A Hour With Mick Johnson

[OLDEREK]

The name Mick Johnson has been mentioned around the sites for years in the world of The Shadows, I knew he had built guitars Strats for my friends and was mate's with Bruce Welch, but I had never laid eyes on him.............Having just got a swamp ash Strat body from the states I wanted to finish it a colour other than Fiesta Red !...........On asking around for advice the name Mick Johnson was recommended to me, I was lucky in getting his phone number..................Anyway after a brief chat on the phone Mick invited me to his house, and he also agreed to mix some wood dye for me to the colour I had in my head !!..........Having just bought a Sat Nav I put it to good use, and had a pleasant drive into the depths of Reading and arrived out side Mick's front door, the next hour in his company was so interesting, what a clever man he is, the quality of his workmanship is unbelievable no wonder he is kept so busy making guitars, it seemed that every five minuets I was looking at another work of art, along with his very humorous banter .........To meet somebody for the first time and to be treated to a private viewing of his wonderful hand built guitar's was a pleasure beyond belief...........Mick makes every part of the guitar himself from his own private stock of timber, he gave me a neck to look at that he is working on this week , it was fantastic to see it in progress, no wonder that the guitars carrying the Johnson logo on them are much sought after.........What a great bloke, and if you would like to have that dream guitar built by Mick Johnson send me a email and I'll give you his...........Thanks mick for helping me with my guitar colour.................

[Olsson]

You are really right Derek. Mick is a very nice person. He has helpt me many times and I am proud to know him. It is not many as Mick Johnson.

/Bertil

[George Geddes]

Absolutely super guy - and makes some gorgeous guitars

George

[apachepete]

And I Believe a Geordie

[OLDEREK]

You are correct Peter, I remember Mick telling me they were born within streets of each other..

[cockroach]

I may be wrong, but wasn't the late Jim Burns also a Geordie?

Perhaps that's why Hank and Bruce approached him to build them a new guitar (which eventually became the Marvin) when they had trouble with tuning the Fenders? People often feel more confident in dealing with their fellow regional people.

I'm sure I once heard a recording of a Shads radio interview, and Jim Burns was also interviewed and spoke jokingly about how Hank and Bruce locked him in a room(!) and 'pushed me tea through the door' until he redesigned the Marvin yet again and finally got it right- and he had a very strong Geordie accent!