Fretted Friends

(the instruments I have and play)

left to right: C. F. Martin & Co. D-18 Golden Era / Mahogany cannon, like they made in 1934.
Martin OM-28V / As made about ninety years ago.
Martin DX1R / Always wanted a thrashed Martin dreadnought

Intermountain Whyte Laydie Banjo / Built by Leonard Coulson of Intermountain Guitar and Banjo

left to right: '75 Fender Stratocaster / I play it in a band my sons formed, called "Marvin Payne and the Gifted Seed."
New Loar Archtop / which is just really pretty.
'60s Fender Jazz Bass

Breedlove 00 Mandolin / Learning to play this will stave off Alzheimer's.

Samick & Kay / Something to strum on the way downstairs. And my six-year-old likes the little one.

Rogue Triolian Resonator Guitar / Just for the heck of it.

Well, it had to end somewhere.

I write a monthly column for the online Meridian Magazine, called "Backstage Graffiti." The ostensible purpose for the column is to encourage personal journal keeping. In that connection, two instalments appeared a few years ago called, loosely, "My Life According to the Acquisition and Disposition of Various Fretted Instruments." If you've made it this far down the page, you might might be the kind of person who would get a kick out of them. They're typical of the literary lunacy that is "Backstage Graffiti ."

Here are links to the two columns:

http://www.meridianmagazine.com/backstagegraffiti/040630accordingto.html

http://www.meridianmagazine.com/backstagegraffiti/040804finalchapter.html