babbling brook issue 3

Babbling

news. music. players. instruments.

issue 3 spring 2014

Welcome......to the third edition of ‘BabblingBrook’, our online magazine for all‘Brook Guitars’ enthusiasts.

A lot of water has (quite literally,thanks to the weather!) gone underthe bridge since the last issue – butwe’re pleased to say that we’ve alsobeen deluged with exciting customorders and interesting repair work...

Our friend Rosa Rebecka entrustedus with a very personal and historicrestoration project, which you canread all about on page 4.

Session musician Paul Downinghelps us to give you the ‘lowdown’on Brook acoustic basses.

And we meet two of the ever-growing number of customer/collectors for whom one Brook wasNEVER going to be enough!

We hope you enjoy this issue of‘Babbling Brook’ – and if you seeanything that gives you an idea foryour ‘next guitar’, just give us a callor drop us a line...

Cheers...

Simon and AndyFounders, Brook Guitars

This unique custom-made nylon-strung tenor guitar (left) has a distinctly ‘Art Deco’ ‘slant’to it – but design alone didn’t help to shape it. Turn to page 2 for the full story...

Functionand form

www.brookguitars.com

Designed by MS

continued on page 3

Brook used ‘Art Deco’ inspiration to produce this striking nylon-strung tenor guitar (pictured left) – but theinstrument also had to meet an altogether more personal brief for the customer. Here, its owner and veteranfolk musician Mike Selley describes how he and the instruments he plays have had to adapt over the years...

AN appointment with his doctor in1979 was a day that Mike Selleywill never forget, and whichchanged his life and music forever.

“I’d known for some time that somethingwas going wrong,” he said. “I was havingdifficulty with my playing; my co-ordinationwas off, and I was starting to suffer someshort-term memory loss.

“I underwent various tests, and then my GPcalled me in for the results: it was secondaryprogressive multiple-sclerosis (MS)...”

MS is a disease affecting nerves in the brainand spinal cord, causing problems withmuscle movement, balance and vision.

I wanted toreally go to theextreme withthis instrument,and get the guysto build mesomething off-the-wall...

“

“

For anyone – musician or otherwise – thediagnosis is a devastating one; for a lifelongmusician such as Mike, it was a double blow,since it also effectively signalled the end ofhis membership of the British Judo team.

It’s a credit, then, to his strength of characterand determination that for the last 35 yearshe has battled to continue enjoying his firstlove of playing music.

And, with the help of Brook, Mike has doneso with a collection of unique and deeplypersonal instruments, each one designed totake into account the restrictions that hisprogressive condition have placed on him.

www.brookguitars.com page 3

I remember that I drew out arough idea on a cigarette packetfor Simon; he and Andy refinedthe shape, and I had a neck puton it...the dulci-guitar!

from page 2

Mike’s Oddys: (from top left, clockwise) OM tenor,resonator, autoharp, mandocello and dulcimer.

continued on page 19

Designed by MS

“After my diagnosis, I decided it would bebetter to have instruments that were madespecifically for me – to make it easier for meto play – rather than off-the-shelfinstruments.

“I’d been talking with (West Country singer/songwriter/guitarist) Paul Downes, whomentioned that his instruments were builtby (Exeter luthier) David Oddy, so I got intouch with him, and that was the start ofhaving things custom-made for me...”

Mike had several Oddys made for him –including a tenor OM guitar, a resonator, anautoharp, a mandocello and a dulcimer – allof which he still owns and treasures to thisday.

He discovered Brooks after attending aguitar show in Devon, and got chatting toSimon about the challenges posed in tryingto play certain instruments whilst sitting in awheelchair...

“At that time I’d been playing on anAppalachian dulcimer, which kept slippingoff my knees. My solution was to turn it upon its edge and play it like a guitar instead –so I sort of ‘invented’ the dulci-guitar!

“I remember that I drew out a rough idea ona cigarette packet for Simon; he and Andyrefined the shape, and I had a neck put on it.

“It ended up a something of a bouzouki

shape on a smaller body, but fretted like adulcimer. It worked for me, and I’ve playedand enjoyed it for about 20 years now.”

So began a long and happy associationbetween Mike and Brook which continues tothis day – and along with it, a regular supplyof new design ideas and challenges fromMike himself!

One such particular project, however, isparticularly close to Mike’s heart, initiated asit was by his late wife Jane when she was inthe throes of a terminal illness. Mike takesup the story...

“I stopped playing music pretty muchaltogether for eight years whilst I waslooking after Jane through her illness.

“During that time, she suggested that I havean instrument made for her. I wanted itcompleted before anything happened toher, so I designed it, and because I washeavily into folk and old folk music, I decidedto give it a mediaeval look.

“It’s a seven-string – with two top Es –quilted maple back and sides, sitka sprucetop and ebony fingerboard.

“Sadly, Jane passed away before she couldsee the finished guitar, but it’s dedicated tothe memory of her. She used to wear a goldingot round her neck, and when she died Ihad it inset into the truss-rod cover.

“She’s still fresh in my memory and life isvery lonely without her.

I’ve always loved wildlife, hence the otters in

ETHEREAL melodies, haunting narrativestorytelling and sublime musicality;Swedish-American singer-songwriter

Rosa Rebecka weaves it all into the finely-crafted songs that she intersperses withmusical roots from her native Sweden and thefolk traditions of her adopted English home.

She combines a performing career with herwork as a freelance singing practitioner,running English folk and Swedish choirs,giving individual singing tuition and runninga singing course for Drama students atPlymouth University.

Rebecka’s debut 2003 album, ‘Water Carvings’,explored themes of love, loss and mourning,following the death of her husband Tom fromcancer earlier the same year.

Her most recent recording – ‘Songs for MrsBeautiful’ – is a true family labour of love,featuring musical contributions from relativespast and present, as well as one very specialcentury-old guest...

page 4 www.brookguitars.com

West Country-based musician/singer/songwriter Rosa Rebecka was already a Brook Guitars customer and player when she presented Andy and Simon with a challenge: torestore a precious family heirloom and a piece of guitar-making history. Here, she talks to Martin Bell about her music, the restoration project – and the part the instrumentplayed on her latest recording, ‘Songs for Mrs Beautiful’...

continued on page 5

MB: So, firstly, Rebecka, who is the ‘Mrs Beautiful’ of your album’s title?

RR: ‘Mrs Beautiful’, or Katrina Fhager, is my mother’s mother’s mother (my great-grandmother!). Her last name was in fact an old-fashioned Swedish word forbeautiful. She lived on a small island on theGothenburg archipelago in Sweden. Shedied tragically young, leaving behind fivesmall children and this little guitar.

MB: You were born into a very musicalfamily – what are your earliest memoriesof your great-grandmother’s guitar?Were you allowed to play it as a child, for example?

RR: It was in my maternal grandmother’shome when I was a child. I would often visit,and my grandmother always referred to itas ‘mum’s old guitar’. She played simple chordson it, and sang with a lovely alto voice.


from page 4After my grandmother passed away, it was given tomy mother. This was the instrument that she hadlearned to play on. At this point I had moved to theUK, but I played it whenever I visited Sweden.

MB: I understand that the little guitar is a veryearly Levin; what can you tell us about it?

RR: We had always thought it must date from around1910, but when Brook took it apart they found aserial number on the neck which puts it within acouple of years of Levin starting up – either 1902 or1903. Back then they were just five men in a littleworkshop – much like Brook – but they grew to bethe biggest guitar maker in Sweden, and by the timethey were bought out by C.F. Martin in 1973 they hadbuilt over half a million instruments!

MB: What’s the story behind it coming into yourpossession?

RR: I’m the only one of my siblings who plays guitar(my brother’s a sax man and my sister plays classicalviolin), so it was always going to come to meeventually, but I hadn’t expected it to be so soon.When my mother was in England to sing at thelaunch of my album ‘Songs For Mrs Beautiful’ last year,she decided it was about time I took it on andperformed with it, so I brought it back from Swedenlast Easter.

MB: I know that at the time you received it at home

in Devon, you were maybe a little concerned athow it might adapt to the change in climate fromSweden to the (damp!) West Country. Were thereany issues with the instrument?

RR: My parents had moved into a flat in the city ofGothenburg. The flat had very dry air conditioning,and the guitar hated it – it developed some deepcracks there. Once it had been moved to dampDevon, some of the cracks actually closed up of theirown accord!

MB: The guitar clearly inspired at least one songon the album; has playing this ‘new’ instrumentbeen a source of inspiration for you – and was itactually able to be used on the recording?

RR: Since Brook restored it I’ve been playing it a lot.I’ve never really got on with steel string guitars, butthis one is such a joy to play, and despite its tiny sizeit has a wonderfully strong sound. I recorded theguitar on the song ‘Mrs Beautiful’s Guitar’ which tellsits first owner’s story. It represents the voice ofKatrina, and all of the other voices on the recordingare her descendants: the voice of her daughter – mylate grandmother – sandwiches a recording whichalso features her granddaugher (my mother), threegreat-granddaughters (me, my sister and cousin) anda great-great-graddaughter (my niece).

MB: On ‘Mrs Beautiful’s Guitar’, there’s whatsounds like an ethereal old phonograph recordingat the beginning – is this actually an historicfamily recording or just studio ‘magic’?

RR: That’s an authentic recording of my grandmother,Judith. Sadly, she died before I recorded the album,but I had sung through the song with her and luckilyhad a dictaphone recording of us practising. It’s not aphonograph, though – just a bit of a noisy recording!

FROM a humble workshop and with a crew ofjust two (now who does THAT remind you of?!),Levin went on to become one of Scandanavia’slargest instrument manufacturers.

Founder Herman Carlson was born in Asaka,Sweden, in 1864 (d. 1948). He was apprenticed toa cabinet maker in Göteborg, as well as attendingevening classes at the local woodwork school. At that time, it was customary to take on a newsurname after a journeyman education, andHerman chose Levin to be added to his name.

In 1887, Levin travelled to the USA, where hefound work as a polisher at a guitar factory inNew York City, and gradually learned aboutguitar making. By 1895, he and Robert H. Benaryhad formed the Metropolis Musical InstrumentCompany to manufacture and distribute mid-priced banjos, guitars and mandolins.

Returning to Sweden in 1900, Levin opened theHerman Carlson Levin Musikinstrumentfabrik(Herman Carlson Levin Musical InstrumentFactory) in Göteborg. In the first year, 90instruments were built, but by the end of 1903,the workforce had increased to five men,completing 1,648 instruments.

After 50 years in business, it had 130 employeesand had produced close to 250,000 instruments,rising to more than half a million by 1970. Two years later, negotiations with C.F. Martin &Co. resulted in Martin purchasing Levin.

In 1982, Svensk Musik AB bought the Levin brandname and parts of the remaining stock fromMartin, and production was restarted. Today,Svenska Levin AB offers nylon-string models,steel-string western models and archtops.

For a history of Levin, visit: http://www.vintage-guitars.se/Levin/Levin_history.htm

Home-grown by Herman...

continued on page 6Rebecka pictured with her beloved great-grandmother’s oldLevin guitar at the Easterbrook workshop


Brook are the first people I turn towhenever there are guitar-related issues

continued on page 7

from page 5

When my producer heard it, he decided that it wouldbe better to emphasise the scratchiness rather thanattempt to clean it up.

MB: Brook recently carried out some restorationwork on the old Levin; what had to be done, andhow did the work turn out?

RR: Over time the neck had twisted with the tensionof the high strings. It had also pulled up, making theaction very high. This had caused the face of theguitar to buckle, and there were cracks around thesoundhole and between the neck and the body.There was also a big crack down the middle of theback, which had been repaired in the past but hadopened up again.Brook did a great job. You can still see where thecrack was on the back, but they’ve closed it up andbraced it on the inside. You can just see a tinywobble in the face if you look really hard, but thesoundhole is back to being circular now! Thefretboard has been completely re-worked, and theaction is now lovely and low. They even managed tosteam a hundred years’ worth of capo marks out ofthe neck!

THROUGH years of use and someprevious unsympathetic repairwork, Rebecka’s great-grandmother’s Levin neededsomething of a rather majoroverhaul.

The top had become very misshapedand various braces had come loose,so we took it apart, which allowedus plenty of access to get to the backand top braces. We added someextra strengthening to a pointwhere we felt confident that when itwent back together it wouldhopefully last another hundredyears.

When the Levin breaks...

Here’s the body partway through the rebuild; we replaced missing strutsand a very worn bridge-plate

One of the major splits along the whole length of the maple back, alongwith the original Levin brand mark

A delighted Rebecka with her great-grandmother’s newly-restored guitar

MB: How did your relationship with Brook Guitars(apart from the obvious geographical proximity!)begin?

RR: I needed a performance guitar, and couldn’tfind one that felt right. Michael Watts – a friendwho is also the best guitarist I’ve ever heard, andvery fussy about his gear – recommended BrookGuitars, and I went to Hittisleigh, mainly out ofcuriosity. I didn’t really feel that I could afford aBrook guitar, but by the end of my visit I wasconvinced that I would have to find a way. Andyand Simon lent me a guitar to take home and tryout for a few weeks, and that clinched the deal: itjust felt so much better to play than anything elseI’d tried.Brook made my beautiful, nylon-stringedperformance guitar (see page 7), and ever since, theyare the first people I turn to whenever there are anyguitar-related issues.

Brook’s Simon Smidmore explains howa delicate, ailing ‘old lady’ was restoredto full strength and good health...

The serial number on the unusual dovetail –we came across an almost identical systemon an old American ‘Fairbanks’ of the sameperiod

As Rebecka mentioned, once we hadremoved the guitar’s neck we foundthe original Levin serial numberhidden on the end of the heel(above) and also in the neck rebate.From that, we were able to date it to1902, the second year of productionfor the Swedish factory.

Whilst the guitar was in pieces, wewere also able to reset the neckangle and, for the first time in years,make it a very playable guitar...


from page 6

Rebecka with hercustom Lynnylon-strungguitar in thegrounds ofEasterbrook

Below: Closerviews of thebeautifully-figured HaldonEstate yew backand sides and topgrade Europeanspruce top

MB: Tell us about the nylon-strung instrumentthat Brook built for you a couple of years ago –and have they built anything else for you?

RR: It’s the guitar I perform with, and it’s a Lyn madeof spruce and local yew. They listened to me sing,and then recommended various kinds of wood thatthey thought would complement my sound. It’s gota lovely mellow tone with lots of depth, which worksnicely with the brightness of my voice. The yew backis absolutely beautiful, and on top of everything elseit smells wonderful!They haven’t built anything else for me from scratchbut they have restored some very precious heirloominstruments for me, including my great-aunt’sautoharp as well as my great grandmother’s guitar.

MB: There have been favourable comparisonswith other female singer/songwriters in variousreviews – who/what are your musical influences?

RR: My father is American, and the Americansinger/songwriters of the Sixties and early Seventieswere a big influence on both him and me. JoniMitchell’s ‘Blue’ opened my eyes to the possibility ofweaving melody and lyrics together, but it wasactually James Taylor who made me want to be asinger/songwriter myself, and Bob Dylan andLeonard Cohen are who I really look up to assongwriters. The other sides of my heritage –Swedish and Jewish – are also big influences on themusic I perform, but less so on what I write.

MB: You first album was a collection of songsconcerned with love/loss/dealing with grief,following the death of your husband Tom; doesTom/the memory of Tom continue to be yourmuse and a big influence on your writing/music?

RR: Tom is always going to be part of me, and yes,he does influence the way I write, as well as the way Ithink, love, and deal with life. He remains part of me,and I often sing about him still. He is one of my twomuses, the other one being my lovely secondhusband Steve, who I married last summer.

MB: What’s next on the horizon for you in 2014?

RR: I’ve put together a show based around my great-grandmother’s guitar and the stories of herdescendents, which I hope to be taking on tour nextyear; I’m planning to record a new album early in2014, collaborating with Michael Watts, and we’ll be

using the little Levin on it to bring a new aspect to mysound; I’ll also be putting on some shows with mynew vocal group, The Resonance, a group of reallytalented youngsters from across Devon who I’vetaught singing at one time or another...

www.rebeckasongs.com

REBECKA came to us with the idea of usbuilding a custom nylon-strung instrument toreplace the classical guitar she had been using.

She liked the idea of local wood and chose abeautiful set of yew we’d cut up from timberwe’d bought some years before from theHaldon Estate, near Exeter. She also chose atop grade European spruce top, along withrosewood bindings and walnut purfling.

Rather than go for our standard classicalguitar, the Cary, she preferred the look andfeel of the Lyn. Although we’d made severalnylon-strung instruments before, we enlistedthe help of our friend Kevin Aram, the classicalguitar maker, for help and advice regardingthe design and sizes of the braces to make themost of the slightly larger sized body.

Instead of a traditional slipper heel, we usedour normal dovetail joint to fix the neck tobody. We redesigned the classical styleheadstock to incorporate our Brook profile anddesigned a softer-looking ‘tie’ bridge for thenylon strings.

We were delighted with the result andobviously very pleased that Rebecka was sohappy with the result.

Rebecka & Lyn


continued on page 9

Professional musician and guitar teacher Richard James and his Brooks have appeared in a variety of exotic locations and unusual poses on our website over the years. But, as he explains here, you can...

‘Blame it on Mike Oldfield!’

It’s an affliction that affects countlessmusicians worldwide, and for which there’sno known cure.

The effects can be crippling and debilitating;marriages and relationships have beenwrecked along the way.

Bank balances, in particular, are usually thefirst to suffer. There’s even a rumour that this ishow the credit crunch really started...

We’re talking, of course, about GAS – or GuitarAcquisition Syndrome, to give its full name –the uncontrollable need to purchase ‘just onemore guitar’ to satisfy an inner desire thatknows no boundries.

A growing epidemic, this compulsive disordercan be triggered by the mere sight of a guitarand typically results in a financial transaction.

Regular visitors to the Brook Guitars website‘News’ section will undoubtedly recognisesufferers of a relatively new strain of thecondition which has surfaced over the last fewyears – BAS (Brook Acquisition Syndrome).

So here, in the first of an occasional series, twomultiple Brook owners talk openly about howthe BAS bug bit them, how they’re managingtheir condition day to day – and why, for them,one guitar really isn’t enough.

And let’s face it, if we’re really honest the restof us salute and probably secretly envy them..!

guitar with the tag-line ‘This is the best guitar I’ve ever played’.Well, I thought, if it’s good enough for him, and so forth. Thepower of artist endorsement!

I met up with Andy Manson at a guitar show at Alexander

IBLAME Mike Oldfield. He started it all. If it wasn’t for him Iwouldn’t be writing this or playing quite as many Brookguitars as I do.

It was the early 1980s and in one of the music magazines ofthe time was a full-page advert (left) of the instrumental wizardsitting cross-legged on the floor playing a Manson acoustic

Image courtesy of M. Edward Sparks/Pepperland Productions/Kirk Mathew Gatzka



Palace in London and commissioned one of hisMagpie models, which took pride of place in mysmall but growing guitar collection in 1985.

Some years later I asked him to make me one of hisTraveller guitars (similar to the Brook Kit instrument)for taking on holiday. By then, Andy had moved toDevon and he introduced me to Simon Smidmoreand Andy Petherick, who would be making his‘standard models’ whilst he worked on his own moreesoteric and unusual commissions. They would alsobe making their own models under the name ‘Brook’.

Like many guitarists, I am conservative (with a smallc) and wasn’t sure about ‘somebody else’ making aManson guitar for me, but whilst Andy was finishingthe set-up on my Traveller I tried one of the newBrook instruments. It was a moment of quiet butmassive revelation; the Brook sounded better thanthe Manson. How was this possible? What dark artsdid these magicians employ? I played it some more,picked up my Manson, went back to the Brook, hadanother (shorter) go on the Manson, played theBrook a lot and knew that I had to have one of theirguitars. At least one. Probably quite a few more thanone! It sang, it shimmered, it had such tone andsustain, the neck was a dream to play (especially foran electric player like me) – and it looked justbeautiful.

One of my students of the time coveted my Mansonand had uttered the immortal words: ‘If you’re everthinking of selling it...’

from page 8

I tried one of newBrooks. It was amoment of quiet butmassive revelation.What dark arts didthese magiciansemploy? I knew that I had to have one. At least one...

The ‘Brook Wall’ at Richard’s home. From left are: Custom Lyn 12-string; Bovey; Brook uke;nylon-string Little Silver; custom Lyn six-string

Above are the matching Celtic knot inlays and Adirondack spruce tops on Richard’s custom Lyns; right, the finely-figured mahogany backs on the guitars and the uke he also ordered

So, quickly armed with funds, I asked Simon andAndy to build me a guitar. My first Brook was a Tawwith a stunning Tasmanian Blackwood back andsides. I find that great guitars inspire creativity andone of the first tunes I wrote on it was ‘Northlight’, arecording of which is on my website –www.richardjamesguitarist.co.uk. A PDF transcriptionof the tune is also downloadable from the Brookwebsite, in case any other ‘Brooker’ fancies a go at it.

My Taw was followed by a Torridge (1999) in Brazilian

Rosewood, a Clyst (2010) and this year a pair ofcustomised Lyns. Along the way, space and fundswere found for a Bovey (1999) and a nylon strungLittle Silver (2005). Oh, and a ukulele. All of them, ofcourse, wonderful, responsive instruments.

On my latest visit (a set up for the new Lyns, arefinish on a Strat and a curry with Simon) it wasbusiness as usual – a full order book, a rack full of


Have Brook, will travel...repairs, Simon gluing a neck to a body, Andy puttingthe finishing touches to an Eastman semi where thecustomer had asked for a thinner body (!) anddownstairs, Jack and Kev beavering away on thebeginnings of the batch of guitars.

Having tried many of their guitars (and patience)over the years I believe that the instruments they arebuilding now are even better than when they startedout. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with theearlier models either; I remember meeting up withAndy outside the Abbey in Bath and playing one ofthe first Brook 12 strings. We were asked to stop by afaraway busker as the guitar was too loud! Nowadaysthe guitars just seem even better, even moreresponsive.

Although I try to take maximum care of my guitarsaccidents will happen, the worst of which was when Iwas using my Bovey on stage in a show where, forreasons best known to my wallet, I had beenpersuaded by the Musical Director to appear wearinga gypsy costume and play something suitablyEastern European. So far, so ridiculous – except thaton the final night of the run I put my Bovey downwith a flourish, missed the stand and cracked thebottom of it open on the floor! Bereft and fearing theworst, I sent it down to Andy, who put it all backtogether, refinished and returned it a few weeks later.If you hold the guitar at just the right angle and in abright light you can just about see the join!

Over the years I’ve known Simon and Andy, I’velearnt a lot about tone woods, what works, whatdoesn’t, design possibilities, impossibilities (I’malways told when something won’t work – ‘luthierspeak’ for ‘this man’s an idiot’) and I’ve never ceased tobe amazed at how some fairly ordinary-looking bitsof wood can be transformed over the course of a fewmonths into something that is more than worth themoney.

On my last visit time prevented me from seeing thenewest model to the range – a Weaver – and I can’tpossibly justify having another one. Can I? Well, it’s asmall-bodied model, and there’s that corner in thelounge where a guitar would look just lovely…oh, go on then!

Richard James

richardjamesguitarist.co.uk

[email protected]

from page 9

WE first met Richard back in the mid-Ninetieswhen he came down to see us for a refinish onhis Manson Strat – he’d previouslycommissioned Jerry Bix to build a new neck forit when Hugh Manson showed a markeddisinterest in taking on the job!

This was back when we were still working withAndy Manson. The first guitar we built for himwas a Manson Traveller which we customised tofit in a violin case.

Richard regularly helped out at the Sheehan’sshow in Leicester and arranged for us attendone of their first events at the beautiful theatre

just down the road from the shop. He kindlyput us up and put up with us, and wecontinued to enjoy his hospitality as theshow developed and moved to the largerracecourse venue.

We used to take a stand at a few of the tradeshows back then, but particularly enjoyedthis one, sharing a meal and a drink or threefairly regularly, and we quickly became friends,sharing a rather wicked sense of humour.

Over the years Richard’s collection of Brooksgrew, one making way for another, and whenthe website eventually went online we askedhim to supply a photo for the gallery. Richardsent us a photo of himself with the Manson..!Fine as the Manson is, it’s not really what wehad in mind for our new site and we pointedout to our esteemed friend that we neededpictures of Brooks – and preferably imagesthat stood out.

That was the start of a long series of oddholiday snaps (left) that we’ve receivedthrough the post over the years, of Richardwith his beloved Bovey: in the pool, on skis,even on his honeymoon! I’m very pleased tosay that amongst our customers’ photosthey’ve become favourites.

We’re still waiting for a photo bizarre enoughto do justice to his latest set of three finely-figured mahogany Brooks (see page nine).

Oh, yes – and he’s a very fine composer andmusician as well!

Simon

The pictures here showsome of the locationsRichard and his Brookshave travelled to over theyears, including thebreakwaters in Dorset, apool in Portugal, skiing in Romania – and (left) on

his honeymoon in Mexico! “Well, you have to keep your fingers agile, don’t you?” he explains.We couldn’t possibly comment...



MB: First of all, John, tell us a bit about yourselfand what do you do for a living.

JG: I am 55 years old, married, and am anEnvironmental Health Officer. I am a self-confessedguitar nut and love everything about guitars.

MB: How long have you been playing the guitar?

A. I started playing guitar at the age of 14 with abreak during my 20s. So I have been playing guitarfor 30 years, and I really should be better than I am!When I was young, the guitar was so prominent in

music and rock music was emerging. The guitar wasso cool and trendy; it was an accessible way to makea statement and be individual.

MB: What was your first ‘decent’ guitar?

JG: I started on a mid-size classical guitar, but really Ialways wanted an electric. My first decent guitar wasa Fender Telecaster, which my girlfriend (now wife)bought new for me for about £130 in the 1970s.

MB: When did you first start collecting guitars –before discovering Brook, or as a result of?

JG: I always found it hard selling guitars to upgrade.In fact, I still have my first guitar in the loft. I don’tconsider myself a collector, more a player with a nicerange of instruments to choose from. I startedaccumulating guitars long before discovering Brookguitars.

MB: How did you first encounter Brook Guitars?

JG: After moving to Devon I noticed that they werelocal luthiers and got to hear about some of theirwork. I had become interested in steel strungacoustics about 15 years ago. Brook were theobvious ‘go to’ makers when I moved on from thehigh-end mass produced makers.

MB: What were your first impressions of theirinstruments?

JG: Top quality materials and craftsmanship, with auniquely English sound; a modern take on classicstyles; perfectly balanced strings; very playable,wonderful action and slim necks; beautiful bindingsand attention to detail. If you are in the market for agood quality acoustic, no-one else compares in myopinion.

MB: What was your first Brook? Was it ‘off theshelf’ or a custom build?

A. It was a second-hand Tavy (see picture below)from a friend of mine who owned a guitar shop inLondon. It turns out the guitar is made from aWalnut tree that had blown over in a park nearExeter. My guitar shop owner friend phoned me tosay ‘I think that I have something you will like!’

My growing obsession...

John’s growing collection of Brooks. From left are: Tavy (John’s first Brook); custom Tamar (ex-Michael Watts – see page 14);Torridge; Tamar; Torridge (ex-Steve Yates – see page 14); Tamar (played by Woody Mann); Tavy

I recognise that Ihave a problem/habit which willonly be controlledby running out ofspace or becominga hoarder...

“

“Self-confessed Brook fanatic John Golding has an ever-increasing number of Easterbrook instruments – including two particular second-hand guitarsthat share a common and illustrious past. He tells Martin Bell about how his collecting started – and why there’s ALWAYS ‘a next one’ in the offing...



As soon as I picked it up and played a few notes Iwas hooked. It was one of those ‘this is what I havebeen searching for’ moments.

MB: Can you tell us how the (ongoing) GAS – or,as we’ve now christened it, BAS – began?

JG: I am in the fortunate position that I don’t have tosell guitars to finance new acquisitions now andhave the space to store them. I just love guitars andhave a very understanding wife. For me, they are likepaintings and I can just look at them and admire theart.

MB: So what Brook instruments have youacquired since your first?

JG: I had a Tavy made for my 50th birthday, and Ichose a cedar top with lacewood back and sides.When I was visiting the workshop to follow theguitar being built there was a Tamar for sale thatWoody Mann had used at a workshop that Brookhad organised; I couldn’t resist!So, before I knew it I had three Brooks. Since then,I’ve acquired second-hand Brook instruments: twoTorridges (rosewood/cedar & cherry/spruce); two

from page 11

A trio of Brooks : Tamar (centre), flanked by two Torridges

As soon as I picked itup and played a fewnotes...it was one ofthose ‘this is what Ihave been searchingfor’ moments...

Tamars (both American gum/cedar tops); a Lyn(rosewood/spruce) with a slotted headstock and thenew Brook logo. Until recently, I’d decided that I was missing a Tawfrom the collection or something second-hand madefrom Brazilian rosewood. Then, oddly enough, I cameacross a Rio Tamar (see page 13) last Easter in CodaMusic and got that at a fantastic price. It’s now myfavourite Brook. Then, a couple of months ago, I alsopicked up a second-hand Ovangkol Taw in my localshop, Mansons in Exeter.

MB: Are your Brooks ‘working instruments’? Doyou play ‘live’ regularly, and are they the sort ofguitars you happily take out of the house(running the risk, of course, that someone,somewhere might ask to try them out!)?

JG: No, and I am very particular about looking aftermy guitars. Although most are second-hand they areall in great condition. Several have been to thestudio for recording sessions, but they rarely appearin public.

MB: Do you collect other instruments/guitars, oris your collecting confined to Brooks?

JG: I have several Martin guitars – of particular notea Rory Gallagher D35 custom shop; another D35; a00018; D15s; a number of Lowden guitars; a fewAvalons; an early Dermot McIlroy; two Eastmans, aGuild M20 and a bunch of Ovations (but don’t tellSimon and Andy – they hate plastic)!

MB: What sort of music do you play on yourBrooks? What music do you listen to/areinfluenced by? What players do you admire?

JG: I play fingerstyle jazz/blues/popular songs,with the occasional Celtic/folk influence. RoryGallagher’s music has been a passion since I was ateenager. I admire his raw, honest guitar playing,working-class modesty, refusal to be commercialand hardworking, dedicated approach. I also lovethe music of Martin Taylor, Wes Montgomery,Robben Ford, Matt Schofield, Hamilton Loomis,Joe Pass, John Mayer, Wes Montgomery, Herb Ellisetc.

MB: Does your Brookcollection have a certain‘direction’ to it (forexample, do you aspireto owning one of everymodel etc.)?

JG: No, quite random. Ijust love the woods andworkmanship.



from page 12

The stunning Brazilian rosewood and sequoia Tamar – currently his favourite guitar! – that John picked up second-hand.

Acoustic favourites are Eric Roche, MartinSimpson, Tony McManus and Tommy Emmanuel.And Rory, of course, was a great acoustic player.Several years ago Simon at Brook gave me a copy

My growing obsession...

MB: Do you have a different Brook for differentstyles of music, or are they all pretty versatilewithin the styles you play?

JG: No, they all sound great for fingerstyle,although they have different characteristics. Greatbalance, big tone and clear – very English-soundingguitars.

MB: Do you have a particular favourite, whichyou would never want to part with – if you hadto choose just one, for example (perish thethought!)?

JG: My Tamar in American gum with a cedar topand walnut bindings is a favourite. It has a fewdings, and is from 1999, so it’s nicely ‘played in’. It has a passive pickup, is so easy to play, and I haveused it for recording.

MB: Have you ever got rid of any Brooks to funda new build – then wished in hindsight that youhadn’t?

JG: Oh no, they’re all keepers!

MB: Any final thoughts on Brook’s guitars ingeneral?

JG: I really enjoy the fact that I know the guys thatmade the guitar that I play. We have this intimaterelationship with our guitars and I just really likethe thought that the craftsmen at Brook hand-builtmy guitars.

MB: And lastly – despite an already wonderfulcollection of guitars – are there likely to befurther additions (because there’s ALWAYS a‘next one’!)?

JG: Yes, I recognise I have a problem/habit whichwill only be controlled by running out of space orbecoming a hoarder of guitars, if I can’t stop...

of a CD by his friend, Dave Wood, which has beena favourite. Check him out – a great player usingseveral wonderful Brook guitars. Basically, I justappreciate great guitarists.

We have this intimate relationshipwith our guitars... I really enjoy thefact that I know the guys that madethe guitar that I play...


One skilful owner from new...Steve Yates

with his currentBrook, a

customcutaway Taw

The custom Tamar now in John’s possession: red gum back and sides, cedar top, rosewood

through-bridge, ebony fingerboard, Rio headstock veneer. Below right: Michael

trying it out at Easterbrook in 2002

My old Tamar taughtme a great dealabout theappreciation of fineguitars...

Brook Guitars have the proud honour of numbering no fewer than THREE previous winners of Guitarist magazine’s ‘AcousticGuitarist of the Year’ award amongst their customers past and present. And John Golding’s collection boasts instrumentsoriginally owned by two of them! Here, Michael Watts, of London-based The North American Guitar, and Steve Yates – whowas featured in Issue 2 of ‘Babbling Brook’ – reminisce about their ‘past loves’...

THE Tamar was my main recording instrument forthe best part of a decade, and was entirely bespoke.I went down to Hittisleigh (not in Andy’s motorbikeand sidecar, I hasten to add!), and it was one of myfirst experiences of a custom-build and what a lot ofclients go through: all the anguish of waiting for it tobe built!It was a beautifully-made instrument. I have a verysoft spot for Brooks – they’re extremely cleanly built,to a very high standard, and I’ve since gone on torecommend them to my dear friend, Rosa Rebecka,who had them build her a custom nylon-strungguitar (see page 7).Unlike the guitar I eventually traded it in for, my oldTamar is remembered fondly and taught me a greatdeal about the appreciation of fine guitars...

Michael WattsThe North American Guitar

I DO miss that guitar! It was a wrench to part with it, but at the timeit was an instrument I wasn’t using so I decided to let it go tosomeone who’d find regular use for it.

It was a Torridge, bought it in 1998, I think, and it was my firstBrook. I was in a duo with my brother, Howard, who played five-string banjo, and I needed a versatile, powerful guitar, which itmost certainly was. It sounded great when played fingerstyle andwhen played with a plectrum had an almost Django-esque sound.

One other reason I parted with it was that it had no cutaway, andthere was a piece I’d composed at the time called ‘The Girl WhoTouched the Sky’ that needed a guitar with a cutaway. I wasperforming this piece on a relatively cheap instrument which didn’tdo it justice (but had a cutaway), so about six months after parting

with the guitar I bought another Brook,a ‘Taw’ with a cutaway, which I still own.

One feature of the old guitar which Imiss was that it was a very well-balanced instrument, with strongertrebles than my current one.

Do I regret parting with it? A bit, Isuppose, because I could have boughtthe Strat outright, but then I can thinkof at least three other guitars I’veparted with down the years that werealso nice instruments and that meantsomething to me. But were I to havekept them, they would now be litteringmy flat unplayed, and I appreciated themoney I got for them as it enabled meto purchase my current instrumentswithout enduring excessive hardships.

Steve Yates

John says: “Stephen’s old guitar is a Torridge in spruce androsewood. It wasn't until I asked Simon to check the details that wediscovered it was commissioned and owned by Steve Yates...”

John says: “I knew I was buying Michael’s cedar & gum Tamar guitar because he soldit to me through The Acoustic Music Centre in Brighton, where he was working at thetime. It has Waverley tuners and is a custom spec. It’s a great player (as all Brooksseem to be) and I would definitely not part with it.”



Brook to bassics

It’s a dream toplay and has adeep, rich tone. I kind of see it asthe missing linkbetween bassguitar and doublebass...

“

“RJ: Paul, can you start by telling us about yourbackground as a musician?

PD: Sure. My grandmother was a piano teacherand my mother plays piano too. I started pianolessons when I was six years old, ‘cello at 10. Atschool I got involved with all the musical activitiesI possibly could. Singing in choirs, playing ‘cello inthe school orchestra and other ensembles; I wasliterally obsessed with music. I absolutely loved it!At around 15 some friends from school asked meto join their band and the only instrument left tochoose from was a £5 bass guitar my friendowned. I borrowed it and it was love at first play. I can still remember that bass, it had a short scaleand was purple in colour! I practiced it as much asI could and kept on getting asked to play indifferent bands at school. One day, when I wasaround 16, a friend asked me if I’d like to play basson his record. He knew someone who wasworking as a tape op at the Marquee studios inLondon and they’d managed to get some studiodowntime. I did the recording and had the time ofmy life there. There was a big, beautiful Tridentconsole and we recorded to 2” tape, mixing downto one of the first digital formats, a Sony PCMBetamax recorder. I got to work with a very young

Paul Clarvis on drums and the whole experiencewas incredibly exciting.

RJ: How did you become a session musician?

PD: At 18 I went up to Leeds College Of Music in1984 and studied bass guitar on the ‘Light Music’course under Barry Rickarby. After this I juststarted working freelance as a jobbing bass player.Because I could sight-read fairly well a lot ofopportunities opened up for me, from functionbands, big bands, small jazz gigs, pop gigs…theoccasional show dep; anything that came in. After a while, I wanted to do further study incontemporary jazz and composition and studiedwith Dil Katz (bass guitar) and Peter Churchill(arranging & composition) at the Guildhall Schoolof Music & Drama (1990-92). This led to acompletely different level of work and was verytransforming musically and intellectually.

RJ: Tell us about the bands you play with andyour solo projects

PD: The last couple of years I’ve been mainly

As a London session musician/singer/songwriter Paul Downing is often called on to cover all bases in his work.And when it comes to acoustic bass, Paul’s instrument of choice is his Brook ‘Otter’. Here, he talks to Rob Jessepabout the tools of his trade, and the many and varied projects they’ve helped him to play a part on...


I’m delighted with theway the Otter hasturned out...and it’simproving year onyear...


from page 15

Brook to bassicsconcentrating on writing and recording projects formyself and other people. Chris Simmons has analbum coming out soon, which I played electric basson. I’ve released two albums recently; one album ofmy songs called ‘Silver Fire’ and I’m the co-creator,along with Shane Hill (guitar), of a jazz-fusion projectcalled ‘Fusion Illusion’ by ‘Process Seven’. I’ve alsobeen writing production music with a good friend ofmine, Bernard O’Neill.

RJ: You recently put up some excellent videos ofyour bass playing on YouTube, one featuring yourBrook Otter bass. Tell us about the Otter...

PD: Ah, the lovely Otter! Well, it’s a custom fretlessacoustic bass guitar, with East Indian rosewood backand sides, sitka spruce top and an ebony fingerboard.The neck is made from mahogany and carved to bethe same profile as my ’62 re-issue Fender Jazz bass.It’s fitted with a Highlander IP2 under-saddle pickup,which has the option of adding an internalmicrophone – something I haven’t explored yet.

RJ: How did you hear of Brook Guitars?

PD: I was looking at acoustic guitars on the webseven or eight years ago, and I came upon the Brookwebsite. After that, I tried some Brook guitars out ata shop in Denmark Street and acquired serious GASfor one. I visited Simon and Andy at their workshopin Devon in 2005, and picked out the woods for acustom Taw and for the Otter. I collected them in

PD: I use it mainly for recording and for jammingwith friends who are playing an acoustic guitar. I findit perfect for that.

RJ: What is your setup for playing the Otter live?Bass amp, or mic’d up?

PD: Good question. I haven’t gigged with it live, so Idon’t have a set method for this yet. I suspect, as thepickup on it is good, that it would work well with abass amp. But if it’s a low-volume gig and there’s aspare mic going, I would definitely try adding thattoo.

RJ: Does playing an acoustic bass require anyadaptation of technique? For example, electricplayers usually use the pickup cover as a thumbanchor.

PD: I find that I generally rest my thumb on theedge of the fingerboard and play quite close to theneck. Occasionally, I rest my thumb on the low E andplay closer to the bridge, but not so much. As it’s anacoustic instrument I find that digging in andplucking with a bit more force can help the tonesing more. It’s a bit like a double bass in this respect.

RJ: You use flatwound strings; how does thischange the tone, particularly on a fretless?

PD: Yes, I use ‘Thomastik Jazz Flats’ flatwoundstrings. Another bass player, Martin Elliot,recommended them to me. He had them on his ABGand I really liked their tone and response. They don’twear the fretboard like roundwounds and they’resurprisingly deep and ‘growly’. It took me a while toget used to playing them as they have low tensionand are a bit ‘slippy’ relative to roundwounds.However, once you do get used to them they arefantastic. They’re bit pricey, but seem to last forever.The set that was put on the Otter in 2006 is stillgoing strong!

RJ: Your YouTube demo of the Otter creates aremarkably authentic double-bass tone – are youpleased with how the bass has turned out?

PD: Thank you. Yes, I’m delighted with the way theOtter has turned out. It’s a dream to play and has adeep, rich tone, which is improving year on year asthe instrument matures. I think the Thomastikflatwounds help push the tone more in the directionof a double bass, as double bass strings areflatwound. You don’t exactly get the huge low-endoomph of a double bass as it moves a ton of air, butyou can get a remarkably close tone, especiallywhen recording. I kind of see it as the missing link

See Paul playing his Brook Otter bass on his YouTube channel at:http://www.youtube.com/user/paulosrecords

2006 and have lovedplaying them ever since.

RJ: Some people dismissthe acoustic bass guitaras too quiet for liveacoustic use. What’s youropinion? Do you use itlive, or mainly forrecording?



from page 16

Brook to bassics

First impressions: Paul tries out his (then new) Otter at ourEasterbrook workshop in 2006

The Otter – with optional cat...

between bass guitar and double bass.

RJ: How do you go about recording the Otter?Mic’d up? DI’d, a bit of both?

PD: I record it with a mic and DI the pickup,blending it in the mix around 70/30 in the mic’sfavour. I find it records very well with a Schoepscardioid mic into a clean preamp (I use the pre onthe Metric Halo ULN-8). I place the mic pointing atthe soundhole, around 18 inches away; the pickupthen goes into the ULN-8 instrument DI input.

RJ: You record through some very niceequipment – what difference does recordingthrough extremely good mics and preampsmake?

PD: I’m very lucky to have acquired some really nicestudio equipment over the years. Yes, I do believethat a good mic and preamp help to make a goodrecording, but they aren’t the most importantaspects. Composition and performance are the keyaspects, followed by a good room, then niceequipment after that. Engineering skills areimportant too.

RJ: If someone with a home recording set-upwanted to improve the quality of theirrecordings, where is it best to spend money –mics, preamps, analogue to digital converters?

PD: I would say, in order of importance, it goes:composition, performance, instrument, room,monitoring, mics, preamps, converters. Buy gearwith these priorities in mind. Buy the best you canafford, because it works out cheaper in the long run(as you don’t sell at a loss when you upgrade).

RJ: Do you have any advice for our readers onhow to get a good recorded bass sound, fromacoustic or electric guitars? For example, I’vefound I get good results actually mic’ing up theamplifier.

PD: Yes, for electric bass, buy the best passiveFender Jazz or Precision bass you can afford andhave it set up by a pro luthier. Practice, practice,practice, as most of the tone comes from the fingers.I find I’m quite happy most of the time going througha good DI, but indeed wonderful tones can comefrom mic’ing a good bass amp too – especially anAmpeg B15-n (my favourite bass amp!). Withacoustic instruments, I would say having a nice-sounding room is important, and it’s always good toexplore different mic positions and mics.

RJ: As a session musician, do clients specificallyask for the acoustic bass sometimes? If so, whatsort of music does it work well with?

PD: Most of my work seems to be on electric bass,but I have recorded with a singer-songwriter calledLizzie B who specifically wanted acoustic bass guitaron her EP. I would say that the ABG is well-suited toacoustic instrumentation and simpler arrangements,such as supporting a vocalist with acoustic guitar.I’ve played a fair bit of jazz with friends on acousticguitar too; it can work well in that setting.

RJ: Tell us abut your electric basses – you havesome very fine vintage instruments...

PD: One of my favourite basses is an original pre-CBS 1962 Fender Jazz bass (refinished). I have it setup with Thomastik Jazz flats and it’s just anincredible instrument. A perfectly straight neck thatplays like a dream, with an even tone and volume onall of the notes; a big fat, growly, Fender Jazz soundthat records brilliantly – I’m very lucky to have it. I’malso having great fun with a Squier VM Mustang bassthat I’ve strung with piccolo strings, so that it playsan octave higher than a regular bass. It has a 30”short scale, which makes it easy to play. It has a verygood pickup and sounds amazing.

RJ: You recently added some bass parts to myown forthcoming album – how do potentialclients get in contact with you, and how does atypical project work?

PD: I would suggest checking out my website –www.pauldowning.net – and having a look at myvideo showreels to see if I’m the right player for yourproject. If you like what you see and hear (and I hopeyou do!). Please get in touch using the contact formand let me know about your project. There’s atechnical page on the website that explains theprocess in detail, but in brief it works by sendingaudio files (WAVs or AIFFs) forward and back acrossthe internet.

from page 17

Brook to bassics

RJ: You have an album of original songs (clips ofwhich readers can listen to at:http://pauldowningmusic.co.uk/blog/new-acoustic-bass-guitar) Did you play all the instruments on this?

PD: I sang and played many of the instruments on thealbum, however I did have a lot of help from sometalented friends. Marc Parnell on drums, Michele Dreeson percussion, Jo Bailey on backing vocals and BernardO’Neill played Hammond organ on the song ‘Over Me’.The album was mixed by Luke Buttery and mastered byMandy Parnell.

RJ: Finally, who are your bass heroes?

PD: This could be a long list! On electric bass, myteachers, Barry Rickarby, Dil Katz & Paul Westwood; JacoPastorius, of course (as I suspect most bass playerswould say!). But also: James Jamerson, Stanley Clarke,Alphonso Johnson, Marcus Miller, Paul McCartney,Bernard Edwards, Pino Palladino, Mick Karn, Mark King,Geddy Lee, Chuck Rainey, Tony Levin, Anthony Jackson,Victor Bailey, Darryl Jones, Percy Jones, Steve Swallow… I also have a lot of double bass player heroes as Istudied it for a while and played it professionally for afew years. My teachers, Geoff Downes and Jeff Clyne;players including: Jimmy Blanton, Paul Chambers,Charles Mingus, Scott LaFaro, Reggie Workman, CharlieHaden, Rufus Reid, Todd Coolman, Dave Holland, MarcJohnson, Steve Rodby…

http://pauldowningmusic.co.uk/

How many Otter basses have you built?

I think we’ve only built about 10 over the years. Mosthave been fretted, but three or four have been fretless,and we’ve always been really pleased with the waythey’ve turned out.

Do you find they are bought by guitarists who want anacoustic bass, or by bass players wanting a different sound?

Again, it’s a bit of a mix; half have been commissionedby bass players, the rest by guitarists who wanted toadd ‘another string to their bow’.

How did you go about designing the Otter?

The most important thing is not to over-engineer theinstrument. The overall string tension is just a littlehigher than a standard guitar, so we beef up the bracesmarginally; apart from that, we build the body prettymuch the same as we do for a normal six string.Secondly, we use the same principals as for a standardguitar to keep the bridge in the sweet spot. There are somany acoustic basses out there that are so heavilybraced, with bridges set so far back, that there’s just nohope of a resonant acoustic tone or a decent volume.

What makes for a good wood combination on an Otter?

We’ve built the Otter with all sorts of woodcombinations, but cherry and European spruce is aparticular favourite of ours.

I noticed you use a Tavy body for the Otter, rather than thelarger Okement – what’s your reasoning for this?

With the 864 mmscale, a large bodylike the Okement,for me, feels ratherunwieldy. Wepreferred theslightly smallerTavy as a template,but if a customerwanted a purelyacoustic bass andhad no intention ofusing a pickup andamp for performing,we might suggestthe Okement as awise choice...

page 18 www.brookguitars.com

The headstock (top) and pictures here showthe five-string Otter bass with striking myrtleback and sides/spruce top we built for GarethMorgan, above

Right is Rick Cook with his fretless Otter

The lowdown...Brook’s Simon Smidmore talks about the company’s bass lines



from page 3

Designed by MSthe headstock of the dulcimer guitar. I’vebeen a big campaigner for peace too, eversince I was a boy, which is why I had thedove inlaid on the headstock of Jane’sinstrument.

“Brook also made me a wonderful archtopguitar with a fleur-de-lis soundhole – I gotthat design idea from a piece of wallpaper!”

Mike puts his modest but impressivecollection of instruments to good use,playing a variety of different styles of music.

“I play some blues, a bit of classical, some ofmy own music, a little improvisation hereand there.

“My heroes and influences include a lot ofthe ‘older’ players – people like Joe Brown,Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy – then, of course,

Mike’s first custom Brook, the unique ‘dulci-guitar’

Main picture (above): Theornate ‘fleur-de-lis’ inlay onMike’s custom arch-top guitar

Clockwise, from top left: theotters inlaid in abalone on theheadstock of the ‘dulci-guitar’;the kingfisher on the headstockof Mike’s black tenor guitar; the dove and gold ingot inmemory of his late wife, Jane,on his ‘mediaeval’ mandocello;the adder fingerboard inlay onthe same instrument; and thefine detailing of the soundhole,which Mike initials in the lowerhalf

there’s Phil Beer, very influenced by him,and Paul Downes...”

Born in 1947 in a small village nearExmouth, Mike first took a serious interestin music at the tender age of seven.

“I wanted to learn an instrument, butbecause we lived in poverty, my mothercouldn’t afford to buy me anything. Iwanted a banjolele and to play like GeorgeFormby, who was famous at the time. I’dseen this uke/banjo and mum worked atfour jobs to keep the home going, becausemy father was an alcoholic and we lived inpoverty.

“Anyway, my mum saved and saved a hugeamount – £8, which was a lot in those days!– and eventually bought me this banjolele,which I got for my eighth birthday, and I


from page 19

(Above) Mike’s ‘fleur-de-lis’ archtop was designed to enable him to play itcomfortably whilst in his wheelchair; (below) front and back views of Mike’smandocello, modelled closely on David Oddy’s ‘Steve Knightley’ design; (bottom) the autoharp he commissioned from Andy Manson in the late 1990s

Three for a tenor: (Above) Mike with his custom black tenor guitar, watched by his beloved late wife Jane;the other pictures (right, top and bottom) show the ‘F’ hole and binding detail on the instrument


Designed by MS

started to learn how to play it.”

The family soon moved to Exmouth andMike got his first taste of performing inpublic aged 11 at a local folk club.

“I had a bit of a ‘brass neck’ in those daysand wanted to make my presence felt, so Ijust walked in asked if I could play.

“I think I played ‘Green Grow the Rushes-O’ onthe banjolele, for which I got a standingovation – probably because they wanted toget rid of me!”

Mike progressed to wanting to learn thefive-string banjo, and did four paper roundsto save up for one, as well as fetching coalfor people, with his sister, at sixpence a time.

He eventually saved enough for his firstguitar and a Bert Weedon ‘Play In A Day’book – “but I chucked the book away andwatched to learn what other people playedin the folk clubs instead”.

“By the time I was about 18, I was quiteaccomplished on three instruments and wasalso learning the mandolin; in the end, Iactually learned to play something like 13instruments!”

Mike’s other passion was martial arts, and atthe age of 19 he became a black belt 1stDan in judo, and earned a place in theBritish Judo team.


Mike Selley’s long association with Brook Guitars began with ‘a rough idea drawn out on a cigarette packet’. Here, Brook’s Simon Smidmore describes to Martin Bell how theytranslated Mike’s latest sketch into the unique ‘Art Deco’ instrument featured on the front cover of this issue...

Sketchy detail to Art Deco

MB: What ideas did Mike originallyapproach you with for his ‘Art Deco’nylon-strung tenor guitar?

SS: Mike sent us a roughly-drawn sheet (seebelow) with quite a few ideas to work with,some elements of which were just notpractically possible. We went down to hishouse to discuss how best incorporate theideas we could usefully use and then drewup a plan (right) and sent it down to him tomake sure we were on the right track.

MB: How much design input did you haveyourselves? And has THIS one been builtwith Mike's MS more in mind? He seemedto suggest that the shape meant that itsat on his lap (in his wheelchair) veryeasily and that the nylon strings wereeasier to play than steel...

SS: Well, in every instrument we’ve built forMike we’ve tried to account for theconstraint that it had to be played in thewheelchair. As his multiple sclerosis hasprogressed, most of the instruments – likethe dulci-guitar – have been designed withlow actions and comfort in mind, to makethem as easy as possible to play, as Mike hasslowly lost the skills he had before the onsetof his illness. This instrument in particularwas chosen with the nylon strings to makeMike’s playing experience more comfortable.

I think initially he was a little sceptical andconcerned that the design was too far awayfrom his original ideas, but as we progressedwith it he came around! In fact, we did use alot of the elements of Mike’s originaldrawing – the most obvious being thecontrasting woods in an angular design. Butwe felt we couldn’t practically incorporatethe wild cutaways on the upper bout and

the extra soundhole due to scale length andbridge-placing concerns.

MB: What woods did you use? And werethere any constructional issues/hurdles?

SS: The back, sides, neck, bracing, blocks,fingerboard, bridge head veneer, inlays andbinding are entirely ebony and/or maple;the top and its bracing are European spruce.Although we’d had an initial drawing, wepretty much built this step-by-step as wewent, as it was so different from anythingwe’d built previously. It’s not a million milesaway from a very fancy cigar box guitar, butall the odd angles certainly kept us on ourtoes.The sides are solid ebony and maple about5mm thick, which meant which gave us adecent gluing surface without the need forlinings. We were hoping to leave the cornersas they were but because of the differentangles everywhere we decided we’d get asharper edge if we faced each side with a2mm ebony or maple veneer.Other problems arose as we went along –the angled heel joint and the asymmetricalheadstock amongst them – but we talkedthem through and worked out ways to bestdeal with them. Other elements of the design revealedthemselves as we went along; for example,the panelled back and how it would link tothe side angles, also the detail on the heeland the neck laminations.

MB: Were you pleased at how the finished

instrument eventually turned out?

SS: We loved how it turned out, and it looked great and played well;Mike was very happy – what more can you want?

MB: You've done ‘Art Nouveau’ (see ‘Babbling Brook’ issue 2) and‘Art Deco’ – so what’s next, as far as ‘modern art meets luthiery’goes?

SS: Who knows? We just have to wait for the customer who can’t livewithout a cubist mandolin, a surrealist banjo or a pop art uke!


‘Babbling Brook’ writer Robbie Jessep was featured in issue 1, when he talked through the commissioning of his custom long-scaleTavy. Last year, his second custom build – also a Tavy – was ‘instrumental’ in his arrangement of this beautiful traditional Scottishtune, inspired by the playing of Gaelic ‘supergroup’ Daimh. Robbie has generously made it available for ‘Babbling Brook’ readers,together with a YouTube link to a video of his own performance. So, watch, listen, enjoy – and have a go at playing it yourself!

A Gaelic guitar Diversion


This beautiful song has been recorded by the great Gaelic band Daimh on their album ‘Diversions’. My arrangement closely follows the Daimhversion, including its beautiful piano introduction, together with bagpipe and fiddle instrumental – Robbie Jessep

Performance Notes

The original track is in Bb minor,but it makes sense to play this onthe guitar in A minor. If you wish,you can easily place a capo on thefirst fret to play in the original key.

In arranging this it took me a whileto work out the most effectivetuning. DADGAD and CGCGCD(Csus2) both seemed candidates,but in the end I settled onCGDGAD. This allowed me to place the tune effectively on the top threestrings, whilst also giving me the C and G bass notes. Hopefully, this will befamiliar to many players, as it is a close relative to DADGAD, and is used veryeffectively by players such as El McMeen and Laurence Juber.

Introduction

This should be fairly straightforward. The tapped octave harmonics at fret 14need to be quite precise; I prefer to aim my right hand index finger (just thetop joint) more towards the 4th and 3rd strings. I tend to introduce these onthe repeat (Note: I now no longer play the tapped harmonics in my recentperformances). Since recording my YouTube performance of this, I sometimesadd very quiet fills on beats 3 and 4 of some of the bars and vary the fill onbeat 4 of bar 4. Try coming up with your own fills, building the intensity of thissection as it recurs throughout the piece. Make sure there is plenty of emotionwrung from every note, making effective use of dynamics – this really sets upthe feel of the whole song.

Section A

This is the main theme of the song. At the end of bar 7 into bar 8 there is a bitof a jump changing left hand position, but I like to include a slight portamento(slide) from the A to the E. Some suggested left hand fingering is given incertain bars. Make sure to bring out the melody line in bars 14 and 15.

In bar 16 I like to make sure the previous articulated 6th string is stopped beforeplaying the 4th string bass note at the start of bar 16. This can be done by usingthe left hand thumb, bringing it up over the neck. Some precise fingering needsto be achieved in bars 16 and 17 – it’s not as easy as first appears.


from page 23

A Gaelic guitar Diversion

Section B

This is the bagpipe solo in the Daimh track, and I have tried to include sometypical Scottish ornamentation. Notice in particular the three-fingeredornament in 23. This should be played the three fingers of the right hand(a,m,i) as quickly as possible. Tony McManus is a great exponent of this typeof ornament, as is the great Breton guitarist Soig Siberil. Elements of thefiddle counter melody come in from bar 26 onwards. Again, there needs to besome precise work with the right hand in bars 32 and 33 (the last two bars ofB) to stop bass notes from ringing on too long. The ornamentation throughout this section is entirely left to the discretion ofthe player – sometimes I add other ornaments, sometimes I leave some out.

Section C

To add some interest to the setting of the melody, this section moves it intothe lower octave. Notice the hammer on from nowhere on the note C in thefirst bar of the C section. After this section, you go to the D.S and play thesecond half of A, this time with no repeat. B is then played again before areturn to the introduction (played twice at the end).

This song was written by a young Highland soldier who was in love withMhaili, the beautiful young daughter of a local laird. When they were refusedpermission to be married, the couple eloped, with the laird’s men in hotpursuit. Tragically, in the ensuing skirmish, the young girl received anaccidental fatal blow from her lover’s sword. The song was written in prisonwhilst he was awaiting execution.

Here’s my performance of the arrangement – I hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxjc5ni0cKk&feature=kp


from page 20

Designed by MS

By day, however, he worked as a docker inExmouth – a job which led directly to Mike’slifelong love of wood...

“I worked on the timber side and was veryinterested in the different types of wood. Ipersuaded my boss to let me go to collegeand eventually qualified and became atimber analyst.

Mike’s new role involved researching thedifferent woods used in industry, andanalysing the density and strength ofvarious types of timber – work that hasoften played a relevant part in choosing thematerials for his ‘next’ Brook!

During the 60s and 70s, Mike ran the famousDeer Leap Folk Club on Exmouth sea front,which played host to many famousmusicians guesting there – such as PaulSimon, Alex Campbell and Tom Paxton – andhe also encouraged Show of Hands’ SteveKnightley and Phil Beer when they firststarted out on the folk circuit.

Years later – and in the midst of caring full-time for Jane – he discovered that his owncarer of 14 years had been stealing from hisbank account and had completely cleanedout his savings. She was taken to court andgiven a suspended sentence, but with noorder to repay the money.

Despite all that life has thrown at him,however, Mike has continued to find comfortin his music and the instruments he plays iton – and we’re pround to have been helphim along the way.

“I struggle with my hands each day and Ifind metal strings particularly demanding.With this latest instrument (the Art Decotenor), I thought of having less strings – Siand Andy have made me two tenors already– and I asked for nylon strings – tuned EBGD(high to low) because I find it so much easierto play on them; I also wanted it to bepossible to play it either fingerstyle and withpicks.

“I worked with them and we ended up withthe ‘hexagon’ design. It’s beautifullyelongated, a little a ‘off kilter’, so that when Iput it on my lap, the flat part goes easily onmy knee and keeps the neck free. I wantedto really go to the extreme with thisinstrument, and get the guys to build mesomething off the wall – you know, make abit of an artistic statement!

“I absolutely swear that they’re the bestluthiers around! They’ve had the bestteacher in Andy Manson, and they makeinstruments as well as he could make aninstrument; they won’t say no to anything –which is certainly important with me! –they’ll have a look at anything, and aspeople they’re fantastic, genuine people...”

Now I want another!

Thanks very much for ‘Babbling Brook’ issue 2 – an awful lot ofwork has gone into that. It’s not only very interesting, it looksfantastic, especially the shots of Jack’s work. The trouble is, the more I read about Brooks the more I wantanother (or more)! Unfortunately, I will have to wait for thelottery win before that becomes a reality. Thanks again.

Tony Burger

Keeping me well set-up

Just a short note to say my Brook Torridge that you set up forme a couple of months ago is still playing great. I was interested in the article about setting up guitars in thesecond edition of ‘Babbling Brook’ – it reminded me of whatyou told me when I came down to visit you. By the way, thankyou for a very interesting day – I learnt a lot and enjoyed alook around your workshop.I saw the ‘Brook Nouveau’ guitar when I bought mine at IvorMairants and had a play on it. It was very impressive!Look forward to the next edition of ‘Babbling Brook’...

John Lewis

A technical education...

‘Babbling Brook’ No.2 is great.Excellent article on Jack’sphenomenal workmanship, andthe piece on truss-rods is brill. Ilove these technical articles –they help my education.

Tony Cooke

Another uke order..?

Loved the article about Jack’s work; really interesting and I’mfull of admiration. One day...By the way, I played some gigs up country last weekend. Theuke was admired to the point that someone asked me for yourdetails as he was considering ordering one. I hope it comes off.

Tony Hazzard

Feedb@ck...

Many thanks to those of you who’ve taken the trouble so far to emailand tell us what you think of ‘Babbling Brook’ – your comments aremuch appreciated, so keep them coming! If you have any thoughts onthis or future issues – or how we could improve it – simply drop us aline to: [email protected]

babbling brook issue 3

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