BOLTON musicians suffering from a little-known psychological disorder – GAS – will get no help at all from the man who runs the town’s smallest guitar shop.

GAS, also known as Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, is what John Fallon was suffering from before he opened his first outlet in Bolton Market more than three years ago.

The 45-year-old former Deane High School pupil then opened The Guitar Shack in one of the Octagon Kiosks and he as just celebrated his first anniversary in his new location.

As a sufferer of GAS, Mr Fallon knows all about the pitfalls awaiting the obsessive guitarists.

The owner of 70 guitars which were cluttering up his home in Doyle Road, Hunger Hill, was given the ultimatum by his long-time partner Bev Smith.

Mr Fallon, who also has a seven-year-old daughter, Amelia, joked: “She told me it was her or the guitars.

“So I had to open the stall and later the shop to get somewhere to put them.

“But now it’s become a serious business. It might be a small shop, but I am big on service. My aim was to supply guitars to people who were on a small budget. The guitar and setting it up may cost £100.”

Mr Fallon, who has played in several local bands and is well known in the Bolton musicians’ community, offers 10 per cent discounts to students, and takes pride in repairing the guitars he gets.

He said: “I was taught how to solder by a guy who spent years repairing old televisions.

“Messing about with guitars is a fantastic way to spend your time and I love it.

“The more broken and beaten up the guitar is, the better it is for me.”