WHEN Crediton guitar maker Shaun Newman received an email from a musician in China in the spring he thought little more about it until the player said he was coming to England and would call down to talk guitars.

Shaun began making guitars more than 20 years ago after breaking both legs. He had to give up sport and returned to the guitar he used to play in his 20s.

From that came his passion for the classical guitar and, to keep his practical mind busy during that time, he began learning how they were made.

Joining a class run by master craftsman guitar maker, David Oddy in Exeter, Shaun added to his knowledge of wood and wood working tools gained from when he made furniture as a hobby.

Since then Shaun has made a number of guitars, mainly concert classical instruments, but also other stringed instruments such as renaissance harps, mandolins, hammered dulcimer (he is making one now) and ukuleles.

“In February I had an email as a result of my website from this chap called Jim, which seemed an European name, and it turned out he worked for a management company in Hong Kong but lived in China, and was Chinese,” said Shaun.

“His email said he was a professional musician and had always wanted a hand-made guitar. He would be coming to this country in June. I explained my terms and just thought it was another speculative enquiry.

“Then I had another email, he would be coming in July. Then he rang to say he and his wife were in Bath and would come to Crediton by train.

“So I met them at the station and this was where I had my first idea of Chinese culture and politeness. It really was delightful.

“So often when someone comes to look at my guitars, maybe to order one, they’ll quite quickly begin to play.

“Not Jim. He said he needed to know my soul because that would be in the guitar, so we talked. He picked up a guitar and plucked each string separately until the sound had completely disappeared, listening intently.

“Then we talked about the type of woods I’d use and why each would suit the sound Jim wanted, the decoration, how the instrument would be made,” added Shaun.

He ended up making a left hand guitar for the left-handed Jim who also ordered a right handed guitar for his niece.

On both Shaun used rosewood for the backs from the same Indian plantation rosewood tree (nothing to do with our rosebushes).

The fronts were of spruce, the finger boards and headstock made of ebony, the necks of Brazilian mahogany with the inlay on one being of cocoblo rosewood and on the other it is tulip wood and sycamore.

Sue Read