Fingerboard Stories
One legendary guitar: three legendary owners – the Greeny Moore Les Paul. It’s not uncommon for old Les Pauls to pass through the hands of more than one legendary guitarist. Ask any Gibson guitar aficionado and they’ll tell you; vintage 1950s LPs have some serious mojo. They’re not exactly easy to find though, hence why they get shared around.
How many guitars do you actually need? Some people (usually non-guitarists) would say the answer to that question is “one.” But those people are wrong. I’d counter that the answer is always “one more than you currently have.” Which is all well and good, until you try to explain this logic to your significant other.
“What kind of strings have you got on there?” I was stepping off stage at an open mic night when I was first asked this question, and it completely dumbfounded me. At this point in my life, I was young, naïve, and knew very little about my instrument.
More than 50 years ago, Bob Dylan released “Nashville Skyline.” His paean to American roots and country music, the record is today regarded as a Bob Dylan classic, and features one of the most iconic album covers in his discography.
When it comes to discussions of acoustic guitar tonewoods, mahogany, maple and rosewood usually dominate. And with good reason. They’re great to work with, provide rounded, three-dimensional tones, and look stunning to boot. It’s why they’re so widely used in acoustic guitar manufacturing today.
