Our Colorado Trip Is Almost Over. One of the main reasons we came up here was to tie up some loose ends on our real estate investments, catch up on some miscellaneous business and spend some time with family. A few things kept us from doing this as well as we would like, one of which was an illness that kept my wife in the hospital for a few days. Other obstacles like a burst hot water heater cost us some time in cleaning up the mess. Still, it has been a very enjoyable trip. As expected, I got to spend some quality time with family and take several spiritual journeys down clear creek, the land of my ancestors. What was unexpected was the enjoyment I got from associating with several individuals in the music business.
Down On The Farm Guitars. This is the name of a new guitar venue opened on the grounds of White Fence Farm. It is run by two of the most genuine people I know, Reed and Alice Bennett. I met Reed Bennett when I responded to an ad for a guitar he had for sale. We developed a kinship right away, I suspect because of our love for guitars for more than just the music they produced. I guess we're both part of a group labeled by musicians as "gear geeks." There is something inspirational about the aesthetics of the instrument. It took me awhile to figure out what it was but the answer is simple. More than just a musical instrument, a guitar is a work of art and those who produce them, called luthiers, are artists just as much as painters or sculptors. Reed and Alice have a wide variety of instruments in their store but less than half of them are for sale. Reed has developed such an attachment to some of them that you could never talk him into selling them. They do have a variety of instruments for sale, some of which are in the collectible category and should represent good investments for the future. Another excellent feature of their store is that they invite local musicians and groups to play under the grape arbor adjacent to their building. The time I have spent at Down on The Farm Guitars has been one of the high points of my trip. You can find out more about this unique store at http://downonthefarmguitars.com
I Have Always Wanted To Build A Guitar. Several years ago I decided to build my own guitar. After some preliminary due diligence, I decided that I was not cut out for this kind of endeavor. Still, I am fascinated by the process in which these instruments are created and always look for opportunities to meet the artists who create these instruments. Yesterday, I drove across town to pay a visit to Herb Taylor. Unlike most luthiers I have met, Herb really does consider himself an artist and he has a degree in art and a background as an art teacher to prove it. Rather than try to sustain himself as a "starving artist" he obtained a masters in computer science and worked as a software engineer until he retired in 1994. For the past 10 years, he has been making one-of-a kind stringed instruments, everything from mandolins and bouzoukis to guitars. I was particularly impressed with an archtop guitar made of redwood. It is an example of elegant simplicity with most of the beauty coming from the clean lines and beautiful wood. I also liked several of the "flat top" guitars he made. All of his guitars are unique creations and derive most of their aesthetic qualities from the unusual wood he collects. One aspect of the creation which is not totally under his control is the sound qualities of the finished product. He freely admits that he is unable to design an instrument that can match the sound of any other instrument. I played several of his guitars and didn't find any with other than excellent sound quality. Just about anyone with a decent bankroll can acquire an excellent Martin or Gibson guitar but if you want a unique instrument that is yours alone, you might want to talk to Herb. Check his web site at http://www.herbtaylor.com.
A Few Words About The Markets. One of the reasons I have not spent a lot of time talking about the financial markets lately is that there is little change from week to week even though there are some really bad days and a few good days. This kind of market is perfect for the strategy I employ. While there is little in the way of appreciation to brag about, option premiums and dividends have provided me with above-average returns. If you want to discuss how to apply some of these techniques to your own portfolio, don't hesitate to give me a call.
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