Guitar Talk

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: DougR
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 02:52 PM

Well, Rick, I found a way to cure my acousticitis. I just got back from the dentist office. For what I'm gonna have to spend over the next 12 months to salvage these 69 year old teeth, I could have bought two of Martin's finest.

I'm cured by default. Or maybe teethfault is a more accurate term.

DougR

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Bert
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 03:56 PM

Hey guys, Who's side are you on? NOT ONCE did I suggest that anyone should stop buying guitars. I just suggested a place to get 'em cheaper.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 04:09 PM

Hell Bert! Lets break into Mandolin Bros. and steal em all! Michael, I'm glad your back. Lets try something. How many strings DO you have? Now of course Catspaw might have us beat with all those hammered dulcimers, but I think we'd come close!

Rick

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Songster Bob
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 04:22 PM

Some comments and a brag. First, the brag:

http://members.aol.com/rjclayton/instrums.jpg

(I can't remember the "turn it into a real link" html-talk so you'll have to cut and paste like I do).

Now, I own two Martins (or one-and-a-half, 'cause one of 'em has a non-Martin top) as well as a few other guitars (not to mention the mandolins, banjos, mandolin-banjo, guitar-banjo, etc.), and I have to say we're living in the golden age of luthiers, from the one-offs to the small to the large to the grandaddy, and the competition, innovation, and just general good design and workmanship make it possible to get just about what you want (except cheap prices) from several sources. If I had my way, I'd be getting (in no particular order) a Larivee Pete Anderson, a koa-wood Taylor OM-sized, a Gibson J-200 or Blues King (I think that's what it's called), and one or two orders from folks like Grit or Nick, not to mention the new 12-string Danelectro or a metal-bodied National.

The cost is high for quality, but the number of quality makers is higher than at any time I know of, for sure.

What a great world, to have both guitars and tomatoes in it.

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Easy Rider
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 04:49 PM

Oh no! There is a name for my disease. GAS - Guitar Aquisition Syndrome.

I only have two guitars, A Gibson J-50, that I bought 36 years ago and a Martin OM-28VR that is less than a year old, but, when I was out in Oregon, I played a Greven, and, NOW I WANT ONE.

What am I to do? Even my wife and daughter say I should get one, and sell the Martin! (I'll NEVER part with my Gibson.) Is there an AA group in my neighborhood, or is my family my only support group?

One nice thing about a new Martin, besides the quality, is the fact that I have a lifetime warranty, and I can get work done on it at my local dealer's. The Greven I would have to ship back to John Greven, in Oregon, which might have a slow turnaround.

EZR

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: MichaelM
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 07:41 PM

It is with profound embarassment that I report to the assembled members of Acoustic Anonymous that I have 143 srings (no hammered dulcimers, autoharps or pianos). I am stricken with G.A.S. Help me, Master Yoda Fielding. Let us meet at the Twelfth Fret and ceremonially consume our credit cards before our instruments consume us. Let Mandolin Bros., Elderly Instruments and Gruhn Guitars have our pictures posted behind the counter as personae au gratin. Let us take our wooden gods back to the deep forest whence they came and plant them deep in their native soil (koa guitar owners get to go to Hawaii!!!) in sincere hope that they may re-root and become the trees that they were meant to be.

You go first.

Michael

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Duckboots
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 02:17 PM

Dear Michael.

I feel your pain. I'm at 151 and still counting(and remembering the things underneath the bed). Oops, forgot the bass!

Perhaps you could try the old oriental custom of giving things to people who compliment them. Bye the way, I love your 12 string...Oops, forgot the psaltery! that's another 22. LEJ, the Grevens are lovely instruments, Go for it! Oops, forgot the the dulcimer! Bob, what a disaster my life would be if I actually had a job, and could afford to REALLY go crazy,..Oops, forgot the Mando-cello!

Hep me, Hep Me! Rick

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Easy Rider
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 03:06 PM

BTW:

When I was in Oregon, I saw the largest Sitka Spruce tree in the World, outside the town of Seaside. It is seventeen feet in diameter and 750 years old! It goes up so high, the stars have to move out of the way.

Imagine how many fine guitar tops you could make out of that tree!

EZR

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Bert
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 05:26 PM

Of course the ultimate cure for GAS could be the Mudcat Auction. Put all those old guitars under the hammer.

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: MichaelM
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 06:47 PM

Something for nothing...

New guitars for old...

Rid yourself of those old decrepit spruce boxes with the finish all cracked and trade them for a new shiny Hondo. Surprise your relatives. Stun your spouses with the beauty of these shiny wooden boxes. They will be rendered speechless when they find you have traded their old Martins, Gibsons Nationals (only think of the savings on metal polish) for the latest in up-to-date factory-built instruments, untouched by human hands. Act now; this offer will not be repeated.

Hondo; when you care enough to give the very newest.

Michael

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 07:20 PM

Geez, when I check back in here, istart countin' strings and before I finish, we;re alkin' about $29.00 guitars. Alright my answer to the next subject change is "Yeah, that's good/bad, I agree/disagree"....Hard to keep up around here.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: Frank Hamilton
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 07:24 PM

I've never been able to afford many guitars. I've only had one accoustic over the years. My wife and I use it on most of our gigs. It doesn't need sound reinforcement for the small venues. It's a Martin 0021. Josh White started playing them when his Gibson was stolen. I play it kinda' hard (medium gauge strings, heavy guage picks) and it talks out loud.

Frank

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: MichaelM
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 08:44 PM

Easy Rider I have this vision of stringing up that sitka spruce while it stands. A set of exra-long medium phosphor bronze strings (750 ft.-no problem)connected to a floating bridge (no bridge pin holes allowed). But how to play God's own axe?

And what name is on he label on the top? Pythagoras, maybe?

Subject: RE: Guitar Talk
From: DougR
Date: 03 Sep 99 - 08:47 PM

EZR, you are treading in dangerous water. To suggest that that big old tree might be cut down and used for the manufacture of guitars will cause the Sierra Club to rise up in arms and hang you from it.

Careful.

DougR