Clay Lunsford

It has been a productive few days in the shop. I chose some lovely curly maple for my new project: a 0000 style guitar that I should have started weeks ago. It was ordered by a fellow who lives in New Mexico, so the warm humid weather we have been having lately probably won't help with the finished guitar's transition to its new home.

Curly maple back, before I glued in the backstrip.

The best part of working in the shop is having incredibly talented musicians popping in and out all the time providing a live soundtrack for my workday. Over the past few days the incredibly talented musician to visit us was Clay Lunsford. Clay is a hilarious, amazing thumb picker who provided us with awesome music and great company.  My dad is always saying Clay isn't right in the head. That may be the case, but he sure is fun to have around! While I listened to beautiful melodies float from the soundhole of his guitar I worked to glue kerfing onto the curly maple sides. For a while my dad's good friend Greg Cornett took a break from wet sanding his new banjo rim to whistle several amazing tunes.

Along with the incredible music, there was also some entertaining conversation. "I am getting my britches dirty!" Clay complained after several hours of sanding the Brazilian Rosewood sides on the cutaway guitar that will so . "Well, why'd you wear such nice britches! You need you some Wranglers like I got on." My dad retorted. "Well this is what was laid out for me!" Clay answered. He was wearing black slacks that seemed to attract dust the way all the ladybugs in my house find death in our light fixtures.

I love to be around when my dad meets someone who's talent he truly admires. Every time a new visitor walked through the door, my dad would exclaim, "Have you met Clay? Clay! Play them Dixie and Yankie Doodle at the same time!" And Clay would obediently launch into an incredible rendition of both songs simultaneously. Really, this guy is amazing, though I am having trouble articulating just how much so. Gail and Tom Watts provided this video that demonstrates. If you look real hard, at the beginning of the video, my dad gets that incredulous look in his eye when he is truly appreciating talent.