|
11 Apr 22 - 10:02 AM (#4138751) Subject: John Bailey; Luthier From: GUEST,S DeRiso 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 |
|
12 Apr 22 - 03:36 AM (#4138832) Subject: RE: John Bailey of London; Luthier From: Tony Rees I have come across 2 (with different owners) in my musical travels, but cannot say where they are today, sorry... |
|
12 Apr 22 - 03:41 AM (#4138833) Subject: RE: John Bailey of London; Luthier From: Tony Rees 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 ... |
|
12 Apr 22 - 04:16 AM (#4138834) Subject: RE: John Bailey of London; Luthier From: John MacKenzie 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: |
|
28 Apr 22 - 04:58 PM (#4140517) Subject: RE: John Bailey of London, Luthier From: GUEST,Sea Bass 30 March 2022 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 |
|
29 Apr 22 - 02:51 PM (#4140592) Subject: RE: John Bailey of London, Luthier From: Tony Rees 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... |
|
30 Apr 22 - 05:57 PM (#4140712) Subject: RE: John Bailey of London, Luthier From: GUEST,Alderney Fred 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. |