AFTER a late breakfast Margaret goes to see Catriona and Freya. I;d have liked to go too, but way too much on the to-do list.

After dealing with the daily routine stuff in the office I run through some banjo songs and ‘regular’ guitar stuff I haven’t played in a while then go back to the office to try and tie up some loose ends on the USA tour.

I’m really needing to draw a line under the booking side of things and move onto the promo. The tour is pretty much complete but there’s hints of two more shows that might come in. I contact folks behind both to let them know I’ll be starting artwork and promo this coming week, so if they’re a go-er I need to know asap.

I suddenly remember that I’d asked National Reso-Phonic to make sure there’s strap buttons on the signature guitar we’re developing…but I forgot that I use strap locks. I order a set on Amazon for shipping straight to National.

In the studio I mess with various versions – and tempos – of the Christmas guitar tracks. I’m not happy with the sound. Margaret comes across to listen and although the ‘notes’ are correct she agrees there’s something a little dead or lacking in dynamic. We’ll listen again tomorrow.

Martyn’s coming to take us along to theirs for dinner..while Maragret’s getting ready I mess with the National tricone in t he house. its got lighter gauge strings than my main guitars as I’ve been experimenting to find strings that might work in regular tuning as well as open tuning. I’m hoping that, if necessary, this signature guitar we’re pulling together will work in standard as well as open tuning so I can play an entire set on just one guitar,

Anyway, the Christmas song sounds quite nice on the tricone, so I decide that tomorrow (Sunday) I’ll take it to the studio and see how it compares to the tracks I’ve already laid down. I also mess with one of the other Christmas song ideas the publisher has asked me to look at.

Martyn arrives and takes us to the house where we have a fantastic meal and way too much to drink, Nice to have a catch up – we haven’t seen these guys in ages.

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