John Bailey of London, Luthier

Subject: John Bailey; Luthier
From: GUEST,S DeRiso
Date: 11 Apr 22 - 10:02 AM

Exotic British Guitar Book (only exists in my head) strikes again
first subject is gtrs of John Bailey-
esoteric one-offs built in Wembley 1950s to 90s
just where do these things turn up in 2022?
ie who has one

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickroche/5225697757/
built for Al Stewart

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7295130754_5a7bd36e5f.jpg
built for 'Mac' Bailey made quite a few twin necks

Subject: RE: John Bailey of London; Luthier
From: Tony Rees
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 03:36 AM

I have come across 2 (with different owners) in my musical travels, but cannot say where they are today, sorry...

Subject: RE: John Bailey of London; Luthier
From: Tony Rees
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 03:41 AM

Here is one of the 2 mentioned above - made for my friend Simon Alexander in 1970 as per the label. Maybe currently owned by Nick Roche?? John Bailey Guitar ...

Subject: RE: John Bailey of London; Luthier
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Apr 22 - 04:16 AM

Mac McGann who played with both Ralph McTell, and the Levee Breakers Jug Band, was the first person I ever saw playing a double neck guitar. Used to see him around the London folk circuit in the 60's and 70's. There is an obituary in the Independent, but I can't link to it. There is a photo of the guitar in the obit, which I will put on the FB page

There is a wikipedia article for him here, with some additional info:

Subject: RE: John Bailey of London, Luthier
From: GUEST,Sea Bass 30 March 2022
Date: 28 Apr 22 - 04:58 PM

found a G Giltrap record- didn't end up buying but I was
more interested in the front cover;

Bailey gtr passed through a few owners i think
(Jon Garvey anyone?) but was built for Ralph Denyer (writer of gtr books)

surely there must be more of these luthiers'work about

love to see some picture links

Subject: RE: John Bailey of London, Luthier
From: Tony Rees
Date: 29 Apr 22 - 02:51 PM

My friend Simon Alexander who commissioned the guitar from JB in 1970 illustrated (via a link) earlier in this thread said that going to a luthier like John was a cheaper alternative than buying a Martin and Gibson, which were expensive and hard to find in the UK in those days... but that the Bailey was possibly not as well made (which is why he eventually parted with it). I knew that guitar and thought it had a nice, distinctive voice, quite good for "English style" song accompaniment in a manner that (say) Fylde were able to progress - probably with more success - a few years later. I believe it cost him a hundred pounds at a time when an equivalent Martin would have been closer to two hundred...

The other Bailey I knew was a smaller body (perhaps Martin OO size), twelve fret neck, clear and responsive to play. It went out to Australia (Tasmania) at one stage but then back to UK again in the 1990s, whereabouts today I would not know...

Subject: RE: John Bailey of London, Luthier
From: GUEST,Alderney Fred
Date: 30 Apr 22 - 05:57 PM

A friend of mine had a Bailey guitar, Martin OO size I believe, back in the mid-60s. It was OK to my ears of then, but not as good as a real Martin.
Later on I was given a derelict Martin and rebuilt it under direction from Sam Palmer, one of the early graduates from the musical instrument course at the London College of Furniture. That is definitely a better guitar than my friends' John Bailey.