Colin,

Sorry I posted my last message without reading yours.

I've tried to locate a picture of the 'Sundown' sleeve on-line, but without success. I'm not doubting you - it's just that my recollection is of a dark-edged 000 on that sleeve. You've obviously checked, so I assume you've seen the white edging of a 28.

Whatever the reality, that oversize guard was probably fitted to cover the scars left by LD's exuberant strumming! I have a picture of me playing Lonnie's 1967 000-28, and the wear between the bridge and guard is already quite apparent.

Did he get his first 000s on that first USA trip?

That's an interesting point!!! Is there a picture of Lonnie with a 000 BEFORE his first trip to the USA? All he'd had was one hit at that point, and there are surprisingly few photos of him from before his return to Britain; I guess that they didn't start doing photo-shoots on him until it was clear that he was going to be more than a one-hit-wonder.

I've pulled out my Bear Family set with the accompanying booklet. The cover picture IS the same photo as the 'Skiffle Session' EP (the one we've been referring to as the 'Lost John' picture) - this is the best reproduction I've seen of the photograph, and it's eminently clear to me that it is NOT a herringbone. (I urge Keith to check that box-set booklet - I know he has it - and see for himself.) It IS, however, a 000-28.

I've also confirmed that - as I'd thought - the covers of both 'Showcase' (1956) and 'Lonnie' (1958) show him holding the 000-21.

Therefore, he almost certainly owned both the 21 and the 28 concurrently.

Conway Hall recording: January 25th, 1957 - clearly the 000-21.

Who has the Bear Family set? Look at the booklet...
Cover: (1956) 000-28
P.3: 000-21 (date?)
P.12/13: 000-21
P.18/19/20/21: 000-28 (1957 or '58 - Jimmy's in the band)
P. 22-27: 000-21 (Conway Hall - Denny has the Hofner Committee)
P. 30: 0-17 (programme dated 8/56, but photo from much earlier)
P.34: 000-21 ('Showcase' session at IBC Studio August '56)

Note: This is the first photo that we know is immediately after his return from America - still no clue of a 000 Martin before that trip!

P.35: 0-17 (an old picture; who's the left-handed guitarist at his right?)

P.41: 0-17 (Is this shot with Beryl Bryden and Chris Barber? Seems likely, and probably predates his US trip AND his hit record!)
P.43: 000-28 (Les Bennetts has upgraded from his Hofner to his Gibson L-4 - 1960/61? It's from 'Putting On The Donegan')
P.48: 'More Tops With Lonnie' (sleeve - 000-28)
P.49: 'Tops With Lonnie' (sleeve - 000-21)
Back cover: A view of the Abbott - also on the sleeve of 'Relax With Lonnie'

I love having that box-set, but I do wish they'd taken more trouble with the captions to the pictures. There are a lot of loose ends.

Finally (you'll all be relieved to hear!): I wonder if he preferred the 21, but kept the 28 (slightly fancier) for TVs, etc? Just a thought.

I need to get out more.....

RR