In Part 3, I told a personal story of tracking down a French collector’s instruments at the Phoenix Musical Instrument Museum (which hosted the American Musical Instrument Society in May). Time now for another collector’s story, a perhaps more personal story, being as it involves one of my musical heroes, David (“Dawg”) Grisman … along with a harp guitar or two!

Indeed, it is Michael Hedges’ own Knutsen harp guitar “Darth” that helps beckons visitors through the entrance of the special exhibit currently ongoing at the MIM:

Through my decades-long Knutsen Archives project, I’ve of course long known of the famous but cryptic instrument. Cryptic because, even as I located every image of it in Hedges’ hands that I could find, I never had a good look at the whole instrument. That changed last year, when the representatives from Hedges estate sent me a batch of photos, and I could finally get a good look at it. It was essentially exactly as I had pieced together. Some small additions and modifications by Michael himself, but also a replacement neck and head for the six-string section (I’ve no idea when that was done). They had sent the photos with a request for an appraisal for the museum loan. It put me in a somewhat tight spot, as I replied along the lines of “Well, as a Knutsen, it’s not fully original, has some wear issues, and wouldn’t have a lot of value…what you need is someone who appraises ‘star guitars’.” No reply, but I assume they figured something out! Nice to see something like this so prominently featured as part of “Acoustic America.”

Surprisingly, they included another harp guitar in the exhibit, a Dyer Style 8, # 691. This is the one with the mysterious added “sidewalls” I discussed in my 2013 article.

Once owned by Tall Toad Music and “silent co-investor” David Grisman, it was eventually acquired by the MIM.

Which brings me to…Dawg!

The current ongoing special exhibition owes much to David Grisman, who filmed several interviews and loaned two dozen instruments from his vast collection. How vast? Curator Rich Walter told me he got to go to Dawg’s home and help pick items out, saying that what they chose for the exhibit was “just the tip of the iceberg.”

Indeed, this was another reason I was anxious to visit the MIM again, to see more of Dawg’s treasures, some of which to my knowledge have never been seen. Case in point, my two “secret Dawg stories,” if you’ll indulge me this brief interlude.

No. 1.  Back in the early ‘90s when I was beginning to collect in earnest for my daunting “A Christmas Collection” project, I one day strolled into Norm’s Rare Guitars small store (when they were on Tampa Ave.) and spotted a treasure. A Gibson Tenor Lute in red sunburst finish and double courses. Gibson fans know that the TL-1 was blonde/brown and had only single strings. I remember that it was $1100, more money than I had at the time. But I started saving up. Some months later, my wife agreed to help me buy it as an extravagant anniversary present. We went in, only to hear from Norm, “Sorry, David Grisman came in last week and bought it.” Not fair, Dawg! I just now finally located a photo of it:

Left: the TL-4, the “one that got away.” Never catalogued, two were apparently custom made. My catalog model TL-1 is on the right. I was always surprised he never used the rarity on any of his Tone Poem projects; surely it would have had a unique sound?

No. 2.  I once sold Dawg a tenor guitar, the pink “mother-of-toilet-seat” B&J that I used on my 1995 Xmas project. I had a very pleasant phone conversation with him, as he knew me then as the “Harp Guitar Pope.” He told me that he had a Gibson harp guitar, which didn’t surprise me all that much, as many vintage collectors picked up the common Style U’s. But when queried, he casually revealed, “No, it’s a blonde one, with only six sub-basses…”! Again, I’ve never seen any published photos of his, but it is quite possibly this one, the only one I know the existence of:

A rare bird, indeed, and surely Dawg knows it belongs in the Miner Museum!

Who knows what other unseen treasures are hidden in the vast Grisman collection.

At least I got to see some in person at the MIM’s special exhibit. Let’s take a look at just a few!

Of course, F5’s were in abundance. This is Dawg’s 1925 Fern…

…while this one was designer Lloyd Loar’s personal 1924 F5, acquired by the MIM.

I don’t know how many collectors have managed to put together a Lloyd Loar quartet (my pal Jonathan Kellerman has a set), but this is Dawg’s own spectacular set. Apparently, being a musician sometimes does pay. That’s the F-5 mandolin, K-5 mandocello, H-5 mandola and L-5 guitar.

The ‘cello is a one-of-a-kind early prototype with this wonderful headstock shape.

On the right is Dawg’s 10-string Gibson F4, now in MIM’s permanent collection (there were other “ex-Grisman” instruments he recently sold to the MIM. On the left is still another one-of-a-kind custom Gibson; the insane 1913 3-course piccolo mandolin, loaned by Mark O’Connor. I remember seeing it in an old Frets magazine and hearing it on one of Mark’s albums. Small and delicate, a real treat to see in person!

Look closely, and you’ll see two extra “comma” soundholes in Dawg’s 1930 “Special” mandolin.

Similarly, this Dawg-owned “Special” guitar has four F-holes on the edges of an otherwise normal Kalamazoo HG-24.

Two more stunning mandolins from Dawg’s collection: a D’Angelico bowl-back and carved-top & back 2-point.

If this reminds you of Lyon & Healy’s famous Style A Mandolin, that’s because that’s who built it. Their rare “De Pace” model, created for the Italian virtuoso in 1925. Owned by Dawg, who else?

Besides all sorts of guitars – especially tenor guitars – Dawg has many banjos, including this lovely Weymann and Son 1905 5-string “Chopourian” model.

Moving on, there were instruments loaned by many other musicians, including many famous folk and bluegrass artists. However, I was drawn most to the stunning “Clef Club” guitar banjo owned by musician Don Flemons. It was built c.1919 by Robert McGinnis. I consider fortunate to own a McGinnis & Shaw Clef Club melody banjo.

The MIM also acquired Lloyd Loar’s personal viola.

Ukulele expert and collectors Tom and Nuni Walsh loaned several instruments, including this 5-string rajao (above) and Nunes soprano uke and guitar (below).

Autoharps were also well-represented. This is the MIM’s rare c,1882  Zimmerman prototype (at least two are known).

While I took many photos, it’s probably better at this point if you just go to the MIM’s store and buy the full-color 100+ page catalog. You won’t regret it!

Next: “Harp Guitar” Labeling: Have I Created a Monster?