Many years ago, when I was first starting out as a guitar player, I went through many, many guitars: I had what all musicians seems to have . . . . gear lust. I had it bad and went through Gibson, Ibanez, Yamaha and all manner of guitars in my quest for the perfect guitar for me.

I thought I had found it in the shape of a beautiful Yamaha SG20000S. However, I discovered after buying it that I would rather look at it than play it: it really was a stunning instrument, though, but I soon regretted parting with my 1972 Gibson SG to get it.

And then I rather fancied owning a Fender Stratocaster. I tried one in a shop and quite liked it. If nothing else, it slowed my playing down, as it seemed to have a slower neck than my previous Gibson like guitars.

Anyway, I placed my order and waited 6 weeks or something for it to come from the US.

Guess what happened next? That’s right . . . .  I got it home and discovered that I really didn’t like it at all! I just could not make it sound like a Gibson SG!

So, it sat in its case for about a year before I made a concerted effort to get it to sing. And then, all of a sudden, I got my sound: the sound I have had since that time. Doesn’t matter whether I use a valve amp, a solid state amp, a hybrid or virtual amp…….. for some reason, since having my epithany with the guitar all those years ago, it does my bidding.

And that guitar, though looking only slightly worn after all these years, has seen me through many gigs, 20+ albums and sessions and hundreds of unreleased recordings. And in all that time I have remained faithful to it.

I admit to looking enviously at a PRS or Parker Fly….. but when it comes right down to it, I love my Strat and it will be with me until I pop my clogs. And then it will be passed onto my son.