North Tyneside Couple Strike a Chord with Thriving Guitar Business
A shared passion for music, determination through adversity, and a willingness to take risks have helped Natalie and Graeme Bevan build one of the North East’s most respected guitar businesses from their home in West Allotment.
Together, the couple run Geordie Riffs, a specialist guitar business offering lessons, repairs, maintenance and technical support to musicians ranging from complete beginners to professional performers.
While Graeme focuses on teaching and session work, Natalie has carved out a reputation as one of the region’s few female guitar technicians, attracting customers from across the UK.
Graeme’s journey into music wasn’t straightforward. Although he played piano as a child, he stepped away from music for nearly a decade before rediscovering his passion in his late teens.
“I didn’t really pick up the guitar properly until I was about 19 or 20,” he said. “Once I started, I never put it down.”
His talent led to session work, collaborations within the music industry, and opportunities to create guitar tones and software patches for major international music companies. Today, he still undertakes specialist session work and performs as part of the global Rockin’1000 project, which sees hundreds of musicians performing together in major stadiums.
Natalie’s love of guitars began as a teenager inspired by Oasis and Noel Gallagher.
“My dad bought me the cheapest classical guitar he could find and told me if I could make it sound like something recognisable, he’d buy me a better one,” she recalled. “I practised constantly until he had to admit defeat.”
Her fascination soon extended beyond playing to understanding how guitars worked. Following voluntary redundancy from her previous career as a project manager, she pursued professional training under renowned guitar technician Robbie Gladwell, whose clients have included Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Elvis Presley.
Within days of completing her course, she received an endorsement that gave her the confidence to launch the business.
“He basically told Graeme I was ready to start my own business,” she said. “Two weeks later, that’s exactly what we did.”
The timing could hardly have been worse.
The couple launched Geordie Riffs just one week before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the country to a standstill.
Having both recently left secure employment, they found themselves unable to access government support schemes because the business had no trading history.
“We had to survive on our life savings,” said Natalie. “It was incredibly difficult. We opened, closed, opened again, and spent months trying to build a customer base through social media.”
Despite the challenges, their reputation steadily grew.
Today, Geordie Riffs attracts customers from across Britain and even overseas. Musicians regularly travel hundreds of miles to benefit from Natalie’s repair expertise and Graeme’s highly personalised teaching approach.
The business has also earned recognition from some of the world’s biggest names in the guitar industry.
One of the proudest moments came when leading guitar manufacturer Taylor Guitars approached Natalie directly.
“They contacted me because they felt my values aligned with theirs,” she said. “When a company like that reaches out to you, especially after everything we’ve been through, it’s one of those moments where you have to pinch yourself.”
Natalie believes she may be the only female guitar technician currently operating in the immediate North East area, something that often surprises customers.
“There aren’t many of us,” she said. “The nearest female technician I know of is in Yorkshire.”
Graeme’s teaching style has also helped Geordie Riffs stand out. Rather than following a rigid curriculum, lessons are tailored entirely around individual students’ interests and goals.
One student with cerebral palsy was taught to play using a modified lap-steel technique, allowing him to enjoy guitar despite physical challenges.
“I adapt everything to the student,” said Graeme. “It’s about finding a way that works for them and helping them enjoy music.”
The couple’s home is now filled with guitars, amplifiers and equipment, having outgrown the spare room where the business first began.
Looking ahead, they hope to expand further while continuing to provide the personal service that has become their trademark.
“We’re just a small business, and we’re proud of that,” said Natalie. “With so many independent music shops disappearing, it’s important to support local businesses and keep those specialist skills alive.”
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Photo: Graeme and Natalie at Geordie Riffs (The Bigger Picture Agency)
PR and Media keith@highlightspr.co.uk 07814 397951