Have digital camera, will screw around

Well, the car is still dead — I definitely need a new battery. Gary and I tried to get it running this AM so I could go to the funeral, but…

So I’m home.

With a digital camera.

And some guitars.

This is my first “real” guitar. 1991 Washburn J20S. They only made them the one year. This is number 142. Solid cedar top, solid walnut back, laminate walnut sides. My alternate tuning guitar, and my sentimental favorite. Rotates its tuning between DADGAD and CGDGBE.

“Blondie.” 2006 Ibanez Artwood dreadnought. Engelmann spruce top, quilted maple back and sides. Main cannon. Standard and Drop D tunings.

The infamous archtop. Late 1940s-early 1950s (best guesses) Regal or Harmony, with recently installed 1953 DeArmond pickup and all original hardware. Love this instrument — sounds great when run as clean acoustic or various effects through my Vox amp. Standard tuning.

Ah…my beloved “STELLA!!!!” Probably late 1920s (and no later than 1935 for sure, based on the label style) Oscar Schmidt made Stella 12 fret slothead 00. All original everything with the exception of one bridge pin and the strings (of course). I bought it for 75 bucks from a dealer at the Brimfield Flea Market who didn’t realize that there are two kinds of Stella Guitars — the shitty ones that Harmony made, and the inexpensive but usually pretty damn good ones that Oscar Schmidt made. This is one of the latter. Best fingerstyle instrument I own, hands down. This is pretty much what most Delta blues stuff was recorded on, and it’s almost a 6-string twin of Leadbelly’s 12 string, right down to the measurements and the decoration. Standard tuning for the most part, although it’s good in Open D too…but I’ve got another instrument for that…

Last but not least…”Blackie.” 1920s or 30s no name instrument, most likely made by Regal for a catalog. 12 fret slothead, much smaller than Stella. Designed for Hawaiian style lap playing — you may not be able to see in the picture, but the frets are hand numbered for ease in playing. I removed the metal, high nut from it and play it Spanish style, but it’s still the best slide instrument around. Usually stays in Open D with occasional trips to Open G.

Sorry…had to get that off my chest. There are also the Portuguese guitar and an Appalachian dulcimer, plus a Plains flute, but we’ll let it go for now.

Thanks for indulging me…