This Texas Legend’s Guitar May Be Older Than You

If you're under 55, this Texas legend's guitar is older than you. If you're under 90, so is he.

Willie Nelson has been around a minute and, for most of the time, he's played the same guitar. An axe almost as well known as the 12 time Grammy Award winner  himself.

"Trigger" came into Willie's life in 1969 and is still there after years of touring, cross country and global travels, a tax issue that cost Willie everything and a fire that destroyed everything. Everything except Trigger and a pound of pot Willie had hidden.

Most of Willie's stories involve Trigger, named after Roy Roger's horse. And pot.

In 1969, a drunk stepped on Willie's guitar and ruined it. Luckily, the guy he asked to repair it had a Martin N-20 on hand that he could add Willie's pickup to; the pickup being Willie's main concern at the time. It cost $750 which was a lot in those days but nothing compared to this Martin.

Tens of thousands of shows, an untold number of miles traveled and an incredible number of songs written on it later, Trigger looks a little "worn". Texas Monthly said it looks like hell but ...

Willie became the guitarist he is by playing this instrument, which he has worn and shaped with his own hands, working his very personality into the wood until it sounds like no other guitar on earth. Most nylon-stringed guitars have a rich, round tone, and they are difficult to tell apart. Trigger is so distinctive—low tones that thump like they have mud on them, high ones that chime like glass—that you can hear one or two notes on the radio and know immediately whom you’re listening to. - Texas Monthly

Not only is Trigger probably older than you, he's almost certainly been around the world more times than you, has more fans than you and, (more than likely), can get a hottie's attention faster than you.