Wintergrass Bluegrass festival near Seattle

[prof_stack]

Today I spent the time in Bellevue, WA at the annual Wintergrass bluegrass festival along with my step-dad.  Later I might post some pix of artists, but before the performances I got to play some very nice guitars. 

First up is a Martin D28 Museum Edition 1941 - with Adi top and Mad-Rose back and sides.  Check the "discounted" pricetag.  Then checkout the runout on the top.  Soundwise it was very nice and would be a lifetime keeper for a super dread fan. 

[prof_stack]

Next up are two real sweethearts - Martin's 0-28SV and 00-28SV.  The 00 had a wider neck.  Both were really mellow sweet, perhaps the ultimate couch guitars!  Price was somewhere around $3k, IIRC.

[photomat]

Thanks for posting those...

I was hoping to make it there today.....but did not have enough time.  I am planning on going up to Hugo Helmer for the martin clinic tomorrow.  Maybe they will still have that museum edition.....  I wonder how it differs from the America's Guitar?

I am planning on going to the Maltby Bluegrass Jam next week...do you ever make there?

Thanks again for the photos.....

[prof_stack]

Matt, good to see your post!  When is the Maltby jam?  I've never been but have thought much about it.

Here is another guitar I played today, the vaunted Martin D-18 Authentic.  It is a remake of the 1937 D-18 complete with hide glue and no truss bar.  The sound just leaped off the guitar and it certainly has the old Martin sound in a brand new guitar.  Sale price was $7,300.  My D-18GE is amazing, and the Authentic even more so.

[LWood]

prof_stack, I'd love to see some pix from the Festival.

Best,
LWood

[photomat]

Matt, good to see your post!  When is the Maltby jam?  I've never been but have thought much about it.

Here is another guitar I played today, the vaunted Martin D-18 Authentic.  It is a remake of the 1937 D-18 complete with hide glue and no truss bar.  The sound just leaped off the guitar and it certainly has the old Martin sound in a brand new guitar.  Sale price was $7,300.  My D-18GE is amazing, and the Authentic even more so.

The Maltby Jam is the First Sat of every month.  Starts at 2:30, wraps up at 6 for dinner (pot luck) until 7 and then they have 4 or 5 sets of about 3 songs by various groups, and then jamming until midnight.  I will be going tomorrow around 3.  bring a guitar (I observed last time, and wished Ihad brought a guitar) and come and join.  I will email my Cell Phone# to you if you want to go.

[prof_stack]

prof_stack, I'd love to see some pix from the Festival.

Best, LWood

Okay, here are a couple:

The Dry Branch Fire Squad - fronted by Rom Thomason (on mandolin).  Best band on Sunday for us.


The Seldom Scene were really good, too.

Both bands used Martin D28 models from the 50's.

[LWood]

Nice pix prof_stack, thank you.

Several of the folks performing at Wintergrass are neighbors, including Sammy Shelor and the Lonesome River Band, and Kenny and Amanda Smith. Kenny is a gifted picker, and Amanda has the voice of angels.

Wayne Henderson was in town for the festival, too, altho I don't think he was on the bill. He played a small gig at Isadora's in Snoqualmie on Sunday, accompanied by Spencer Strickland on mando, Orville Johnson on dobro, and Chuck Egner on bass.

Would love to see more pix and read more words about the festival, if'n you're inclined. Until then, thank you.

LWood

[prof_stack]

Thanks L'Wood.  We only went on Sunday.  My step-pa is only good for an afternoon of bluegrass.  His old body and mind aren't what they used to be.  But loves to go to Wintergrass every year.

The new Bellevue location was better than I anticipated, having gone to the original Wintergrass 17 years ago in Tacoma, and most of the festivals since.

Correction:  Dry Branch Fire Squad's Martin is a D21 from 1955, not a D28.  Sure sounded great.