Ladies and gentlemen, from Dixon California,
Matt & George and their Pleasant Valley Boys
Traditional bluegrass from Northern CA, since 2006.
Gear
What Matt & George and their Pleasant Valley Boys pick on.
George’s 2007 gold-plated Huber Custom banjo.
George
Instrument: 2007 Gold plated Huber Custom (wreath pattern) Jim Mills model 5-string banjo with Huber “Vintage” tone ring, Snuffy Smith bridge and Bill Keith tuners on 2nd and 3rd strings.
Strings: Huber medium light
Picks: Showcase 41 fingerpicks and medium Golden Gate “clown barf” thumb pick
Tuner: Snark ST-2
Case: Calton Cases of Canada double thickness 5-string banjo case
Other: Huber leather strap, gold McKinney 5-string banjo capo
Quote: “Banjos are like women. You’ve got to play one against the other to get the best response!”
Matt’s 1997 Hutto F-5 custom mandolin.
Matt
Instrument: 1997 Hutto F-5 custom mandolin with fitted Cumberland Acoustic Tall Boy bridge and Stewart MacDonald customized clear pick guard.
Strings: D’Addario EJ74 medium phosphor bronze
Pick: Dunlop Primetone 1.3mm semi round
Tuner: Planet Waves Micro Headstock
Case: Calton Cases of Canada F mandolin shaped case
Other: Homemade rolled bootlaces leather strap.
Quote: “It’s the only mandolin I’ve ever owned.”
Jenny Lynn’s 1951 Martin D-28 guitar.
Jenny Lynn
Instrument: 1951 Martin D-28 guitar with Graph Tech Tusq PP-2122-00 black with white inlay man made (faux) ivory bridge pins.
Strings: D’Addario EJ17 medium phosphor bronze
Picks: John Pearse Hi-Rider fingerpick and Dunlop “clown barf” thumb pick
Tuner: Planet Waves Micro Headstock
Case: Calton Cases of Canada Martin dreadnought guitar shaped case
Other: Unbranded black leather mandolin strap with Planet Waves Acoustic Guitar Quick-Release System (guitar has no strap button), and Elliott guitar capo.
Jim’s Arnold Voight fiddle.
Fiddlin’ Jim
Instrument: (unknown date) Arnold Voight fiddle
Strings: Thomastik-Infeld Super Flexible Rope Core Aluminum and Chrome Wound 4/4 violin
Bow: Chadwick London violin bow
Tuner: A440 tuning fork
Case: Ifshin Violins violin case, with Colorado Case Company violin case cover.
Quote: “A friend found it in a thrift shop in San Francisco and it plays beautifully. Really a lucky find!”
Cousin Rainwater’s 1969 King Mortone bass.
Cousin Rainwater
Instrument: 1969 King Mortone 7/8 scale upright bass
Strings: Lenzner gut strings (steel wound gut E string).
Tuner: Peterson iStroboSoft for iOS
Case: No-name heavy duty padded gig bag with wheels, and all but the most necessary handles eaten off it by an enthusiastic dog.
Other: Custom 1-inch monther of toilet seat endpin cap
Quote: “Actually, no. It’s a pleasure to bring it with me everywhere I go. Same with my wife, and she’s just as tall.”