industry. I’m constantly trying to improve and evolve those designs for contemporary needs and standards, acknowledging and respecting the past while looking toward the future.

Every day I spend in the shop reminds me of my limitations and a challenge to surpass them. The guitar has not been ultimately defined – there is, hopefully, a long and rich future ahead. The infinite room for learning experiences and personal growth through the process of creation is one reason I build guitars.

THE SHOP

“No man is an island.”

I build my instruments out of the Mile End Guitar Coop in Montreal, Canada. The shop is a collective workspace that is home to ten unique instrument builders. Over the years it has been a source of mentors, students, collaborators, and friends. Sharing a space with such a wide array of styles and talent has been a privilege. The constant discourse, collective experimentation, exchanging of ideas, and sharing of knowledge have had a tremendous impact on me, both as a builder and as a person. The fingerprint of this community I’m so lucky to be a part of is firmly in the DNA of my instruments and is a big part of my style.