Music
Music was my first love.
Before real estate, construction, writing, painting, woodworking, or any of the other things that have become part of my life, there was music. I can't imagine a world without it.
Anyone who has spent more than a few minutes around me knows music has always been a huge part of my life. It's the soundtrack to road trips, long workdays, celebrations, difficult seasons, and some of my favorite memories. Even today, Kimberley and I still love jumping on a plane for a weekend just to catch a concert or two.
It started before I knew what I was doing.
That's me at six years old. The hat was non-negotiable. The guitar was not in tune. None of that mattered. The feeling was already there.
I don't claim to be a great guitar player. In fact, most of these guitars deserve a much better player than me. But I love them anyway. I love the craftsmanship, the history, the stories behind them, and the possibility that every time I pick one up, I might finally learn to play it a little better than I did yesterday.
Here are a few of the guitars that have found their way into the collection over the years. And yes, I still wish I knew how to play every one of them better.
The Guitars
2003
Black Falcon
Gretsch G7593-BK · Bigsby · OHSC
The one that started the Falcon obsession. Deep black finish, Bigsby vibrato, and the kind of sustain that makes you stop mid-sentence.
Acquired 2022
White Falcon
Gretsch G7593
The White Falcon is a statement. Gold hardware, white finish, and a sound that fills a room without trying. The counterpart to the Black.
2013
Silver Falcon
Gretsch G6136TSL · Black & Silver · OHSC
Midnight Black with silver appointments. The G6136TSL is rarer than the standard Falcon, this one came with the case and its history intact.
Acquired 2022
Nash S63
Nash Guitars · S-Style · Columbus, OH
Nash builds guitars the way woodworkers build furniture: by hand, with intention, with wear built in. The S63 plays like it has a past.
The Les Pauls
Gibson USA · Billy's Personal Guitar
Billy Morrison
Signature Les Paul
Cream · Gold Hardware · Union Jack Case
This isn't the production model, this is Billy Morrison's actual guitar, set up the way he ran it live. He used this Paul on stage and it shows. The setup is his, the wear is his, the history is his. Featured in this video.
2019 · Gibson USA
Les Paul Standard '60s
Sunburst
Flame maple top over a mahogany body with a nitro finish. Rosewood fretboard with a SlimTaper profile. Burstbucker 61 pickups. Weighs in at 9.7 lbs, light enough to play all night, heavy enough to mean it.
The Basses
Artist Series
Flea Jazz Bass
Fender · Road Worn Shell Pink · Gig Bag
A recreation of Flea's prized '61 Jazz Bass, the one he received from a fan and used to record Stadium Arcadium and The Getaway. Shell Pink Road Worn nitro finish, Pure Vintage '64 pickups, barrel saddles, and Flea's own artwork engraved on the neck plate.
Street Bass
Fleabass
Street Bass · Blue
Flea built Fleabass to make serious instruments accessible. The Street Bass keeps it simple: a solid platform, no-nonsense hardware, and a tone that punches well above its weight. The blue finish doesn't hurt either.