I always shunned this tuning thinking of it as the devil and all his works. just utterly opposed to my view of folk music. It always represented to me the self conciously 'traditional' sound that totally alienates anybody not actually wearing a fisherman's smock.

I think the guitarists that changed my mind were Eric roche and ken Nicol. Particularly the latter. he gave a seminar at Fylde folk festival and played some exquisite ragtime and blues. Also Tony Dean of No Fixed Abode, being younger and more open minded than myself, used it as a songwring aid and there was nothing in his approach that sounds like the the St Vitus Dance school of folk music.

I've played it for a few months now, and found it very rewarding. Although there is nothing as yet I'd consider performance standard in it, I hope there will be soon and I'd recommend it as a lot of fun.