The John Bailey Doubleneck

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Jon G
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The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Jon G » Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:13 pm

I found somebody asking about Gordon's doubleneck on a blog, and tried to reply unsuccessfully - "my identity could not be verified". So I thought, with "Duvet's" discovery of the very first Bailey, and with interest in John's work apparently increasing since his death, that I'd devote an entire webpage to a biography of the doubleneck.

It's at http://www.jongarvey.co.uk/doubleneck.html. Apologies for nicking any images from this website - I'll take them down if Hilary or Gordon feel their copyright is breached (but it seems to be in a good cause). I'll be happy to correct any inaccuracies as well, of course.

44 years of history ought to be celebrated, I feel!

Jon
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kevin
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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby kevin » Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:41 pm

Thats a really interesting web page and a great story. I love guitar history like that.

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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Duvet » Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:41 am

All hands on deck when it comes to the John's instruments I reckon... Good piece btw...

I think it was Nick Penny (a former pupil of John's) who suggested the idea of a dedicated JB website; the scope could be huge - a catelogue, biog, famous instruments, famous players, discography of recordings using JB's guitars etc etc... I think it was NP that did the wiki entry... I've been mulling on it... A bit of an undertaking to do, could be quite a project etc, but to pull together all the JB knowledge that is out there from first gen souces (whilst we all still have our marbles) might be a worthwhile endeavour and, from all that I have learnt, there is sufficient love out there for the man and his instruments to justify it.

David (DUVET :P )

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GORDON
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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby GORDON » Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:55 pm

I think a website dedicated to John's memory and his outstanding work is long overdue.

A lot of work indeed sir!

Be Well.

G.

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Roger
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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Roger » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:23 pm

We were lucky enough to see Gordon play "Sallie's Song" on this guitar a few years ago :D

Super stuff Jon - absolutely fascinating!

Roger

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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby GORDON » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:58 pm

Jon G wrote:I found somebody asking about Gordon's doubleneck on a blog, and tried to reply unsuccessfully - "my identity could not be verified". So I thought, with "Duvet's" discovery of the very first Bailey, and with interest in John's work apparently increasing since his death, that I'd devote an entire webpage to a biography of the doubleneck.

It's at http://www.jongarvey.co.uk/doubleneck.html. Apologies for nicking any images from this website - I'll take them down if Hilary or Gordon feel their copyright is breached (but it seems to be in a good cause). I'll be happy to correct any inaccuracies as well, of course.

44 years of history ought to be celebrated, I feel!

Jon


Hi Jon.

Just enjoyed reading your fascinating page on the twin neck. You know I can only remember making one call to you about the guitar and us having a fascinating conversation about its history having belonged to a certain GG. I tell the story often and it certainly brings a smile each time. Don't remember trying to knock you down on the price but knowing me I probably did. Hope you have forgiven me after all these years. I could have sworn I paid the asking price! Memory is a funny old thing especially at my age. See you at the next gig close to you I hope.

Be Well.

G.

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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Jon G » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:27 am

Hi Gordon

Well, it was a long time ago. Even Cynth disagrees on the details, but my memory, of course, is the gold standard... you still paid more than you sold it for (but I wasn't to know that!). I had no idea how to price a guitar, but factored in the refret, being a stingy bugger.

Hats off to Mr Bailey. Awhile ago I found a YouTube clip, from an old documentary, of Robin Williamson and Licky going to what was obviously John Bailey's house to buy a mandolin. I was going to link to it, but I can't find it now. It's a shame, because pictures of John, especially in his working environment, are rare. Does anybody have an Incredible String Band Documentary with a luthier on it??
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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby GORDON » Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:44 am

Hi Jon.

Many thanks for the "memory" posting. The bottom line is that I would probably have paid"anything" to get it back. I was bonkers to part with it in the first place, and God knows what crap I was going through at the time that effected my stupid brain to do such a thing! But you know I have sold SO many beautiful guitars that I later regret.Many of them had to be sold to pay bills....still the same today sadly.

It was poor old Bert Jansch who had the task of re-stringing it for re-sale. He moaned to me about the fact that it took him ages to do it. He had just come back from the pub which probably made it that much more of a task.

God rest his soul, I still miss him and Loren very much.

You be well Mr G.

G,

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Jon G
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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Jon G » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:36 am

Funnily enough he'd just come back from the pub when he sold it to me... but he was kindness itself to a nobody guitar player. Well I know he was about to make a sale, but the coffee was surplus to commercial requirements.

It did take a while to re-string (Ernie Ball 8's on the 12 and whatever I had for the Strat on the 6) but actually probably less time (for both necks) than a Rickenbacker 12, which is supremely fiddly even on my modded version with an open headstock.

The only guitars I really regret selling were my two Hofners, which weren't especially good but are now worth ten times what I got for them.
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Mike Stranks
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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Mike Stranks » Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:46 pm

Sorry chaps, but I'm going to take you from the sublime to the ridiculous now...

... of course, Peter Kay owns and plays a double-neck as shown here:

(The double-neck appears at about 2 mins 15 secs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhpI6Vkh8IY

:mrgreen:
The older I get, the better I used to be

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Re: The John Bailey Doubleneck

Postby Jon G » Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:08 pm

Anyone remember the "Play guitar like Chet Atkins" ads in Superman comics? Not that any of us had heard of Chet Atkins. But the ad was directed at people "who can't tell a guitar pick from a shovel."

Looks like Kay should have got the Bert Weedon book instead.
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