There’s an old saying “You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince” I feel the same way about instruments. Over the years, I have bought a lot of electric and acoustic instruments and before purchasing, have played a great deal more. Prior to being totally seduced by the ukulele, I was (and still am but to a lesser extent) a guitar collector. I started out collecting electric instruments and really wanted to find an acoustic.
On numerous occasions, I set out with the intention to buy one. Once in Paris I must have played 20+ Taylor guitars at all price levels, but although they played fine, I didn’t love any of them. Its only when I was in Rudy’s Music in New York that I found the first acoustic I loved, a Santa Cruz small bodied acoustic that I still have today. When Mandolin Brothers existed in Staten Island NY, I again spent an afternoon playing over 30 instruments before picking up a Collings made from Brazilian Rosewood which sounded and played better than anything else in the store, including some Martin and McPherson guitars that cost thousands of dollars more.
The first ukulele I bought was a pre-production Collings UC1 from Zeke at Matt Umanov Guitars in New York. I have always loved Collings instruments and never found one that didn’t sound or play brilliantly. I had no idea how to play this uke or even how to tune it, but it sounded brilliant. Another time in Heartman Guitars in Tokyo I again tried out 20+ ukuleles before settling on a Shimo Comet 3 tenor that was used on The Small Change Diaries first album. It was quite simply by far the best sounding and playing instrument in the store and since then I have commissioned and now possess a sister Comet with Dtar pickup that’s being used on the new album due for release in 2017.
Two other instruments that blew me away were both introduced to me by Martin Simpson, a Stefan Sobell New World African Blackwood acoustic and a Sobell Mandola. Both are extraordinary. The New World inspired me to commission Rob Collins to build me a tenor ukulele which has become my essential live instrument with the band. The “keepers” in terms of instruments have some magical element that makes me want to sit and play them for hours and hours. Although some of these instruments are considered high end and come with a price to suit, price is not always the factor that makes for “a prince”. Sometimes an instrument can look fantastic, but for whatever reason doesn’t really have that level of seduction. I’m usually a fan of plain looking instruments but once in Ukulele Mania in Tokyo I surprised myself in buying a serious flash looking Peter Lieberman soprano ukulele. It just sounded fantastic and has been used on the next band album. This year I also finally bought a National Reso which was in the store. For the first time, I really got why folks like Phil Dolemen love these instruments. I just couldn’t put in down and brought it back to the UK.
Such instruments form a special connection inspiring a wealth of sonic possibilities. It’s an absolute privilege and joy to own and play such instruments. In 2017 I’m going to add a Collings tenor guitar to the growing family.
I have no doubt that this will also inspire the creation of some new music. I never set out to be a collector, but I can’t think of a better use of my income and I can’t see this trend slowing down anytime soon…