A Conversation with Diana Jones

Puremusic: So that's what it takes to catch up with a person like you these days, you have to call them in the UK, right?

[laughter]

Diana Jones: I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so elusive.

PM: So transatlantic. Where do I find you precisely, and what are you up to over there?

DJ: Well, right now I'm spending a little time with my family, and yeah, just kind of hanging out with them. Actually, it's funny, my brother-in-law works for a guitar company out of the Czech Republic--well, he actually is a rep, so he reps a bunch of different lines, and he reps this one line that I fell in love with, they're handmade guitars out of Prague. He got me an endorsement deal with them.

PM: Of course he did.

DJ: So I'm going to Wales tomorrow, which is where the main office is, and I'm going to go try out a bunch of guitars and choose the one I want. [laughs]

PM: So what is this company called?

DJ: The guitars are called Stonebridge Guitars. And they're named after the Charles Bridge, in Prague, which is made out of stone, and built in the 1300s.

PM: Wow.

DJ: And the guy who makes them--I forget his name offhand because it's Czech and it's hard to remember. But he started making guitars way back in the late '70s. And the Czech Republic was communist, so it was illegal to have your own business. So he had to make them sort of under the cover of night for years, and then was just able, in the last few years to start the company. And he employs 40 people now. And the guitars I've played so far are better than the Martin I've got. They're unbelievable, yeah.

PM: Where does his wood come from?

DJ: It's all from that area.

PM: Wow.

DJ: I think it's all within that region. It's the usual suspects, mahogany, rosewood. I'm sure the rosewood is important, and then spruce.

PM: He's using spruce tops, of course, not cedar tops.

DJ: Both, actually. He's got a couple of different lines. He's got a bluegrass line, and then he's got sort of an acoustic line.

PM: And what are you after? Are you after a dreadnaught or an auditorium size, or a little guitar?

DJ: I kind of like the smaller ones. Mine is a double O.

PM: A double O what?

DJ: 0018 Martin. It's an Elizabeth Cotten copy. They did a vintage line, and that was one of them. I think I like the smaller body ones. I'm playing sort of an auditorium size right now that belongs to my brother-in-law, just kind of checking it out. It's smaller bodied. It's not as small as my double 0, but it's pretty small, and it's just so well balanced, and the bass sound is just amazing for the size it is.

PM: The auditorium, you mean?

DJ: Uh-huh.

PM: Yeah, well, that's the thing, if you're an artist like you are that goes back and forth between finger picking and flatpicking--

DJ: Exactly, yeah.

PM: --it's really about the auditorium, because the really small guitars don't really strum as well as the bigger guitars, somehow--I mean, with rare exceptions.

DJ: Yeah, you kind of need something in the middle.

PM: Yeah, the great finger picking guitars.

DJ: So I'm sort of in guitar heaven.

PM: So will they use you, also, in their advertisement?

DJ: Yeah, they will.

PM: Beautiful.

DJ: They're going to take some pictures tomorrow.

PM: I wonder if we can use any of those, because if we can, we want to. We want to get some new pictures of you, and maybe I can sweet-talk your brother-in-law--is that who it is, or did you say your brother?

DJ: Yeah, my brother-in-law, my sister's guy.

PM: Yeah, maybe he can make it possible for us to use some new photos of the artist. That would be really cool.

DJ: And P. [Diana's manager, Pamela Cole] and I do have some new ones as well, just taken in the last few months. Some of those are also from my Epiphone endorsement.

PM: So are they on your MySpace page--

DJ: Some of them are.

PM: Okay, cool.

DJ: There are plenty to choose from.     continue

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