Join me in Osaka Japan to check out some of the finest acoustic guitars in the world! We have exquisite luthier-made instruments as well as vintage beauties - I had a superb time and it is a pleasure to share…

Folk legend Martin Simpson returns for a look at the work of a luthier who has given him a voice for most of his career - the mighty Stefan Sobell of Northumbria UK.

In this video we take a look…

As a big fan of Ben Harper I was very intrigued to hear about his new signature model from Taylor Guitars - The Ben Harper Gold Label 512e - especially considering that it was part of the new Gold Label…

Author and accidental guitar collector John Stubbings is back with a companion piece to his exquisite book The Devil Is In It - The Guitar Detective!

The Guitar Detective is a non-fiction novel in the tradition of Truman Capote's…

Life On The Fretboard is back and my guest is folk music icon Martin Simpson 

As a singer/songwriter he is a masterful storyteller - as a guitarist he has proved that the acoustic guitar can be an emotive and lyrical…

Do we need acoustic amps? Like, an actual acoustic combo - are we still doing that? According to Taylor Guitars and their new spin-off Circa 74 - yes, yes we do. 

Available in mahogany or koa this aesthetically cuddly amp…

I've always made an effort to bring my audience cool and unusual guitars but I have to admit that until recently I had overlooked Finland as an epicentre of acoustic goodness - all that changed recently with a visit to…

I've been looking forward to a proper chat with the one and only Mr Andy McKee for some time now and it was a joy to welcome him to my studio during his recent tour of Europe. 

It was an…

Ever since my first encounter with a Blind Guitars instrument I have been fascinated by the Nouvelle Vintage aesthetic that luthier Virgile Pilon brings to his instruments. 

It was a pleasure to visit the Blind Guitars workshop in the picturesque…

It's always a joy to play a Greenfield guitar and when I received the invitation to visit Michael Greenfield's Montreal workshop and check out this presentation grade Koa masterpiece I just had to accept!

The Greenfield G2 model is a…

What happens when I encounter a REALLY great guitar? 

Last week I got a beautiful reminder of the effect of a truly superb instrument when I was invited to showcase a presentation grade G2 model by Michael Greenfield at his…

Why would anyone choose a one pickup guitar when the world is full of instruments with two, three or even more pickups? Well, a few minutes with a Fender Custom Shop Esquire reveals a lot!

Thank you to my friends…

The Rickenbacker 330/12 is responsible for some of the most iconic and jangly sounds ever committed to posterity.

I borrowed this one from a friend with a small degree of trepidation - would I even be able to get anything…

Although Michael Greenfield‬ has been a guest on this channel on several occasions this is the first showcase I have done of one of his guitars - imagine that! 

This guitar is one of a triptych of glorious instruments…

Alright! Here are two examples of modern boutique offset electrics that represent some of the most exciting designs out there - the Fano JM6 and the Novo Serus J.

I was intrigued to discover the differences between these two models…

This is a new one on me - I really haven't had much time with PRS guitars over the years and I'm still not entirely sure why. 

Nevertheless when I visited my friends at The Guitar Showroom this week https://theguitarshowroom.co.uk…

Check out this Heritage Custom Shop Core Collection H-555 - it's a real looker in the Black Beauty colour scheme - all yellow binding and gold bits - and also in this case F-holes which is nice. 

It's a bit…

I have loved fuzz pedals since I was a teenager and somehow managed to assemble quite a big collection of the belligerent little things which I have been cutting down recently. 

I have also reviewed absolutely loads of fuzz pedals…

Yes. Obviously you do need a Gretsch White Falcon.

The more the better in fact!

And here are some reasons why you, yes you, need a Gretsch White Falcon. 

Until next time

Michael 

Well this is completely mental - the Fender Custom Shop Mischief Maker is based on an emergency repair made for Jimi Hendrix prior to his appearance at the Newport festival. 

What Jimi was doing in North Wales is anyone's guess.

I'll admit it, I never really understood the Gibson Les Paul until relatively recently as I much preferred the feral squawk of the SG but everyone has to grow up sometime right?

To be honest it was conversations with Jared…

The Nik Huber Krautser II has become a bit of a modern classic since it first arrived.

Sure there is Gibson DNA in there but the sound and feel are all Nik Huber. He's an absolutely lovely dude by the…

Fano Guitars though - they have an intriguing design language - a pleasing mash up of classic styles with some relic work thrown in too. 

I don't need to tell you that, you had probably come to the same conclusion. 

My old Fender tele is not like the others. 

The neck is a bit too long, there's a skunk stripe where there shouldn't be and everyone on Reddit hates the pickups. But I love it and I always will! 

In…