 Sorry I meant to hit the preview not the post button ...
As I was saying. It was conceived and set up by three individuals with a passion for handmade guitars and who work with wood (one is a chairmaker and the other two work at Westonbirt Arboretum) who were frustrated at not being able to see British handmade guitars - there are no Healdsburg type events here at present. They formed their own limited company for the event and just went at it. They rang around all the British/Irish builders they could think of and find inviting them to attend and set stall prices very low. As this only got off the ground as an idea a few months (about two!!) before the show they did amazingly well with the builders they got - Gerge Lowden and Dermot McIlroy would have come but had prior engagements but may well be there next year. Their aim was not to lose two much in the first year and use it as the springboard to build from there nextyear. They now have the show name (Acoustic Guitar Show) and a good enough website domain. For builders there it was fabulous as there was no pressure/favouratism that may have been there from a big name setting up such and event - the independence and "go do it" attitude of the "Three Musketeers" made the atmosphere fantastic and the setting was glorious. Builders were largely there for more exposure to potential customers and as there were also retailers there with "big name" established guitars like Lowden, Taylor, Martin, Maton, Breedlove etc etc it gave people a real chance to compare in terms of price, sound and quality just what you can get from British handmade guitars versus these known benchmarks. This was an eye-opener for a lot of players and in the long run is win-win for both small handmakers and retailers of the brand names.
Plus they had some great performers/ demonstrators over the two days as well as the concerts - Gordon Gilltrap played an hour long set on Sunday aftermoon, and there was also Amrit Sond, Stuart Ryan, Ian Stephenson (guitarist with The Kathryn Tickell Band) and Gareth (the Welsh Tommy Emmanuel  ).
Although I didn't see him, apparently Graham Coxon - guitarsist with Blur - bought a guitar on Sunday - whose I don't know but unfortunately not one of mine 
For me personally I was able to benchmark my progress against other British makers, and to be in a room opposite the legendary Andy Manson - not only maker of the amazing Mermaid Guitar, but also the conceiver, designer and maker of the legendary Jimmy Page triple neck six string, twelve string and mandolin guitars so many years ago. To be able to talk to Andy over the weekend one to one as a builder was fabulous - he's really nice and sharing as nearly all in the luthier world seem to be.
For me personally I got lots of really helpful feedback from players and builders that will drive me onwards and upwards, a great chance to get my name out there with potential buyers, and so far one firm order - magic.
Thanks for everyone's kind comments on my guitars. As for the Mermaid questions and comments. Martin - yes you can see that Sam was ecstatic at my Dm chord . John - it is an acoustic guitar - the body is like the bowl-back of a lute but on a HUGE scale and intricacy. It strums and sounds like an acoustic guitar. Kim - it's amazingly light as you can see from everyone who holds it. Plus the case Andy made in sweet Chestnut is a work of art in itself. Here are a couple more "Mermaid" shots. First Gareth "Tommying" it - that's Andy Manson in the blue shirt and glasses:
Then Gordon Giltrap giving it a whirl:
Sam has more than done the honours with the pics of the other stuff in the event in the other post so I will just add a few more here:
First JJ asked to see the De Faoite'ettes. Here they are:
Martha:
Jessica:
and Suzanna:
Here's Jessica "harping" - Martin, yes it is small - 24.5" main scale length with 28" sub-basses:
Here's Any Manson's amazing copy of a 1890's French guitar:
And finally here's the "Hot Club de Paris" in full flow in the main hall:
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But four daughters, boy you are a glutton for punishment.