Classical Music for Aficionados

Hi Jeremy, I had a few guitars in the years I was playing . I had two wonderful Lowden guitars , a jumbo one ( boy that thing could project and one that was the same size as the Martin D19 which was a lovely guitar to play. I also had a few nice classical guitars of which my favourite was a bespoke one made by William Kelday the man who makes guitars for Tony McManus the Scottish fingerstyle guitarist. In 1973 when I was taking lessons in classical style guitar I found out that I liked to play renaissance lute music and at the time to buy a lute was totally prohibitive as they could only be made as one offs and the cost was sky high. I did not let that deter me so I managed to get some plans and some tone woods and made my own seven course lute. It actually turned out not too bad and I then started playing William Byrd, Francis Cutting ,John Dowland and my idol JS Bach. I played those instruments for many years and I still have the lute lying unused in a cupboard for a good few years. I gave up some years ago when I was discovered to have diabetes and due to peripheral neuropathy I couldn't feel the strings beneath my fingers so I had to give up playing altogether.I now only listen to music but have to admit that it is piano music most of all that I am interested in.

If you got a year playing the majestic Renaissance music Jim , you did and got more than 99% of the human race !
I am very impressed and wish I had 10%  of the creative heart you have.

Thank you Len that is very kind of you.

Your Martin D19 is a surprise, as it is steel string.  And I thought you classical guitarists always played nylon string!I have a Martin 00028, which I love, best sounding guitar I have ever played.  Just a little smaller than your Martin  D.

Yes Jeremy you are right about the steel string guitars , but I had them as I liked to play many styles of guitar music as well as the classical . One of my favourite things to do was capo three frets up and play lute music on the steel stringed instruments, it gave a wonderful ring to the music.