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Michael Watson - Jazz Guitarist & Tutor 1923~2011
 
The
Bristol Spanish Guitar Centre was founded in Ellon Road, Bishopton in 1954
by Jazz and Classical guitarist Michael Watson, a student
of Andres Segovia. (Chris Gilbert has now run the centre for more than
25 years). For
nearly half a century the Centre has been the country’s premier
 source of
guitars, music, strings and accessories. The Spanish Guitar Centre was one on
the very first importers of instruments from guitar workshops all over Spain and
led the way in championing the talents of Luthiers in the U.K.
The Centre provides Instruments for the
complete beginner through to the concert player, with people travelling from all
over the country/world to make purchases, the Centre is a specialist in the
export of instruments worldwide. The
original aim of the Centre was to provide expert guitar tuition and it remains a
School of the Guitar, with tuition provided by professional guitarists, many of
whom also teach in schools and colleges throughout Bristol and the UK.
The Centre brought Segovia and Paco Pena to Bristol for
Guitar Concerts.
Elton Road location was the
site for the business through it's glory years, until it eventually
downsized to Coldharbour Road in the 1990s when Chris took it over.
Chris told me the other day that people still occasionally look for it
at Ellon Road. Also the statement that Chris has run the business
for over 25 years is debatable; I remember my Dad being still very much
involved with the centre in the early 90s.
Michael Watson's 1950's Blonde Archtop Guitar with
added Dearmond Pickup and unique Fretboard Inlays is an Epiphone Triumph
The
Triumph is essentially a Gibson L-7, or the poor-man's Deluxe
(or L-5)
16 3/8" wide, 25.5" scale, 3 ply binding on top
and back, sunburst finish, single bound fingerboard, bound peghead,
nickel plated parts. The Hollywood is the Tenor version of the Triumph,
and was available from 1934 to 1956 (renamed Triumph Tenor in 1937)
 I think that's an L-7c Dad's playing in the 'later' picture. He had an
L-5c too, but didn't tend to play it much whereas the L-7c was his
trusty 'workhorse'. - Nick Watson
Body size at
lower bout: 17". Scale
length: 25.4" Nut
Width: 1 11/16"
Finish: Sunburst
finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Hand-carved
solid spruce top; solid figured maple back; three-piece maple neck;
rounded Venetian cutaway; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with
split-parallelogram mother of pearl inlays; solid bone nut.
Hardware: original
hardware includes bevelled black 5-ply pickguard, Kluson Deluxe tuners
with single ring tulip keys, Gibson compensated adjustable rosewood
bridge, nickel triple parallelogram L-7 tailpiece.
The Gibson cutaway L-7C model was produced
between 1949 and 1972, and was constructed with the
same body size, bracing and scale length to its costly cousin, the L-5C.
A stunningly well preserved instrument with finely figured bubble maple
back, this guitar is notable in that it was finished with a full L-5
sunburst, including back, sides, neck and peghead, rather than the
typical top-only burst commonly seen on the L-7. (Apart from its nickel
hardware, this guitar as finished is otherwise identical to an L-12C.)
At just 5lb, 8oz (2.50kg) this guitar is a particularly lightweight
example, with exceptional acoustic volume, clarity and projection.
The neck is a gently rounded profile, and action is smooth and low over
fine original fretwork. A true vintage Gibson jazzer with a magnificent
voice, at a fraction of the cost of a comparable L-5,-a-kind beauty in
the rarest of rare birds.
Michael in later life gigging with his trusty workhorse the Gibson L-7CES first
introduced by Gibson in the late 40's (He also owned an L-5c - but that looks
like an L-5CES Tailpiece.) Thanks to Bugleboy - Bristol
Gibson L7
Born May 16th 1923
Died Nov 5th 2011 aged 88
Photo taken for the pseudonymed Micheal Delve Trio
- 1940 then Broadcasting on
BBC - anyone recognise the guitar inlays.
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PAUL
VERNON CHESTER
