The National

The National. It's hard to imagine Preacher Boy without it. From the first note of his first album, to the final slide on the last song of "Demanding To Be Next," this mighty steel-bodied guitar has been an absolutely integral part of the unique Preacher Boy sound.

It was his grandfather, the musician and sculptor Gene Adams Logan, who gave Preacher Boy his National. It's a 1936 Duolian.

Preacher Boy uses only open tunings on the instrument, as its vintage neck is too bowed to really fret properly. He uses primarily open G, open G minor, open D, open D minor, open E, open E minor, open A, open A minor, and open C.

Gene Adams Logan passed away in 1998, and his own personal National, also a 1936 Duolian, now has a prized place of honor in Preacher Boy's collection of instruments.

Preacher Boy's National has been featured in countless publications and photo shoots, most notably as the last-page photograph in the classic coffee-table Blues photologue "Really The Blues" by Stephen Green.

Any repairs it has ever required have been performed by either Gary Brawer in San Francisco, or Bob Jones in Brooklyn, who also works on Nationals owned by John Hammond and Chris Whitley, as well as other guitars owned by individuals as diverse as Bob Dylan and Tommy Mottola.

Preacher Boy uses Martin Strings, Barcus-Berry pick-ups, National fingerpicks, Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum pre--amps, and the unique tapered-end brass slides made by Acousta-Glide.

1938 Martin 0018G

Looking not too dissimilar from Willie Nelson's famous Martin, this nylon-stringed classic wears its age well, and despite its ravaged surface, has a sound as sweet and smooth as margarine. It originally belonged to Jim Stein, the husband of Amy Marinelli's Aunt Sue. When Jim passed away, Aunt Sue very, very kindly bequeathed the fine instrument to Preacher Boy, in the hopes that it would continue Jim's musical legacy by continuing to be played. Rest assured, it gets played everyday. It is featured on songs by Eagle-Eye Cherry, it's been played in the studio by ace session guitarist Eric Schermerhorn, and it can be heard to potent effect in a solo setting on two tracks from "Demanding To Be Next."

Cole's Eclipse Banjo

Made by Boston, Massachusetts instrument-maker W.A. Cole, this 5-string banjo, courtesy of the engraved inscription under the drum, can be dated most precisely to January 30, 1899.

The Oahu

This vintage lap-style acoustic guitar was distributed by The Oahu Publishing Company of Cleveland, Ohio, famous for having been the first stateside company to start importing Hawaiian-made guitars during the Hawaiian music craze of the 1920's and 30's. Although no exact date for the guitar's birth has been confirmed, it is estimated that it was made sometime during the afore-mentioned period. It was found in a tiny music store in State College, Pennsylvania, and purchased for $100.

Crafter Mandolin

This little beauty, known as "Ruby," or "The Ruby Mandolin," was purchased at a music store in Galway for Preacher Boy's thirty-first birthday by his lovely lady, painter and photographer Amy Marinelli. It has a fiberglass back, a single-cutaway body, and an oval soundhole, making it look more like a miniature acoustic guitar than a proper mandolin. The sound is gorgeous, however, and is most recently featured on two tracks on Eagle-Eye's "Sub Rosa" album.

Yamaha FG-441S-12

Although not normally found particularly high on the list of fine instruments in this world, Preacher Boy has always felt this particular instrument has been criminally under-rated. It has so much more body than a lot of pricier 12-strings out there, without losing any of the brightness you count on. It was given to him by Andy MacPherson, the owner of legendary Manchester, England studio Revolution, during the sessions for Crow. Preacher Boy worked with Andy at Revolution again for The Devil's Buttermilk, on which he also used this fine 12-string.

©2006 Christopher Watkins. All rights reserved. Copying prohibited.
Photos by Amy Marinelli ©2004-2006