Things That Are Older Than Me: Episode 1

Things That Are Older Than Me is a discussion and appreciation of albums, guitars, gear or any other music related item that is older than 1993. To start I would like to keep this column devoted to our personal equipment and albums we own, eventually opening it up as a discussion of the classics.

I am a believer in well-worn instruments; I think there can be a certain
“mojo” they exhibit. Sometimes a neck that has been worn with play feels better than something right off the shelf. Last year I came into possession of a guitar that had that mojo in spades, a 1987 Martin D-2832 Shenandoah.

The coolest thing about used instruments is that they can tell a story. I got this guitar from a family friend and an all around beautiful human being. She was the original owner and was married to a folk musician. What makes this guitar unique is that it was a factory second from Martin. What I was told is that a part of the guitar was not up to spec for that model; apparently the wrong top was placed on it. Being a factory second the Martin Badge had been taken off the headstock and the logo removed from the tuners.

I don’t know what it is about that guitar, but I’ve never connected to something with six strings like that Martin. It became the easiest guitar for me to play and understand. I’m not a guitar player by any means and use it for recording and writing, but there is something about that instrument.

It has its scars, there was a headstock repair, but the most noticeable defect is that bridge that is lifting off the body and the crack in the top. I had every intention of getting these fixed, but I’m almost too afraid to touch it. It just sounds that good. Recently I recorded it with a Blue Reactor on the body and an Audix F-15 by the bridge. It sounded amazing. I don’t know if I should fix the bridge and the other issues, I probably should. However that guitar in its current state, scars and all, is responsible for almost every song I’ve written since last summer.