MY FAVORITE AXE: Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45ME

Gary Blanchard has been performing and writing songs since 1966. He offers uplifting songs that explore themes of hope, love, peace, and nature. His latest CD, Be the Change, was released in April 2017.

MAKE & MODEL

Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-45ME

WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU

This guitar reflects my sensibilities both visually and musically. It led me to getting the Gibson J45 I wanted since 1966.

WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE

Acoustically, it has wonderful resonance and projection, with a nice bottom end. Plugged in it has a natural sound with the ability to tune in the tone to my liking.

SPECIAL FEATURES

I love the lack of a cutaway and that the controls for the electronics are stowed inside the soundhole. I had a local artist, Hannah Brookman, paint the top in a 1960s-style. She did a wonderful job of channeling the ’60s vibe as well as my own personality.

OTHER NOTES

This is the first guitar that I have named; I call her Dreamer. While my main guitar is a Gibson J45, my most treasured guitar is Dreamer. I knew I wanted the word, Dream, on it, along with a peace symbol; Hannah took those elements and came up with a design that really reflects my sensibilities. I use Dreamer for songs in Open D tuning, so it gets used for most performances. It has great tone and a memorable look!

LEARN MORE at www.garyblanchard.info

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photo by Sarah Fahey