A few years ago, I made the first of this size guitar for Megan Henwood, because I felt she needed something larger than her “Coco”, but I didn’t want to go as big as a Falstaff and I wanted it to be “different”. Simple solution, make a small Falstaff. John Smith had one this size, and I’ve only made a couple of others, so I haven’t yet thought of a name for it yet. Did Falstaff have a son? Prince Henry?

This one has a figured Claro Walnut body with a Cedar top, and a neck laminated from Mahogany and Walnut, with yellow/ gold inlay lines at every border, and Walnut bindings. It’s been made for a good friend, a regular customer, but it took a long time to establish exactly what he wanted, partly because he and I use completely different words when we talk about tone. It’s a common problem, and I would normally say it’s a transatlantic thing, but he lives in England, so he has no excuse. This guitar sound is slightly dark, gentle, smooth, round, mellow. It is just what he wanted, but it’s a box of chocolates, not a box of candies.