Luthier Stories Video - Catching up with Stefan Sobell

Michael Watts · #1 08-26-2018, 04:39 AM

Hello everyone,

I spent a day this week with Stefan Sobell, arguably one of the finest instrument makers the UK has ever produced and certainly a pivotal figure in this Golden Age of steel string luthiery. His work with Martin Simpson led directly to a resurgence in interest in the luthier built guitar and to the worldwide influence of Dream Guitars on both the guitar buying public and luthiers alike.

I had last seen Stefan 8 years ago and was looking forward to recording his first ever guitar for my Iconic Instruments series on YouTube and spending the rest of the day hanging out and playing guitar. In essence that's exactly what happened, but I kept the mics and camera rolling throughout and can now share them with you in my latest Luthier Stories video.

This isn't an interview as much as two friends catching up and I hope you'll enjoy the conversation and the sublime guitars. I would advise headphones or good speakers for this one to avoid missing some of the detail of these incredible instruments.

BTW you can see that first Sobell guitar in this video too!

All the best

MDW

sakar12 · #2 08-26-2018, 06:39 AM

Always good to see a video from you, Michael.

TomB'sox · #3 08-26-2018, 07:25 AM

Thank you Michael, I enjoyed both videos a lot. I also very much enjoyed your segment previously submitted with Rory Dowling.

Wonderful to be able to do these and thanks for sharing.

Tom

Stefan Sobell · #4 08-26-2018, 10:46 AM

Michael, thank you for visiting to record this interview, which I greatly enjoyed. Also for the post interview editing, which must have taken a while.

To those who have watched the video, my apologies for answering Michael so slowly. I just about forgot this was for a video and took far too long considering my replies. Michael should have brought along an electric cattle prod and given me a jab from time to time.

But I hope that, despite this, you enjoyed Michael's video.

Stefan Sobell

TomB'sox · #5 08-26-2018, 11:15 AM

Welcome to the forum Mr. Sobell. I hope you look around and enjoy it as much as us common folk do!!!!

justonwo · #6 08-26-2018, 12:01 PM

Great interview. Thanks for sharing it.

Michael Watts · #7 08-27-2018, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakar12

Always good to see a video from you, Michael.

Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy the next ones too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Thank you Michael, I enjoyed both videos a lot. I also very much enjoyed your segment previously submitted with Rory Dowling.

Wonderful to be able to do these and thanks for sharing.

Tom

Thanks for watching Tom and for your kind words. I look forward to sharing more in the future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan Sobell

Michael, thank you for visiting to record this interview, which I greatly enjoyed. Also for the post interview editing, which must have taken a while.

To those who have watched the video, my apologies for answering Michael so slowly. I just about forgot this was for a video and took far too long considering my replies. Michael should have brought along an electric cattle prod and given me a jab from time to time.

But I hope that, despite this, you enjoyed Michael's video.

Stefan Sobell

Ha! There you are! Welcome to the AGF Stefan, it's a friendly place. As for slowness, your slow gear is most people's fast so I wouldn't worry about that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by justonwo

Great interview. Thanks for sharing it.

Thank you sir, always a pleasure

JoeCharter · #8 09-09-2018, 05:18 PM

This was a great video to watch with just the right amount of talking and playing. Can't think of any luthier "interviews" that are better done than this.

Michael Watts · #9 09-09-2018, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeCharter

This was a great video to watch with just the right amount of talking and playing. Can't think of any luthier "interviews" that are better done than this.

Thank you my friend, that means a lot to me!

Deft Tungsman · #10 09-10-2018, 08:01 AM

This is a superb interview. I felt like I was THERE.

Beautiful guitars, beautiful playing. Great conversation, great editing.

Thanks so much, Michael, for taking the time and sharing your experience with all of us!

Codfather · #11 09-10-2018, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeCharter

This was a great video to watch with just the right amount of talking and playing. Can't think of any luthier "interviews" that are better done than this.

so true.....

Joel Teel · #12 09-10-2018, 08:31 AM

Mr. Sobell...a well thought-out response is always preferable... no matter the amount of time that it takes to present it. I never once, though, found this interview to be the slightest bit boring or slow. Thank you for taking the time to share a little bit of ”You” with all of “Us,” Sir.

Michael...thank you for sharing this piece with us all. You never fail to entertain me with your videos...not to mention your playing. You are engaging, kind and funny...and simply come across as a genuinely nice human being. In today’s world, your caliber of person is golden...and appreciated. I look forward to meeting you in person, and hearing you play live one day.

Joel

Michael Watts · #13 09-11-2018, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman

This is a superb interview. I felt like I was THERE.

Beautiful guitars, beautiful playing. Great conversation, great editing.

Thanks so much, Michael, for taking the time and sharing your experience with all of us!

I'm so glad! That's exactly how I was hoping you'd feel! Thanks so much for watching!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codfather

so true.....

Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Teel

Mr. Sobell...a well thought-out response is always preferable... no matter the amount of time that it takes to present it. I never once, though, found this interview to be the slightest bit boring or slow. Thank you for taking the time to share a little bit of ”You” with all of “Us,” Sir.

Michael...thank you for sharing this piece with us all. You never fail to entertain me with your videos...not to mention your playing. You are engaging, kind and funny...and simply come across as a genuinely nice human being. In today’s world, your caliber of person is golden...and appreciated. I look forward to meeting you in person, and hearing you play live one day.

Joel

Thank you Joel, I am truly humbled by your kind words and I hope to share many more videos with you in the future. I'm filming one tomorrow in fact!

All the best

MDW

TomB'sox · #14 09-11-2018, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Teel

Mr. Sobell...a well thought-out response is always preferable... no matter the amount of time that it takes to present it. I never once, though, found this interview to be the slightest bit boring or slow. Thank you for taking the time to share a little bit of ”You” with all of “Us,” Sir.

Michael...thank you for sharing this piece with us all. You never fail to entertain me with your videos...not to mention your playing. You are engaging, kind and funny...and simply come across as a genuinely nice human being. In today’s world, your caliber of person is golden...and appreciated. I look forward to meeting you in person, and hearing you play live one day.

Joel

I think we can make that happen Joel....

steveh · #15 09-11-2018, 01:22 PM

I fist became obsessed with Sobells around 16 years ago. The internet was in its infancy and there was little information regarding them barring a few revered quotes from Martin Simpson in the odd guitar mag. Indeed, part of the allure was the mystery that seemed to surround them, at least to a guy like me who was used to Lowdens and Fyldes etc.

I remember calling Stefan all those years back and asking how much one cost - 2K - twice as much as a Lowden at the time! In the end I cracked and got one (a Model 0) and that guitar was the instrument that changed me into someone very serious about playing guitar as a hobby. It was on a different planet to anything I'd laid hands on previously. It kick-started my GAS (gee, thanks for that - not!), and I ended up buying one from Martin S, a lovely scantling BRW Model 1 that he brought along to a workshop.

I would have killed (well, not literally...) to have seen a video like this back then. It's stuffed full of very valuable information straight from the horses mouth, and you get to hear the guitars played expertly as well, and well recorded. What's not to like?

And also, nothing wrong at all with people who think before they open their mouth...

Cheers,
Steve