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"Fantastic experience from start to finish. Iain was incredibly helpful, polite and enthusiastic, and even provided an extra bag of useful tools, including a clip-on tuner. The 1972 Fender Precision Bass and amp were in pristine condition, sounded incredible and genuinely elevated our rehearsal session. Excellent service all round – I’ll absolutely be hiring from Iain again."
A pleasure to help out local SE London musician Sam, aka Winterfalle, with a weekend's band rehearsal. He hired the 1972 Fender P-Bass and 2010 Peavey MAX115 for his bass guitarist - and, despite the latest heatwave, sounds like they had the best of times. Look out for them at The Sunken Ball in Jersey at the end of September!
2026
"The guitar was exactly as advertised. Beautiful Martin, new strings, nice action. Ian was great to work with. Pick up and delivery was convenient and right on time."
Many thanks to singer/songwriter Tim Sullivan for taking the 2006 Martin D-18VS on stage for a very special performance at the end of June. Tim comes from a musical family. His sister K T Sullivan is a singer, pianist and actor in cabaret and musical theatre. She marked her return to Crazy Coqs by bringing her 96-year-old mother Elizabeth (also a singer, and still performing) to join her on stage. And Tim flew in from Spain to surprise their mother, and play a few songs during the set. A magical and heart-warming evening!
2026
"Iain’s knowledge and attention to detail was exemplary. He was incredibly helpful and proactive and went out of his way to make sure we had everything we needed. A fantastic service and we’ll definitely be coming back to him in the future. The band were absolutely delighted with the guitars and Iain worked really well with them to provide them with exactly what they wanted. Huge thanks Iain!"
More details to follow on release, but a true pleasure to help with a picklist of vintage guitars for a 4-day session at Chiswick's Metropolis Studios in July. Noel Gallagher's 1963 Gibson B-45-12, the 1970 Gibson ES-355, 1972 Fender P-Bass, 1989 Rickenbacker 330/12 and 52 Reissue Telecaster, all set to make their appearance on this artist's debut solo album. Can't wait!
2026
"The guitar plays beautifully and Iain made the whole process so easy, would definitely recommend!"
Many thanks to Emma-Jay, guitarist with Brisbane band Dizzy Days, playing at Camden's Elephant's Head in June. Emma-Jay plays a Jazzmaster back in Australia, so hired the 62 Reissue Jazzmaster for the gig. A wonderful funky player, with a chiming tone that takes me, at least, back to the mid-80s and the glory days of Crowded House and INXS. Good times then, good times ahead.
2026
"Very happy with the Amp. It was used for a shoot and looked great and in great condition. Iain made it very easy to pick up and return the item, overall happy with the hire."
Thanks to Ella for hiring the 65 Reissue Twin Reverb for a video shoot with Nia Archives. Not played live, but chosen for its photogenic beauty - the glorious wheat grille and blonde tolex. A head turner for every occasion!
2026
"Iain was great to work with. The guitar was beautiful and delivered in great shape. Would 100% recommend Iain’s services to anybody."
Many thanks to Jacob for putting his trust in the Martin D-35P for a very special occasion - his wedding ceremony! The guitar was for a friend, over from the US, to play while Jacob and his partner walked down the aisle. Magical!
2026
"Needed a great guitar at short notice for an audition and Iain showed up and even dropped it to my door. Amazing service and the guitar played beautifully!"
Glad to help out actor Sam with the Little Martin at short notice. He needed it to record a video audition for a London stage show. Lovely man, fingers crossed he gets the part!
2026
"What a beautiful guitar. Loved my whole experience. Easy communication, amazing service. Don't hesitate!"
Great to meet US singer/songwriter Steve Carlson as he returned to London to headline at the West Hampstead Arts Club. Rather than bring his own guitar, he hired the 2006 Gibson Hummingbird, and loved it. Honestly, the most photogenic acoustic in the collection, so as many pics of the guitar as of Steve himself from the night!
2026
"I was so glad I found Iain and the Little Martin on my latest trip to London. I needed a guitar for a private performance and I’ve never liked the idea of traveling with my home guitars. Iain was very responsive to my emails and personable to boot; he also gave me detailed instructions for getting to the guitar handoff location, and he was prompt and flexible about timing. And the guitar itself was really special - it’s obviously a quieter acoustic, but it has a lovely tone perfect for small settings. And I love the fact that the guitar has a rich history that’s always growing, having been shared by so many musicians. I’m grateful that Iain opened his collection to us all so we can keep playing while we travel."
Many thanks to Tim for putting his trust in the 2016 Martin LX-1 for a special memorial service - and for his very kind feedback. As he says, smaller and quieter, but a lovely tone. Really punches above its weight for a smaller-bodied guitar.
2026
"My personal favourite of Iain's acoustic guitars. Sounds incredible and is super comfortable to play. Always a pleasure to hire from Iain, service is excellent and the instruments are simply wonderful!"
Many thanks to Tuomas from Finnish band Airi's for the return hire of the 1974 Martin D-28 for his open mic session with fellow band member Joni at The Dublin Castle in June. Loaded with the Dean Markley Pro Mag Plus single coil, all that glorious tone just rang through!
2026
"This Millman Dreadnought has a great sound! We played a duo show with this guitar combined with the Martin D-28 acoustic guitar and they sounded very lush together. Highly recommended!"
Finnish guitarists Joni and Tuomas from Airi's have been regular hirers over the past few years, from studio sessions to live gigs, sometimes as the full band, sometimes as a duo. This time it was as a duo, playing the open mic night at The Dublin Castle. A first time out for the 2016 Millman Dreadnought with Joni - and he loved it!
2026
"We hired this guitar for my Step-Dad to play at our wedding. He played us down the aisle and the guitar worked perfectly. The sound and quality was beautiful. We also had a great experience working with Iain to hire the guitar. He's very friendly and accommodating, and you can tell he has a real passion for the instruments he lends. As a fellow guitar man, my step-dad appreciated the love and care that Iain puts into looking after his instruments, and it was great to know that the guitar that got us down the aisle was so special and well cared for. I would recommend this instrument and this service to anyone!"
Many thanks to newly-weds Rebecca and Nick for putting their trust in the 1997 Yamaha LA-8 for their very special day! Not its first wedding, but every single one matters as if it is the first, and lovely to hear that Rebecca's step-dad loved it, as he played such a big part in memories that will last a lifetime!
2026
"I recently rented this '82 Precision Bass for a performance at SXSW, and it performed flawlessly. As a P-Bass fan, I could immediately tell this instrument is exceptionally well-maintained. The string tension was perfect, the clean maple neck felt highly comfortable, and shaping the tone was entirely effortless. It has that broken-in quality that makes it feel familiar right away. I also greatly appreciated Ian's accommodation; he was highly cooperative and helped me adjust the pickup cover to suit my playing preference. It's clear this bass receives serious care, and I would certainly rent it again."
More than grateful to Cactus For Breakfast bassist Thomas for this review. It touches on the many things I try to do to make the hiring experience a positive one, so just delighted it ticked all the boxes for the band's UK debut at SXSW - and the audience loved it too!
2026
"Dealing with Iain was amazing. The bass is perfect. Great experience! Strongly recommended."
All the way from Rome to Amy Winehouse's beloved Camden, tribute band Amy Affairs played the legendary Dublin Castle in mid-June. A bold move, a successful move - super-talented band and singer! Many thanks to Simone for giving the 1976 Fender Jazz Bass and, for guitarist Rob, the 1984 Epiphone Sheraton their time on stage with the band.
2026
"Great amp and great service from Iain as usual. Always on time and very communicative - we always appreciate how easy he is to work with and will continue working with him in the future!"
Great to help out Parkgate School once again with their end of term concert. A repeat hire for the 2010 Peavey MAX 115 bass amp and a first hire for the 1990s Fender Champion 110 - an amp that I used to use for gigging back in the 00s. Never judge an amp by its size - this one packs a punch!
2026