As I have been blabbing all over the place, I acquired a guitar from Mr. Fielding last week as a serendipitous effect of attending the party in honor of the Big Mick Family, Pam & Dave. Last night I played my first gig with it (early 80's Japanese made Lowden), and WOW. What a great working guitar. Just booms.

I've always played little guitars but have lusted after a dreadnought for so long that I jumped at the chance to get this one. There is so much more bass it feels like playing a completely different instrument. Barely needed to mike it! I took my O-18 too, for DADGAD, but my fingers had a lot of trouble making the transition to the Martin's light action and more subtle tone.

Furthermore, it was a venue fraught with humidity changes--thunderstorm when I got there, when it finished I played outdoors. The Martin couldn't deal with that at all, but the tuning of the Lowden was just bulletproof.

All makes me tend to play more bluegrass style, lots of bass runs and upbeat stuff.

Anyone else find that a different instrument makes you reinvent yourself as a player?

THANKS AGAIN RICK!!!

Willie-O