My Fender acoustic is more rare than I would have believed ...

Thursday, May 14, 2015 -- Had time today to pick up my Fender acoustic that I restrung a week or so back. The new strings really make the old girl come alive again .... you forget how dead those old strings can make a guitar sound.

All Fender Gemini IIIs were black with the same binding,
pickguard and fingerboards. The top is spruce, the body
and neck are mahogany.

While I had the Fender handy, I remembered to check the label in the soundhole to see what model this thing was. My guitar is a Fender Gemini III, a low-end acoustic model that's really fairly rare these days.

My research tells me Fender only made the Gemini III for a short time -- a year to 18 months. They were all made in Korea; some of them were available with electric pickups and a rudimentary EQ. I bought mine new for $200 from a long-closed music store in Louisville. I had to decide between the acoustic and the electric acoustic models ... the cost difference was $50 if I remember correctly.

It was probably the best $200 I've ever spent on a guitar. I've owned this thing since 1988 or 89, and its been like a Timex watch -- I've never kept it in its case, its been beaten up, knocked around, fallen over and taken the type of abuse a guitar takes from just sitting around -- and it has never missed a beat. In fact, you won't find many marks on the thing despite the careless treatment

I've given it over the years.

It isn't exactly a top-end guitar, either. But it plays pretty well and is durable. According to Fender, it has a spruce top and mahogany sides and neck. Its a dreadnought guitar, and as such, it gets uncomfortable to play after a while because of its size and my shortish arms. I still enjoy the heck out of it though.

I've seriously considered buying a thinline acoustic of some sort, but I'm faced with the fact I can't play it freely when folks are sleeping. I don't really need another acoustic ... of course, when has "need" ever stopped me??

After my research about the Fender and restringing it, I think I'll try to take better care of it ... its hard to believe its more than 25 years old. The case is upstairs, perhaps its time I use it, eh??

Rock on!