GUITARS



Guitar Lessons

"All My Own Work (well almost)"

I have recorded many of my own songs to CD - follow the link for more details.

  Brook Guitars Newsletter Issue 1 - I am on Page 7
Not counting the £5 white f-hole acoustic I first had, I have owned 17 guitars since I started playing, aged 13. I still have 10 of them.

Hohner plank 1961

This was an elegant thing covered in dimpled white plastic as I recall. First electric guitar I owned and used with the group I was with in Manchester - The Paiges.

Our great claim to fame was beating Herman's Hermits in a local talent competition - as I remember we came second and they came third!

I played the first few gigs with the group with the volume turned off! Still so nervous I couldn't plug the lead into the amp!

Fender Stratocaster 1962

 

Earnings from the group paid for my then pride and joy - red Strat, just like the Shadows!

That's me at the front, backed (L to R) by Terry Shaw (left hand custom built sparkly blue Fender Strat), Johnny Hutch (drums), Fred Power (Fender bass), Dave Prentice (singer). Where are you now lads?

In fact Fred got in touch recently and helped me build up our pages about The Paiges!

Here's another picture (on top of the CIS building in Manchester) - taken about 1962-3

EKO Ranger 1966

Left the group in 1964 and sold the Strat. Replaced with solid, serviceable Eko. Still use it. Started to develop finger-picking with this one.

EKO Ranger 12 String

Now very battered, this guitar has a local history.

It was used by Geoff Kitchen in the original Sheffield stage production of Stirrings (The Stirrings in Sheffield on Saturday Night by Allen Cullen). This musical play was performed in about 1969 at the Playhouse theatre on Townhead Street (now demolished) and told the story of the Sheffield street gangs in Victorian times.

Geoff was a peripatetic music teacher with the old West Riding LEA and helped towards much marvellous performance in its schools (Denaby Main Junior was visited from all the world in the late 1960's and early 1970's because of its extremely good art, music and drama work).

Gibson Heritage 1972

In 1972 I taught a summer school in Portland Maine and used the fee to buy this guitar.

Paid about £200 and tried to walk through Manchester customs with it!! Big mistake! Hand on the shoulder and the guitar was impounded - my receipt said it now belonged to HM the Queen - didn't even think she played at all! A few weeks and a sizable fine later and it was mine again.

After some 30 years or more playing I decided to have (more) lessons - from excellent Sheffield guitarist Keith Hinchliffe. Lots of open tunings and Celtic tunes.

This went as part of the swap for the Manson Jumbo