b'On one occasion I was stitched up at hospital and Then we have the vicious dust from pearl inlay, I rushed away so quickly that I wasnt given theabrasives and polishes, and the biggest health required anti-tetanus jab. The police were sent torisks of allcustomers, suppliers, banks, couriers my home to drag me back, and of course I wasntand telephone companies.Without those, guitar there - I was back at my bench!making would be a lot less stressful.My left wrist once had an argument with aDont put your daughter on the bench Mrs handsaw while I was building a staircase. I patchedWorthington.myself up quickly and thought I had cleaned up all the blood. Moira came through the door and wentA fresh startwhite - Id forgotten that I had instinctively put my1992 was a new beginning: I felt that I still had wrist to my mouth, and hadnt looked in the mirrorsomething to prove. I made a fresh start, reinvested afterwards. Smelling salts for Moira. More stitchesin the guitar business and took a new approach. for me. With lots of staff, it is essential to have flow, which But that is small stuff.Wood often has a veryinvolves bigger numbers and less chance for nasty side to its personality which can do farimprovement. With a smaller team, things are a more serious harm.I know of woodworkers wholot more flexible, its easier to work on new ideas, have been forced to retire because of breathingmaking guitars one or two at a time with constant difficulties, even fromeveryday timber. Guitarchanges to the design, but it isnt easy to make a makers work very close to some of the nastiestliving. Money was no longer a prime mover, and timbers, causing serious problems with mouth,now I could make some of the guitars for fun.nose, throat, eyes, lungs and skin. Cellulose lacquerIn the play Anthony and Cleopatra, the word attacks the nervous system, modern lacquersEgyptian obviously comes up quite a lot, and a contain Cobalt, Isocyanate, Formaldehyde, Acid,few times in other plays. Egyptian is the root of and everything else that can kill you slowly.the word Gypsy, so when I made a guitar for my Even French Polish is marked with a skull andfriend Tony, who loved Django Reinhart, my little crossbones. list was ready and waiting. There was some Gilbert Elliott MorrisThis is another example of my web based sales technique, of the spiders web sort. I met Elliott a long time ago at an exhibition of UK guitar makers, withAnd to destroy any remaining chanceOn the left is Elliot playing for his bread a concert that included Gordon Giltrap,he had of keeping away from me, heand water in Lincoln Jail.He could have Tristan Seume, Gareth Pearson, andbecame friends with Will McNicol andFylde through the bars??Elliott. He didnt show much interest atInnes Watson. He has started workingElliot now owns a Fylde Alexander and a that time, but I do love a challenge. with his brother Bevan on bass, and ismandola, and Ive only just started.He lives a long way away, but played atbecoming a regular at the Ullapool Guitar a house party organised by some goodFestival, where he and Will McNicol try people from my local pub, and he thenand beat Tristan Seume and myself at started to play regularly at another smallPool doubles. Dream on, both of you.venue quite near to us that also sells good beer and food.74'