BUSINESSMAN Pat Duggan is tuning up for success - by finding a space for some of the 150 or so guitars that have been crowding the loft and shed of his home in Rochdale Old Road.

Mr Duggan opened a retail unit at the weekend to sell his own brand of electric and acoustic guitars, which are manufactured in the far east.

The launch of the shop in Ramsbottom will complement his MadDog Guitars online business which has been operating since last year.

Musicians and potential were invited to a launch party on Saturday at the unit at the Kay Brow complex.

He said: “Since starting the business in August of last year, I’ve ended up with just too many guitars and the wife was going mad.”

After being made redundant following 20 years working in information technology, Pat decided he wanted to enter the music business.

He said: “Given my age of 60, I knew I wouldn’t get another job in IT. I’ve got friends who are musicians and I know about guitars. So, I decided to turn my passion into a business.

“The guitars I sell are made in China. I would say they are the biggest guitar manufacturers in the world. I specify what wood the instruments should be made of, the colours and the styles. I call all the shots.

“The name MadDog Guitars is under the varnish of each of the instruments.

“Over the past year, I’ve been selling online on my website, eBay and Amazon and I upload videos on to Facebook of musicians playing my guitars.”

The new unit will allow Pat to meet customers face-to-face and sell his guitars over the counter.