b'Resonator guitar for Martin Simpson.In 1973, the UK Folk revival alreadywife and my current wife knew eachworld and it seemed like a huge vote had a few miles on the clock, andother years ago, and he once cameof confidence. Thanks Martin.when a young Martin Simpsonto stay and brought a box full ofMartin wanted a little less edge to came along, playing music that hadkittens with him.the sound than is usual. He provided been rejected by many of them,He asked me to make him athe metal parts, which I built into a it did seem a bit strange.Not soresonator guitar in 1976, and hesuspended tone chamber within a now though, Martin has refused toused it on the Fylde Album. It was amore or less standard acoustic guitar. compromise and is at the top ofstrange beast though, I inlaid ratherThe back and sides are Cocobolo, a his game, making award winningodd flowers in the fingerboard, andvery hard, fine timber that provides albums, recording with everybody,built in a device to adjust the coneweight and sustain behind the fine and guitar makers are queuing up attension without dismantling theEnglemann Spruce top, the overall his feet.guitar. Ive no idea where it is now,effect being to add more of the low I always thought that Martin was abut Martin came back again a fewpartials to the otherwise metallic lot younger than me, but we were atyears ago and ordered another one,tone. This guitar can be heard on his 60th birthday party, so there isntwhich worked out a lot better, itsMartins album Prodigal Son. The much in it. Although he has neverrather heavy to carry around, sostrange soundhole is either S for played one of my guitars as his firsthes used it mostly in the studio,Simpson or F for Fylde. Or both.instrument, we have shared some ofand it sounds huge and clear.I was lifes special moments, and he wasreally pleased to be trusted with that staying with me when I had to closeproject, it was right at the beginning down the business in 1980. His firstof my new assault on the guitar Above: The very first resonator I made for Martin in 1976, which he played on the Fylde Acoustic Album. Things have moved on.282'