By Kevin McCarty
Today I’d like to write about guitars. I have owned many, and I have definitely had my favorites. The qualities of a guitar, like many musical instruments, are not limited to the music that it makes. Each that I have owned has had its own identity; a kind of personality that is unique. It might sound a little weird, but I actually enjoy just being in the presence of my guitars. I love their beauty, the quality of the components, the craftsmanship required to create each one. There is a kind of warmth that resonates from the select woods that are at a guitar’s very core. Like I said, a little weird.
Over the past several decades I have bought and sold numerous guitars. When I retired and moved to Silverton, I owned so many that I practically needed a room just to store the cases. Since then I have pared down my collection, and currently own perhaps just a few more than I can regularly play.
One of my all-time favorite acoustic guitars is my 1998 Taylor C14-CE, which I purchased new that year. At the time, I was a guitar player in a garage band in Bend called Chalkline, made up of four other then-young musicians, all of whom I still consider my brothers to this day. For ten or so years we performed in bars and at parties in and around Bend, with loud, drum-heavy rock music that was, well, Chalkline.
The other guitar player in Chalkline was Michael Gwinup, a kind and gentle soul, a solid rhythm player and our main lead vocalist with an incredible memory for lyrics. Michael was also a skilled potter of local renown. He and his wife, Michele, owned Blue Spruce Pottery in Bend, which produces high-quality ceramic works from kitchenware and lamps to custom art pieces. My wife Julie and I are fortunate to have many Gwinup pieces in our home.
Michael and I each bought our Taylors that same year, which were different versions of the C14-CE. We liked to call them the “cousins.” I still have and play mine. Michael’s remains with his family. He unexpectedly passed away in 2022. Nonetheless, Blue Spruce Pottery lives on, and the cousins remain bright and lively.
One of my absolute favorite electric guitars is my PRS Custom 24. An incredibly beautiful instrument, the PRS is a powerhouse of amazing versatility. Michael owned a PRS Custom 24 back in the Chalkline days, and it was his go-to electric guitar. It was a beauty. While I played a pretty nice electric guitar, I always coveted Michael’s, and I played it whenever I got the chance. When the opportunity arose to purchase a 25th Anniversary Edition Custom 24 several years ago, I grabbed it, and I have never been sorry. It looks and plays heavenly. Plus, it reminds me of Michael.
As Chalkline was winding down as a band in the early 2000s, Michael and I were approached by another local musician about playing some music at his private party. Michael and I got together with Ron and Jack and the band Bittercreek was born. Bittercreek became a working band, and played well over 100 shows over the next 14 years or so, all around Bend and Sisters. The cousins were a part of every show. We had us some fun! But that all stopped in 2018, when I moved. It was really tough to say goodbye to those guys and the band. Michael and I had been playing music together for over 25 years.
After moving to Silverton, I took a little break from playing music. But it didn’t take long for the itch to come back. I met up with a couple of talented young men. Josh and Nate are both well-known local musicians, and each has his own style and musical personality that seem to fit nicely with my own.
The three of us formed Local Brew, and over the past few years we’ve played everywhere from the Fireside Lounge at Oregon Garden Resort, to the Gallon House and the Rong Stage at the Crafter’s Market. My Taylor is always there, and the PRS sometimes makes an appearance.
My favorite guitars have been with me for a long time. I feel like they’re part of the family. Weird, I know. Strumming a tune on my Taylor gives me a sense of warmth and comfort. Almost like Michael is sitting there beside me, and the cousins are once again singing their sweet harmonies.
