There are often things we look for,
maybe more accurately,.. hope for.
To know that we’re on the right path.
Where we belong.
A feeling, a sence, of placement and peace.

For me, it’s the “first chord”.

The “first chord” of each completed Mirabella Guitar….

Mirabella instruments always receive their final assembly and setup after hours.
With the shop quiet, the family asleep and settled for the night, all focus is put on the next nearly completed guitar on the bench….

And after the first set of strings are installed, tuned, and the instrument is looked over for the last time, the silence of details and the thrive for perfect is broken by,….. 

the “first chord”. 

And it’s that chord, that’s not just a beautiful musical melody…..
But the voice of my mother saying “I think you’re going to be a great guitar maker”.. 
It’s my Father, weeks before he passed, asking me to “do something wonderful, so they’ll remember our name”.. 
It’s my cousin Chucky walking into my house with a Jimi Hendrix album to cheer up a sad and scared 9 year old kid.. 
It Jimmy D’Aquisto telling a teenager that so admired him, ” I hear you make a pickguard better then I can”… 
And It’s a sixteen year old girl’s smile when I told her to take a crazy journey with me to be an artist and guitar maker..  
But still even more. 

It’s every happy moment, but also the sad… 
It’s a visual reflection in sound of the steps of a life and with it, … 
the much needed confirmation of a sence of placement and peace. 
All exploding and rushing out of that “first chord”… 

And for as long as the notes ring out,… 
Everyone is there, no one missed,… 
no doubts or fear. 
No question….. 
Just comfort, peace and a reaffirming new found inspiration to push forward… 

And the inspiration and push forward will be needed… 

Because, when the strings stop ringing, and the room is once again silent, … 
Well, then the only way to have and hear the moment again, is to get back to work, 
thrive for perfection and get to the next ……. ” 

First Chord”
 

For Frank and Johanna, “So they will remember” 

With love and appreciation, 
Cris Mirabella