A sunburst acoustic
June
I know three chords, and it has heard all of them.
Nights / Sleepy Dog Guitars
Sleepy Dog Guitars
- Night No. 3
- Guitars
- Eleven pieces
- A Wednesday, after closing
The night
A Wednesday after closing: eleven guitars, just as many stories, and the best homemade chili we’ve had in years.
Lou locked the front door at six and turned the sign around. By half past, there were eleven guitar cases leaning against the counter and a pot of chili on the folding table, and Murph, the shop’s dog, had already gone back to sleep on the rug.
I don’t play. That turned out to be useful, because I got to ask the questions nobody else would. Why that one? Where did it come from? Who had it before you? Walt’s sat under his aunt’s bed for thirty years. Alma built hers at the kitchen table with her daughter. Tobias played right-handed guitars upside down until he found this one.
Nobody was showing off. After the last story a few people played, and the rest of us went back for a second bowl. That was the whole night, and it was a good one.
The shop
Sleepy Dog Guitars, and who’s behind the counter.
Sleepy Dog Guitars has been on this corner for twenty-two years. Lou opened it after a long time fixing other people’s guitars in a back room, and he still does the repairs himself, at a bench you can see from the door.
The shop is named for the dog, and there has always been one. Murph is the third. He sleeps on the rug by the amps, and he doesn’t get up for customers.
The pieces
Eleven guitars, each with its story. Every drawing stands in for a photo.
A small parlor guitar
Walt
It sat under my aunt’s bed for thirty years.
Read its story →A red electric
Dee
The first loud thing I ever owned.
A twelve-string
Marcus
It takes ten minutes to tune, and I’ve never minded.
A nylon-string classical
Ines
My father played it on the porch every Sunday.
A hollow-body with f-holes
Hal
It came with a set list still taped to the side.
A lap steel
Priya
It was in a neighbor’s garage, and I had to ask what it was.
A left-handed electric
Tobias
I played right-handed guitars upside down until this one.
A short-scale bass
Ruthie
Four strings, one band, eleven years.
A resonator
Ken
Loud enough to play on the porch in a storm.
A kit guitar
Alma
My daughter and I built it at the kitchen table.
So far, only Walt’s parlor guitar has a page of its own.
Join in
Two ways to be part of the next one.
I’m always looking for collectors and hosts, so get on the list here. I match folks up with nights.
Want me to host one for your group? Tell me what you want to do, and I’ll make it happen.
Tell me what you want to do