After the operation/ onward through the fog!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

The arm is starting to heal some. I just had my fourth operation on my right rotator cuff. The first three times it went pretty well; just lots of pain and a tad of malaise. I was living in the woods near Lynden Washington then, and was out cutting blackberry brambles with a machete three days after the operation. Taped up and using the wrong arm, but I couldnt stand sitting in the three-room shack I called home. This time was a little different. most stroked out, problems with the plumbing, thought there were some pearly gates waiting for me a few times. Has to spend a few days in the hospital. But now Im home. Since I will not be able to play for awhile, my banjo is off to Stelling to get all tarted up with engraving. It is going to be the prettiest thing I own. (A Golden Cross). I have a core set of instruments I keep no matter what I do, and this one will be the banjo representative. My other instruments have seen some snarly days off and on the road, with dents, scratches, gouges, etc. I have has the same National Style O for thirty years or more and after thirty years of playing with thumb picks and sparkplug sockets... My Beard squareneck I bought from Junior Barber and it was hammered when I got it, but man what a sound. I did have the Beard Josh Graves special, the one Paul built for the man, but it was stolen out of Spokane about ten or so years ago. It was nice, nice, nice. My guitar is a 81 Taylor 815 with the mustache bridge. Lap piano. And so on and so forth. The Stelling is the one to keep. Hell, I may even but a Calton case for it. Wonder what a Stelling deluxe case will bring? Dont know if the arm will ever heal to the point where I can use those train times and whack away on the guitar. One of the reasons I want to switch to banjo is I dont think Ill have to do a lot of sawing. Up and down, most of the action will be in the fingers. Looking forward to it and meeting people in the area than I can start up a jug band with. You know, hokum. Any takers? Add Comment

My banjo is loaded and ready

Wednesday, January 10, 2007 1 comment