The Walnut OM guitar I had been working on for the past month is finally finished. At first I felt somewhat discouraged because after working and working I either sanded through the previous coat of finish and had to respray, sand, and buff all over again, or after I strung the guitar I managed to damage the finish on the side of the peghead enough that I had to remove the tuners and redo it. But, I guess it just puts into perspective how much I (don't) know about guitars and how much my dad knows. I have learned a lot, and can inlay well enough to say I am proficient at it, but I know I have a long way to go before I can make a guitar like my dad does. I know that, and I want you to know that I know that. But, with his help, this one turned out alright...eventually...I would also like to thank my friend Mac for coming over to play it a while and helping it become a guitar after my failed attempt at stringing it up. Otherwise, I may not have gotten the friendly comments from a very important visitor in the shop the next day.
Doc Watston stopped by on Saturday and ended up playing the guitar for about 2 hours. He told me he would tell me the truth as I placed the guitar into his waiting hands, and I knew he would. "You fretted it true, bless your heart" he said as he tested each fret.
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| Pickguard made by yours truly |
He spoke of his wife Rosa Lee, and I again was enthralled by the obvious love he shares with her. Listening to his lyrics, as he broke into The Twelfth of Never, singing, "You ask how long I'll love you/I'll tell you true/Until the twelfth of never/I'll still be loving you." It sounded like he was singing only to his Rosa Lee, and I appreciate so much how true that love is. It is a rare thing these days, and I feel fortunate to have seen it first hand.
Anyway, here are some pictures of the finished product. It is still for sale, so put the word out for me. Feel free to pass along my email if need be-it is on this blog somewhere isn't it? Raising some money for Luke's medical bills would be really helpful for his family, and while he is making progress, it will be a long road to recovery. I know it is not a Henderson, which is what most people out there want, but it sounds like one, and has a lot of love and hard work put into it. I appreciate the folks who have supported me thus far in this endeavor, and am doing my best to ignore the rest. Until next time!
