John Bailey (luthier)
Encyclopedia
John Bailey was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
who made and repaired guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and other stringed instruments during the 1960s revival of English folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and beyond. Bailey lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until 1972 when he moved to Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. He continued to make instruments there into the 1990s.
Books
He wrote two textbooks on making instruments, Making a Folk Guitar and Making an Appalachian Dulcimer, that were published by The English Folk Dance and Song SocietyEnglish Folk Dance and Song Society
The English Folk Dance and Song Society was formed in 1932 when two organisations merged: the Folk-Song Society and the English Folk Dance Society. The EFDSS, a member-based organisation, was incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee in 1935 and became a Registered Charity The English Folk...
, Cecil Sharp
Cecil Sharp
Cecil James Sharp was the founding father of the folklore revival in England in the early 20th century, and many of England's traditional dances and music owe their continuing existence to his work in recording and publishing them.-Early life:Sharp was born in Camberwell, London, the eldest son of...
House.
Illustrated with line drawings, cover designs by Bailey's wife Maurine and a few photographs by Russ Woolnough, these scarce booklets are titles in The Folk Shop Instrumental Series; complete texts on how to make acoustic folk-style instruments.
George Lowden
George Lowden
George Lowden is a guitar maker, luthier, based in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. He constructs acoustic guitars, steel and nylon strung.-Company:...
the Irish luthier has talked about the influence of Bailey's book at the start of his professional career as a luthier:
"1973 - After a fair bit of prayer! (I needed all the help I could get) I decided to make guitars professionally and armed with some wood, basic woodworking tools and an excellent booklet by English Luthier John Bailey, I began the journey."
Instruments
Bailey is credited with building the first 20th century Irish bouzoukiIrish bouzouki
The Irish bouzouki is a development of the octave mandolin adapted for Irish traditional and other folk music from the late 1960s onward.-Adoption for Celtic music:...
for John Pearse
John Pearse
John Pearse was a British guitarist, folk singer and music educator, who came to prominence in the 1960s presenting the popular BBC2 television guitar tuition series, Hold Down a Chord.-Life and career:...
, the guitarist and author, who recalls in a usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
message on 16 January 2000:
"your mention of the "Irish" bouzouki prompts me to admit responsibility for its introduction, albeit unwittingly. Back in the late fifties and early sixties I was teaching guitar at the English Folk Dance and Song Society HQ on Regents Park Road in London's Camden TownCamden Town-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
. At that time I was obsessed with Greek music and was gigging with a pretty cheap bouzouki that I'd picked up in PiraeusPiraeusPiraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
. One night it got thoroughly trashed during a fight at a local pub and I took it to luthier John Bailey, who was a regular at the EFDSS and had repaired it on many prior occasions. He pronounced it not repairable and offered to build me a replacement. Since he was not able to attempt a coopered bowl-back, I lent him an old Preston English citternCitternThe cittern or cither is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate its exact history, but it is generally accepted that it is descended from the Medieval Citole, or Cytole. It looks much like the modern-day flat-back mandolin and the modern Irish bouzouki and cittern...
to use as a model for the body of the instrument. In due time the bouzouki was finished and I started gigging with it. I found the sound somewhat too sweet for rembeticaRebetikoRebetiko, plural rebetika, , occasionally transliterated as Rembetiko, is a term used today to designate originally disparate kinds of urban Greek folk music which have come to be grouped together since the so-called rebetika revival, which started in the 1960s and developed further from the early...
and the intonationIntonation (music)Intonation, in music, is a musician's realization of pitch accuracy, or the pitch accuracy of a musical instrument. Intonation may be flat, sharp, or both, successively or simultaneously.-Interval, melody, and harmony:...
was rather suspect further up the neck, so, after I obtained a pukka Greek bouzouki the following year - a Yianacou - I hung the Bailey on the wall as a decoration. At that time, my house was the scene of constant partying. Whether or not I was in town, there always seemed to be a wild shindig taking place, judging by the constant complaints from the neighbours- and the monotonous regularity of visits from tall gentlemen, clad in blue, with firm requests to keep the noise down. On one one such evening, Johnny MoynihanJohnny MoynihanJohn "Johnny" Moynihan , is a folk singer based in Dublin, Ireland. He is often credited as being responsible for introducing the bouzouki and the Irish bouzouki into Irish music in the mid 1960s. Known as "The Bard of Dalymount", as a young man he played in the band Sweeney's Men with Andy Irvine,...
, from the Irish group Sweeney's MenSweeney's MenSweeney's Men was an Irish traditional band. They emerged from the late 1960s Irish roots revival, along with groups such as The Dubliners and the Clancy Brothers. The founding line-up in May 1966 was 'Galway Joe' Dolan, Johnny Moynihan and Andy Irvine....
, took down the Bailey from the wall and started to join in the musical revelry. He liked the instrument so much that, at evening's end, I gave it to him. About a year later I heard from John Bailey that he'd had dozens of requests from other Irish musicians wanting him to build flat-back bouzoukis. This he did...and the rest, as they say...is history!"
Notable users
Bailey's instruments have been played by many well known musicians:- Bert JanschBert JanschHerbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
's first instrument was a Zenith - 'marketed as the Lonnie DoneganLonnie DoneganAnthony James "Lonnie" Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
guitar' - which he was still playing as his star rose in the Sixties. "I borrowed the guitars on my first album - Martin CarthyMartin CarthyMartin Carthy MBE is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and later artists such as Richard Thompson since he emerged as a young musician in the early days...
lent me his Martin 0028. The prestige of owning a Martin was just beginning then. Later I had a hand-built guitar from John Bailey which I loved but which was stolen. Then after I left PentanglePentanglePentangle may refer to:*another word for a pentagram, a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes*Pentangle , a British folk-rock band*The Pentangle, the 1968 album by the band Pentangle...
I had a contract with YamahaYamahaYamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
, and the first thing they gave me was this FG1500. I first played it on LA Turnaround ; it got battered over the years, has burns on it and eventually I gave it to my son but retrieved it to get it restored."]]. Having owned a John Bailey acoustic for a few months (his first personally owned guitar since 1960), Bert had recently acquired an experimental Bailey electric, for use with the band (Pentangle), and a twelve-string acousticTwelve string guitarThe twelve-string guitar is an acoustic or electric guitar with 12 strings in 6 courses, which produces a richer, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar...
. That particular twelve string guitar is now owned by Soren Venema, owner of Palm Guitars in AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. - Gordon GiltrapGordon GiltrapGordon Giltrap is an English acoustic and electric guitarist and composer, whose musical styles cross multiple genres, including folk, blues, folk rock, pop, classical and rock....
: "I like their (Brook) guitars which sort of remind a little of my John Bailey that I used for SO many years on SO many albums!" "22nd July 2011: It is with great sadness that I received an e-mail from Maureen Bailey,the wife of John Bailey informing me that John passed away two days ago. John was without a doubt one of THE great pioneers of guitar making here in Britain. I shall be writing a more detailed dedication to this great man in next months news page. In the meantime we send our deepest condolences to his widow Maureen and their family. A sad day indeed. Gordon."!""Although it had been many years since I had seen John, he was always a part of my life through the beautiful guitars he made. I still own the stunning twin neck that he made in the late 60’s for guitarist and author Ralph Denyer. I bought the guitar in about 1975 and used it on stage, in the studio and featured it on album sleeves over the coming years. I guess the most iconic photograph of me with that guitar was on the inner sleeve of The VisionaryVisionary (Gordon Giltrap Album)Visionary is a 1976 studio album by guitarist Gordon Giltrap.The music is inspired by the words of poet William Blake.-Side one:#"Awakening"#"Robes And Crowns"#"From The Four Winds"#"Lucifer's Cage"#"Revelation"-Side two:...
album from 1976. I foolishly sold it in the early 80’s via Bert Jansch’s guitar shop. In fact Bert re strung that very guitar in order to sell it to a Mr John Garvey. Many years later I was able to purchase it back from John, and it has been with me ever since. It made its last appearance on my Guitar Maestros DVD. I acquired my first Bailey guitar in the late 60’s, brand new from the maker who I think took a shine to me and let me have it at a silly price of something like £70. Such was the generosity of John Bailey. Sadly I sold it a few years back when times got hard. I used the guitar for much of the 70’s and early 80’s and it has its place in my musical history on many a GG recording, specifically HeartsongPerilous Journey (album)Perilous Journey is a 1977 studio album by guitarist Gordon Giltrap.The album was remixed and re-released in 1998.-Personnel:*Gordon Giltrap - Guitars*Rod Edwards - Keyboards*John G Perry - Bass*Simon Phillips - Drums-External links:*""...
where I high strung it. It formed the logo for my re releases on VoiceprintVoiceprint RecordsVoiceprint Records is a company and record label based in England, founded in 1990 by Rob Ayling. They specialise in re-releasing old material, especially progressive rock, but also have new releases, all under the Voiceprint and other imprints....
. I really can’t remember all the many players that owned John’s instruments, but here is a list of just some that I can remember. Bert JanschBert JanschHerbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
, John RenbournJohn RenbournJohn Renbourn is an English guitarist and songwriter. He is possibly best known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career before, during and after that band's existence .While most commonly labelled a...
, Roy HarperRoy HarperRoy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
, Al StewartAl StewartAl Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
, Benny Gallagher, Richard ThompsonRichard ThompsonRichard John Thompson OBE is a British songwriter, guitarist and recording and performing musician. Highly regarded for his guitar techniques, Thompson was awarded the Orville H. Gibson award for best acoustic guitar player in 1991...
, Ralph DenyerBlonde on Blonde (band)Blonde on Blonde was a guitar-led psychedelic rock group from South Wales.The band was originally formed in Newport in 1967 by vocalist/guitarist Ralph Denyer, drummer Les Hicks, bassist/organist Richard Hopkins and guitarist/sitar player Gareth Johnson...
, Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
. There are many more believe me! The first Bailey guitar I saw was being played by Bert Jansch at Les CousinsLes Cousins (music club)Les Cousins was a folk and blues club in the basement of a restaurant in Greek Street, in the Soho district of London. It had its heyday during the British folk music revival of the mid-1960s and was notable as a venue in which musicians of that period met and learnt from each other...
, and I immediately fell in love with its looks and sound and vowed that one day I would have one. I can still remember asking Bert the make of his guitar. In fact it was the first time I had ever spoken to the man. How ironic that our first conversation should be in reference to a John Bailey guitar! I would dearly love to get my original one back or even own a nice example of a six string, but I doubt one will come up for sale, such is their rarity these days. John was indeed a pioneer of guitar making and was, to my knowledge one of the first to write a book about building a steel string guitar. This man will be greatly missed, and it was whilst going through my drawer of bits and pieces that I found a lovely note from him along with a brand new hand written label to go in my twin neck if I decided to replace the rather torn original. I decided to stick with the original. Maybe I shall frame that note and label as a memory of the great man! We shall miss getting a Christmas card from John and Maureen. John was indeed a pioneer and the first and probably last of his kind. The last time I actually saw John was when he attended my first wedding in 1970. He gave as a wedding present a beautiful Appalachian DulcimerAppalachian dulcimerThe Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
with heart shaped sound holes, which I used in concert and on an album track in 1973. The piece was called Spellbrook Meadow. Rest in peace John." - Roy HarperRoy HarperRoy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
: Then there's my own man, John Bailey. I haven't seen John for years but we're in contact. He made me a guitar years ago that is still in use. He is threatening to make me another at the moment. Says he's still got some of the same wood! Wood .. Now there's a thing. Different properties. I think that BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian RosewoodRosewoodRosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
is better than Indian for guitar making. I'm back playing my old Bailey now. It has its faults, like it's difficult to tune the B string!, and it doesn't strum as well as it picks. Nevertheless, it reminds me of 'Flat Baroque and BerserkFlat Baroque and BerserkFlat Baroque and Berserk is the fourth album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper, and was first released in 1970 by Harvest Records.-History:...
' every time I play it. So, of a night, I just settle into playing that there A minor chord that goes with 'Davey' or the D in 'East of the Sun' and I'm off and running again." - Richard Thompson: "On the early Fairport stuff, I would have borrowed my friend/producer Tod Lloyd's Martin D28, or used Sandy's Gibson J45. Tod then sold me his John Bailey Acoustic, which I used till 1972. To get a guitar set up, you went to your favourite West End music shop - Selmers, Macari's, Sound City... my Dad's old army buddy ran Lew Davis' in the Charing Cross Road, so I had a bit of an 'in' there. In the Fairport era, people like John Bailey and Sam Li would do refrets, and yer roadies would know who to take amps to, or blown speakers."
- Al StewartAl StewartAl Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
: John produced a six string guitar in black for Al Stewart in 1967 - Marc Brierley
- Anthony PhillipsAnthony PhillipsAnthony Edwin "Ant" Phillips is an English multi instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of the band Genesis. He played guitar and sang backing vocals until leaving in 1970, following the recording of their second album, Trespass...
(formerly guitarist with the band GenesisGenesis (band)Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
) played a Bailey six-string on the "Guitar Song" demo in 1973. This was experimentation with different guitars recording with two Revoxes. - Colin Wilkie: "In 1965, John Bailey custom built me a beautiful six-string guitar which I have used constantly ever since on gordnose how many gigs, TV & radio shows and recordings. I told him exactly what I wanted, and he built it for me ( the strange shaped soundhole - which I like - is the same as the one on my old Grimshaw, it's distinctive, and I've always believed if anyone nicked me Bailey I'd know it straight away from the soundhole alone, not to mention several other little distinguishing bits and pieces. She is, naturally, a wee bit battered ( rather like me) and scratched, but the tone just gets better and better. A truly amazing instrument, and I've never felt the need for another, nor had the desire to switch; he also built me, to my specifications, a 12-string guitar and a six-string mountain dulcimer, and made my wife, Shirley a 3-string dulcimer– John was certainly a master of his art: and a hell of a nice bloke too. All his instruments are invaluable and irreplaceable. I just took a quick butcher's at me homepage, and in all the pictures apart from the one with Odetta ( third in top row ) and the one with John Pearse ( I'm hammering his Martin – don't recall why –fourth in row four ) and the banjo and drums shots, it's always the Bailey I'm playing."
- Colan Campbell (formerly guitarist with the Australian folk band Extradition): "Firstly, if anybody is in touch with John then please give him my regards. We haven't met since 1965 when I went to his house to buy one of his experimental guitars. It was a Brazilian rosewood six-string, extremely deep, and the label simply read 'This guitar was made by John Bailey'. I played it throughout my years in Australia, including on a couple of albums, but it was stolen in Paris during the late 1970s. I'd dearly love it back, of course, and perhaps John has a photograph of it as I do not. He'll remember it, I'm sure, as he let me have it for a fraction of its worth. Anyway, good luck to you all and may the John Bailey legend flourish, deservedly.