M. Ted, I think that guitars that are left out overnight in the rain tend to become rotten unless they are made of metal in which case they become rusty. I don't know which sounds worse, a rusty guitar or a rotten guitar. :)

Barney sounded much better with just one guitar than any mediocre pianist I ever heard. That's of course why he was Barney Kessel. He could swing, play rhythm and lead, and propel a band better than many pianists who were technically proficient.

Barney had a kind of modesty about him. He tended to low-key his abilities. It was a mark of excellence that he got to play with Bird since he was an entirely different personality, rather conservative and not into drug use. But Bird thought enough of his musicianship to record with him. That is significant as to his ability in my opinion.

I worked for Barney in Hollywood as a guitar teacher for his "Music World" store and on a sound track with him.

The guitar is a hard instrument to play well. You are right. It's more subtle than other stringed instruments because it's quieter and less geared for single string solo work than the mandolin or fast exciting Scruggs style fingerpicking but it is one of the most versatile instruments in the world.

But as an accompaniment for the human voice, I don't think any instrument is any better.

Frank Hamilton