Soft subject for me right now- not quite sore, but a touch on the tender side. *s*

See, I grew up on a Yamaha FG 110. Had it since I was 15. I'd played other guitars before it, but that's the one I really cut my teeth on, and it always made me smile to see the looks on peoples' faces when I'd break out my poor, old, street-worn and battered guitar with the little body (to match mine,) and then I'd play, and they'd look shocked that so much sound could come out of such a small instrument. (Of course, then I'd sing, and get the same reaction...)

But returning from Canada last month, our jeep cought fire, and the worst of all possible things happened. I lost all of my instruments (I also play bodhrans,) and my Yamaha, though I spoke to half a dozen luthiers and told them all that the cost/value ration was irrelevant to me- I just wanted to save my life long friend!- They all said it was hopeless.

A friend in the industry shared my sad story with his BBS, who promptly, and barely knowing my name, took up a collection, and sent the cash to my local friend, who took me shopping. I played a lot of guitars, and I was impressed with several, (Alvarez in particular,) but nothing that was within our price range. The night before, I'd looked at the Dean website, and liked the look of the Exotica line, plus, I'd decided that rosewood was the thing to have for the tones I desired. So I picked up the Exotica Andes, an all-rosewood model. Wow. I bonded with that guitar in only a few minutes, even though I thought the Exotica Dao was prettier to look at. But sound meant more. We settled on the Exotica Andes- only to be told that the tags had gotten switched. The guitar in my hands wasn't rosewood at all, but this "Dao" from Asia, which made the actual rosewood sound thin and pale by comparison!

I've had her for less than a month, and am completely in love. I'm not one for naming instruments, but given the circumstances, and the wings on the logo- I've taken to calling her Phoenix. Musicians are an amazing lot, and I guess real players could feel the pain of my loss. My faith in humanity is restored, and my fingers never had to lose a callous.