Call me last. Those three words have become David Davidson's calling card in the vintage guitar world and they catch you off guard, as perhaps they are supposed to. But what do they mean? We're sitting in his office at Well Strung Guitars, the Long Island-based store that he co-owns with his daughter, Paige. It contains some of the most jaw-dropping instruments you'll ever see. A dozen 'Bursts hang on one wall. Across the room are more than 20 Blackguard Teles, Broadcasters and Esquires. In the middle are two 50s Flying Vs facing a wall of custom-colour Firebirds. All original, no refins, no reissues. If even a drop of guitar-loving blood flows in your veins, this place is a dreamland an Area 51 of tone, where things you didn't even think existed hang right there on the wall, waiting to be played.
"Call me last' has been my tagline since I started this thing," David says, leaning his elbows on his desk. "Go find out everything you want - talk to anyone you want to. But before you sell your guitar, call me last - don't make a mistake and sell it too cheap...that was always my thing."
David fell in love with vintage guitars at a young age and started trading them when he was barely into his teens. Over the years, he's been able to track down some of the rarest instruments in the world and has been known to pay a premium to acquire them. But he's also a committed steward of historic guitars and wants to raise awareness of America's guitar-making heritage. In 2017, he helped establish what was arguably the greatest exhibition of vintage guitars there's ever been - the Songbirds Museum in Chattanooga - donating scores of instruments from his own collection and involving A-list musicians from his contact book with the museum's work. To David's astonishment, a film about Songbirds even won an Emmy this year.
Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BASIC INSTINCTS
The sophisticated range of Swedish-designed guitars made by .strandberg* has lured thousands of players over to the headless side. But the company's new stripped-back Boden Essential model is its strongest play yet for the hearts and minds of mainstream players
Second String
As PRS's more affordable USA-made S2 line moves into its second decade, the series gets a revamp with - at last - USA-made pickups and electronics. What took so long?
PABLO VAN DE POEL
When a band from The Netherlands describes themselves as 'raw, psychedelic Southern rock', it may take a little cognitive processing to work out what that might mean. One listen to DeWolff, however, and you will be duly transported to the 60s for some fuzzed-out rock 'n' roll
THE BERNIE MARSDEN COLLECTION
With a fabulous collection of the late Bernie Marsden's guitars, amps and other highly collectable music gear going under the auctioneer's hammer on 11 June, we were thrilled to have the chance of a sneak preview
LENNY KRAVITZ
Some 35 years since the release of his debut LP, for his 12th record, Blue Electric Light, Lenny Kravitz is back again with equal doses of vigour and vibes, using vintage guitars and the purest valve amps
GEORGE VJESTICA
You may not know him at first glance, but the work of Stoke-on-Trent native George Vjestica has probably impacted some of your favourite albums and movies
DICKEY BETTS
Emerging from the shadow of Duane to write signature hit Ramblin' Man, the Allman Brothers guitarist was a hard-living pioneer of Southern rock
NICK GUPPY
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our highly valued amplifier guru, who died suddenly in April
Lucky Break
Alex Bishop blends old wood with new in an attempt to fix a severely damaged guitar headstock
Tones Behind The Tracks
Cedric Burnside learnt at the knee of his fabled grandfather, but his latest album is a hill country blues masterclass on his own terms