It’s been a long time since we managed to have a new guitar for sale, this is one that I originally planned to save until Ullapool, but that is still nearly four months away, so it’s for sale now. Hurray!

Claro Walnut back and sides with a Cedar soundboard and a 45mm neck

The Rosewood bindings are bordered by simple red lines, as are the three mahogany neck laminations . The Ebony fingerboard has Pearl position markers. 

I think the colours and contrasts are wonderful. It’s a simple but beautiful guitar, with the rich warm tone that these timbers are known for.

For Sale at £4,200 - SOLD

"Here’s a new video featuring my GG signature - “London” from Gordon’s Visionary album. I hope you (and he!) like it!”

Dave has spent twenty years playing back-to-back West End Shows. Moira and I have seen most of them, some of the twice!

He is now "taking it easy" "depping" for other guitarists on Mamma Mia and Matilda when somebody needs a night off.

"I occasionally teach what I call “Professional coaching”. A few guys have asked me for lessons, and I try and bridge the gap between their degree or music college qualification and the real world. So, I prepare them for pro work. It’s really about letting them know what’s expected of them (as opposed to the idealistic expectations that their college tutors have instilled): i.e. to allow themselves to be human, to help each other, instead of competing with each other and building a more resourceful mindset for those times when they are being tested" 

Three of Dave’s students are now with touring productions of West End shows including Bat Out of Hell, Mamma Mia, Matilda and Hamilton.  That  is a mark of the level he is operating at.

And he  is working on a new album with a brilliant female vocalist -

"It’s kind of ambient, acoustic, folky stuff. I really like what we’ve done so far. My fabulous Fylde Falstaff, ukulele, mandolin and tenor guitar are heavily featured!"

We are looking forward to that!

Dave's Website

Martin - you have a LOT more guitars than that! 

Everybody goes to Martin when they want to discuss acoustic guitars, whichever side of the Atlantic they were made.   I don't think any video can be long enough for him to expound  his knowledge, and his stories properly- it’s over fifty years of wide, and deep experience of just about everything " guitar", we can talk forever.  

Although there are physical similarities in the five guitars Martin shows here, the differences in sound are clear enough even via a YouTube video, although finding the best words to describe it all is very difficult. “ Talking about tone is like fishing about architecture” – Frank Zappa

I still find that fascinating. I think all guitar makers get a bit frustrated that they can’t make one guitar that will satisfy everything.

Martin could, if he wanted to, play all his repertoire on any one of those guitars.

But he doesn’t want to, and we are all very grateful.

Martin's Website

This is the song that John recorded for the Fylde Charity Album. I've not seen him play it on the "Smithcaster" before, and it reminds me how successful that guitar has been. It's not the easiest to make, and  lot of the sound relies upon John's favourite  LR Baggs Duet pickup system, which is no longer available, but we have made the same guitar with different pickups and there's no doubt we will keep making it in one form or another.

John's Website

And of course, you wouldn't expect me to miss that opportunity, would you?

The double CD and booklet is still available. All proceeds to charity

Buy it here

We are making progress. One of these guitars will be for sale in aid of the festival, and all of them will be on display at the festival In October.

Made in 2012, there isn't a mark on this guitar, and it plays perfectly.

The owner has one other Fylde, and one more on order.

I commented on the condition when the owner brought it to us, then I had to email him later to ask him again just how he kept his guitars in such good condition.

He mentioned the obvious things like being careful and using the case, but one thing stood out. He washes his hands before he picks up his guitar. Every time.

Let that be a lesson!

For sale at £4.200 - SOLD

Twenty CDs of Martin's music, all recorded live for the BBC, including many tracks not recorded elsewhere.

It includes a book and many previously unseen photographs. 

Quite extraordinary. I don’t know how I'm going to fit 20 CD's into my car player.

The best description of the project I can find is here

Link to the box set

We don’t often get chance to make guitars to this level of specification.  The order came from a long-term contact who, years ago, wanted to make guitars himself and asked me for advice. Apparently, I was very nice to him. Hmm, I don’t remember that bit!

It’s a hybrid, an Ariel Body but a 14-fret neck, and apart from the exotic timbers, he also wanted Abalone Inlay. It’s worked out rather well. He has already proudly shown it to Richard Hawley and Martin Simpson, who had both encouraged  him to place the order in the first place.

I still have good stocks of Brazilian Rosewood, (all legal, harvested probably 100 years ago ) but most of the orders for it come from overseas, not the UK. That adds a big chunk of paperwork which spoils things somewhat.  As I've often said, making guitars is hard work, but it's also mostly fun, it's all the bits that go with it that can turn the process into a battle.

John and his music have been a big part of our lives for over fifty years, and it was a real blow when he stopped performing a few years ago. He has now disposed of most of his guitars and asked me to help with his remaining two "professional" instruments. 

This one is an Oberon style but made using Maple rather than the usual Indian Rosewood, plus a cutaway.

It’s been John's main guitar since we made it for him in 2011 and it’s a sign of how much and how well it’s been played that nearly all the frets are worn the same amount, from top to bottom.

It's in very good condition. There are some minor marks which we'll try and polish out, and it will be completely refretted.

Fitted with a Headway FEQ pickup.

For sale at £4,500.00 ono

I think my handwriting is to blame for this. I can read it perfectly clearly, the order says "Mandolin"! Oh well, somebody's lucky day.

Claro Walnut body and Cedar soundboard, a combination that works very well  for the Mandolin, and it’s the same result here, producing a warm and mellow tone, just one octave lower and a bit louder

For Sale £2,600 plus case - SOLD