Number 53 October 11, 2010

Every musical instrument has its own story.  I've written about some of my guitars in the past.  I've always thought the Gibson Byrdland, with a Venetian, or soft cutaway, is one of the prettiest electric guitars.  A thin arch top, it is voluptuous and has a wide tonal range.  It has been played by guitarists as diverse as Roy Clark , Blood Ulmer, and John McLaughlin .  In August 2007 I finally decided I had to have one.  I didn't want to patronize a supermarket music store, so I contacted my friend James Casella, who owns Blue Note Music, in Berkeley.  Being a responsible retailer, he tried to talk me out of it:  "You do realize it's a 3/4 neck?" (I have fairly small hands, albeit with a very wide stretch).  I insisted, ordered a blonde with Venetian cutaway, and prepared to wait for what I was assured would be a year or more. Much to my delight James called me in October to tell me the guitar was ready.  (Gibson waits until they have several orders to do a production run.  I got lucky).  It was stunningly beautiful.  When I got it home and looked inside the f hole at the label, it read "The top, back, tone bars, and air chamber of this instrument were assembled, tuned, and the assembled instrument tried and approved October 11, 2007(signed) James W. Hutchins."  My Byrdland was finished on my birthday!  I don't know what the odds of that are, but they must be much greater than 1 in 365.