Thought I'd talk about my guitars today. My choices tend to be predicated on what I currently own. I sold my electric bass and big ass amp before started graduate school in Athens in 1987. I figured if I went to school with my electric equipment I'd be tempted to join a band and that would conflict with my horrendous study requirements. So I took the proceeds for the sales and put the cash (plus my last two unemployment checks) into a Alvarez Yairi DY-67. It was the first guitar I played in my search and I played every guitar within 50 miles. Then I went back to the Yairi and bought it. I couldn't even afford a decent case. This guitar has held up really well. I took it to a guitar tech in Gastonia for it's second set up ever. I didn't know how to care for guitars and even after all this time, no cracks, no warping and the neck it still straight.
So my collection consisted of that guitar for the next 22 years. The Yairi Dy-67 is a cedar top Dreadnaught, with Coral Rosewood back and sides. As I've written earlier, the Yairi line are all handmade in a small factory in the mountains of Japan.

My next guitar was bought in December 2009 with "found" money, when I sold my cabin for Jam Cruise 8. Ugly story I shall not relate here. I visited a couple of stores and drove all the way to Greensboro to visit a shop where my friend Marcus worked. They had several Yairi's, even a Koa WY-1, but nothing really spoke to me. Marcus handed me a Yamaha LLX26C (X = electronics and C = cutaway). The MSRP on this guitar is way over $4,000 and the best street price I can find on the Internet is $2,800. As I played it, Marcus kept dropping the price. The more I played it, the more impressed I was with the sound. I plugged into a Roland AC 60 amp and Marcus came to a number I could afford. Solid Engelman Spruce top and Solid Rosewood back and sides, and all handmade in Japan. The LL series are the top of the Yamaha line. These appear to be fairly rare and possibly accounts for the little notice in the guitar world. This guitar sounds like a grand piano. Huge projection and overtones galore. Of course having a pick up meant I'd need an amp.

The next acquisition was a second Yairi DY-67 (built in 1989). I liked the first so much that I thought a back up to it would be a good idea. Found it on Craigslist and got a good deal on it from a fellow who bought it new. The Coral Rosewood figuring was even prettier than my first. Since I have so many other guitars, this one will be sold to pay for the last (or maybe the next, lol). No hurry as I'd like to sell it someone I know.

My fourth was a Hofner Contempory Bass Limited Edition (one of only 300 made). I played a 1967 Hofner (based on the famous 1963 version that was made famous by Paul McCartney) for a couple of years. The Contemporary looks like the 1963 model. The best difference is a sound block placed under the pick ups which gives the notes sustain, the one thing I didn't like about the one I used when I was playing in The Mods.

Now it was time to add a 12 string. I found one on the Acoustic Guitar Forum at a good price. A 1998 "Bob Weir" model Yairi WY-1. Weir and the Yairi factory designed this guitar to his specifications. He still uses the WY-1 model. Sadly the saddle was being pulled up and I had to get it repaired right away. The repair was successful and I use very light strings (.09). Spruce top and rosewood back and sides. This guitar rings out. Also had a Mark II 500 pre amp system.

I found about a great guitar store in Stateville (of all places) and played several of their new guitars. They had only one Yairi, a DYC-40 with a Mark II 600 preamp pick up system. Spruce top and Mahogany back and sides. This guitar had a slightly lower and richer tone. It makes a great back up to the Yamaha.

I thought I was done but one of the guitars I played at the Statesville store (Fine's Musical Instruments) continued to haunt me. I looked at every Craigslist in North and South Carolina without success and one day what I was looking for showed up in Fort Mill, SC. A real "Closet Queen". These closet queens are guitars bought and very rarely played and stuck in a closet only to come out with the owner needs money. So a 2006 Martin D-15 was available, in perfect condition and at half the new price. I bought it on sight and drove all the way to Statesville to Fine's to get it set up. The D-15 has one of the few Martin necks I like and is an all Mahogany guitar. Deeper and darker than any guitar I have.










I find that some songs sound better than others on different guitars. I plan to start recording to test which guitar sounds better with which songs.