[New 12 String Mike]

Ophelia,

I've never played a one of, hand built Spanish guitar. I have played some wonderful custom-made folk guitars made in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And I've played a 18th century style guitar made in Colonial Williamsburg. I had the chance to play this one prior to it being varnished.

Spanish guitars are usually, "Classical" guitars. They are played only with fingers, no picks, and use softer toned nylon strings. Many classical works have been composed for them, both solo and orchestral.

I don't know if Gord's ever done much with one. I know that Red played one on a few of Gord's recordings.

Gord uses steel string dreadnaught sized guitars. This guitar design was developed in the early 20th century to give Blue Grass guitarists more volumn in the days before amplification. Gord strums his Gibson 12-strings in songs like "Early Morning Rain," "Railroad Trilogy," etc. 12 strings have a gutsy jangle sound about them. In fact, one of the tricks, I'm trying to learn, is how to control some of the jangle. When to be in full jangle and how to vary the sound.

He strums his Martin D-18 too, but also plays it finger, or Travis style. Those songs include IYCRMM, Restless, Pony Man, etc. This is the style I've played the most, using the thumb and fingers to play patterns of individual notes on separate strings. It is akin to classical playing and many instrumental guitarists use the style. For singer-guitarists it is a way to accompany the vocal by working the patterns under the sung melody.

Varying the styles keep things interesting.