The Instruments

Bob Applegate performs with a 1996 Collings Clarence White model, which is a dreadnought shaped guitar utilizing  Brazilian Rosewood back and sides with an Adirondack spruce top.  The guitar is a limited production model which was commissioned by John Holman.  Aged woods were selected by John Holman.  The guitar features forward shifted scalloped bracing, the absence of the "tongue" brace under the fingerboard and a larger than standard soundhole which reduces bass boominess and improves the balance of the response.  When recording Bob primarily uses a 1996 Collings OM-2H which shares the Brazilian Rosewood from the same tree as the Clarence White.  Bob also plays a 10 year old Gibson A5L master model mandolin, a 1973 Martin OO-28C classical guitar, a 1972 Guild F-512 12 string guitar and a Fender electric bass.  Bob highly recommends and uses John Pearse strings and armrests on all of his steel string guitars.

Bill Harlan performs with a 1975 Martin D-45 and a 1969 Guild F-512 12 string guitar.  The Martin is a top of the line pearl series dreadnought  which utilizes standard (non scalloped) bracing for optimum tone and balance for both strumming and picking.  The D45 features select Indian Rosewoods and Sitka Spruce top.  The Guild 12 string utilizes a jumbo body of Brazilian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce.  We have always felt that it would be factual to see a picture of Bill's Guild 12 string in a Webster's dictionary as it truly defines how 12 strings should sound.  Bill also has (at times) performed with a 1978 Martin M-38 and an Baldwin model "D"  5 string banjo.  Bill uses John Pearse strings on his steel string instruments.

Rich Mitts currently performs with a mid 1980s G&L bass and a Roland Cube amplifier.  A talented multi-instrumentalist, Rich also plays piano, violin, drums and numerous electric and acoustic guitars.  Rich doesn't remember what kind of strings are on his bass.

Steve Hatfield performs primarily with a 1933 Gibson model TB4, 5 string banjo.  His second banjo is a 1983Gold Star model GH100.  We have heard no other banjo combination that sounds as good as Steve, playing his Gibson mic'd by a Shure Beta 57 microphone.  No other banjo sounds close to that combination.  That said, Steve is an incredibly gifted player and could probably make a tin can sound good.   It is worth noting that in Steve's case (regardless how well the instruments sound) it is in fact not the arrow, but the Indian.

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