An understated acoustic guitar just wouldn’t do for Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers. Turning to luthier Scott Baxendale, he commissioned a one-of-a-kind instrument that pays homage to some of the band’s album art. The end result is an art-filled acoustic guitar that will never be mistaken for a Martin or a Gibson.

When we heard that Cooley was coming through Seattle on a solo tour, we invited him to play at the Fretboard Journal headquarters. Here, he walks us through the visual motifs found on his guitar and performs “Birthday Boy.” If you want to learn more about this Baxendale guitar, we suggest you watch the hilarious music video for the Drive-By Truckers’ song “Perfect Timing.”