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Michael Watts

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • MUSIC
  • IN CONCERT
  • ONLINE LESSONS
  • TABLATURE
  • LUTHIER STORIES
  • LIFE ON THE FRETBOARD PODCAST
  • VIDEO INTERVIEWS
  • WRITTEN INTERVIEWS
  • DEMO VIDEOS
  • THE BLUE GUITARS
  • GEAR REVIEWS
  • CASIMI GUITARS
  • KOSTAL GUITARS
  • GETTING TO KNOW YOU
  • MAILING LIST

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Sep 18 2023

DREADNOUGHT vs OM - WHICH IS BEST? BOURGEOIS TOUCHSTONE SERIES

It’s an old discussion - what are the sonic differences between two of the most popular acoustic guitar styles - the venerable Dreadnought and the silky Orchestra Model. Don’t they look good?

Now, I recently had two guitars here to…

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Sep 5 2023

1958 FLYING V WITH ADRIAN UTLEY OF PORTISHEAD

The 1958 Gibson Flying V is arguably the rarest of the classic vintage instrument pantheon - only 81 of these iconic beasts were made. 

I was delighted to be invited by the good people at Gardiner Houlgate to check the…

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Aug 25 2023

UBERFRANK SPELLBINDER CUSTOM

Uberfrank guitars have been much on my mind since Fretboard Journal editor Jason Verlinde pulled my coat sleeve about these delicious looking offset electrics some months ago. 

As I was in the area on another assignment I reached out to…

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Jul 21 2023

HOWARD FENG - LUTHIER STORIES

Here is the one I know a lot of people have been waiting for: a mini Luthier Stories episode featuring Howard Feng and his Modified Dreadnought. 

This guitar has caused quite a stir already - the photography alone made it…

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Jul 21 2023

4-PIECE TOP ON A HIGH END GUITAR? TAYLOR BUILDER'S EDITION 814CE

Many years ago I was asked to appear on a radio show to comment about rare woods in hand made guitars. It didn’t go very well to be honest - the host was under the impression that I was a…

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Jul 7 2023

THE FUTURE OF GUITAR MAKING?

It was a pleasure to join faculty and students at Newark College for their 50th anniversary celebrations last week. I was invited to give a workshop with students of the Guitar Making School who impressed me with their ingenuity and…

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Jul 7 2023

TONY POLECASTRO TALKS ABOUT HOWARD FENG'S GUITAR

Many thanks to Tony Polecastro for featuring my photography of Howard Feng’s Modified Dreadnought on his Acoustic Tuesday show!

I am very grateful for the support over the years - do subscribe to Tony’s channel if you are unfamiliar with…

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Jul 7 2023

UKULELE NOCTURNE - MAUI 2023

I don’t know how many Nocturnes have been written for solo ukulele - I’ve certainly only managed one so far and it was the final track on my debut album Vetiver. 

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play this…

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Jun 28 2023

THE STEVE GRIMES FREEHAND - ASYMMETRIC WONDER

Back to Hawaii now, and one of the most intriguing and inspiring guitars I have played recently. 

This is Steve Grimes’ elegant Freehand model with its asymmetrical body, double cutaways and elliptical sound hole. What a thing!

Then there’s the…

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Jun 28 2023

MORE HOWARD FENG MODIFIED DREADNOUGHT

The first video of Howard Feng’s blistering opening salvo under his own name certainly made an impression. 

Having trashed his hotel room so thoroughly in order to build our film set it seemed churlish to stop at just on video…

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Jun 23 2023

PETER GREEN'S GUITARS - BONHAMS LONDON

Peter Green’s guitar playing with John Mayall’s Blues Breakers and early Fleetwood Mac had a massive effect on me. 

As such it was a real pleasure to visit Bonhams London to look at three instruments from a large collection that…

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Jun 22 2023

EMMA TRICCA - SALT

I have loved Emma Tricca’s work for years and it was a real pleasure to welcome her to my studio. 

You may have seen her on tour with Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, Robyn Hitchcock and Dinosaur Jr. The song…

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Jun 22 2023

THE STEVE GRIMES BEAMER II THE REVENGE

The Steve Grimes Beamer model is a fascinating instrument - a double sound hole flat top that has some arch top characteristics and something else going on in there - it’s no exaggeration to say that I haven’t heard anything…

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Jun 10 2023

HOWARD FENG MODIFIED DREADNOUGHT

It is not uncommon for collectors of fine guitars to try their hand at creating an instrument at some point. When I first met Howard Feng, some ten years ago, he was just beginning to assemble what was to become…

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Jun 10 2023

STEVE GRIMES JAZZ LAUREATE ARCHTOP

Another video from my life-affirming trip to Hawaii this year. I have lied Steve Grimes’ Jazz Laureate design since I played Steve’s contribution to The Blue Guitar Collection. 

This is a very modern and forward thinking archchtop - a…

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Jun 2 2023

HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITAR - WITH GARRETT PROBST

During my recent visit to Maui I managed to get some time with grammy-award winning musician Garrett Probst for an introduction to the wonderful world of Hawaiian slack key guitar. 

Fully equipped with a pair of Grimes Beamer model guitars…

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Jun 1 2023

DADGAD HIGH STRUNG - DOES IT WORK?

I’ve really enjoyed exploring high-strung guitar as a texture in the studio. So much so that I’ve managed to sneak it into some unlikely places!

The time had come for me to get this guitar back into standard tuning but…

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May 25 2023

GRIMES FREEHAND PARLOR

Following on from the Grimes Beamer model I showed you last time, here is another beautiful guitar design - the Grimes Freehand Parlor. This one is made from Brazilian Kingwood and Cedar. 

This asymmetrical body with a 14-fret neck makes…

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May 25 2023

JEFF BECK'S GUITAR!

A guitar belonging to the late, great Jeff Beck went under the hammer at Bonhams Auctioneers in London this week and it was a thrill to be invited to see this important instrument up close. 

This Graffiti Yellow Strat was…

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May 12 2023

THE GRIMES BEAMER MODEL

What a way to start my time in Hawaii. The Grimes Beamer model is a twin-soundhole full-voiced instrument originally based on a guitar that Steve Grimes repaired for Hawaiian slack key legend Keola Beamer in the 1980s. 

The Beamer is…

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May 12 2023

NEWS FROM MAUI

Yes, I admit it, I buggered off to a tropical paradise with scarcely a look back. 

Honestly, it doesn’t take much - an email from one of the world’s greatest luthiers with the subject Come To Maui will do the…

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May 5 2023

MY SECRET LOVE OF SURF GUITAR

Quite frankly it's a relief to share after carrying this secret with me for so many years. I do try and keep this to myself but every so often it hits me and it's hard to shake. 

I am obsessed…

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Apr 7 2023

GETTING A HUGE ACOUSTIC GUITAR SOUND!

I am often asked how to create a huge acoustic guitar sound in the studio - in particular for full band mixes. There are several tricks that I employ and I reveal them in this lovingly crafted video just for…

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Apr 7 2023

NEW TEXTURES - GIBSON L-00 1931

Continuing my exploration of unfamiliar musical textures here is a moment with a 1931 Gibson L-00 in original factory black. What a spectacular guitar!

There is so much to talk about in this new series - I’m still formulating my…

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Mar 31 2023

NEW TEXTURES - GIBSON L-1 1932

I’m going through an exploratory phase at the moment - seeking out different sounds and textures, expanding my range. This is an ongoing process and I would recommend that all guitarists spend time getting to know different guitars. 

I have…

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© Michael Watts 2023

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