CANTERBURY GUITAR MAKER ALISTER ATKIN MAKES PAUL´S BUDDY HOLLY COMMEMORATIVE GUITAR

A guitar maker from Canterbury has crafted an instrument for Paul.The extraordinary commission was given to Alister Atkin, who hand-builds custom acoustic guitars from his workshop on the Lakesview Business Park in Hersden.

It was the latest in a series of guitars he has made based on the Gibson J45 model used by rock and roll star Buddy Holly.

Paul with his new guitar Buddy Holly

The guitar – which contains a fret from one of Holly’s original instruments – was presented to The Beatles legend during his tour in Texas.

Dad-of-two Alister, 41, of Hillview Road, Canterbury, said: “I have made guitars for quite a few well-known musicians over the years but it doesn’t get much bigger than McCartney.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t there at the presentation, although he was apparently quite chuffed to get it. It would be nice to hear from him directly, but I doubt that will happen.”

 

Alister Atkin and the Buddy Holly commemorative guitar

Alister, who this year marks 20 years of guitar building, has so far made about 10 “Buddy Holly” replica acoustics, with recipients including country legend Dolly Parton, Sharleen Spiteri of Texas, Mick Jones from the Clash, Phil Everly and country guitar legend Albert Lee.

They were commissioned by the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, which aims to honour the musician’s legacy.

Each of the replica J45s is named after a Holly song – Paul’s is called That’ll Be The Day.

Ironically, the song was recorded as a demo by The Quarrymen, which comprised of Paul, John and George in 1958.

Just 16 months after The Crickets, featuring Buddy Holly, released the million-selling hit.

Holly kept his guitar in a decorative leather case, but because of Paul’s ethical views on animal welfare, his instrument has been hand-painted with the design instead.

A standard Atkin J45 from Alister’s workshop costs around £2,750, without the decorative leather casing. Paul’s version involved many hours of hand-painted artwork, completed by Simon Langton Boys’ art teacher Andy Howe.

He and Alister are now planning to collaborate on more unique painted-guitar projects.

Alister said: “It’s been a very exciting project to be involved with and has certainly helped raise the workshop’s profile across the world, and especially in America.”