A brief story from webmaster - Jim Howe    " After I taught Fred to play his Teisco Delray, he felt he needed a better guitar.  In 1965, for Christmas,  I went with his father to the downtown Durdel's store to check out the new Fender Mustangs.  They had not been out for very long.  We got the guitar with the case for $185!  His most memorable Christmas EVER!" Fred is pictured at left with that guitar.

     Fred & Alice were married in 1983, and the store has always been the primary focus in their lives.  Alice took over the book keeping details when they bought the store in 1993, and helps out in the store when she can.
    "I am so pathetic on guitar," she said, recalling the early 80's when she was taking lessons from Rob Worden, "that my cat used to bite my hand when I practiced.  I never knew if he was just jealous of me not paying attention to him or if it just hurt his ears!  Probably the latter!   I tried drum lessons, too.  Paul was very patient with me.  I think there is just a major disconnect in the brain stem between the left and right side, because I can't seem to make them communicate with one another." 
    Fred is very humble about his playing abilities.  "Every time we go to a trade show, I see guys like Tuck Andress and I think to myself, 'I'll NEVER be that good!'.  A lot of players have influenced me, but probably none as much as Lenny Breau, Chet Atkins, and Larry Carlton, and, of course, Jimi Hendrix."