I was so tempted to rip open the box, but I resisted so I can take pictures for you, my readers, as well savor what I had been waiting a long time to receive. :-)

If you read my previous blog entry, you already know what I went through to get this guitar. So you'll understand why I'm devoting a blog entry to a bunch of pics of my new instrument, which my dancer friend Cindy christened as Yahaira. You can laugh if you want, but I actually do have names for all my guitars. I just don't tell people about it.

Don't get me wrong I'm a musician first and foremost and not a guitar collector. So while I do love a pretty guitar, ultimately what matters is the sound and the way it feels in my hands.

I can remember one time more than ten years ago when I went shopping for flamenco guitars at the American Institute of Guitar in New York. The salesman picked out four guitars that he thought I might like, took my credit card as collateral and locked the door to the studio so I couldn't run off with the instruments.

As I tried out one guitar after the next and making a conscious effort not to look at the brand label, I came across one with a slightly warped soundboard and a crack. Despite the cosmetic defects, it sounded amazing. All I had to do was wait for the salesman to come back, point to the guitar I wanted and with a swipe of my credit card, I'd be the new owner within minutes. But alas, I didn't buy it. It just wasn't in my budget.

Anywayz, here you are for your viewing pleasure: the unboxing of my new guitar, Yahaira!