I have not experienced any backlash. Mostly I let my playing and singing speak for themselves.
My Rainsong has seen many festivals and guitar camps around Alaska, Hawaii, and later Idaho. I chose that one for its stability of tuning, lack of delicacy while traveling and camping, the fact that it plays well and sounds so darned good both acoustically and on stage. If someone gets close enough to realize there is something unusual about that "black guitar", they typically become curious more than offended.
But I also avoid the Bluegrass Police in general, even though my background is there. Pete Huttlinger once told me a story about a pro musician friend of his who had briefly played with Bill Monroe's band. His friend threw in a Bob Wills western swing style G6 chord during rehearsal. When the song ended old Bill said, "Son, show me that chord again" and then growled, "That chord does NOT appear in ANY of my songs". Sheesh.
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