Dream weekend

So I posted a little sumpin-sumpin at Gratuitous Gratitude this weekend. It all still applies.

Guy and I had a great weekend in Weaverville. He got a new guitar from Dream Guitars which is owned by a super nice guy with a super great ear. We also went back to the Secret Garden Spa and had two hours of exfoliating, soaking, shea buttery, massaging goodness. Bliss.

I had taken for granted the store where we purchased my piano. Here is this piano store in Raleigh, about 5 miles from my house, and I can go in any time I like and play a couple dozen of the finest pianos in the country. No lie. When it came time to buy one, Richard actually let me come to the store after hours and just sit and play. He had tuned and voiced 4 instruments for me to choose from, and then just let me take my time and find the one I loved.

There are not stores like that for guitarists. They get Guitar Center. Or Sam Ass. And they get to choose from a few different giant guitar companies who are all selling the same crap basically. So when Guy found Dream Guitars and then found that it was in the same town where we honeymooned, it was just too perfect.

Paul has a beautiful collections of guitars. There is a $50 sitting fee to prevent people from just stopping in to play "Stairway to Heaven" on a $10,000 Michael Greenfield guitar. It is applied to the cost of the guitar if you choose to buy from him. He had a 1910 Martin that was the fourth they made, and it sounded amazing. It was really gorgeous, but it didn't and won't be coming home with us.

Guy got to sit and try a dozen or so classical guitars from all different builders. I never realized that the type of wood used greatly changes the color of the sound. The two we narrowed the search down to both ended up having Brazilian rosewood sides and backs and German spruce tops. Both guitars had a deep rich bass, a full mellow midrange, and a clear singing treble. The one he chose was from a Brazilian builder named Moriera. It has a very traditional sound, even tone across each string and up and down the neck, and the G string really rings.

I have already picked a dozen pieces for him to learn. Maybe our Thursday Tunes will get back up and running soon with a little Diabelli for piano and guitar. I hope so.

And my laptop? All better and back from Best Buy. It would be nice, except that I left it at the Inn on Main along with my favorite Birkenstocks. Sigh.