I have been playing guitar professionally for over 40 years, and teaching for 30 odd years. Since suffering a slight stroke in 2001 I now concentrate on teaching, repairing and building guitars. My latest project is designing and building Hawaiian Guitars. I know there are not many Hawaiians living in Cumbria, but the Hawaiian guitar is becoming a rather popular instrument in various styles of music. All my guitars are hand built using local woods, ash and cherry are two of my favorites. I teach privately on a one to one basis from my home, and will accept any age group between 6 and 85. Anyone over 85 must be accompanied with their parents. I make backing tracks in midi format too, and have a collection of over 350,000. With all these projects going on I couldn't find the time to go out and play again.

Here we have a picture of my favourite guitar. It's the James D'Aquisto model and it was made in Sweden by Hagstrom. It plays as good as it looks and it is about 30 year old. It cost me £650 and I still wonder how I got that amount of money in 1970. Must have been in the days when my bank manager liked to say YES!

I bought this one in 1993. It's a Patrick Eggle New York and it plays like a dream. I played the Hagstrom all the time until I came across  this little devil while on the look-out for a guitar for a pupil of mine. I told the boys parents that I'd found him a little corker and suggested that they buy it quick.  I'm glad to say that they didn't take my advice and they decided to spend £1100 on another Eggle model instead. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, so I bought It. £550 well spent!

'This is my granddaughter Kriztina with 'Patrick'. Yes! It's sad I know, but I name all my guitars. 'Kriztina is the one with the hair!

In the early 60's when I first started playing in the 'Meteors' we would often go to the local dance hall in Maryport to watch the opposition play. That was when I first fell in love with a blue Fender strat, and boy did I want one, NOW!!!!. I thought to myself, someday I'm having one of those. Well folks! thanks to my wife Lesley I have one NOW !!..............Although it did take me 43 years.    

This is the latest addition to my collection. It's a 'Freshman' telecaster. I had no reason at all to buy it other than it looks and play's like a dream.                                                             Good enough reason dont you think?.