This guitar, hand made by Dartmouth, Devon based John Bailey in 1968 for a customer in Kent, has an ebony fingerboard, hand made pickups and tailpiece. The body has been carved to facilitate ‘finger style’ playing – an innovation of its builder.
Segovia SE-707
From 1985. Very rare and built in the style of the Roland G707 guitar synthesiser. A totally stunning guitar and how could I refuse the opportunity to have it in my collection.
APX Falcon
From 1985. A ‘one off’ design made in the UK by Alan Page and Alan Exley of Redditch with an aluminium body and hand made pick-ups. A work of guitar art and should be in a gallery – thankfully in mine!
Starforce 8007
A superstrat but with less derivative styling – note the heavenly fingerboard inlays. This stunning ‘looker’ is the actual guitar featured in the Ultimate Guitar Book by Paul Day and Tony Bacon and was built in Korea c.1989.
Musima Deluxe 25
A rare guitar from the DDR (East Germany) built in the late 70s and similar to the Eglita. However, this one survived undamaged: communism, the fall of the Berlin Wall, a trip through Europe, but sadly, not Parcelforce 24 from Manchester to Penzance!
Tremo Twenty
My mystery guitar, but recently identified as Teisco built and sold in the States as the Teisco MJ-2 (Starway MJ-2L), marketed by Rose Morris in the UK briefly in the mid-60s as part of their Twenty range. A rare bird indeed.
Squier Stratocaster
A matching pair of limited edition ’20th Anniversary’ Squiers. What more can one say but great quality budget guitars from Fender and still customised by their previous owners.
Antoria 994
Rescued from a Birmingham second-hand shop 25 years ago, this 4 pick-up Antoria solid has been identified as the 994 model marketed by J.T. Coppock in their 1963 catalogue and selling for £40.
Washburn Stage A15
This A15 (modified with humbucker replacing bridge single coil) dates from 1981 and retailed for £280. The “Stage Series” guitars targeted the rock market after the Washburn name was revived in 1979 and I love the style!
See the Washburn Stage A15 played by Simon Jones at The Guitar Collection YouTube Channel!
‘Fender’ Custom Stratocaster
Mexican neck, ash body and American hardware. A beautifully balanced guitar, with that great ‘Strat’ sound, hand built with care by Cornish luthier Ed Simons.