b'The signature model was a great idea, and Iseveral hats everywhere he travels. He even forgot realised I could do it again. Ken Nicol is a goodwhere he left one of his guitars for while.We had a friend; he has earned his spurs several times overquick count up one day, and I think his Fyldes have in the UK and the US. He demonstrates for me a lottravelled something like a million miles.and is one of the best folk/blues players you willI have just mentioned the Anniversary guitar. I had see. He told me what he wanted as an ideal guitar,reached thirty years of professional guitar making, I pretended to listen, then went away and madeand it needed to be celebrated. I was really pleased what I had decided to make anyway. The Ken Nicolwith the Alexander design, so I made a version in Signature was given the highest marks ever byRosewood with a Spruce top and Diamond inlays. Acoustic magazine, losing just one point becauseI only ever intended to make six, but I think I it didnt have any bling. Like you and me Ken,eventually made seven, hardly mass production.no bling, just quality. I recently completed my first ever Tenor Ukulele for Ken, Im thinking of callingIn 2007, Fretboard Journal in the USA ran a feature. it a Kenulele. Its a very high quality publication, and to date, only my friend Stefan Sobell and myself from the Eric Bibb is American but was becoming wellUK have featured in it. The American guitar world known over here, and for a while, lived in London.is huge, with lots and lots of well-known makers, I asked Mike English to make contact for me, as Ibut Stefan and I follow our own rules so maybe we wasnt well or fit to be seen at the time. Mike tookstand out in the crowd a little. several guitars to show him, and came back with a few less. Eric didnt want to let go of the Falstaff inAll the guitars to date had been made for finger particular, nor the 25th Anniversary model, whichpickers. Even when I made a stiffer guitar, it I had just completed.I quickly came to know Ericusually morphed into something softer after the quite well, and the Anny became the basis forfirst few had been made. It just happens that my Erics own signature model. Like Gordon, Eric nowmain market is still finger style players, not flat has quite a collection, and he leaves one or twopickers, but I was occasionally asked, so I took the Fylde guitars in various parts of the world to avoidplunge. I made a guitar half way in size between carrying three guitars, a suitcase, boxes of CDs andthe Magician and Alchemist, but with a Film: Nic Jones Film: Davy Graham Film: NAMMMy meetings with Davy were full of fun TheNorth American Association of The Michael Proudfoot film about NicMusic Manufacturers have a programme Jones return to performance many yearsCommunication was never easy, butto record interviews with significant after his awful accident brought manythere was always a lightness of spirit.personalities in the music manufacturing tears to many eyes, including mine. IBBC Scotland made a film about a roadand retail world.Apparently, I am one, was thrilled to be asked to take part, buttrip from London to Skye, via Edinburgh,so they filmed me. They sat me in a I didnt find it easy, it raised too manyand Davy stopped by the workshop midchair and let me ramble on for ages. I memories. While the crew were filming,journey for a bit of foolishness with atold them all sorts of stories, and went the UPS delivery man arrived with onehead massager.Part way through, youon until their batteries went flat (true).A of Nics guitars for repair, so the crewmight see and hear the first few bars ofwhile later, parts of the interview were made him do it again for the camera. Anji, played by me, in front of Davyincluded in a film about different ways of That lightened the mood a bit. I pop upGraham himself, on Davys guitar. Howapproaching guitar making. in the film several times, and apparentlycheeky can you get? At least he didntAmong the other participants were Bob what I said actually made sense.It wassay what was that?Taylor, Richard Hoover, Bill Collings and emotional to take part, and to watch, butJean Larrivee.Never heard of them.it was a real honour.Nic says his music is all my fault. Thats just silly.106'