A bit of an impulse buy! I was playing at Sidmouth Folk Week in summer 2018 and found myself wandering around the luthiers area between gigs. I hadn’t seen Colin Kendall for quite some time so stopped by for a chat and catch-up, which inevitably led to my trying a few of his latest instruments. One mandolin in particular was amazing – bright, clear and with an astonishingly long sustain. Unlike most stringed instruments, the soundboard hadn’t been varnished – instead Colin had oiled it, which made it freer to vibrate. Five minutes later the deal was done and I found myself with a new instrument!