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SXSW 2009

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According to AC/DC, "In the beginning/There were 15 million fingers/Learnin' how to play…" And where do the owners of those fingers come when they want to buy a piece of vintage mahogany?

Why, Austin, Texas during SXSW of course because for two days, the Convention Centre is turned into a great big axe orgy for the Texas Guitar Show.

There's an awful lot of very attractive looking chunks of wood here. There are loads of classic Fenders and Gibsons, and everything is for sale - but today, I'm drawn to the curious and the kooky.

This charming Blues Line Abalone from Alden Guitars may look like a roman bath but at least there will never be any confusion during band rehearsal.

The Blues Line Abalone: Understated (ish)

The Mosrite-inspired blobby shape and off-kilter pick-ups on this hand-built Dynamico (below) make it quite an elegant if weird-looking axe. I actually managed a play on this and it sounded sweet enough on my takes of Smoke On The Water (well, when in Texas…). One to consider if you want a unique look and sound.

The hand-built and a-bit-weird Dynamico

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