I recently took possession of this beauty, courtesy of the Walla Walla Guitar Company.

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That's right: there're ninja level luthiers in my home town of Walla Walla, WA.

When we moved to town in the mid 90's, half of downtown was boarded up. Tumbleweeds would literally, well, tumble down Main Street. Now? There's modern art downtown. Tumbling requires slaloming around tourists from Seattle and Portland, bound for tasting rooms and artisanal cheese shops. There's even a hipster cupcake shop and (gasp) a SUSHI JOINT.

I feel privileged to have grown up in Walla Walla. It will always be the small farming town I love - that it's increasingly a haven for artists and endearing weirdos makes perfect sense, as anyone from there can attest. The influx of money from the wine business and accompanying tourism's a mixed bag, but an obvious upside's the Wa-Duece becoming a viable place for dreamers to set up shop.

Thanks Ken, Terry, and Nate. You guys are fighting the good fight. I can't wait to put this gorgeous instrument through the paces.