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[QUOTE=Hank Mauel] the goal is back in the shop fulltime by summer and go to Healdsburg in August.[/QUOTE]
Excellent! I hope all goes well for you.

Wonderful story!!
Reminds me of a similar experience I had around 1975. Back in 1964 when I was in the Navy in Long Beach, Ca. I bought a handmade classical/flamenco guitar at World of Strings. It went with me on a WestPac tour of the far east on an aircraft carrier, and survived several cross country trips to Texas via Trailways bus freight.
Well, 'fast forward' 11 years and I wind up in Long Beach, a civilian now, and go back to World of Strings for some repairs on that guitar. Turns out the maker of my guitar, Bob Mattingly, now owned WOS, he was also in the Navy when he built my guitar, and in Hawaii when I bought it. The guitar was #22 and Bob got a real kick out of seeing it again. Told me that the b&s were from Florida cypress cut circa 1850 for railroad bridge supports. Bob and I became good friends, having the guitar in common as well as the Navy history. Bob went on to make hundreds more guitars, and became something of a legend, as well as a teacher/mentor to a number of now well known luthier/makers. I remember that he still had a personal attachment to #22, and was very interested to hear about its history and travels since it left his bench, like a child returining. I still have #22, and it plus knowing Bob Mattingly have steered me in this direction.
Sorry if I hijacked, but stories like Hank's get me all misty eyed and nostalgic........I'm getting too old.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Must have been a satisfying experience. Nice.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

What's that old P & H song?..."Re-youuuu-ni-ted annit feeeeellls so gooooooood..."

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Love those stories!

Hank--

Great story and the best of wishes for your good health and happiness in the future.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Glad y'all liked the story and that some of you have had similar experiences.
It WAS really gratifying to have someone take the time and effort to re-unite me with one of my instruments...and from such a long way away.
Ya know, the only things I'm going to leave behind are the family I raised, and in turn, their children, the people I have touched in someway during my life and maybe a couple hundred instruments when all is said and done.
I didn't build any monuments, invent an Ipod, fly in space or write the great American novel. But just maybe, 50-60 years down the line, some young pup who is just on fire for the acoustic guitar will do research for a book on this Golden Age of luthiery. And just maybe he'll run across a couple of my instruments, along with all the really great names of this age of luthiery and write a few nice comments about my efforts.
Maybe he'll even visit my grave and note the epitath on the headstone..."He had a lot of pluck"   

Couldn't ask for a whole lot more!

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Hank Mauel