Duke - Great! I am delighted to get your confirmation on the ugly little hat. I figured Mike was on the level about it being Dylan's, but to hear it from a second source is a real treat. Yes, he has mentioned Shelley Abrams. Mike gave me that hat because he's heard me play a lot, he knows how much I love Dylan's music, and he says I'm "like the reincarnation of Bob Dylan". I take that as a real compliment. ;-)

Do you happen to know another old friend of Mike's from back then...Kevin Hall, the luthier? Kevin used to work at Ring Music in Toronto and he was Martin's top guitar repair guy in Canada for some time. He recently did some fine work on an HD-28 that I have...made a new bone nut and saddle for it, and did some setup work. That guitar plays like a dream.