The best deal I ever heard of was way back in 1952. Claire, my lady friend at the time, had developed a strong interest in folk music and mentioned to her grandmother that she was saving up to buy a guitar. Her grandmother said that she had a guitar that she'd had since around 1900, didn't play it anymore, and gave it to her. It was a Washburn "New Model" parlor guitar made in 1898 by George Washburn. Claire's grandfather had bought it for her new for $50.00. Until then, Claire didn't even know that she'd played. Looks like this, except that Claire's didn't have a pick-guard.

I liked the songs Claire sang, wanted to learn some too, and since she was having so much fun with the little guitar, I decided to get a guitar, too. I headed down to Seattle's 1st Avenue where all the pawn shops hung out and wound up in Myer's Music where they had hundreds of guitars of all sizes, varieties, and prices, mostly pretty cheap. I knew nothing about guitars. I bought a Regal, because the price was right—$9.95. I also bought a fiberboard case for $5.00 (by the way, both the guitar and case were new), and the salesman threw in a free pick, a copy of Nick Manoloff's beginners' guitar manual, and a handy-dandy patented "chord wheel" (a couple of round cardboard disks fastened at the center with an eyelet—dial a key and it told you what chords to use). From the chord wheel, I learned about the circle of fifths.

I learned the basics on the Regal. Most guitars in that price range were next to unplayable, but I lucked out. It could be tuned accurately, the action was fairly soft, and the tone, although it hinted at apple-crate, was acceptable. I flogged that little guitar for about two years, then sold it for five bucks when I bought a Martin 00-18. One thing sorta led to another.

Best deal I've run across lately are Sam Radding's li'l travel guitars. They look like a cross between a guitar and a canoe paddle, but they're small and handy, and they sound like real guitars. Sam makes them to order (Sam's the guy who taught Bob Taylor how to make guitars). I have two of them, both GO-GWs, one nylon-string, the other steel-string. Add the padded gig bag and $18.00 shipping and they come to a little over $300. Great instrument for a wandering minstrel.

Don Firth