View from the Stage: Surgical Sound

"body">a Hallmark Holiday OK?). We went into the Acoustic
Surgical Sound -room for a long time. The Acoustic room is like a
Last week I went down to Wrigleyville to catch onehuge cigar humidor, only instead of Cubans, it's got
of my favorite bands, American English perform atMartins and such. I started pulling down guitars from
the Cubby Bear. The night was steeped in history,the wall and playing. I was looking for 2005.
both Cubs and Beatles. Between sets I walked up toTechnology has invaded all areas of life, even the
the stage and took a really close look at the Beatlerelatively untouched realm of the acoustic guitar.
instruments that had created that wonderful music.Many of them had features that I liked but only one
To me the experience was much like looking at ahad them all. I had found 2005.
museum exhibit--antique objects --basic, simple andI took her home and ran her through the show. The
sturdy. Primitive. It was a wonder that they wereplugged in sound was simply amazing ( the D44 still is
able to make so many amazing sounds and songsthe worlds best sounding unamplified guitar). But I'll tell
with this stuff. This period really was the stone ageyou I was throwin' down some Hoochie Coochie on
of rock. I wondered about what they might do ifmy new baby and I was just slapping myself with
they had all the options that were available today.the sound on those punchy accent chords-POW!
Ever think about stuff like that?Aural light saber, surgical sound. 2005. I can slice
This got me thinking about my own Guild D44. Thepeoples ears off with this guitar--gotta be careful...
guild is only a handful of years newer than the BeatleIn case you are wondering, I haven't really thrown
Guitars--she's over 30!!! The only modernization thatthe D44 over though--you'll still hear her magnificent
I've added was a 1994 DiMarzio DP132 sound-holesound on "Feel Something", after all she still is the
pickup in 2002. That's it in over 30 years! I wonder ifworlds best sounding unamplified guitar. I simply
people watching me perform where thinking that Iremoved the sound hole pickup and returned her
was playing with a museum exhibit!!!back to the way I found her back 1974--pristine,
As it turns out my children and I took a little shoppingpure. Dare I say even virginal? I'll always love her--no
trip to Guitar Center on Fathers Day (those whostrings attached.
know me disregard what I used to say about it being