That was The Year... 1988 Twins at last, and Red Nose Day and unemployment down

G&L DECIDES TO PULL THE PLUG

on its Invader guitars. This offset double-cutaway model is loaded with a humbucking pickup in the bridge position and two single-coils. Each pickup has its own micro switch and there are master volume and tone controls. But sales are below par and sadly it has to go.

PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER

announces a £3 billion regeneration scheme to improve inner-city areas. She becomes the longest serving British prime minister of the 20th century, having served for well over eight years! Unemployment is also at its lowest level for almost eight years. David Steel decides not to stand for the leadership of the new Social and Liberal Democratic Party but Arthur Scargill’s narrow majority means he is re-elected as leader of the National Union of Mineworkers.

BRITISH COMPANY PETERSON PRODUCES

an amplifier to rival those built in the States! The Guitar Special 100 is an amazing piece of compact electrical engineering and is obviously competing against the mighty Mesa Boogie combos. From the front it’s pretty conventional but turn it around and you get the full impact of what’s on offer. The two channels work independently or you can mix them together with the aide of a footswitch. The Electro-Voice speaker is rated at 600 watts so it’s not surprising that this is one of the loudest quality combos ever made!

THOUSANDS OF NURSES AND CO-WORKERS

form picket lines outside British hospitals as they strike for higher pay and more funding for the National Health Service. In response the government announces a 15% pay rise for nurses at a cost of £794 million to be funded by the Treasury. Actor Rowan Atkinson launches the Comic Relief charity appeal and the subsequent BBC Red Nose Day raises £15 million. The £1 note ceases to be legal tender, the average price of a house in Britain reaches £60,000.

AFTER WINNING THE EUROPEAN CAR OF THE

Year award Peugeot’s 405 saloon goes on sale in Britain, Vauxhall releases the third generation of its Cavalier hatchback but the Ford Escort is declared Britain’s best selling car for the sixth year in a row.

THE FIRST DELIVERY OF FENDER’S

‘The Twin’ amplifiers, released in the States last year, finally reaches British shores and this twist on an old classic design is welcomed. The featured red knobs on the front panel give it a strikingly different appearance although standard black knobs will soon return. Curiously all four input sockets are located between the controls of the two channels but it’s also one of the first Fender amps to offer an output drop switch from 100 down to 25 watts.