Memphis-based Deering & Down, consists of (for the purposes of their most recent CD, Break This Record) Lahna Deeting on acoustic guitarm Rev. Neil Down on electric, slide, etc., John C. Stubblefield, from the band Lucero, on bass guitar, Rick Steff on Keyboards (Cat Power, Susan Marshall, Gin Blossoms, etc.) ,Kurt Ruleman on Drums (Lorette Velvette, Panther Burns, Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs). There are also special appearances by Memphis notables Harry Peel, Susan Marshall and Lamar Sorrento (Yes, the artist painter).

The band says they call the music, “Sexy Music” and say it is pretty much doing itself.

One of Down’s guitars is a Gretsch White Falcon.

“A rather recently acquired guitar I might add. It has a really superb sound and feel. Great for nice clean chording. It also has a wee custom painting of “Deering & Down” on it that was painted and presented to us by the artist himself Lamar Sorrento, says Down. “Deering & Down were, needless to say, quite humbled by this incredibly righteous gesture.”

There are six different models of the White Falcon. You can find the details at the Gretsch website.

Down says the guitar he has been “going steady with” for ages is a black Gibson ES355.

“She has proven to be a real spell caster. Can’t seem to set her down. That would be her making an appearance on every track on Break This Record,” he says. ”I used a 1996 stock teal anniversary Fender Stratocaster for the solo stuff on Richard OF Los Angeles. Although quite simple it’s most assuredly a real honey pot of a guitar. My guitar of choice for sliding around on would be a Roy Smeck. There’s most definitely something going on with good ol’ Doctor Smecktacular. I am sure that there must be more Smecks out there somewhere just like it, but as of yet I haven’t seen one. It’s a curious thing indeed why some of those two dollar pick-ups sound like a million bucks? Truly Smecktacular!”

Gibson’s Roy Smeck Special was made from 1936 to 1941. There were other Roy Smeck guitars—the The Gibson Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe Hawaiian as well as Smeck banjos and ukeles. Smeck was a popular performer in the 20s and 30s.

Lahna Deering, for her part, plays a Guild.

”For playing live for the past five years I have been using a Guild acoustic model that has been on permanent loan to me by my brother,” says Deering. “On Break This Record. Our friend Chris Scott offered up the use of his beautiful Gibson acoustic. It’s really quite a lovely playing and sounding guitar.“

(As an aside, Deering told Gearwire the Guild model number was S4.N.T.HR--taken from the label of the guitar. We could find no record of this model Guild). We will try to solve this mystery.

Deering says there is one guitar she has always wanted and doesn’t have.

”I have always wanted one of those Fender Villager acoustic guitars with the electric head stock,” says I’m not sure how they sound, but they sure look cool.“

The Villager is a 12 string version of the Fender Malibu acoustic. Both had mahogany back and sides with a single bound top. Both were made from 1965 to 1971. We found information on the instrument from a number of sources. The most interesting was a vintage guitar site that declared the Villager’s “collectibility rating was an “F.” But collectibility and playability are not always the same thing. The fact it is a Fender acoustic is cause for concern.

Down simply replies, “yes”, when asked if there is an instrument he would want but doesn’t have—an enigma wrapped in a riddle he is.

The band just finished playing The River Arts Festival in Memphis and have dates around town before playing shows in Atlanta. In December there will be shows in Florida. January will see the band touring in California.

More with Deering & Down soon.