# Instruments and Equipment > Videos, Pictures & Sound Files >  Introducing the Sorensen FX Blade

## Steve Sorensen

For quite some time, I've wanted to work on a new mandolin design which has the features desired by F-Style players, but with post-Victorian style, and the complexity allowed by modern tooling.  

Some of the traits which I wanted to include were -

A fancy "strap holder" which was sleek and modern but maintained F body balance.A built-in armrest as found on many new guitars designs."3-D binding" which highlighted the form of the instrument, protected the edges and didn't require bending plastic.A headstock which was attractive, had F-style mass but was sleek and didn't get complicated with scroll work.Comfortable tuning and easy neck adjustment.  (The prototype has Alessi tuners and a two-way truss rod.)Tone and playability in the "modern-bluegrass" mode with a powerful chop and clear, even response across the neck.A James tailpiece modified to fit the style of the build.

My cohort, Randy Torno, suggested that I should dribble out a few detail pictures to get started.  That's just cruel isn't it?

  

 

  

Steve

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bruce.b, 

camog, 

Charlieshafer, 

dang, 

DataNick, 

Dave Greenspoon, 

Emmett Marshall, 

GarY Nava, 

hank, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

John Eischen, 

John Lloyd, 

John MacPhee, 

Kowboy, 

Paul Statman, 

sgrexa, 

Steve Lavelle, 

TC-in-NC, 

Tommcgtx

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## Mandoborg

He Swings.......he hits.......it's GONE !!!..........

What a great looking instrument Steve !!!!! 

Love it when folks think outside the traditional F-5 box..........

Can you talk a little about how you did the binding ??? It's really nice the way it flares out at the points and such.......... really good job......... 

Jim

https://www.facebook.com/jimmy.combra

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## mandobassman

I love it!!  Beautiful, beautiful work Steve.  I also love the binding flare at the points.  The inlay is great as is the tailpiece design.  How about a picture of the entire instrument and some of the back.

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## CES

Steve,

Need a drooling emoticon. That is effin awesome!! Need to see how college financial aid works out, but I may be contacting you in the next few weeks...very cool design, indeed!

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## John Hill

Yeah...pretty much have to have one of those...

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## Steve Davis

Wow. Nice work.

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Billgrass

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## Michael Bridges

You'll play your eye out, kid! (Totally love it)

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## Grommet

That's drop dead gorgeous right there Steve. That headstock is the stuff of headstock posters. The body and head 
stock binding is very cool looking and is visually reinforced by the bound pickguard. Given the short grain in some areas of the binding, you must have selected a tough as well as beautiful species of wood. Can't wait to see vids of this one!

Scott

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## MandoJason

Steve, thank you for sharing these...you nailed it! I love it, I would love to see some full photos like Larry mentioned, and an audio clip...I seriously want one of these. I assume you'll have additional info on these soon, but I'll connect via your website to email/discuss lead times, availability, etc. 
beautiful, sophisticated....good stuff...i'm sold on the looks and really look forward to hearing one!
jason 
www.fauxgrassmusic.com

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## eadg145

Steve, you are out of control -- in the very best of ways.  That design is crazy cool.

I was just talking to my wife about your mandolins yesterday, showing her photos and describing the models.  I noted that if someone gave me a certificate for any Sorensen mandolin of my choice, I just don't know what I'd do.  You have now made this even MORE difficult!  :Smile:   I need to visit your shop someday and play them all.

Beautiful work, as usual.  Kudos.

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## Marty Jacobson

Steve, you are a sick, sick man. Lovely work.

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hank

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## Pete Jenner

That's a winner Steve.

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## terzinator

I screwed some hooks into our cedar fence to hang a ladder, but yeah, your skills are pretty good, too, I suppose.

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## dang

> My cohort, Randy Torno, suggested that I should dribble out a few detail pictures to get started.  That's just cruel isn't it?


VERY!

Cool design, outside the box but still has all the features of an F style.  
Monteleone meets Tolkein?  
Looks CAN kill!
 :Mandosmiley:

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## Michael Lewis

Fresh design!  I'm looking forward to having you join us in the Lutheirs Pavilion at the big CBA Father's Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley this June.  Instruments like this should stir up the folks.

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## Ivan Kelsall

WOW !!!  - that's 'Radical' for sure - amazingly so. Lovely design,wonderful craftsmanship & an absolute show stopper.Terrific work Steve,
        Ivan :Disbelief:

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## Tavy

Brilliant!

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## darrylicshon

bice

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## Skip Kelley

Steve, That is so cool! It ranks right up there with the best!

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## Dale Ludewig

Beautiful!

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## GarY Nava

Great to see a new design! I shall spend many happy hours trying to figure out how you did the bindings!
Cheers Gary

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Pete Jenner

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## Terry Sebastian

Drop dead gorgeous. Pleas post a video or sound clip soon!

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## Clement Barrera-Ng

Amazing work Steve. We need another tasting at your shop soon!

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DataNick, 

Steve Sorensen

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## Pete Jenner

> I shall spend many happy hours trying to figure out how you did the bindings!
> Cheers Gary


Me too Gary.

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## Steve Sorensen

Sure is sweet to get such nice feedback!  Thank you ! ! !

A few specs on this mandolin --
Back neck and sides are Sugar maple.  One-piece back; two-piece bookmatched neck.Top is a one-piece Sitka Spruce with amazing silking.  "Parallel" tone bars.Both top and back were "Wedgewood Baked".Binding and points are lightly curled Bubinga.Fingerboard, Peghead, Tailpiece and Pickguard are ebony bound with Bubinga.Jescar EVO frets.  13-7/8" scale.

Here are a few more full shots to help fill out the big picture --

  

 

 

This instrument is a prototype, so the real goal is for the build and the resulting instrument to help refine the process and components for future builds.  Based on how this came together, I'm looking forward to doing it again!

I'm having great fun picking on it myself and am looking forward to passing it around to some real players in the future!  Hopefully I'll be able to snag some good video/sound.

As Michael Lewis mentioned, we do have a table at Grass Valley in June; Randy Torno will be teaching a Jam class at Huck Finn Jubilee; we'll also be at IBMA in September.  :Mandosmiley: 

Steve

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dang, 

Emmett Marshall, 

hank, 

Hollister, 

John Lloyd, 

Mark Seale, 

pigpen, 

Rush Burkhardt

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## MandoJason

Thanks for the full photos Steve, absolutely beautiful. Enjoy your time on that mandolin...can't wait to hear/see it in action.
Jason

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## Lord of the Badgers

What all the others said, and all the positive things everyone else will say, plus a wow that can't be overstated enough. Stunning.

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## spufman

Bravo, it is breathtaking.

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## Ivan Kelsall

I really do love the more 'radical' designs that many of the luthiers on here come up with,they're simply sensational & Steve has just added another one to my 'OMG !' list. There wouldn't be enough hours in the day if i owned one of these totally fantastic instruments.
Keep 'em comin' folks - off the planet awesome !!!!!, :Disbelief: 
                                                                     Ivan :Wink:

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## Steve Lavelle

Those are the most elegant f holes I've seen on a mandolin in quite some time. The whole instrument is beautiful and avant garde at the same time! I hope it sounds as beautiful as it looks.

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## Darryl Wolfe

Excellent

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## sgarrity

Beauty and innovation personified......I mean mandolinified!  I got to play it "in the white" and was mighty impressed.  Maybe I'll get to hit a few licks on it this week..... :Mandosmiley:

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hank

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## Dick Hutchings

We'll now need a book like Roger Siminoff's How to build a Bluegrass Mandolin or what ever it's called with instructions for building these. Awesome job. Would you be offended if we started copying that? I wouldn't know where to begin.

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## DHopkins

Omg!

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## Emmett Marshall

That mandolin is so awesome in design, so right on track, and I'm so sure it's out of budget for me.  DANG!

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## juneman

WOW! ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!


Walter  "JUNE" mandolins and guitars

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## Steve Hinde

A little 'Lord of the Rings" elvenish. Very creative. Exceptional to say the least.

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## JEStanek

Love the design. Even the leaf spear tip headstock.  That's a very cool new take on a traditional design.  It looks aggressive and organic.  Wonderful.

Jamie

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## LoneStar Boy

I like the new take on the traditional. It looks great, and I love the design. Congratulations!

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## wildpikr

I volunteer to help it open up! :Grin:

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## Perry Babasin

Beautiful Design, really digging the colors! It kind of reminds me of a B.C. Rich guitar in the scroll and rounded edges. Very nice, the binding is awesome, cut not bent I'm thinking.

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## Steve Sorensen

Again, thank you for all the kind words on the design and style.  This was a fun build.

I'll admit, I did take peek at some of the sword designs from _Lord of the Rings_ while I was working on early sketches.

Here's a quick bit of video from a jam last night.  Took it with my phone, so the quality is not great . . . but it's a start --




Steve

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Atlanta Mando Mike, 

Barry Wilson, 

dang, 

John Eischen, 

Marty Jacobson, 

Michael Bridges, 

Perry Babasin, 

Terry Sebastian

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## Don Grieser

That mandolin has some cut to it. 

Someone had to say it.

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## Steve Sorensen

Here is a bit of video of Randy Jones (who currently plays a SpriteB with _Lonesome River Band_) checking out the FX prototype while we were at Huck Finn Jubilee in Ontario, CA.




The mandolin was just over a month old when this was recorded.

Steve

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## terzinator

Sounds great, Steve. 

And Randy's Old Da(i)ngerfield was outta this world.

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## Dick Hutchings

Yikes, that was nice.

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## wildpikr

Wow, what a cool shape!  Out of curiosity, which case does it fit into best?  Will you have one made to fit?

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## Steve Sorensen

It fits in a regular Superior fiberglass F-style case . . . but deserves a custom!

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

:Grin:

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## Steve Sorensen

We watched in awe as Sam Bush sat down and actually focused in on the FX mandolin at IBMA last week.  And as those magic fingers did what only he can do, another player said quietly, "He knows tone."



Well, that was really cool!
Steve

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dang, 

Emmett Marshall

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## Ron McMillan

If the Randy Jones video hasn't sold it, nothing will. What a beautiful demonstration of your mandolin's power.

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Steve Sorensen

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## Steve Sorensen

Quick snippet of Don Rigsby and friends getting sideways with the FX.

https://www.facebook.com/jake.eddy.1...3469286698471/

Steve

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## Mando-ish

Sounds great!

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## Steve Sorensen

Been a busy couple of days -- 

  

 

 :Mandosmiley: 
Steve

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Pete Jenner

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## Skip Kelley

Steve, is that John Voight playing bass and singing? It sure looks like him!

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Steve Sorensen

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## Steve Sorensen

John Voight singing -- yep, sure is.



Here's some video from a bit earlier in the night (Thanks to Angela Hollon Doyle).  Mando break about 1:55

https://www.facebook.com/ACutiePie/v...7141872637924/

Steve

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Skip Kelley

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## cwgivens21

I was at the above gig . . . the aggressive design of the mando caught me off guard, but after hearing Rigsby play it, I wanted one by the end of the night.  Heck of an instrument.

And the night ended with Jon Voight singing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."  The man likes his bluegrass.

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## Steve Sorensen

Another cool one from the Band of Ruhks -- 



Steve

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## sgarrity

Sounding good!

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## Steve Sorensen

Some great video from Music City Roots  --




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Here's some more Don Rigsby action (with Band of Ruhks at the Blythe Bluegrass Festival) on his Sorensen FX mandolin -- 




This was recorded on cell phones, so the audio is a little crunchy, but these guys are still a delight to the ears.  They sure can sure turn on that powerful "bluegrass drive" that is a hallmark of LRB alumni!

Steve

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## PJ Doland

OMG. Jon Voight. Please tell me you guys played "Dueling Banjos?" 

Were there any Deliverance jokes?

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## Steve Sorensen

A bit of Valentine's Day mando-romance featuring Don Rigsby and his FX -- 




This is straight from a couple of cell phones, so what we got is what we got!

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Looking forward to seeing Don Rigsby (and his FX) in action with *Flashback* on PBS' _Song of the Mountains_.  Here's a shot from the taping this past weekend -- 



Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

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Mandocarver

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## Steve Sorensen

A bit of _Band of Ruhks_ with Don Rigsby doing one of those Lonesome River Band greats, _Caroline the Teenage Queen_ -- 




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

_Good Time Mountain Man_ by the* Band of Ruhks*. Some fine picking by Don Rigsby on his Sorensen FX mandolin, as well as John Meyer on banjo, and Kenny Smith on guitar, and Ronnie Bowman pulling it all together on bass.

https://www.facebook.com/ACutiePie/v...8517209100476/

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Don Rigsby has taken to posting some glam shots of his FX on Facebook when he changes strings.  Here are a couple of recent ones -- 





Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Don Rigsby and the *Band of Ruhks* with the Centerville Senior High School *Alternative Strings* group at the 2016 MACC charity event --




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Tribute to James King at the MACC concert -- 




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

This --




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

*Flashback* at MACC --




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

A bit more *Flashback* at the MACC for your weekend viewing pleasure -- 




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

It was really thrilling to see Don Rigsby and the *Band of Ruhks* as the closing act on the big *IBMA 2016 Street Stage*. The crowd was so big, it was like as stadium show. 

Here's "Lost Highway" with nice kickoff and some really sweet mando work on Don's Sorensen FX mandolin at about 1:30 --




Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Don says he has named his FX "Xena".  

I recently did some set-up work on her, and offered to re-French Polish, but Don said that he prefers to keep her "battle scars".

Here is a new live studio video from his reunion group of pals from the JD Crowe days,*Flashback*, with a nice mandolin break at about 1:00 --







Steve

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AlanN, 

Chuck Leyda, 

John MacPhee

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## Steve Sorensen

A really nice mandolin break at 3:50 in this interview with Don Rigsby and the guys of* Flashback*.







Steve

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Drew Egerton

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## Steve Sorensen

So cool to get this nice mention of the FX by Don --

http://www.journal-times.com/news/lo...ea9136907.html

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Just found these great *Band of Ruhks* videos with Don Rigsby putting his FX through its paces --










Steve

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## Steve Sorensen



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Joey Anchors

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## Glassweb

normally this isn't my thing but i gotta admit, i kinda like it. nicely done!

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Steve Sorensen

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## Steve Sorensen

A closer look from the future player's POV --



Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

The future body - 



Steve

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Joey Anchors

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## Steve Sorensen

12th fret tiny sharks safely in place -- 



Steve

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Joey Anchors

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## Spruce

> The future body -


Beautiful!
Is that California or Arizona Sycamore?  
(Or neither...)   :Wink:

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Joey Anchors

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## Steve Sorensen

Bruce, 

I got it so long ago that I don't remember.   Wish I did.  Wish I had more.

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Another great shot of Don and his FX by Deb at B Chord Photography from the 2017 Chantilly Farm Bluegrass Festival --



Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

'Nuff said.

https://www.facebook.com/aprilknipp/...4514831241007/

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Don Rigsby and his Sorensen FX with *Flashback* at _Years of Farming_ bluegrass festival --

  

Info on *Flashback*'s new CD, _Denver Snow_ is HERE

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

And a few shots of the "Dark Shark" FX --

  

 

Steve

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## Steve Sorensen

Shark FX!



Steve

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JeromeLCSW

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## Steve Sorensen

Here are several videos of Don Rigsby and *Flashback* on The Woodsongs Hour --










Steve

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