My first mandolin came to me by accident. In my mid twenties, I was playing in a duo with Chris Aldred, The Screaming Harpies.A friend of hers was selling a bass guitar, an amp and two large speakers. As part of the sale, he threw in an electric mandolin. I got that along with the bass guitar and spent the next few months trying to come to grips with these two instruments. The bass was not a natural fit — it was simply too cumbersome. It was also hard to press the strings and as a melody player, I found it really difficult to find the bass lines. I had more luck with the mandolin as it is strung similar to the fiddle. That mandolin did me proud during my time in The Reel Aliens, Mabel Meldrums and The Fabulamas. However, it doesn't project well in a crowded room. It was time to explore an acoustic model with Marshall Dow Instrument Maker in Aberdeen. A few visits to Marshall's workshop clarified what I wanted regarding style and finish — an instrument able to cut through a noisy session, yet still with an even rich tone across all the strings. I've played some dreadful mandolins and guitars that sound brittle and dull as if they'd been dipped in sugar then wrapped in a wet dish towel. Marshall's shed was full of wonderful wood and he built the mandolin using Honduras mahogany for the neck, walnut for the back and American spruce for the front. It's a one-off and has stood me in good stead over the years playing traditional tunes and country licks.