After the succession of strange and wild musical instruments that have assaulted the public ear within the last decade, I am disposed to wonder whether the once ubiquitous guitar is ever likely to return to popularity.
It really was a pleasant instrument, with innumerable points in its favour. Unlike its microscopic cousin, the ukelele, it is a bass instrument, and so better suited to accompany the voice, while, being made of wood, it lacks the stridency and metallic harshness of the banjo and its kindred. In the hands of a decent player, it has quite a tolerable range of expression; and it offers the tremendous advantage that anybody who takes the trouble to learn half a dozen chords can accompany ordinary songs without making a fool of himself.
Occasionally, when a Spanish ship puts into the Liffey, one can see a knot of sailors chanting a ditty in more or less respectable Castilian, while one of their number strums solemnly to help them out. The result, on a quiet night, is delightful; and the soft, deep thrum ought to give the most ardent ukelelist food for thought.
The Irish Times, November 13th, 1930
