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I have absolutely loved Linda Manzer’s guitars for many years but it was only recently that I had the opportunity to visit her workshop in Almonte Ontario. 

Linda’s influence runs deep throughout the guitar luthier community with many of her…

Pretty much what it says on the tin - this was me having a nice time with a trio of guitars that are about as different as can be. Why? Purely in the name of fun. And why not!

We…

Kim Walker's work has fascinated me for many years - not least because, despite his stellar reputation - I had never had the chance to play one of his guitars. However, while on the road with The Archtop Foundation last…

Tony Polecastro will be familiar to many of you as the host of the Acoustic Life YouTube channel and Tony's Acoustic Challenge - although we've never met in person we do stay in touch and I was very happy to…

If you were lucky enough to attend the 2022 Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival in Arvada Colorado you might - after a full weekend of extraordinary musicianship and achingly beautiful guitars - have caught sight of me galloping towards Tyler Wells…

I have been a huge fan of John Monteleone’s work for many years and it was a pleasure to spend time with him last year while travelling with The Archtop Foundation. 

John is a legendary figure in the world of…

My Casimi Guitar is taking shape! Thank you to everyone who has been in touch to ask for more details of my incoming instrument - This African Blackwood and Swiss Moon Spruce masterpiece has been much on my mind and…

Cris Mirabella makes disturbingly beautiful guitars. In fact I found his work so intimidating that it was several years after we first met that I plucked up the courage to ask Cris if I could try one of his instruments…

Cris Mirabella never intended his for his exquisite archtop jazz guitars to be flung into DADGAD and used as fingerstyle machines but they really do work for me!

Here's a case in point - a sensation Mirabella Crossfire New…

Michael Greenfield is an extraordinary human being who creates extraordinary guitars. A dear friend since our first meeting at the Montreal Guitar Show in 2009 Michael has been a guide and confidante in the fascinating and often bewildering world of…

It has been a long time coming.

Luthier Stories Season 2 begins on Saturday 21st January 2023 - I'll be on YouTube for the live premier and I hope you'll join me - this is going to be fun!

Thank…

George Gruhn knows what he's doing - as he showed me around his private collection of achingly rare guitars - my curiosity was piqued by a 12-fret Euphonon dreadnought. It is one of a pair made in 1940 - explains…

George Gruhn is an iconic figure in the world of guitar retail - instantly recognisable with a stack of unobtainium guitars and a live snake around his neck - George has helmed Gruhn Guitars in Nashville TN for over 50…

Molly Tuttle is one of my favourite players right now - she's an incredible musician and one of the most exciting guitarists I have seen in recent years. I interviewed Molly for Guitar.com and during our chat she revealed that…

The final guitar that was calling my name as I recorded The Blue Guitar Collection is this delicately wonderful Martin O-18 K which has offered discerning and fortunate players over 100 years of gorgeousity since its birth in 1921.

Centre…

Another extraordinary instrument that I found in the new home of The Blue Guitar Collection  is this Ken Parker acoustic archtop - just gorgeous!

Just wow!

This was only the second time I had ever seen a Ken Parker acoustic…

In amongst The Blue Guitars I found a trio of exceptional brown guitars and in a relatively quiet moment in amongst the azure mayhem I managed to film them.

Just look at them!

Here is the first, a sumptuous Casimi…

It was a privilege to be asked to contribute to the SUNFLOWER GUITAR appeal for Ukraine - a humanitarian endeavour by Linda Manzer, a dear friend and one of the world's finest guitar makers. 

Heartbroken at the suffering caused…

It was a real pleasure to talk to the irrepressible Bob Bakert in an interview for Jazz Guitar Today alongside jazz guitarist extraordinaire Ted Ludwig!

We spoke at length about our experiences with The Blue Guitar Collection so far…

Regular readers will be well aware of my love of Microtech Gefell Microphones - in fact over the course of the past 15 years or so I have made hundreds of acoustic guitar demos using a matched pair of their…

It was a real pleasure to work on a new video project for Elixir Strings! In this video I look at 80/20 Bronze and Phosphor Bronze NANOWEB strings from the player's point of view. 

It was such a joy…

Do you have a love/hate relationship with certain tone woods? I have to admit that I do, and in particular the more vitreous members of the rosewood family can be hard work for me. 

If there is one wood that…

The name Ciaran McNally may be a new one to many of you but this young luthier based in Armagh Northern Ireland already has a huge amount of experience as an acoustic guitar maker having worked for both Lowden and…

Strap yourselves in ladies and gentlemen - The Lava Guitars ME3 is here and things are going to get very weird very quickly!

Something of a cross between an acoustic guitar, a spaceship and a smart phone this iconoclastic six-string…

Rickenbacker guitars have a magnetic pull for me - I can't explain exactly why but I find them to be some of the most beautiful electric guitar designs out there. 

As such it was a pleasure to visit Shapero Rare…