In 1993, I saw Show of Hands at the Limelight in Aylesbury when they supported Ralph on a massive UK tour. I had never before heard a mandocello nor a cuatro and was fascinated by these instruments and the way Steve and Phil used them for both contemporary and traditional songs. These instruments were made by a certain David Oddy in Exeter.
David acquired his wood work skills from his father and made furniture when he worked for British Telecom. His first effort at making a guitar came from a magazine article. He says the result was awful! He was soon commissioned to build a mandocello and has gone on to make guitars, mandolins and cuatros. He has made instruments for Steve Knightley and Phil Beer, as well as other well known musicians such as Mike Silver and Chris Wood.
David has always loved Ralph’s music and guitar playing. So, when I heard that Ralph was playing in Exeter this year, I invited David and his wife Myra to join me. David kindly made me a guitar in 2001. My parents had just died and I wanted a guitar to mark the passing of this time. David has subsequently made me a beautiful cuatro which is always much admired in our folk club - that is, before I play it!
David decided it was time to put the record straight and ensure Ralph got his Oddy guitar. So, a beautiful David Oddy tenor guitar was presented to Ralph before the Exeter gig on the 2011 'Somewhere Down the Road' tour.
It was, as always, a fabulous evening and Ralph acknowledged his generous gift and the presence of the master luthier in the audience.
I have no doubt that in a while a new McTell composition will ring from the strings of this guitar and we will marvel at the genius which is David Oddy and Ralph McTell.
Mike Cohen
November 2011.
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