Based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom, Toby Chennell has dedicated over three decades to crafting exceptional archtop string instruments. With a deep passion for innovation and tradition, Toby's journey began with an experiment in his granddad's garage in 1992 resulting in a plywood acoustic bass that was too big to play in the lap.

He continued to experiment until moving to London to study luthiery in 1996, gaining an HND in Musical Instrument Technology (1998) and a B.Sc. (Hons) in the same field (2000) from Guildhall University. The double bass made as his final project was sold to eminent bassist Geoff Gascoyne and subsequently featured heavily on Jamie Cullum's albums 'Twentysomething' and 'Catching Tales'.

In 2001, he founded Chennell String Instruments, specializing in the creation of unique, hand-crafted acoustic basses and archtop guitars. A decade later, he established Jazz Box Ukes, focusing on producing distinctive archtop ukuleles that blend jazz aesthetics with modern craftsmanship.

Toby has crafted and sold over 300 archtop instruments worldwide, ranging from double basses to guitars and ukuleles. Renowned for his innovative designs and attention to detail, his creations are sought after by musicians who value exceptional tone and craftsmanship.

Whether designing custom instruments or experimenting with unique innovations, Toby continues to push the boundaries of luthiery, creating instruments that are as beautiful as they are functional.