Guitars

Hi Paul,

the orange guitar is a Gretsch Rancher. It's a country guitar really. It's similar in dimensions to a Gibson J200, so it's quite large. They have been making this model with very minor changes since the 1930's. The inlays are very western, cowhorns, winchester rifles and cactus, that sort of thing. It also has a large G written on the lower half of the body, this used to burnt on to the wood pyrography style, I assume to look like it was done with a branding iron. For a guitar this size it is acoustically very quiet. When I was in dando Shaft, many years ago I was using a Harmony sovreign. When we got our first record deal it was off to London to buy 'proper' instruments. Dave Cooper the other guitarist bought a J 200 and I bought a 1934 Martin 0018. The difference in size of the guitars was massive, but my little Martin was LOUD. The first gig that I used the gretsch at was the first Swarbaid ,1999, and I was talking to Richard Thompson there about the Gretsch and he told me that a lot of these guitars that have big tables are overbuilt, i.e. they have very thick srutting inside to support them so they don't collaps or lift up, hence the quietness. This does make sense to me as I know that Dave had the Gibson doctored to get the volume up.
Having said all that, The Gretsch is a fantastic guitar to play. It feels fantastic, has a lovely neck and a great action. I love it! I use the L/R.Baggs dual pick up and Mike system on it. It's the only guitar I've ever owned that you have to be carefull what you wear!! (I still have the Harmony sovreign by the way)
Bob Armstrong, the guitar maker lives a couple of hundred yards from me and I have a couple of beautiful instrumenst that he made, I used them mostly in the Whippersnapper years. On both of those I used a Tandy tie clip mike. The latter of these two models I had fitted with first of all a shadow guitar midi system and then with a Roland midi system. I used the midi system for a couple years on record and our live shows, which I have to say (ask anyone who used midi guitar systems) took a lot of bottle. I also did the first album that used midi guitar for all the keyboard parts, 'The Cry Of Love' 1985.
I have a Takamine 'Jazz' Limited edition.l Which is a beatiful guitar with the body made entirely of Koa, a Hawiian hardwood. The front and back are carved, not pressed, into a kind of archtop shape,although it does have a conventional soundhole. These Ltd editon guitars are made after a competition amongst the apprentice makers, the winner gets his guitar put into a Ltd run. I have a beautiful guitar given to me by violin maker John Langstaff. The Guitar is a copy of a Martin 0018 Herringbone model. It's a true delight to look at to hold and to play. I used this to record most of the 'Freehand' album with Joe Broughton. (who was also playing a Langstaff violin.)
THe guitar that I'm using most of the time for live work and recording at the moment, is my Crafter JE 24/N. I can't tell you how much I love, live and for recording, has a built in L.R.Baggs pick up with a fitted tuner and is relatively cheap! I have just started to use the built in pick up in conjuntion with a DPA microphone on a swan neck stem fitted outside the body, gives a great acoustic sound with a bit of punch.
I also have a Crafter SE 15/N nylon strung guitar, fitted with the same Baggs pick up system, that I play on a track on the forthcoming Dave Swarbrick album.
I have a 'Recording King' guitar, given to me as a present by Swarb, last Xmas. The front and head of the Guitar are covered with cowgirls, cactus and stallions. i don't think I will be gigging with this!!
For electric purposes I have a good old Fender Sratocaster. It's metalic pink with a black scratchplate and black neck fitted with two humbucker pickups, 5 position switch etc.
Well that's about it, think I'll go and have a lie down now,
thanks for the intrest,
kev