The Lawnmower Playlist (Part Deux): New Music for a New Summer

New Tunes and New Grass

As the school year winds down and preparations begin for my action filled summer of "People, Places and Music (with some fishing tossed in)", I find myself adrift in that dreaded morass of maintenance, cleanup and lawn care that consumes far too many beautiful, sunny days.  The last of these--the lawn--is most heinous this year; with abundant, soaking rains and warm, sunny days partnering  to keep my lawn "April Fresh" all the way into June!  As you may recall from last year, the month of May seems to also bring a flood of new, interesting music to help while away the tedious hours of suburban toil and help maintain a modicum of sanity in an otherwise bustling and too-busy world.  This year is no exception, and I thought I would  share a few with the SeMiBluegrass audience to help them over the final hump and into summer.  I tried to put links to where you can purchase their music as well (and support live, local music--the best way to beat the pre-summer blahs!).

Kinda Says It All Right There

While not a local musician, I became aware of the "Rock and Roll King" Robert R. McFarland when he ordered a custom 5-string banjo from Companion Custom Banjos.  No "weekend folkie" Open Back banjo  or "Bro Country Wannabee" six-string Banjotar for this picker, but a 100% bluegrass-style 5-sting resonator.  When Robert saw the mention of his "sun and moon banjo" in that review, he graciously sent me a copy of his superb double-CD Rock and Roll.  Much like his chosen electric genre, the album is anything but subtle, presenting roughly two dozen hard-driving, in-your-face, original rock songs on the two discs named (again, no subtlety) "Rock" and "Roll".  I've actually put quite a few mile on this CD--literally and figuratively--as a coping mechanism for my other Michigan spring pet peeve--construction delays.   This immaculately arranged and recorded collection is perfect when you just want to hit play, tune out  and let the music carry you to your destination.  While every song features McFarland on vocals and lead guitar, there is an incredible diversity of sounds here that make each song unique.  His powerful and soulful voice ranges from a gravelly baritone to a bell-clear tenor and hints at a barely contained explosion of emotion waiting to be released upon the listener.  Instrumentally, he pushes his Gibson SG to the very limit of versatility; dripping with tone and equally complex whether playing clean or  impossibly compressed.  Like many great guitarists, he blends lavish rhythm licks with complex leads to build a wall of sound you'd expect from two (or more) well-rehearsed guitarists.  McFarland does spread his bluegrass wings a couple of time.  My Dog''s Name is Rusty is a straight-forward, cowboy chord bluegrass standard featuring Robert's take on bluegrass flatpicking and some killer Lester Flatt G-runs.  On another song, he blends some killer mandolin rhythm licks in the introduction to a smoking hot blues-rock number--completely unexpected and completely awesome (like this whole album).  Your can find Robert R. McFarland's music HERE and HERE, but order the CD from CD Baby (because of the shipping notification--duh).

Mandatory SemiBluegrass Listening!

Two years ago, at a Jameson-fueled 2AM jam at the Wheatland Music Festival, I met a talented singer/multi-instrumentalist, Nate Roberts, from the west side of the state.  Nate reached out to me to let me know of a stripped-down, heavily bluegrass influenced project he's been working on--The Field Hymnal.  This "indie-grass" band has a unique sound built around Robert's songwriting and virtuoso mandolin picking behind Angelee Berrian's plaintive and sorrowful vocals.  The band fills out the sound with Luke Panning's swirling fiddle melodies and rock solid rhythm of Jared DeMeester on Bass.  Their sound is contemporary and traditional at the same time, and features some incredible harmony singing.  The band is currently running a small Kickstarter campaign to finance printing of their new CD, The Meaning of a Tree.  I highly recommend you give them a listen, both bluegrass aficionados and devotees of modern, local music will find something you love here.

The One and Only "Huggy Bear" and his Dobro

True story: after I'd been playing bluegrass for like six weeks, I had the opportunity to travel to Marquette and play on stage with some friends as the opening act for a small indoor bluegrass festival. It was a completly forgettable performance.  That is not true for the  band that followed--The Flatbellys (of Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys).  It was here I first meet the one-of-a-kind bluegrass/Americana talent that is Mark Lavengood.  In addition to his work with The Flatbellys, Mark has been slowly making his mark on the Michigan (and National!) bluegrass scene with his Mark Lavengood Bluegrass Bonanza project--an oft-evolving collection of pickers and singers dedicated to bringing high-octane bluegrass music to a live venue near you!  While it may be akin to catching a lightning bolt in a bottle (or maybe a mason jar), Mark has captured the soul and essence of this bluegrass adventure in his new CD, We've Come Along.   Featuring the incomparable Jason Dennie on mandolin and a cast of first-rate pickers, the album ranges from fairly traditional bluegrass fare--check out Ole Slew Foot--to unmistakably contemporary idie-folk ballads like Three Day Blow and even a tongue-in cheek cover of a mid-80s classic, Hungry Heart.  First rate entertainment for one and all.  Check our Mark's Kickstarter HERE, or--better yet--come see him play the songs live at his CD Release concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor on June 1st (with special guests, The Native Howl)

Into the Darkness with The Native Howl

Speaking of the The Native Howl, you may remember I've written about them and their take on acoustic/metal/folk music Thrashgrass in the past.   Ten million FaceBook video views later the band is kicking off nationwide summer tour that schizophrenically pairs headlining gigs at The Wisconsin Blueberry Festival with The Stoned Meadow of Doom Fest .  To prime the summer pump, the band is preparing to release their project Into the Darkness the day before their show at the Ark.  The album promises to be an exploration of the darker, more thrashy side of thrashgrass fueled by lead-man Alex Holycross' near-demonic "metal voice" and doomsday inspired, go-for-broke drumming of Joshua Lemieux.  Paired with Mark Chandler's lightning fast work on the base and guitar/vocal/banjo/harp from Jake Sawicki, this will be an album that is hard to ignore.  The band--masters of social media--have managed to remain fairly tight-lipped about the project, other than an occasional snippet of a lyric, photo shoot or video released to build the suspense.  You should definitely check them out, and buy the album when it comes out.

The Gasoline Gypsies

I actually met The Native Howl as part of the North Winds Tour they did with their friends The Gasoline Gypsies who, coincidentally, also have a new album coming out this July 1.  Driven by the intensly talent songwriting and lead guitar of frontman Caleb Malooley, the Gypsies deliver pure, Detroit-style (they would argue Port Huron Style) modern rock-and-roll with a folk music sensibility.  Bassist Steve Briere and drummer Joe Makowski are arguably the best rhythm section partners in the state right now, and their music has incredible drive and energy in large part from this pair's contribution.   With new rhythm/lead guitarist Neal Love, the new songs that have leaked out have all the energy of their past album, with a new level of intricacy and musicianship.   I was pleased to learn the band has booked a gig at the Forestville Music/Beer Festival in Marquette--a venue tailor made for them.  Music fans in Marquette, watch out, you're in for a treat under the trees.

So, with summer around the corner, get out there, tune in, and turn on some new music.  It's out there.  And it's really, really good! 

Doing Things The Right Way--Companion Custom Banjos

High Quality, Custom Work--and Right In Our Own Back Yard

I started writing the blog soon after I discovered bluegrass music and because I was absolutely convinced that there must be hundreds of other people in southeast Michigan with the same interest and passion as myself. Lo and behold, almost five years, 75 posts and 33,000 page views later I have met thousands of music fans, musicians, venue operators, festival promoters, instrument builders and all-around fine folks--most of whom I am priveledged to call my fiends.   Nonetheless, I am still humbled when I stumble upon something as special as the Companion Custom Banjo Company.  Working out of their backyard workshop, owners Chris and Stephanie Sorenson are hand-building high-quality, fully customizable 5-string resonator banjos for pickers and shops throughout the Midwest.  More importantly, they are doing it the right way, with the attention to detail and focus on friendly service that you expect to find in parking lot jam sessions and anywhere else bluegrass pickers get together.  Whether you are an aspiring beginner or seasoned, touring pro picker, Chris and Stephanie treat you like a member of the family, and pour their heart and soul into every build.

Chris and Stephanie and the Companion Workshop

Chris has been playing bluegrass on banjo and assorted instruments since he was seven years old, and brings his lifetime of experience to his builds.  He told me that he started out doing banjo repairs, eventually built his own banjo, and then made one for someone else--and a craftsman was born.  On the day I visited the shop, I watched him walk a teenager through all the steps involved in building a banjo and helping her through all the options open to her as she designed the banjo of her dreams.  His enthusiasm was impossible to ignore, and his knowledge of the "how and why" of each choice comprensive and thorough.  Both he and Stephanie really took the time to explain each choice, without letting his personal opinions or biases interfere with what the customer wanted--a skill often lacking in business today.  In preparation for the visit they had laid out dozens of components to show his client examples of every option and give them an idea of what the final build would look like.  The Sorenson's also maintain a comprehensive online-presence including a Facebook Page, Website and YouTube channel where customers and enthusiasts can see and hear everything they do.

Custom Wood from Companion Banjos

A companion custom banjo begins with selecting a wood or metal tone-ring to pair with a hand-built resonator from Mainer Jim Cox (though the Sorenson's recently acquired a resonator press and are beginning to build their own). Chris also hand picks select lumber from which he hand-cuts and shapes his necks and fingerboards  The shop is a woodworker's and machinist's dream with all the standard and custom tools to allow Chris to build most of these components on-site.  From their small shop, Companion can offer complete in-house builds--with the exception of strings, tuners and miscellaneous small parts. The specialty of the shop is definitely apparent in their custom inlays.  They can reproduce nearly any custom fingerboard, or design something special for the customer.  Their "signature" name block allows the new owner to add their name, the name of the banjo or anything else (up to 10 letters) in block or script fonts.  If Chris ever wanted to experiment with a 4-string tenor tuned GDae, I would be first in line to test one out!

Custom Inlays

Co owner Stephanie is also a long time musician playing fiddle and rhythm guitar. It  is patently obvious that she rolls up her sleeves and assists in all aspects of the design, production and marketing of the banjos.  Her background in graphic design is apparent in the custom inlay work she designs on the computer and manufactures on the CNC mill in the shop.  Chris told me that--while the mill is a great time-saver--Stephanie used to hand cut all of the inlays with a pearl say--a meticulous and time consuming task that takes a steady hand and commitment to perfection.  On the day I visited, she took turns explaining things with Chris and showing off some of the specialized machinery and tools it takes to build a banjo.  I have so say, as an "enginerd" at heart, the shop itself was just as impressive as the banjos and their builders.

As you could probably deduce from the passion of the owners, the shop itself is quintessentially cool.  It is meticulously clean (as you would expect from anyone doing spray-finish work) but there are cool gadgets, gizmos and interesting objects hiding everywhere--hand-cut neck templates, a set of well-worn banjo picks, assorted banjo (and other instrument) parts and even an old guitar and banjo over the workbench.  In the corner was a pile of scrap wood--but even that was super cool, with a variety of colors, grain types, and even some interesting cut-outs from previous builds. 

The banjos coming out of this shop are spectacular to look at and a visit to their website will confirm they sound justa as good as they look. So, if you're in the market for a full-custom, 5-string resonator banjo at a ridiculously reasonable price, give them a holler and start the build of your dreams!

Right In Our Own Back Yard: Woodward Guitar Co. and MacMillan Guitars Demo Days at the Music Man

Novara and MacMillan Share some Secrets of the Trade

Sometimes the greatest thing in life are right there, under you nose, hiding in plain sight.  Nowhere is that more true that right her in Southeast Michigan.  Last Saturday, almost within walking distance of my house, three truly unique entities came together to create something magical.  At first glance, you might be tempted to think that this "Demo Day" was just a cliche' weekend sales gimmick from another, unassuming strip mall music shop, and you couldn't be further from the truth.  For starters, The Music Man in Brighton is far from another cookie-cutter guitar store--offering a great selection of high-quality guitars from all the best manufacturers (Fender, Martin, Taylor, Gibson and the list goes on) as well as exceptional customer service, knowledgable sales staff and talented instructors for persons--young and old--wanting to learn to play nearly any instrument.  There is something for everyone at "The Man".   Secondly, the two guitar makers showcasing their wares (Woodward Guitar Co. and MacMillan Guitars) produce not only superb, high-end guitars, but heirloom quality  instruments with a story worth telling--and both makers have a strong connections to SouthEast Michigan to boot!

This Home Became a New Guitar--Cool, Right?

The Woodward Guitar company owes it's start to detective and amateur woodworker Curt Novara making a trip to Reclaim Detroit in search of some wood to make furniture for his house.  For those not familiar, Reclaim Detroit specializes in salvaging building materials from blighted homes in Detroit that would otherwise be sent to the landfill.  As an amateur musician, Novara stumbled on a nice piece of old-growth Douglas Fir and realized that he could turn this piece of reclaimed timber into a great sounding electric guitar.  From those humble beginnings grew the Woodward Guitar Company offering a Les Paul inspired semi-hollowbodied "Standard" model and the Telecaster-inspired  solidbody "Telegraph" model.  An electric bass has recently joined the lineup as well.  The real standouts are the Telegraph models that feature reclaimed wood throughout, high-quality components and locally wound, custom pickups.  Traditional construction and classic nitrocellulose finishes give these guitars oodles of character, and Novara will work with the buyer to customize the builds to suit their playing style (just browse the website to see the depth and breadth of configurations he's already built!).  The coolest thing of all however--and what really gives these guitars personality and soul--is the Certificate of Authenticity that accompanies each guitar.  Along with a photo, you get the address and the story of the home the timber came from and how it was "reborn" in to the guitar.  Custom engraved heel-plates also feature a picture of the home on each guitar.   From twangy county-style chicken pickin', tone-dripping blues solos and even some Detroit-style funky rock-n-roll guitar riffs, these guitars sound GREAT.  If you're in the market for a one-of-a-kind guitar at a remarkably reasonable price, look to the Woodward Guitar company.  You won't be sorry.  A selection of Woodward Guitars are on display at the Music Man, as well as Motor City Guitars in Waterford  and Detroit Guitars in Birmingham. Or check out their website.

Sound Even Better Than They Look!

Also on display were the finely hand-crafted guitars of  Nashville luthier Marty MacMillan.  A Brighton area native, MacMillan made a name for himself building spectacular custom guitars, and has moved his operation to Mount Juliet Tennessee.  Returning to his roots, he brought five great guitars with him to show off.  These are beautiful instruments with woods picked not only for tonal quality, but for  beauty and character.  Like his binding, inlays and finishing, MacMillan eschews super-exotic woods and treatments, instead choosing simple elegance, immaculate construction and classic styling to set his guitars apart.  Most of the guitars he brought were "Orchestral" (OM) models (some with deeper, "dreadnought" depth) and, in the hands of some remarkably talented customers, sounded amazing.   These are sweet guitars producing the type of layered and complex tone you'd expect from guitars costing ten times more.  I got a chance to play the Maple dreadnought Marty brought with him.  The warm burst coloring on top and sides was exquisite, as was the classically understated herringbone binding.  This guitar would be right at home at any bluegrass jam.   As expected from a maple-bodied guitar, the tone was bright and clear, with subtly nuanced harmonics and crystal clear note separation.  I didn't expect the powerful bass tones this guitar produced--capable of standing up to any banjo player you know!  I have to admit, I loved this guitar.  Check out Marty's website for information on how to order yours today.

I've included some photos below.  Please feel free to check them out (or look for the whole gallery on the SeMiBluegrass Facebook page.

Roots Rust Revival--Giant (Playable) Stringed Instruments as Interactive Art

Genius at Work

And now for something completely different. Have you ever sat up late at night; perhaps after an cocktail or two, and had a  crazy idea?  Something like: "Hey!  We should build a ten foot tall giant steel banjo!", and instead of telling you that you're crazy your friend says "Yeah!  And it should be PLAYABLE!".  Welcome to the genius of the magnificently twisted and wildly creative minds behind Heavy Metal Stringworks. David Sakalauskas and Steven Cannaert have been friends for years and--along with a slightly warped sense of humor--share a passion for live music and tinkering with things.  For years they had been tossing around the idea of building a giant banjo sculpture to donate to the Wheatland Music Organization.  The passing of long-time organizer Mike Bunting (who--according to legend attended his first Wheatland to return a banjo he had borrowed) provided the motivation to bring their dream to life and the "Big Banjo" made it's debut at Wheatland last fall. 

Banjo, BasTrak and Dobro (look close)

From that humbly grandiose beginning came the idea for Roots Rusted Revival--an ambitious, interactive sculpture installation that simultaneously celebrates Michigan's rustbelt industrial heart and roots music soul. And what better way to show off a bunch of gigantic, rusty, playable, musical sculptures than to get Founder's to agree to host the installation as part of ArtPrize in September!  Dave and Steven's vision has grown to include a trio of oversized, yet playable instruments; built primarily from found and reclaimed materials; developed organically with changes and modifications suggested by people who interact with the sculptures at various musical festivals; all coming together to create something greater than the sum of the rusty bits and pieces that make up the sculptures.  All summer long these maestros of musical magnificence have been traipsing all over the state, working on their vision.  Their interactive sculptures have made appearances at the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival, the Ryan Bellows Bluegrass Bizaar, the Midwest Test, Feral Fest and several smaller events.  Look for them at the Hoxeyville Music Festival in August as well.

Fans Checking Out the Big Banjo

The Big Banjo was the first creation from Heavy Metal Stringworks.  Standing over 10 feet tall and weighing in at over 600 pounds, this mammoth banjo--by some measures--qualifies as the world's largest playable banjo.  They're waiting to hear back from the folks at Guinness to verify this.  Authentic in every aspect, the Big Banjo features a steel pot,  adjustable polyethylene head and a fully fretted custom steel neck made from a surplus highway guardrail.  Ratchet strap hardware allows for coarse tuning of the stainless steel strings, with an ingenious fine-tuner setup hidden behind the head to perfect the pitch of each string.  While difficult--but not impossible--for a single person to play (either Scruggs or Clawhammer styles work), the Big Banjo really sounds incredible when played by two (or more) people.  Some on the frets, some plucking strings, some beating on the head like a drum, even playing the short strings between the tailpiece and bridge for some harmonics--the possibilities are endless.  Recently, they guys have even added a piezo-electric pickup allowing the Big Banjo to be played through an amplifier with a variety of digital effects for some truly unique sounds!

Jamming with the BasTrak at Charlotte Bluegrass Festival

How to top the Big Banjo?  Introducing the BasTrak!  At it's core, this post-industrial nightmare of an instrument is essentially an enormous washtub bass lying on it's side.  With an eight foot diameter head resting on a frame of railroad ties, and a twelve foot neck made of a old train rail, this behemoth weighs in at over 3/4 of a ton!   Less instantly recognizable as a musical instrument, the BasTrak is normally played by striking the steel cable with a rubber mallet while sliding a heavy steel trolley along the rail to control pitch.  Like the Big Banjo, the BasTrak has undergone continuous, incremental improvement based on feedback from people who've played it.  A new floating head (courtesy of some discarded stock car valve springs) and an ingenious pickup system allow for a tremendous range of tones.  At one point this summer, over a dozen people were simultaneously playing the string, the head, the rail and even the frame to create a post-modern dance groove late into the evening.

Dobro Work In Progress

The most ambitious piece to date is the Steel Dobro.  Modeled loosely on a pre-war National Squareneck dobro, this self-standing, 6-sting masterpiece is remarkably light (well under 400 pounds) and easily playable by a single person.  With a steel body wearing a heavy coat of rust and patina, the stainless steel top really stands out and creates not only a striking visual contrast, but a sharp, clean tone to offset the deep bass of the hollow body.  The strings are held way above the fretboard for easy slide playing in the traditional style.  A hand crafted tailpiece (with integral fine tuners) is a masterpiece of design and on-the-fly engineering as are the spring-steel "fingers" that support the tuning "machines" at the headstock.  The strings run over a hand-hewn oak saddle and nut and transfer (for now) the sound to the sieve-plate resonator (salvaged from an old clothes dryer).  The piece simply has to be seen, touched and played to be appreciated.

Words (and pictures) simply can not describe the Roots Rusted Revival project.  However, let me present the following as my own--modest--contribution the this living, breathing work of rust belt art:

In the middle of a warm, Michigan summer, pick a calm, quiet evening and step outside.  There you will hear the faint musical echo of our state's past: the rhythmic striking of axes against tall Northern Michigan pine trees; the slow rumble of dynamite blasting an iron ore face in a U.P. mine; the sharp crash and clang of hydraulic presses in Detroit and Flint's great automotive plants.  If you listen closely, you will also hear the ghosts of our blue collar ancestors singing and making music with family and friends; with simple, traditional instruments--the guitar, and banjo and washtub bass--they brought with them as they moved from the poverty of the south to the opportunity of the Midwest.  Though the trees are gone, the mine's have shut down, and the great factories lie rusting and crumbling, the spirit of those songs still lives in each of us.  In a real sense, it lives in the popular music of our generation--in Barry Gordie's Motown, in Bob Seeger's Classic Rock, in Kid Rock's rap/rock fusion and in Jack White's modern pop.  In another sense, it lives in all of us--in our work ethic; and our spirit; and our passion; in or creativity and our ingenuity; and in the dirt, grit and blood we pore into our daily lives.

Roots Rust Revival is about more than creating sculpture; it is more ambitious than building the worlds largest playable instruments; and it's definitely about more than continuously and incrementally improving the work through the interactions in all of us.  These pieces are about embracing the music in each of us; about the beauty of seeing what is old reborn into what is fantastic; about seeing with the eyes, embracing with the hands and appreciating with the heart; about the transfer of experience--be it the small brown stain of rust on your hands the work gives to you, or that little piece of your soul that lingers on the steel where you touched it; about giving life to the inanimate through experiencing it with all of your senses; and about the very act of creation--just because you can.  Roots Rust Revival is important not because it is like nothing you've ever seen or heard, but because it IS everything you've ever seen and heard.

More pictures from Heavy Metal Stringworks below.

Possibly the World's Best Capo

Product Review: BMF Capos

The problem with playing guitar is that, once you’ve bought a couple good guitars, there’s not really that much more to buy:  Strings?  Picks?  A strap?  A Capo?  Well…for me…lots of capos.  Once I figured out that a capo was indispensible in bluegrass jams (Yes…I know I could play bar chords, but I like the open sound, and simplicity of just capoing up to the right key).  The problem is…I have large, wide hands that either knock capos out of the way, or simply can’t fit up tight to the capo for those pesky C and F chord shapes. 

The BMF High Precision Guitar Capo

In my search for the right capo, I bought a lot of good capos, each with it’s pros and cons.  The old-school elastic capo was slim and stayed out of the way, but just wasn’t durable, and tended to slip out of place.  I bought (and still use around the house) a Kyser capo, perfect for quick changes, but it really gets in the way (and seems to pull my guitar more sharp than most).  The Shubb worked great if I put it on the guitar upside down, but still wore a sore spot in the lower, meaty part of my hand at jam session.  The Paige capos were pretty much ideal (low profile and easy to use/store) but I seemed to constantly knock them loose, causing them to drop to the floor. 

The Perfect Accessory for your BMF Capo

Then, I found the BMF capo while shopping one day at Elderly Instruments in Lansing.  I was intrigued by its rugged design and classic engineering. Although fairly expensive at $99, I sucked it up and bought one...and boy, was I glad I did!  It was slim enough to stay out of my way, but rock solid once screwed down.   I bought one…and never looked back.  As long as you fit the capo right on top of the fret, it does not alter your tuning.  Once snugly fit to the neck, it never moves.  Made of high quality stainless steel, it is as shiny as the day I got it—even after more than a year of daily use.  My one complaint was that the plastic sleeve is fairly soft and tends to wear out.  Then, one day, lo and behold, Elderly started offering replacement sleeves (and only a buck!).  Perfection!  I will never use any other capo.  Hmm…I wonder if their “B-Style” banjo capo would fit a <Gasp> mandolin!

It Can't Be THAT Good--Can It?

Product Review:  Blue Chip Picks

 

The standard "teardrop" shape I purchased

OK.  There's a lot of hype out there about a lot of things, and the actual products rarely live up to the exaggerated claims made in an attempt to sell them.  Most pick manufacturers claim their product will 1) sound better  2) be smoother off the strings and 3) last longer than a "traditional pick"...and you are lucky if even one of these is true.  However, the manufacturer of Blue Chip Picks has done the seemingly impossible and delivered on all three.

I was initially hesitant to spend the premium price ($35 plus shipping!) for these picks, but kept hearing from all my friends how unbelievable they were, so I ponied up the cash for a standard "teardrop" guitar pic and a "tri-tip" mandolin pick.  Wow!  They actually live up to the hype!  The tone they deliver is silky smooth, rounded and deeply resonant with minimal pick noise.  They are polished to a smooth finish and really slide off the strings making them super-fast.  Best of all, they are nearly indestructible.  I've been playing the TP every day for over a year and it looks just like the day I got it!  No discernible wear of any kind other than some very faint surface scratches.  Even the engraved logo is sharp and clear.  I used to buy a dozen Dunlop pics every few months, but haven't bought ANY picks in over a year (so maybe the $35 price tag is actually cheaper in the long run!).

That isn't to say that the product is perfect--nothing is.  I've already mentioned the steep price tag.  Also, the super smooth finish can be slippery and hard to hold onto--especially in hot, sweaty jam sessions (although, the engraved logo does have sharp corners and doubles as a gripping surface).  Finally, the medium brown color, which evokes the look of tortoise shell, is nearly impossible to see when dropped in the grass or a dirt parking lot, making the choice of this pick for casual festival / parking lot picking dubious at best.

Overall, this is a great product and I recommend it to anyone looking to "trade up" to a premium pick.  And to answer the question in the title..."Yes!  Yes it can!"

John P. Bayerl