It's going to be hard to follow 2023. Let's start the new year off with some music.

John on his custom made nine string.

John's Website

John is trying to reduce the number of guitars he owns, so he will also be selling his Alchemist soon, I'll tell you about that later. He will be left with his two main Fyldes and I'll keep pushing him for more videos.

This nine-string is basically an Oberon, Indian Rosewood and Engelmann Spruce, made specially for him in 2010. In some ways it's similar to other nine strings we have made, but the double strings are on the treble rather than the bass strings. The results are obvious in the video. I love the way John plays the top strings with both thumb and finger, up and down, such a light touch and seemingly effortless.

John wanted the guitar to help explore Welsh harp tunes alongside his better-known ragtime pieces. He used it to write and record "Roger's Roundhouse" for the Fylde Charity CD "Strings that Nimble Leap", which of course is still available.

Did I mention it's for charity?

CD "Strings that Nimble Leap".

We've done a little setting up and restrung the guitar, it didn't need anything else. It's unique and in very good condition. Someone is going to be a very lucky, happy, inspired guitarist.

For sale at £4,500

Jon is enjoying his new guitar.

"Thanks to Hambledon Folk Club for giving me my first sold-out gig of the year last night, and for helping me name my new Fylde guitar. Gwendolyn it is!"

Yes, Gwendolyn, Jon has given his guitar a name. I think Gwendolyn has Welsh roots, possibly even the name of Merlin's wife.

It so happens that "Roger" is a Welsh name as well, it means "Fame Spear", so I should be good at darts, but I'm not. I can hit treble top with a pool ball, but the balls are too big and won't stick to the board.

I hope to be speaking to Jon soon, it seems we have a lot in common. He is about to go back on tour with Martin Carthy.

Jon's Website

"I'm thrilled beyond words to tell you that my seventh studio album The Living Kind, produced by Joe Henry, will be out worldwide on March 15th. 

Pre-order limited edition vinyl, CD and t-shirt bundles here
Pre-save the album to your favourite streaming platform here
The title track is out now, everywhere you stream music here

I first met Joe back in 2011 whilst recording Lisa Hannigan’s Passenger. I immediately recognised in him a brother and mentor. The impact he has had on my musical life has been profound. I’ve sat in on sessions for his own records, and played on his productions for artists such as Joan Baez, but I’ve always wanted to make one of my own records with Joe.

Back in 2022 I was touring the US and stopped in to visit in his new home of Harpswell, Maine. We sat by the fire and wrote a song that just got us thinking, why don’t we just make a record upstairs? One year later, having spent the winter writing, I found myself by that same fireside.

All of a sudden I was ready to start recording. Our bass player Ross arrived with Levon Henry, up from New York. We cut the album in four days while the outside temperatures plummeted to -25c. In the evening we would eat, listen to vinyl, enjoy a cocktail and sleep deeply. In that brief but deep seclusion I did what I feel is my best work to date.

I wanted to cut a record like Spirit of Eden and Hejira, but for guitar and bass. I came out with something different to those, somehow sounding more like me than ever.

I hope you’ll join me for this new chapter."

We've heard some of the new songs, prepare yourselves.

He is also playing "That Pedal Show" in the first week of February, then on the 13th he is off to the USA for three weeks, the start of a pretty intensive touring schedule this year. He enjoys being busy.

That Pedal Show
John's Website

This isn't the actual instrument that is for sale, we haven't had chance to take quality pictures, but it's just as nice.

This mandolin has the usual warm mellow tone of the Cedar and Walnut combination, it's becoming more and more popular as time goes on, so we made a spare.

For sale £1,600 plus case - SOLD

That isn't quite true, as one of them is on loan to a major artist, but if and when it does come back, there is another customer waiting for it. Of the ten special instruments, two have gone to the USA,  two to Europe and two to the Middle East. That's the way the guitar market is at the moment. Our order book is getting rather long but I'm very loathed to put the prices up, it's so difficult doing the right thing.

Last month I removed the Wood Sweat and Tears Book from sale because we had run out. But now we've found a few more!! They won't last long. £85 plus postage.

This looks really good value. Guitar playing and tuition standards have risen so much over the last twenty years or so, I think I first noticed the change when I saw what Tristan Seume was doing in his playing and teaching, and of course, Will has carried that on in his own, very personal, natural way.  It can only lead to even higher standards all round and more customers for me. Oh dear.

Will's Website

Some upcoming special treats for you

"In January 2024 I’ll be playing for you live online, each Sunday night at 8pm UK time (3pm EST) for about 1 hour. So that’s 7th, 14th, and 21st January. I'm playing a live show in Southampton, UK on 28th January so there will be no online concert that night. The final online concert will take place on Sunday 4th February 2024, and I'll be joined by Dariush Kanani to play tunes from "The Music of John Renbourn" tour. If you would like to throw a few pieces of shrapnel in the Carroll bucket, many thanks in advance!  https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/clive... Take care, Clive." 

Clive's Website

Frank was co-founder of Gryphon Stringed instruments in 1969, and from my point of view, was even better known as the writer of Frets.com a wonderful resource for all things related to instrument repair. We corresponded a few times and had a mutual love of engineering. A lot of us "older" guitar makers have come from engineering backgrounds,  it's a natural thing, what we do is "engineering in wood", which is just about exactly the way I regard it.

Well done, John, always good to see and hear you.

John's Website

Tijn "leads the exciting double life of a climate scientist and musician"
What a combination! And who would have thought that harmonica and bouzouki were such a natural match?
You'll have to read the comments for an explanation of the title.

Tijn's Website

Such a great player, composer and guitar maker, playing his dad's Fylde.

It's so interesting to see how harmonic playing has become a "thing" in recent years. I think it's mostly due to the massive improvement in playing standards, but without the quality of modern guitars it wouldn't work, plus of course, good amplification so that the inevitable quieter notes can actually be heard.

Check out Jack's tutorial for this piece.

Jack's Website

This must be the most travelled mandolin ever, and almost certainly the most adventurous.

It's had one visit to Antarctica with its first owner, a second visit with Steve Moorhouse, its' current owner, and has now visited the Arctic, as close as you can get to the North Pole. I have a video of Steve playing it but shot indoors because of the cold.

On the way back, it had a little trouble with a big wave and nearly had to swim. You can read all about that by checking the back issues of the Daily Mail.

Next year, it's going to the Amazon. I wonder if it will still be in tune.

A fairly strong link to the previous item.

One of those situations where I really wish I hadn't opened the bottle. They won't be making any more of this, who knows what it might be worth one day? When will I learn?

Phil died a few days ago. I was swapping email with him just before Christmas, so this was a massive shock, such a great and well-respected player.  His playing on this tune reminds me very much of Nic Jones, Phil knew just what his Orsino was intended for.
It's also lovely to see the tuning and playing style explained like this.
Sleep well Phil. 

Phil's Website

A bit more about the unusual guitar we showed last month. It should be finished, maybe even "on the road" in time for the next newsletter.

Well done Soenke, lovely tune, great sound on your new guitar.

I see Soenke has recorded another tune already, but I can't feature him twice in one month, you will have to wait.

Soenke's's Website

While I'm in German mode, here's Jule's new single.

Jule is now performing with her new Fylde, so Im looking forward to seeing those videos, she truly is a magnificent player.

And here is her website. Which of course, is in German. She has been told! Jule's Website.

Jule and Peter recorded their parts for the 50-year Video on the same day at our local pub, and became good friends, they met up last week at a "Frontmen" concert in Dresden.

No comment needed.  Two very special but different instruments.

Wandering around the garden in the middle of a very cold spell, I spotted this, lying on the ground. I thought it was Owl feathers, we get a lot of those, but it isn't, its ice. Isn't it amazing? I can't work out how it formed this way, there was nothing else similar nearby. I left it outside in the cold and it lasted about three days, then of course, it melted. How sad.