Alfredo Albertini spanish-style guitar, c 1900, bought for £2/10/0 in 1960. Albertini was mainly a mandolin maker, so the guitar has a metal tailpiece and a loose bridge. It also has typical mandolin-style decoration.

It was originally black, but I took it back to the bare wood in about 1973. It has travelled in a soft case through the Soviet Union in 1978, East Africa in 2005 and many shorter trips. It needs some TLC - a cracked back as a result of being dropped in Johannesburg - but still sounds good.