</noinclude>Christopher J. Eccleshall (born 26 May, 1948) is an English luthier, guitar designer, guitar dealer and authorised repairer of Martin, Gibson and Guild guitars.
His main business is making custom-built acoustic and electric guitars, although he also produces a standard range of solid body electrics under the name "Electric Lady." He also makes solid bodied electric mandolins, acoustic mandolins, mandolas and bouzoukis.
Eccleshall originally trained as a violin maker with W. E. Hill and Sons of Bond Street, London, who at the time were the number one violin company in the world. He was also an engineer in the Fleet Air Arm. Later he moved to Ealing Strings at Ealing Common, London. During this time Eccleshall still found time to make and repair guitars, eventually becoming so busy he set up his own workshop and went into making guitars full-time. British guitar makers were virtually unheard of at the time, but Eccleshall was one of the first to win recognition, along with Tony Zemaitis and John Birch. Week after week the three were involved in a competition to get their outlandish guitar designs onto Top of the Pops during the heyday of British Glam Rock. Although his name is better known to insiders than to the general public, Eccleshall is now well established as one of the world's leading guitar makers.
Celebrity customers
Over the years Eccleshall's customers have included Pete Townshend, Dave Davies, David Bowie, Rory Gallagher, Paul Weller, Davey Arthur (The Fureys), The Sweet, The Cure, The Levellers, New Order, The Alarm, This Picture, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Richard Stilgoe and Richard Digance.
Collaborations
In the early 1980s Eccleshall struck a licensing deal with the Japanese-made brand Kimbara to make and distribute an Eccleshall-designed Stratocaster-style guitar. Eccleshall travelled to the Japanese factory to supervise the setup and was very pleased with Japanese engineering standards. These guitars are very rare in Europe and are mostly now in Japan and America.
In 1986 Eccleshall uprooted from his native Ealing to move to Dartington and a few years later moved again to Buckfastleigh. In 2008 he met local timberman and guitarist Eddie Cameron and together they began a new series of co-designed guitars handmade by Eccleshall to a standard design and marketed under the name Electric Lady, again based on the Stratocaster but with locally sourced timber and British humbucking pickups.
Training
Eccleshall has worked with many apprentices and assistants and has trained and advised other luthiers including George Lowden and Kevin Chilcott throughout his career.
Innovations
Eccleshall has been responsible for several inventions for which he never received the credit, including housing the guitar neck's truss rod in an alloy U-channel, created the first sideless hardtail bridge for Telecasters - without the original design's raised edges to hold the pickup cover which hardly anyone uses, and pioneered rectangular-block Telecaster/Stratocaster bridge saddles which are now the standard type. He also built a solid body electric sitar - not a sitar guitar but a real sitar - for the late John Perkins.
Historic guitars
Eccleshall was responsible for rebuilding Pete Townshend's smashed guitars until he found it too upsetting to continue. He still possess an SG body with a Meher Baba sticker from that era. He was Rory Gallagher's favoured guitar technician from 1971 to 1985, rebuilding and re-fretting his battered Fender Stratocaster at least 15 times (including a neck change), and was responsible for disabling the Strat's vibrato mechanism using a wooden block, a modification he was later also commissioned to apply to Eric Clapton's "Blackie".
Original designs
The Eccleshall Scimitar (24.75" scale), Barracuda (25.5") and Excalibur bass have original shapes based on outward curves, rather than the inward curves of traditional electric guitars derived from the rounded classical guitar.
Variations
Eccleshall's C Model has a classic size body, but for steel strings. Many of Eccleshall's standard designs are modified versions of shapes associated with Gibson guitars. His B Model is based on the J-200 acoustic, but is smaller. The Kestrel and Falcon electric guitars have solid bodies but with a 335 outline. The MC Model has the 175 outline but in 3/4 size with a slimline body. His 335 style bass is a unique hollow bodied instrument used by Eddie Macdonald of The Alarm, Peter Hook of New Order and Simon Gallup of The Cure. Eccleshall's solid electric mandolin is used by many electric folk bands and features a pickup hand-wound by Eccleshall.
His main business is making custom-built acoustic and electric guitars, although he also produces a standard range of solid body electrics under the name "Electric Lady." He also makes solid bodied electric mandolins, acoustic mandolins, mandolas and bouzoukis.
Eccleshall originally trained as a violin maker with W. E. Hill and Sons of Bond Street, London, who at the time were the number one violin company in the world. He was also an engineer in the Fleet Air Arm. Later he moved to Ealing Strings at Ealing Common, London. During this time Eccleshall still found time to make and repair guitars, eventually becoming so busy he set up his own workshop and went into making guitars full-time. British guitar makers were virtually unheard of at the time, but Eccleshall was one of the first to win recognition, along with Tony Zemaitis and John Birch. Week after week the three were involved in a competition to get their outlandish guitar designs onto Top of the Pops during the heyday of British Glam Rock. Although his name is better known to insiders than to the general public, Eccleshall is now well established as one of the world's leading guitar makers.
Celebrity customers
Over the years Eccleshall's customers have included Pete Townshend, Dave Davies, David Bowie, Rory Gallagher, Paul Weller, Davey Arthur (The Fureys), The Sweet, The Cure, The Levellers, New Order, The Alarm, This Picture, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Richard Stilgoe and Richard Digance.
Collaborations
In the early 1980s Eccleshall struck a licensing deal with the Japanese-made brand Kimbara to make and distribute an Eccleshall-designed Stratocaster-style guitar. Eccleshall travelled to the Japanese factory to supervise the setup and was very pleased with Japanese engineering standards. These guitars are very rare in Europe and are mostly now in Japan and America.
In 1986 Eccleshall uprooted from his native Ealing to move to Dartington and a few years later moved again to Buckfastleigh. In 2008 he met local timberman and guitarist Eddie Cameron and together they began a new series of co-designed guitars handmade by Eccleshall to a standard design and marketed under the name Electric Lady, again based on the Stratocaster but with locally sourced timber and British humbucking pickups.
Training
Eccleshall has worked with many apprentices and assistants and has trained and advised other luthiers including George Lowden and Kevin Chilcott throughout his career.
Innovations
Eccleshall has been responsible for several inventions for which he never received the credit, including housing the guitar neck's truss rod in an alloy U-channel, created the first sideless hardtail bridge for Telecasters - without the original design's raised edges to hold the pickup cover which hardly anyone uses, and pioneered rectangular-block Telecaster/Stratocaster bridge saddles which are now the standard type. He also built a solid body electric sitar - not a sitar guitar but a real sitar - for the late John Perkins.
Historic guitars
Eccleshall was responsible for rebuilding Pete Townshend's smashed guitars until he found it too upsetting to continue. He still possess an SG body with a Meher Baba sticker from that era. He was Rory Gallagher's favoured guitar technician from 1971 to 1985, rebuilding and re-fretting his battered Fender Stratocaster at least 15 times (including a neck change), and was responsible for disabling the Strat's vibrato mechanism using a wooden block, a modification he was later also commissioned to apply to Eric Clapton's "Blackie".
Original designs
The Eccleshall Scimitar (24.75" scale), Barracuda (25.5") and Excalibur bass have original shapes based on outward curves, rather than the inward curves of traditional electric guitars derived from the rounded classical guitar.
Variations
Eccleshall's C Model has a classic size body, but for steel strings. Many of Eccleshall's standard designs are modified versions of shapes associated with Gibson guitars. His B Model is based on the J-200 acoustic, but is smaller. The Kestrel and Falcon electric guitars have solid bodies but with a 335 outline. The MC Model has the 175 outline but in 3/4 size with a slimline body. His 335 style bass is a unique hollow bodied instrument used by Eddie Macdonald of The Alarm, Peter Hook of New Order and Simon Gallup of The Cure. Eccleshall's solid electric mandolin is used by many electric folk bands and features a pickup hand-wound by Eccleshall.
The Strategic Leadership Consultation is an annual think-tank summit for leaders of European community organizations and churches. The summit focuses on engaging the future of society in a proactive way and moving European societies forward in a positive direction. Guest contributors at this forum have included social campaigner Steve Chalke MBE, Reinhard Bonnke, Dr. Joel Edwards and futurists Dr. Tom Sine and Dr. Patrick Dixon.
The event, launched in 1998 and often held in different European capitals, is hosted by author, speaker and broadcaster Mal Fletcher and sponsored by Next Wave International, a London-based communications company. More than 200 leaders of major community networks have attended the summit, from 20 nations.
The 2006 event was filmed for a series of TV programs which were seen in various parts of the world on satellite and cable providers.
Notes and references
The event, launched in 1998 and often held in different European capitals, is hosted by author, speaker and broadcaster Mal Fletcher and sponsored by Next Wave International, a London-based communications company. More than 200 leaders of major community networks have attended the summit, from 20 nations.
The 2006 event was filmed for a series of TV programs which were seen in various parts of the world on satellite and cable providers.
Notes and references
SCAF (Southern California Anarchist Federation) was a decentralized, regional network of anti-authoritarian collectives from Southern California. Formed in the beginning of 2004 by several individuals belonging to collectives spread throughout Southern California, the purpose of the federation was to provide a forum for groups and individuals to network, build solidarity, share resources, and help each other with local projects. The chapters included members from Orange County, the Antelope Valley, and Los Angeles.
Various collectives formed from the federation involving labor support, a youth collective, and a women's collective.
The Southern California Anarchist Federation disbanded in 2006.
Various collectives formed from the federation involving labor support, a youth collective, and a women's collective.
The Southern California Anarchist Federation disbanded in 2006.
PLW Entertainment Ltd is an independent record label based in Melbourne, Australia. Operations include music production, artist management, publishing and digital distribution.
History
PLW Productions was established in 1997 by Paul Wiltshire as a one-man operation, writing and producing music from a studio set up in his own lounge room. Within the year he progressed from doing simple demos and band tracks for off-the-street clients to working with some of the biggest names in the Australian music industry. Through his doors over the next few years came the likes of Vanessa Amorosi, Delta Goodrem, Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and Ross Wilson.
Later the company expanded into a purpose built recording studio in Port Melbourne. This move brought more diverse work, including TV and radio advertising and several albums for artists including Tania Doko (of Bachelor Girl), Mike Brady and Monique Brumby.
It was at this stage that Paul explored the world of artist development, creating several acts, one of which was a young vocalist named Tali, when he successfully created an alliance with Michael Gudinski’s label, Liberation Music. Tali was released in 2001 and enjoyed media support and high rotation airplay on major radio networks throughout Australia. It was also that year which saw Paul work with US-based production team The Matrix. As a result of this association, Paul was signed to Sandy Roberton of Worlds End America, one of the largest Producer Managers in the U.S.
In 2003 Paul teamed up with songwriter Victoria Wu and PLW Studios began operating out of Los Angeles. Over the next few years, the pair went on to write and produce for artists such as The Backstreet Boys and for contestants from the Australian Idol TV Series.
In 2006 a new PLW office was established in South Melbourne, Australia. The newly-named PLW Entertainment Limited, now an unlisted public company, expanded to include artist management, publishing and digital distribution alongside production services.
Subsidiaries
*PLW Content
*PLW Management
*PLW Music Publishing
*PLW Productions
PLW Artists
* Sam Clark
* Trinity
* Magenta Harley
* Goodbyemotel
* Velvet City
* Art Of Wor
* Carmen Fraser
Artists who have worked with PLW
* Backstreet Boys
* Anthony Callea
* Shannon Noll
* Guy Sebastian
* Dean Geyer
* Ricki Lee Coulter
* Kate DeAraugo
* Kate Alexa
* Casey Donovan
* Paulini
* Rob Mills
* Tammin Sursok
* Tania Doko
* Mercury4
* Katie Underwood
* Sophie Monk
* Tiffany Wood
* Human Nature
* Marcia Hines
* Nikki Webster
* Melissa Tkautz
See Also
* Record label
* List of record labels
History
PLW Productions was established in 1997 by Paul Wiltshire as a one-man operation, writing and producing music from a studio set up in his own lounge room. Within the year he progressed from doing simple demos and band tracks for off-the-street clients to working with some of the biggest names in the Australian music industry. Through his doors over the next few years came the likes of Vanessa Amorosi, Delta Goodrem, Mark Holden, Marcia Hines and Ross Wilson.
Later the company expanded into a purpose built recording studio in Port Melbourne. This move brought more diverse work, including TV and radio advertising and several albums for artists including Tania Doko (of Bachelor Girl), Mike Brady and Monique Brumby.
It was at this stage that Paul explored the world of artist development, creating several acts, one of which was a young vocalist named Tali, when he successfully created an alliance with Michael Gudinski’s label, Liberation Music. Tali was released in 2001 and enjoyed media support and high rotation airplay on major radio networks throughout Australia. It was also that year which saw Paul work with US-based production team The Matrix. As a result of this association, Paul was signed to Sandy Roberton of Worlds End America, one of the largest Producer Managers in the U.S.
In 2003 Paul teamed up with songwriter Victoria Wu and PLW Studios began operating out of Los Angeles. Over the next few years, the pair went on to write and produce for artists such as The Backstreet Boys and for contestants from the Australian Idol TV Series.
In 2006 a new PLW office was established in South Melbourne, Australia. The newly-named PLW Entertainment Limited, now an unlisted public company, expanded to include artist management, publishing and digital distribution alongside production services.
Subsidiaries
*PLW Content
*PLW Management
*PLW Music Publishing
*PLW Productions
PLW Artists
* Sam Clark
* Trinity
* Magenta Harley
* Goodbyemotel
* Velvet City
* Art Of Wor
* Carmen Fraser
Artists who have worked with PLW
* Backstreet Boys
* Anthony Callea
* Shannon Noll
* Guy Sebastian
* Dean Geyer
* Ricki Lee Coulter
* Kate DeAraugo
* Kate Alexa
* Casey Donovan
* Paulini
* Rob Mills
* Tammin Sursok
* Tania Doko
* Mercury4
* Katie Underwood
* Sophie Monk
* Tiffany Wood
* Human Nature
* Marcia Hines
* Nikki Webster
* Melissa Tkautz
See Also
* Record label
* List of record labels