My Guitars

Me and recording artist Mike Dowling…

Since Spring 2016, my inventory has ranged from six to seven guitars in my active collection. Along the way I traded off and purchased multiple others and gave one to my son Parker. I guess, I’m a bit ruthless… if a guitar in my collection sits unplayed too long and I think I can trade it to enhance my sonic pallette or playing capabilities I will do it. I’ve made some poorly informed decisions along the way, but think I am better at it now, but there’s always things to learn about guitars and buying them.

my son Parker…

Above, you can see Parker playing a middle 1990’s vintage Taylor 612. It is a lovely guitar, with a Sitka spruce top and maple back/sides, a mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard… of course, solid wood all the way around. It’s also equipped with an LR Baggs Anthem pick up so that it can be plugged into an amp. His mother was/is very attached to this guitar because I bought it early in our relationship and played it for her, so I dared not trade it… giving the guitar to Parker, making room for a newer one, was a Solomonic solution :-).

I play traditional Country Blues/Travis Picking fingerstyle and slide guitar too across a variety of platforms. In general, my collection of guitars has included resonators, electric guitars and acoustics, all fine instruments from some of the best builders in the U.S.

The following axes are in my current stable:

  1. Lowden F-50 Cocobolo and Lutz Spruce – reviewed here

2. Martin D-28 1937 Authentic – reviewed here

3. Santa Cruz H-13 Mahogany and European Spruce – reviewed here

4. Collings C10-35 – reviewed here

5. Collings I-35 Deluxe – reviewed here

6. National Resophonic M1 Tricone – reviewed here

Here are some of my former guitars:

Collings 0002H (2020) – reviewed here
Taylor T5z Pro Limited Molasses Sunburst
National Resophonic Reso-Lectric – reviewed here
Taylor 914ce – a lovely instrument with wood bindings, fingerboard inlays, and abalone trim abundant. Nice modern tone, but traded for a Collings which was a huge step up in tone.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_5502.jpg
Taylor 812ce – Not as flashy as the 914ce, but a lovely comfortable instrument with a fine bright Taylor tune, finished with wood bindings, fretboard inlays and an abalone rosette. Traded for a Collings and a huge step up in tonality.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_3902-1-757x1024.jpg
National Resophonic NRP B – my first resonator with action high enough to grate potatoes, but a great guitar to learn how to play slide. Very heavy and metallic sounding which grated on my ears. Traded it for a National Reso-Lectric, a far easier and more interesting resonator to play.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_4096.jpg
National Resophonic Reso-Rocket WB – my first wooden bodied resonator also with very high action. Nice sound, but lacked the complexity and playability of the M1 Tricone that replaced it.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_3428.jpg
Taylor T5 Custom – my first Taylor electric. Fun to play but the neck hurt my hands and I eventually dumped it for the smaller, more playable T5z.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_4353-1.jpg
Gretsch Black Falcon – a classic, huge, heavy electric guitar. Too much guitar for my first electric purchase. Never could get it to sound like I wanted it too and I felt like a poseur playing it. In a poor decision, I traded it for a Taylor T3, which at the time seemed more suitable for me.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_1555-1.jpg
Taylor T3 Custom – a very showy guitar, but too fiddly with pop up tuner and splitting pickups. Part of a trade package for a Collings I-35. Never looked back.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_5393.jpg
Taylor Solidbody Custom Walnut – a lovely guitar with a new neck installed, but traded off to get the ultimate electric guitar, the Collings I-35.