On several occasions in about 1994, I travelled to Liverpool with a group of friends to see this astonishing young man in a back street pub. Mostly he played a Telecaster, and I do admit that anything electric doesn’t usually impress me. But even I couldn’t fail to acknowledge what I was seeing, and when he picked up an acoustic guitar, I would just sit and grin.

About a year ago, he left a message for me at a show, and when we met at Ullapool, it all fell into place. It's taken me a while to make, but here is the result. I don’t make copies of other guitars, but I am happy to borrow good ideas. This is the “Leonardo”, plus the “Egyptian” plus my take on Gary’s needs. I’ve tried to reflect Gary's music as I see it, Django Reinhardt and Chet Atkins certainly, but so much more.

All the time Gary played in my office, I just sat there with a silly smile on my face. I'm thinking of a mark two version already.