Guitars and obviously playing them, mostly a fusion of classical/flamenco/jazz/English folk.
Enjoying nature through walking, cycling and running.

Kleynjans, Andrew York, Michael Hedges, Phil Keaggy, John Renbourne, Nick Drake, John Martyn, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Elbow, Doves, Zero 7, Bach, Gaspar Sanz, Gorecki, Glass, Nyman . . . eclectic.

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Buying a guitar

Selling a guitar

Well, I'm a classical guitarist who got into John Renbourne as a teen, then jazz and flamenco as a student and then came across Michael Hedges 10 or so years ago - so now try not to be restricted by genre. At home I play mostly medieval and baroque stuff with a bit of Andrew York (plus other Windham Hill artists) and Francis Kleynjans thrown in, but when I gig it's mostly Renbourne, Davy Graham, Grossman and Jansch (even some Ralph McTell) with various jazzy flamenco standards - I also play some Phil Keaggy and Martin Simpson pieces. So basically, if I like a tune I learn it no matter what the style.

I've been pretty fortunate regarding picking up the odd bargain great guitar:

My first luthier-made guitar was made by Tony Revell (Newtown), a great maker who is not widely known in this country. John Pearse used to play one (and Catfish Keith) - amazingly light and incredibly surprisingly loud guitars - he is a perfectionist and I trust all my guitars to him to set-up (last year he did wonders for an Ovation Matrix which I inherited, he scalloped all the braces, dressed the pathetic all-in-one fret-fingerboard - it now sounds incredible). The Revell's varnish crazed and he just wanted someone to take it off his hands.

His workshop assistant, Pete Howlett (now working in South Wales making ukes) created a blonde bombshell, 12 fret, tuned G C F Bb D G (I expected a battered wreck when he got it out of the boot of his car in an old bag - photo in my 'gallery'). He made it to accompany his daughter, but then thought it was more suited to finger-style - it has a unique sound, is very resonant with a bell-like clarity.

The resonator is made by a woodwork teacher in Monmouth - don't know what his name is, but he made a gem - so rich. I dragged it to most of the shops in Denmark St 10 years ago trying to sell it so I could pay for my Lowden - everybody said the maker had achieved the near-impossible creating a full-sounding resonator and I'd be stupid to sell it - difficult to explain I couldn't sell it, to my wife (but she's used to me now).

I love my Lowden, but it hasn't forgiven me for basically replacing it with the Sobell.

Finally there's my Kohno, basically given to me by Barry Mason of Barry Mason's Spanish Guitar Centre, Leicester Square (originally John William's dad's shop). When he took over he needed to clear a lot of stock - he was selling a Paul Fischer classical for a 10th of its value, when I went back the next day it had gone, but he did have a very battered (but structurally sound) Kohno made in 1970, by the man himself. It has a beautiful sound, much louder and resonant then most decent steel strings - the balance is incredible (similar to the Sobell in that respect).

I said, finally, how could I forget the MSII? The only experience of a brand new guitar was the Lowden, that's got a cedar top so sounded full and 'open' from the outset - the spruce and Brazilian Rosewood combination is new to me and will probably not mature in sound for quite a while. I play it in some of the videos I've recently uploaded.

All guitars are viewable in my gallery.

I've subscribed to Acoustic for 2 years and can't believe it's taken so long for me to join this site (will I have time to do any work?)

Cheers - be good to make contact with you all.