Always an emphatic yes

The guitar I have for going away on the boat is a Luna "Tattoo"; an impulse buy a couple of years ago between sound-check and going on stage (we were playing in town, so I killed the time between by wandering over to the local guitar shop). Very pretty, very lightweight, but not really a guitar but a "guitalele" which means it's tuned up to A, similar to a ukulele I believe, as opposed to the standard guitar tuning of E.

That can be quite interesting, and the nylon strings can carry a lovely, mellow tone. But it's also quite limiting. Something of a one trick pony.

The guitar has also become a favourite in the office, where she hangs on my office wall when I'm not sailing. And is probably missed more than me when I am away sailing and she comes with me.


I was in town with Nik on Saturday. Ostensibly to treat her to lunch, but I needed strings so dropped into Gloucester Soundhouse, my local music shop. And this "travel-sized" Tanglewood was just hanging there on a stand, begging to be picked up and played.

Okay, so I knew it was there as I'd spotted it on my last visit a couple of weeks before.

Cedar top, mahogany back and sides, steel strings, very light, very compact; perfect for the boat, a lovely low action that's a delight to play and a deliciously live sound. So she had to come home with me. Obviously.

Not to neglect Nikki, I did buy her lunch, and we also replaced her wedding ring. She lost the original down the back of a piano (we think; don't ask) about fifteen years ago and had been wearing mine ever since, but mine doesn't fit comfortably on her finger anymore, so it's back on mine.

The cost of the ring, guitar and lunch together could've brought me a radial rig for the Laser, which I might regret next Sunday, looking at the forecast, but for now I'm content with the compromise.

The following evening Nik and I went over her mum's to pay a visit after I'd finished sailing. Nik mentioned we'd replaced her ring, and mentioned in passing that I'd bought a new guitar.

"Does he really need another guitar?" asked her Mum.

Yes Lil, yes. I always need another guitar.

It's a bit like girls and handbags. Or my Nikki and her shoes. The answer to that question is always, always an emphatic yes.