I've had a whole variety of guitars over the years, but the current stable of instruments consists of:—

A flamenco guitar, made by Arcangel Fernandes of Madrid in 1961. A friend of mine, one of the founders of the Seattle Classic Guitar Society who made regular yearly trips to Spain, brought an Arcangel flamenco back with him in 1960. Once I played his, I had to have one. He put me in touch with Fernandez and a year-and-a half later, my new guitar arrived from Madrid by air freight. Fantastic instrument! I've used mine for everything: song accompaniment, classical, and even a bit of flamenco (had some lessons in 1962 from a genuine flamenco guitarist). Butter-soft action, powerful sound, crisp and clear and warm, wide dynamic range, and great for concerts because it goes all the way to the back wall. I learned that "Arcangels" had become the guitar of choice for most of the well-known flamenco guitarists. Fernandez is still making guitars, but he's back-ordered for years to come. This has made the price of used Arcangels in good condition soar. I found out recently that mine is now worth about 100 times what I paid for it! I'm scared to take it out of the house. THIS one was made many years after mine, but it looks just like it.

A Guitarra Artesana, made in Japan, imported by concert guitar maker José Oribé, inspected, labeled by him, and approved for sale under his name. It has a full, rich, concert guitar sound, and it's a dead-ringer for a José Ramirez. It not only looks like one, it sounds like one. In fact, I played a recital for the Seattle Classic Guitar Society some years ago, and the folks there (some of whom own Ramirezes) assumed that mine was also a concert Ramirez. It looks like THIS.

Two odd-balls, both "Go-GW" travel guitars. I got stuck in a wheelchair about twelve years ago, and it's not real easy to play a guitar while sitting in a wheelchair. The lower bout of the guitar and the right wheel of the chair both try to occupy the same space, which tends to throw the guitar out of position and makes it hard to hold. About a year and a half ago, I bought my first "Go" travel guitar from Sam Radding of San Diego (he taught Bob Taylor how to make guitars). The "Go" is small and looks like a cross between a guitar and a canoe paddle, but it sounds amazingly like a real guitar. Radding makes both nylon and steel-string "Go" guitars, and their sound is surprisingly full and rich for such small instruments (33.25" long, 8" wide, and 3.25" deep). I liked the classic so much that I bought one of the steel-strings. Used with the neck-strap, I can play them while in the wheelchair without their coming into conflict with the wheel. Very handy. I keep one or the other of them within arm's reach all the time.

Sam Radding also makes two small parlor guitars (nylon and steel string, differing slightly from each other in size and design), but these have to be special ordered. I've heard great things about the nylon-string one, and since it may be small enough to work for me, (12" wide at the lower bout) I'm thinking seriously about ordering one.

I used to play a bit of 5-string banjo and at one time I had a long-necked Vega Seeger Model. I didn't really play it that much, though, and I eventually sold it to a guy who coveted it, and who could really play.

I also have a laud, a Spanish instrument that sounds like a mandolin on steroids (click & scroll down), but I haven't figured it out yet.

Don Firth