What makes a great guitar…

What makes a great guitar? Sure, I have opinions on the subject, like anyone might. I was admiring my persimmon tree this afternoon, and thinking about it, and I recalled something that happened to me many years ago which informed my ideas. I had to fly to Washington D.C. to rescue a friend. I found it to be a horrible place, unwelcome and dangerous for a person who had previously been happily plinking away in the woods on a Goya nylon string guitar (I miss that guitar, it was probably awful, but I loved it, and that’s what the story is about). Anyhow, I found my friend, and we were waiting to fly home. I was a bit distraught I guess, it was a sad day. We went into a music store to pass the time and I picked up an electric fretless bass – they said it had been made by a local person, it was there on consignment. I don’t remember the name, or anything much about it in detail. What I remember is I could play it. Without even plugging it in, it sang, it was effortless. It resonated, in every sense of the word, the notes were warm, pure… it made me feel like Jaco Pastorius, I played riffs I had never even dreamed of. Now to be honest, I probably played crap, I probably was just running away from the situation I was in, but this moment told me what a great guitar is – it’s a guitar that you can share your heart and mind and skill and dreams with, and doesn’t let you down. It’s a friend. It’s what I try to remember when I’m making one – will somebody connect with it like that? It’s something to shoot for.