Doug Larson

Taking readers through the creation of his guitar, Larson describes the various parts along with their particular provenance. Vast varieties of wood were used, including European spruce for the top, sugar maple for the back, red spruce for the cleats, and a rosette of basswood handmade by the author outlined with 45-million year old dawn redwood.  Friends and associates offered up small relics of the Guelph area such a small piece of red-painted wooden trim from the original cab of a Northern 6167 locomotive, a nail from a local priory no longer there, and the signature of Guelph brew master John Sleeman overlapping one of his ancestor’s. The various frets on the guitar’s neck feature shards of various regional stone, including a 110-million-year-old fossil. Deer antlers, snapping turtle bone, and mussel shell bring in aspects of the natural world.  Even the materials featured in the guitar’s strap and case have significance.

By bringing together the stories behind each piece in the guitar, Storyteller Guitar makes the argument that art, science, and history are part of everybody’s lives and every product of human creativity should be viewed with a sense of joy, wonder, and curiosity. Filled with photographs, maps, and diagrams, Storyteller Guitar is a fascinating look into Doug Larson's quest to unite art and science.