My first guitar was an Eko six string, three quarter size I think, certainly not a dreadnought.

I was thirteen, and worked on Saturdays in a filling station and saved up for it.

When I got it I was a pleased as punch, my parents helped me tune it with their piano

It was quite soon afterwards when I realised that it shouldn't have been tuned to one octave.

Back to the shop, where they repaired it and told me the error of my ways. Then with a couple of guitar books, and a Bob Dylan LP, shut myself in my bedroom and practiced and practiced.

It paid off, I've had over forty years of pleasure playing guitar, and I'm still learning.

I've owned loads of guitars over the years, although as a result of playing in the sixties I can't remember what they all were, I've ended up now with a hand made Preacher guitar which I love, oh and a few others scattered round the house.

But that little Eko started it all

Stuart Pendrill