My first guitar show of the year, and it was probably the biggest one I’ve done in a long time.
Guitar shows are a good opportunity to try my guitars and to speak to me about what work I do on them. Plus it’s great for me, as I venture out the workshop and get to meet actual people.
The Location
This was my first time at the Birmingham guitar show, and it didn’t disappoint. The show has been running a long time, but more recently moved to The New Bingley Hall in Birmingham. It consisted of two levels, the lower ground being mainly electric guitars and equipment, whilst the upstairs had mainly acoustic guitars.
The Guitars
At the Birmingham Guitar Show I managed to bring 3 guitars with me. An S-12 model, P-16 model and the brand new P-8 Nylon Crossover guitar. The whole weekend was spent chatting and enjoying people playing my guitars and also seeing some friends, A.J Lucas guitars, Turnstone Guitars and James’ Home of Tone. We even had a special visit from Katherine Priddy, who plays a McClaren P-16 and took time our from her current UK tour to see us.
It was very interesting to see which guitars people gravitated towards on my stand, and the different tastes people had. Thankfully the new P-8 guitar got a lot of attention and enjoyed testing it out, both acoustically and on the AER amp. This was the first time anyone had seen this guitar as it is my latest model which had only been finished a couple of days previous.
The other guitar in the Performance Series range, the P-16 also caught the attention of a lot of people. The best of everything guitar, great for gigging and playing at home, was enjoyed by a lot of people who also got to try it out through the AER amp, and many asking when the next batch of them would be available.
Finally the S-12 model, which allows for a lot of customisation and a very responsive guitar, managed to be heard over all the noise going on elsewhere, despite it’s small size. The stunning Ebony back and sides and flamed maple decoration on this guitar helped catch the eye of almost everyone. And when someone was playing it, it always drew a crowd.
The People
Birmingham Guitar Show was a fun one! It was a pleasure to catch up with old friends and meet some fantastic up-and-coming artists. We had the pleasure of Billy Watman stopping by the stand and playing the P8 Guitar. Playing it even blew his hat off, I couldn’t believe it!
After a long weekend, I felt rejuvenated to get back in the workshop and carry on the guitar making side of things. But first, a pit stop at The Wetherby Whaler in Wetherby before I got home.
Other Upcoming Events I’m Attending
‘The Guitar Show’ was the first of many this year. If you’re interested in coming long and trying a McClaren Guitar at a show, I’ll be at all of the below shows this year. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
