“The Martin D-28 I had been playing since I bought it new in 1971 needed neck work that would take some time to have done, so I began looking for a new guitar—a stage guitar, that looked a little flashier while mine was in the shop.
The more I looked and found out how much a guitar like the one I had in mind would cost, the more I said to myself, “Why don’t I build it myself and save all that cash.” Helen and I had built a boat in Costa Rica during the 70s and a guitar and a boat have a lot in common, just on a different scale, so I began ordering the maple, ebony and spruce wood I would use as well as the abalone I wanted to make it distinctive.
I had in mind a guitar that Dolly Parton might play—fancy and a little gaudy. In her own words, “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.” Also in her own words, “It costs a lot of money to look this trashy.” I probably didn’t save that much, but I thoroughly enjoyed building Blond I and Blond II. ”