Jeff has been making guitars for over 30 years and has made well over 100 guitars in this time. When I met Franc O'Shea four years ago he told me he had someone making him a guitar - when I saw and played the finished fretted five-string bass I was ccompletely blown away. It was the most comfortable instrument I have ever played in my life, it sounded amazing and the craftsmanship was second to none. I met Jeff a few times and got him to smooth the worn frets of my Warwick once but I was no closer to getting him to build me a guitar - I just didn't have the money. I came pretty close to getting him to do something for me when my Warwick was stolen, in fact he was the first person I called when it happened, miraculously the bass was returned via a pawnbrokers and I still have it today. After two years of waiting I was made redundant from my job and with some of my final paycheck I decided to go for it and ask Jeff to get started on a bass for me. Luckily when he started making Franc's next bass, a fretless five string, he made an extra one - cleverly thinking, "this might come in handy for someone else!" Well, I'm pleased to say it did, and he has now completed not only my bass but Franc O'Shea's fretless five string.

Pics of my new fretless Chapman 5

Pics of Franc O'Shea's new fretless Chapman fretless 5

I will be happy to forward any correspondance to Jeff as he doesn't have email at the moment - please email me here: mike@c3x.co.uk