Great Martin Simpson inverview: Lots of Taran guitar!

[steveh]

Just stumbled across this today - recent interview with Martin Simpson where he discusses custom built guitars in depth.

I was especially interested as he is playing his Taran Tirga Mhor extensively, and it was as humiliating as ever to witness the gulf between his playing and my own on the same instrument (my excuse is that I have a different day job...).



Quite a few on here with Tarans and his Turnstone makes an appearance as well.

I'm seeing Martin in London next month so will get to hear it in person. I've heard him playing Sobells (and latterly PRS) more times than I can count.

Cheers,
Steve

[Guitars44me]

Martin Simpson is the BOMB

That Taran is KILLER too

Cool stuff

Paul

[Borderdon]

Martin Simpson is the complete package, fantastic player, and a great story teller.
A concert several years ago is still a high water mark for me in terms of what a superb entertainer is.

[UKPhil]

Thanks Steve

[welshruss]

Thanks Phil, Martin is one big reason I got my Turnstone!

[FrankCousins]

Just a big ;-)

(..no criticism but under when this forum will update to a modern forum software so we can like posts ;-) )

[AllHat,NoCattle]

Martin’s also a really good person. I have no financial connection, but Martin teaches guitar classes every couple of years (not this year) at Richard Thompson’s annual 3-day guitar & songwriting camp near Woodstock— Frets & Refrains.

[jaymarsch]

Thanks for posting this. Martin is one of my favorites - guitar player, songwriter, storyteller, teacher. I did a Zoom workshop with him early in the pandemic and thoroughly enjoyed it. Attending one in person is on my bucket list.
Best,
Jayne

[boombox]

Originally Posted by steveh

I'm seeing Martin in London next month so will get to hear it in person. I've heard him playing Sobells (and latterly PRS) more times than I can count.

Cheers,
Steve

I've seen him twice in the last 9 months (and plan to see him again in the Autumn). Sets were very similar each time, but still well worth the multiple concerts, both for the playing and singing, and has been noted, the stories (unless you are a fan of the current occupants of Number 10!). For both shows, it was just him and the Taran (even more beautiful looking in person), not even a banjo. What is remarkable is the setup on the guitar which enables him to play slide as well as his normal finger picking. A sample from that March show:

[steveh]

Originally Posted by steveh

I'm seeing Martin in London next month so will get to hear it in person. I've heard him playing Sobells (and latterly PRS) more times than I can count.

Well Martin was on great form last night. The theme of his set was "songs about real people". I first saw him around 40 years ago and both his guitar playing and, especially, his voice have improved hugely over that time. He's also become a very competent songwriter.

He had the Taran alone. Sounded great, albeit with the Highlander quack that he likes when amplified. Lots of slide as well. Easily the sonic equal of any Sobell I've seen him with (indeed, many moons ago, I bought from Martin the Sobell he used for Kind Letters).

Cheers,
Steve