Dave and Cap't Bob,

Thanks for the welcome and the anecdotes.

Bob, as others have suggested here, have you tried tuning your twelve-string a full step or more below concert pitch? That might bring those "hope for the future" bars within reach vocally. BTW, is it the Guild twelve-string that has a double reinforced neck to prevent bowing? This has started to become a problem with my old Fender, and I have tuned it down a half step to reduce the tension on the neck.

Dave, Speaking of the north of England, I have been listening to some taped lessons by Richard Thompson recently, covering Irish and Scottish pipe and fiddle tunes transcribed for guitar. Richard also plays a Morris dance from the sixteenth century on that series. Wild stuff, but I absolutely can't play any of it on a twelve-string guitar. Need my six-string to get those double hammer-ons and bends. Richard rules!

--Finn