Sean Genockey's 2016 Millman Dreadnought, played by James Dean Bradfield
Sean Genockey's specially commissioned 2016 Millman Dreadnought. Used extensively live and in the studio, and played by James Dean Bradfield at the 2019 MPG Awards. All that, and a gloriously full-bodied and toned dreadnought, crafted by luthier James Millman.
It's not all about the big brands! The Gibsons, Martins, Epiphones and Yamahas seem to dominate the acoustics on offer, I know. So it's a real pleasure to share this Millman Dreadnought, straight from the hand of independent luthier James Millman at Millman Guitars. Designed and built to James' philosophy of responsible sourcing and craftsmanship, utilising local, native and reclaimed timbers, generating as little impact on the environment as possible, it's a unique and beautiful guitar. Specially commissioned by producer, engineer and guitarist Sean Genockey, it's given its service to multiple live and studio sessions - and, of course, that performance in the hands of James Dean Bradfield at the 2019 Music Producers Guild Awards. Read the full story below!
The story's one part of it. but it's the tone and playability that make this guitar stand out. Great balance of sound across all strings, lovely sustain from the rosewood topped mahogany neck, and the snap of the spruce top nicely complemented by the depth from the rosewood back and sides. Not just that, but it has a lovely narrow neck and low action, which make this an ideal acoustic for the player who spends more time with an electric. It took me nearly a year to put this one up for hire on the website, for no other reason than I was loving playing it myself. Sometimes it's worth getting away from the mainstream. If you want to try something different, then this wonderful luthier-built dreadnought is the one for you!
See & Hear It In Action
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MPG Awards (2019): Video highlights from the night, including the great Kingsley Ward having received the Special Recognition Award, and James Dean Bradfield playing this Millman Dreadnought as part of the Rockfield Supergroup. 70 seconds of greatness!
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James Millman (2016): Recorded in the same year that he finished this Dreadnought, James shares his story, philosophy, and craft, plus another specially commissioned build, a baritone guitar for Ian Wills, with a headstock inlay that tips a hat to pioneering guitarist and protest singer Woody Guthrie.
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Be the first to review this beautifully crafted and toned Dreadnought - glory days!
The Story
I have to be honest, it was only as I saw this guitar up for auction in Spring 2024 that producer, engineer and guitarist Sean Genockey and luthier James Millman hit my radar. Humble oversights happily corrected! I've since had the chance to talk to each of them, and it's been a proper pleasure. Both charming, both passionate about music and guitars, and both more than willing to share the story behind their part in this guitar's creation and history.
Sean first made his mark as guitarist with turn-of-the-century rock band Moke, taking influences as diverse as The Who, Led Zeppelin and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and melding them into their own sound. Check out "Down" or "Wheel In Motion" for starters. The band went their separate ways in 2001, but stayed very much in touch for collaborations and even a reunion over the years. Sean has since gone on to make his name as producer and engineer, working with some of the names that originally influenced him - The Who, Roger Daltrey, Paul Rodgers - alongside many of the biggest bands to make their mark in the 90s - Suede, Kula Shaker, The Black Crowes, and Manic Street Preachers, and those that have followed. Best of all, he gets to play with a lot of the artists he works with, live and in the studio. It's a good life!
Sean was an early supporter of James Millman when he set up Millman Guitars in Devon in the early 2010s. James is a true craftsman, passionate about utilising local, native and reclaimed timbers, with sourcing and build focused on generating as little impact on the environment as possible. He makes unique and beautiful instruments! So much so that Sean commissioned four guitars from James in his early years: two Telecaster-style electrics, an OM acoustic, and this Dreadnought. True to his philosophy, James sourced the reclaimed Brazilian rosewood used on both the OM and Dreadnought from a local cabinet maker. He finished the build in 2016 and hand-delivered the guitar to Sean at Rockfield Studios, where he was working at the time. They met in the very room that Oasis had recorded Definitely Maybe. While there, James had the luck to meet studio founder Kingsley Ward, who was happy to share stories about some of the famous names that had recorded there. Side note: apparently Oasis were the model of politeness and professionalism ;-).
Sean gave the guitar an elevated baptism, using it on demo sessions for Roger Daltrey’s album “As Long As I Have You”, a mix of original and cover songs, released in 2018. The guitar has featured on multiple sessions and recordings, as artists new and old came through Sean's studios. And of course, Sean continued to play it live. You can't blame him - it comes alive in front of an audience!
Which brings the story to the Music Producers Guild (MPG) awards on 28 February 2019. Standing proud of the regular schedule of gongs, Rockfield Studios founder Kingsley Ward and his family were celebrated with a Special Recognition Award. When you think of the roster of stars that have recorded at Rockfield, the only question left is, why did it take so long? Queen, The Stone Roses, Oasis, Coldplay, The Darkness, and, yes, Showaddywaddy . . . to name just a few. Certainly enough to warrant a performance from a "Rockfield Supergroup", playing songs recorded at Rockfield, and featuring musicians who had recorded at the studio over the years: Sean himself, former Moke bandmates John Hogg on bass and Paul Stone on drums, plus pedal steel virtuoso Melvin Duffy and keyboard session man John Tilley.
They were joined mid-set by fellow Rockfield denizen, James Dean Bradfield, to perform a couple of songs, including the Manics' "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next". Sean had planned for this, and had the perfect acoustic for James to play: this Millman Dreadnought, the very same guitar that James Millman had presented to Sean at Rockfield back in 2016. Given its history, it really had to be this guitar.
Sean sold the guitar in 2023. Not for lack of love, but just because the related Millman OM was the smaller more practical guitar for international travel. One auction and nearly a year of home playing later, this lovely Dreadnought is ready for its next adventures. One to love!
Specification
Make
Millman Guitars
Model
Dreadnought
Colour
Natural
Year
2016
Serial Number
N/A
Number of Frets
20
Fretboard
Rosewood
Neck
Mahogany
Body
Spruce Top;
Rosewood Back & Sides
Tuners
Grover Rotomatic 102 Style Individual Tuners
Pick-up
Fishman Rare Earth
PRO-REP-102 Humbucker
Bridge
Brazilian Rosewood
Belly-Down Bridge
Scale Length
25.5"
Full Length
40.75"
Further Information:
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As James tells it, his father was a carpenter. He had a meticulous eye for detail, and making things properly, by hand. A passion and skill which he passed down to his son. And one which James turned to his other love, having played guitar from as early as he can remember.
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It really shows. The thing that strikes you first about this guitar is the depth and quality of the craftsmanship. This guitar is no production-line model. It's utterly unique. The reversed hourglass headstock, bound, and inlaid with that mother-of-pearl coin. The hand-carved neck volute. The narrow D of the mahogany neck that makes this guitar so easy to play. And, across the whole guitar, the deep grain of the woods, unencumbered by any heavily lacquered or over-polished finish.
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No surprise that this guitar has been built to play beautifully too. Quality tuners, hand-shaped nut, low narrow frets, near-flat relief, precision intonation. Put all that together with the neck and body woods and you've really got something special. Perfectly balanced response across all six-strings, deep resonant bass tones, and clear treble ring, with a marginal bias towards warmth over attack.
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All kudos to James for putting such a lovely dreadnought out into the world. I stand in awe of anyone that can take some pieces of wood and turn them into something of such beauty and tone. And James has done that in spades. This guitar sounds and plays great. Now it's out there again, it's just waiting for its next player to bring it to life!
Sources & Links
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Music Producers Guild Awards 2019 - The Winners: If you know, you know. If you don't, then it's the names behind the names. The engineers, producers and studios that work the magic behind the faces we all see.