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…
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May 12 2022
May 12 2022
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…
Read moreOct 10 2021
It's always a joy to spend time with my friend John Stubbings - John is the author of one of the most beautiful books on the acoustic guitar that I have ever read The Devil Is In it - if…
Read moreSep 29 2021
The Modified Dreadnought acoustic guitar was created by the luthier Ervin Somogyi (Oakland, California) in the late 1970s at the request of several artists recording for Will Ackerman's nascent Windham Hill record label - most notably Daniel Hecht who…
Read moreSep 2 2021
It has been several years since I first explored the topic of nailcare for the acoustic guitarist in a video. Many things have evolved since then and my approach to nail care and tone production is no exception.
In this…
Read moreJul 22 2021
Recent bouts of pondering coupled with conversations with friends led to a very real and pressing need to explore the tonal implications of flatwound strings on a flat top guitar. Because why not?
Obviously a set of flats isn't going…
Read moreJul 14 2021
I'd like to share this new piece with you - It's called Birdseye and while it's still a work in progress to some extent, I managed to pull off a take during some long-overdue time spent with loved ones in…
Read moreJul 14 2021
Maple is a wood that divides opinion amongst acoustic guitarists with almost surgical precision. "It's too bright, There's no bass, it's too trebly, it's sterile" etc are accusations often levelled at this superb wood.
Cheerfully I say unto you "Bollocks".
…
Read moreApr 2 2021
Ok here we go! Quilted Mahogany from The Tree is the rarest and most expensive tone wood in the world. Its striking figure and rich colour makes The Tree immediately identifiable but what is it like to own a guitar…
Read moreMar 6 2021
My friend Alan Gogoll came out of nowhere (well, Australia) with his astonishing Bell Harmonic technique and promptly became king of Spotify, Lord of Instagram and Thrice Blessed keeper of the Algorithm. With an audience that numbers in the millions…
Read moreFeb 4 2021
Oct 29 2020
Aug 27 2020
It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
I had other plans for today.
I was planning to make you a beautiful in-depth analysis of my evolving approach to nail care with quotes from players from Tarrega and Pujol to Miles…
Read moreAug 6 2020
This morning the postman was on form! In amongst the usual stuff was this gorgeous creation, a Passerelle designed by my friend Kaki King and handmade in Bronze by luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz who you need to check out. Now. Seriously.
…
Read moreMay 21 2020
In a recent chat with Jason Kostal he told me about a fascinating project he'd undertaken to create an instrument for 39th President of the USA Jimmy Carter!
President Carter with his new Kostal OM
The guitar is made from…
Read moreMay 14 2020
It was a real pleasure to catch up with my dear friend Jason Kostal in an Instagram Live chat last Saturday! Thank you to everyone who joined us for the session where we discuss the history of the fingerstyle acoustic…
Read moreApr 22 2020
I know that many of us have been experiencing stress, anxiety and sleep disruption. If that's you then I'd like to play for you.
I have started a series of Late Night Live Stream sessions on my YouTube channel, this…
Read moreApr 15 2020
Back when that sort of thing was actively encouraged I was invited to Sound Network HQ London to film a comparison video of the DPA microphone range. DPA is a super-high end microphone company that sprung from the ashes…
Read moreApr 13 2020
I know that many of us have been experiencing stress, anxiety and sleep disruption. If that's you then I'd like to play for you.
I have a series of Late Night Live Stream sessions on my YouTube channel, the…
Read moreApr 1 2020
The first series of Luthier Stories took me all over the world from Texas and California to South Africa, Scotland and Surrey! It's been a blast, as well as a thinly veiled excuse to hang out with some very dear…
Read moreMar 31 2020
It was a real pleasure to talk with Dominic Adelbert of DA Musical Radio in Berlin today for a live stream interview where we look at all sorts of different things from inspiration from non-guitarists, modern luthiery and sustainability, and…
Read moreFeb 27 2020
Throughout my life as a player the archtop guitar has held a brooding and slightly intimidating mystique. Now, as I'm learning how to appreciate the subtleties and nuances of these beautiful instruments - built with an intent and technique far…
Read moreDec 19 2019
Dec 1 2019
Oct 28 2019
I was first introduced to the music of Willy Porter by Jason Kostal several years ago and I've been looking forward to meeting the man himself in person ever since. Willy is currently on tour here in the UK and…
Read moreJul 29 2019
Luthier Jason Kostal is rightly recognised for his attention to detail at all stages in the guitar making process and during my recent visit to his workshop in Phoenix Arizona we had a chat about the importance of string choice…
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