Guitar Hospital

Now that I’m off tour and there is a Long Beds event in the offing, it’s time to swing by the guitar hospital and get my poor Larrivee out of rehab.

I’m hard on that guitar.  First day I had it I slapped an International Harvester logo on the soundboard.  Why wouldn’t a guy?  Since then I’ve put a lotta wear and tear on it.  Wore grooves in the frets, especially up there in the D-chord region.  Let it get too dry this winter.  And somewhere along the line I gave it a rap that dinged the varnish and eventually led to a crack in the wood.

The ding that eventually became a crack is visible above and to the left of the red “i”.  I don’t mind scars and wear on my guitar.  It’s a tool, and I cherish some visible indications of mileage.  But these things went beyond wear to neglect and required attention.  So before the last leg of book tour I left the instrument in the capable hands of my friend Gordy.  When I handed the guitar across the counter, Gordy turned it this way and that, ran his hands over it as if it were a trembling bird, furrowed his brow worriedly, and looked at me like I was a bad parent.  It’s no wonder, because Gordy is an artisan of guitars.  Someday when the farm is paid for I hope to get a Bischoff.  This guy has one, and he’s playing it right here.

I’m eager to see the guitar.  Gotta get after it, been on book tour so long my calluses have faded…