I met Fred at Rare Woods in LA. I was there as a neophyte guitar builder looking for wood. Fred felt sorry for me and my ignorance and helped me pick out some timbers.

Years later when I lived in Pacific Grove Calif, Fred would drive up in his Caddy chomping on a cigar with a trunk full of East Indian and Brazilian rosewood sets. ( I had to pay as much as $25 for Brazilian and $15 for East Indian) We did business for a number of years and visted and stayed afew times. On one of those trips Fred named my new dog "Keesha.

We would sit and play for hours at a time... I still savor those times
and appreciate the playing tips... he had incredible hands and fingers and a dynamism and rhythmic control I have never heard from anyone else.

I bought one of Fred's 12 strings, played it for years but sadly let it go to fund buying my first house. That guitar had a gold and silver Horesman of the Apocolypse inlaid into the headstock. He was a masterful builder (with his own ideas) and a powerful player of both 12 and six string.


I visited Fred a few times in Venice, I believe on Rosewood street.
Airplane in that attic.. that would be Fred.

He also had an old German sailboat.. some interesting stories there..it had a one lung Mercedes auxilliary motor with a belt drive...

On ocassion I would locate ivory for Fred as he was making gun grips...found him a tusk in Big Sur as I recall.
Fred was a fine craftsman.

Fred knew Lead Belly well and was a long time companion of Tiny Ledbetter. Fred told me a few stories about his life and association with some "famous" folks and a law suit with folks who recorded some of his music without permission.

He did resent the music "machine" industry. Power and money destroyed music in his opinion.

I am very happy that so many people knew and appreciated Fred. Great guy, great craftsman, great musician. RIP.

Perhaps I'll go back to my shop and build a 12 string.. yeah.. that's it. Thanks Fred.