The Quebe Sisters Band formed in the Fort Worth area in 2000. The band plays western swing -- for those not in the know, western swing is something of a mix of the more exuberant big band acts and vintage country. Think Benny Goodman meets Sons of the Pioneers.

The band features the triple fiddles of Grace, Sophie and Hulda Quebe (all three Texas and national fiddle champions) but it also includes the talents of upright bassist Drew Phelps and guitarist Joey McKenzie. McKenzie, himself, is a three-time world champion fiddler in addition to his guitar playing. He also repairs and collects vintage instruments -- particularly guitars.

"I do repair and restoration of vintage guitars so I have a pretty substantial collection of vintage archtops and flat tops," says McKenzie.

His main band guitar is a 1948 Gibson L-12.

"An L-12 falls between an L-5 and an L-7. The appearance of body is like an L-5." he says.

The L-12, with its spruce top and flame maple sides and back, is not a cheap guitar but it doesn't go for the exorbitant prices you see sometimes on some other models from the same era. McKenzie says you can get one for around $5,000.

These days McKenzie says the closest thing Gibson is making to the L-12 is an L-7C [cutaway]. This is an archtop with an arched Sitka spruce top, maple back and sides and a maple neck.

McKenzie also has a couple of the 1928 L-5s [the type of guitar favored by Maybelle Carter].

"One of the L-5 has a dot marking and one with block marking," he says. "The blocks came out in 29 but his is a 28 with the blocks and so may be one of the first ever to have the blocks instead of dots."

The band's most recent CD was recorded at the Johnny Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

"The first step we try to do is get that sound completely acoustic," says McKenzie. We work hard on a good natural blend before we start the recording process. We try to keep things simple.

He says the Cash Cabin has a very comfortable atmosphere for recording and that the gear and environment also lends itself to acoustic recording.

"All the tube pre-amps Johnny bought from Nashville studios when they upgraded to digital," says McKenzie. "The studio itself is almost all wood surfaces. It is geared up to accommodate acoustic musicians. The room itself sounds so good--whatever you were using to record would sound good. The vocals were done on a Neumann U-67 mic and it is just such a wonderful sound."

McKenzie is quick to point out that this was not a "fantasy" project. They wanted to sound like they do live. They wanted it to be natural and to that end he has high praise for their engineer, Chuck Turner.

Because they go for a natural sound in the studio it is not a big leap in gear or set-up for their live shows. But there are differences.

"Sometimes when we play live I'll run my guitar direct," says McKenzie. "I have a Fishman arch top bridge pick up that I have found to be the most natural archtop pick up I've found. I run through an LR Baggs Para EQ."

He uses the Baggs when he wants more control over his tone but if he trusts the sound person he will mic the guitar. This isn't a knock on sound engineers either.

"Sometimes sound people are not familiar with the guitar's tone -- they are used to Strats and Teles," he says. "[They] might be great soundman and unfamiliar with the sound we are trying to get."

And that sound is a timeless blend of vintage country, big band and cowboy music.

McKenzie and his wife, Sherry, run McKenzie Music in Mansfield, Texas. The give lessons [the Quebe Sisters started with lessons from Sherry] and sell vintage instruments. Among those they have on hand at the time of the interview included; a 48 Super 400 Gibson, 46 Epiphone Deluxe, the 28 L-s previously mentioned, L-7, J-35, several 40's Jumbos, J-45, Southern Jumbo and more.

In addition McKenzie has his own main flat top guitar, a 1942 Banner J-45 and a Martin tenor guitar. A tenor is a four stringed instrument--sort of like a giant ukulele.

The Quebe Sisters band are currently working with Asleep at the Wheel on a play about the life of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. They are also set to appear on NPR's All Things Considered. A tour is in the works for Canada and California. Shows at SXSW are also on the agenda.