The Chesapeake Bay Guitar Project

MacCubbin Guitars has teamed up with the Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe and Craig Lavin Custom Inlay and Design to establish the Chesapeake Bay Guitar Project. Under the auspices of this project, a series of six guitars were built. Each of these one of a kind, limited edition acoustic guitars is handcrafted using a different tonewood, and each is custom inlayed with a different unique scene of the Chesapeake Bay, its wildlife and its environment. These handcrafted designs were created in very detailed inlay on the guitars’ surfaces resulting in highly customized and unique instruments. The Project benefits the Chesapeake Bay Foundation® through increased opportunities to raise awareness of the Chesapeake Bay as an important regional resource to protect and preserve, and shares some of the Bay’s history and natural beauty. The founders have also pledged to contribute a generous portion of the Project’s proceeds to support the work of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation® (visit: CBF Blog). The guitars were unveiled to the public on May 17, 2008, at Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe. For more information on the guitars and the project, visit: www.appalachianbluegrass.com

Guitar Festival

The initial phase of the Chesapeake Bay Guitar Project began in late October 2007 and the six guitars were completed in May 2008. A festival celebrating the guitars was held at Appalachian Bluegrass on May 17, 2008 and was a great success. There were a number of great players on-hand highlighting the six guitars and entertaining the festival attendees. There are still guitars on display and available for purchase at Appalachian Bluegrass. For further information, contact Emory Knode at Appalachian Bluegrass.

A photo gallery of the guitars follows. Click on any photo for a larger picture. Many of the photos are courtesy of Mike Davis, photographer, at www.MikeDavisPhotos.com.

"Ladies' Night" Guitar CBG-01

"Ladies' Night" depicts a scene of female Chesapeake Bay blue crabs out for the evening along the sandy bottom of the Bay in the eelgrass. The scene extends from the headstock down the entire fretboard. The guitar features a Peruvian Walnut back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, with Flamed Western Maple bindings.

"Heron Sunset" Guitar CBG-02

"Heron Sunset" depicts a scene of a Chesapeake Bay sunset, emblazoned on the headstock. There is a great blue heron standing silhouetted at the bottom of the headstock. The scene extends from the headstock down the fretboard, drawing closer through the cattails, with a heron looking out near the soundhole. The guitar features a Brazilian Kingwood back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, with Ebony bindings.

"The Fisherman" Guitar CBG-03

"The Fisherman" captures an osprey coming in to catch a fish, swimming in the Bay. The osprey's wing stretches across the headstock, while the head and talons appear in the middle of the fretboard. The fish are shown swimming unaware of their impending capture. The guitar features a quilted Sapele back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, with Indian Rosewood bindings.

"The Duke and Duchess" Guitar CBG-04

"The Duke and Duchess" shows a mated pair of wood ducks, sitting in the grass along the shoreline. The drake and the hen are featured on the guitar headstock, with an additional bit of shoreline extending onto the fretboard. The guitar features a curly figured Imbuia back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, with Flamed Western Maple bindings.

"Stars and Stripers" Guitar CBG-05

"Stars and Stripers" fretboard places the viewer underwater, within a school of feeding striped bass. at the bottom of the fretboard is a single starfish, indigenous to the Chesapeake Bay, and hence the name "Stars and Stripers". The headstock features the Francis Scott Key buoy, which is located in the Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River. This buoy commemorates the location where Francis Scott Key was held captive on one of the British ships during the bombing of Fort McHenry and where he composed the "Star Spangled Banner". The guitar features a Ziricote back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, with Flamed Western Maple bindings.

"Last Light" Guitar CBG-06

"Last Light" depicts a setting sun across the fretboard, with numerous flying gulls silhouetted in the fading light. The headstock features a lone gull standing on a piling, content to spend the night resting there. The guitar features a Birdseye Maple back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, with Flamed Koa bindings.

Radio Interviews

On October 23, 2009, Emory Knode (owner of Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe in Catonsville, MD) and I appeared on the 'Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast' show on WYPR, NPR radio 88.1 FM. We interviewed with Tom Hall, who is Music Director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and Culture Editor for WYPR. We discussed the Chesapeake Bay Guitar Project with Tom. Click here to link to the WYPR Maryland Morning website and scroll down to October 23, 2009 to listen to the interview.

On December 10, 2007, Dave MacCubbin (MacCubbin Guitars) and Emory Knode (Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe), appeared on the 'Steve Rouse: Baltimore's Morning Show' on WLIF, 101.9 Lite FM with Steve Rouse and Diane Lyn, to talk about the Chesapeake Bay Guitar Project, including supporting the work of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation® through monetary contributions from collector's limited-edition guitar sales, raising awareness of the preservation of the Bay, specific details of the design of the guitars and the custom inlay work, and the schedule for the initial unveiling of the guitars. The photo shows Dave MacCubbin, Emory Knode, Steve Rouse, and Diane Lyn. Click on photo for a larger image.

Click Interview Audio to listen to MP3 recording (you need an MP3 player to play the file).