Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?

Subject: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 06 May 01 - 04:29 PM

During the recent downtime, it gave me a chance to do some extensive surfing (and, time to restring all my instruments) and I came across an interesting link to various performers and their preferred types of performance gear, amps, instruments, etc. It's interesting reading.

You can find it here.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 06 May 01 - 06:35 PM

Also posted a link to the above site in the "Instrument Related" section of Mudcat Links.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 06 May 01 - 06:41 PM

Thanks for the blicky JP. I love this "nerdish" stuff and will certainly peruse with interest and probably a fair degree of jealously.

mcmoo

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 May 01 - 07:11 PM

Far out JP!!!! Great job!.......got it bookmarked.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 May 01 - 07:15 PM

Forgot to mention that I've been to Acoustic Guitar's site several times and missed this entirely. Alwyas my favorite section in the mag. I notice there homepage has changed since I was last there and the site moves a lot faster too.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 06 May 01 - 07:23 PM

Thanks Spaw and McMoo. I think some of the other "instrument nerds" here will like it as well. (I found myself in good company with Arlo Guthrie.)

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 May 01 - 04:34 AM

Great site, Justa Picker! Preferences certainly are subjective, aren't they... I've got this one bookmarked, thanks. Great reading.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: GUEST,Bluebelle
Date: 07 May 01 - 08:12 AM

What an interesting website! I was most interested in reading that Joan Baez has a small-bodied guitar made by David Wren. David Wren owns The 12th Fret guitar store in Toronto and apprenticed under Jean Larrivee. He doesn't luthier anymore, however, I've seen some of his creations and they are beautiful, and, from all accounts, sound beautiful.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Mooh
Date: 07 May 01 - 09:30 AM

Bluebelle,

I've done some sessions with a Toronto player who owns a David Wren guitar and I can second the opinion that they are wonderful sounding, if what I've heard is the general quality of Wren's guitars.

I've often noticed how the players who endorse instruments in major ads internationally, sometimes in multiplicity, are confessed owners and players of small market, small shop, custom or one-off instruments. I can't believe that of all the high profile pickers shown with Takamines (for example), that they'd make the same choice of guitar for home/studio/session use. Besides, it's almost impossible to be satisfied with one (or two...) brands when you need a wide variety of guitar styles to earn your keep.

Peace. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 07 May 01 - 09:37 AM

Great stuff. Thanks,JP.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 07 May 01 - 12:39 PM

Passed up a chance to get a superlative Dave wren Dreadnought about 15 years ago. I hesitated for a day...and it was gone. Dave, although a Larrivee apprentice favoured the Martin design more than, say, Grit Laskin, or Marc beneteau.

Got the next best thing though. My 50 year old Martin 0-18 was rescued from the scrap heap by Dave and lovingly restored.

I have an odd type of memory. Although I forget names very quickly I can remember the brand and model played by everyone I've ever seen. Hmmm, tal about selective recall.

Rick

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 07 May 01 - 12:45 PM

That's one of my favorite things about Stephen Fearing, except for the fact that he's a FANTASTIC folkie! But he's also a self professed techo-geek! And he's more than willing to share his experiments and failures with ya over a smoke on his break...

Ya know ya've gone too far when you're building your own pre-amp!

LOL!!

;-)

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: GUEST,Bluebelle
Date: 07 May 01 - 02:35 PM

Did you notice a preponderance of Ovations? Gotta wonder if they're actually playing them or using them to bail water out of their skiffs. I've had the pleasure of playing Kenny Smith's pre-war D-18 and it is the finest D-18 I've ever heard.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 07 May 01 - 03:20 PM

Bluebelle..Gawd help me I OWNED an Ovation...and certainly not because Glen Campbell, or Marcel Dadi endorsed them. One day I was in a music store and a friend of mine wanted to hear what his slim body acoustic-electric Ovation sounded like in someone else's hands. I couldn't put it down!! I play a LOT with my thumb covering BOTH 6th and 5th strings and the Ovation was the first guitar (other than my beloved...and sold Epiphone Texan) that I could do this on with no effort at all. I bought it from him on the spot! That was before I learned about "neck shaving".

Rick

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: GUEST,Bluebelle
Date: 07 May 01 - 03:50 PM

Rick, no offense intended. You are obviously in good company and I saw more musicians playing Ovations than Santa Cruz. Actually, I recently read a discussion about how really good the "old" Ovations sounded. Wouldn't be my cuppa tea, but we all hear different sounds and tones. Personally, my current instrument of choice, specifically for bluegrass, is the Martin OM-28V. Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce. Retrofitting it with bone nut and ivory saddle and pins gives it a rich, full, boomy sound.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 07 May 01 - 03:56 PM

My second guitar was an early 70s sunburst Ovation Balladeer. The neck was impeccable. I've not played anything that came close to the feel of this neck, until I stumbled on a Collings OM with a 1 11/16th nut width. It too had a great neck, especially for double thumbing the 5th and 6th strings. The problem with the Ovation of course is keeping the body angle where you want it, and preventing it from sliding. The only way I could accomplish that was to employ a strap while seated. I later traded it for an old J-45 and then progressed into my ongoing love affair with old Martins.

OMs are NICE playing instruments, and bone nuts and saddles (and perhaps fossilized ivory bridge pins) should be mandatory, (i.m.h.o.) :-)

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: GUEST,Bluebelle
Date: 07 May 01 - 04:04 PM

Let's face it, J.P., retrofitting is keeping the luthiers in pin money.

I agree about the bone and ivory. Plus, I think Rosewood is a "must" for small-bodied guitars, if you want SOUND. IMNSHO.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Big Mick
Date: 07 May 01 - 04:05 PM

There are some great tips in that site if you are looking. I read David Crosby's blurb and discovered that he uses "Highlander under-saddle pickups combined with Sunrise soundhole pickups. "Between the really clean primary that you get off the Highlander and the overtones and stuff that you get off the Sunrise," says Crosby, "you get a pretty amazing guitar sound." Sounds like something I will look into. How does that system sound to the rest of you?

Mick

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: JedMarum
Date: 07 May 01 - 11:20 PM

Great site, JP. Thanks for posting it. I've enjoyed reading through it.

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 08 May 01 - 10:38 AM

Thanks for the link, JP. I'll keep that one. I'm also enjoying the comments of others. I remember playing an Ovation in a Chicago music store many years ago. I remember it as playing like a dream, especially for finger picking. Never owned one though.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Gear - Ever Wondered what 'They' Play?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 08 May 01 - 11:06 AM

Even if I ever played guiter seriously the Ovation is not for me I'm afraid. Question of two Convex surfaces (front of me, back of guitar) trying to wrestle with each other! Would look like |)(| from the side!

Thanks anyway, JP. I'm trawling through to see if anyone would prefer to play a cheap hohner anglo concertina than their 100 year old Jeffries. I could do them a swap...;-)

Cheers

DtG