Best-made Guitar

Subject: Intro to me
From: GUEST,April790
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 12:09 PM

Being a guest I thought I'd introduce myself. I play acoustic bass, sing lead and harmony in our family bluegrass band. Live in the great ol' state of Kansas (was born here so didn't have a choice!). Our band includes my sister (banjo), a friend on fiddle, myself on bass, (of course!), and my brother-in-law. We sing secular and gospel bluegrass. Two weeks ago we sang at a folk festival. Last weekend a buffalo fest and rendevous, and next weekend we're serenading a couple at their wedding rehearsal supper (poor innocent babies).

My BIL is an excellent luthier. He trained at the Martin shop years ago and is a perfectionist. So far he's crafted 59 guitars, numerous banjos and mandolins, and is sought out at festivals for his ability to rescue terminal instruments from the graveyard.

Wanna know more, gotta ask. Of course, one of the fun parts of performing bluegrass is slapstick. So here's one I think even the most naive can appreciate: What's worse than hitting a skunk? Aw, come on, you'all can get this one--hitting a banjo picker, of course!

Yahoo, I'm outa here for now.

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: Jed at Work
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 12:16 PM

wow - a brand new comer, and already he starts with the banjo player jokes!!

A nasty world class terrorist ran around the US capturing banjo players. He held them all hostage and brought them to Washington DC. Then he sent his demands to the US President, "Here are my demands; you will release my terrorist friends from your jail, and give me 20 million dollars. Beginning at noon tomorrow I will release one banjo player each hour, until these demands are met!"

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: Wesley S
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 12:17 PM

Do you still have to take a bath in tomato juice??

Welcome to the Mudcat. I hope you enjoy it here. Tell us more about the band when you get a chance.

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 12:52 PM

Well welcome to the 'Cat!!! You'll love it. If you wasnt to have some fun, go back and look into some old threads. Banjos and instrument jokes abound and guitar advice and opinions are NOT in short supply!

At the top of the threads are two boxes. The one that says filter can be used to find old threads with a word in the thread title. Type in either guitar or banjo and set the refresh to two years and have fun. Adding to any threads you find can bring them back if you want. The forum search can be used to find keywords in message postings....type in Larrivee for example.

Be sure to read the "Perma-Thread called Mudcat FAQ for additional info on features around here. Glad to have you!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: Gary T
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 02:09 PM

Hi, April, welcome. Where in Kansas? (I'm in KC MO.) What's the name of your band? Do you make it to Winfield? Are you tired of all these dang questions?

Regards, Gary

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: GUEST,April790
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 06:28 PM

Thank you'all for the great welcome. You're a heap of fun, that's for sure. I've been hangin' around too many sad message boards on the net, and this is a breath of fresh air.

Hey, Gary! I love questions as long as they're simple, like the ones you asked. I live about 50 miles north-northeast of Wichita. We have a fairly active bunch of bluegrassers around the area.

Our band is non-professional, so you probly haven't heard of us, but we call ourselves "Prairieland Bluegrass." How's that for originality? *grin* We sing mostly local, but we did sing in Paola, Kansas years ago for a Kansas Day celebration. (Our brother-in-law lives there). My sister and her hubby have been in bluegrass over 30 years, and used to play with fiddler, Russ Morton, and called themselves the BlueGrass Jayhawkers at that time. There son was really up and coming as a Mandolin and flatpicker, but died in a drowning accident at age 11--really sad. He had great potential.

Our current band has been together about fifteen years, and we sing pretty tight harmony. It feels good to get better and better, and hear the compliments from our listeners. I won't even admit we did a tape a couple of years ago, but it isn't the greatest. I don't even really want to give them away. Oh, well. Hopefully, we'll get to the studio again soon, before we all die of old age.

Gary, do you know the Joybells from the Kansas City area? They used to play at some of our festivals quite a number of years ago. And they sang a song called "I'll Be Praising You," or "When the Sun Comes Up Tomorrow." Have someone who learned it from us after we picked it off a tape I made at the festival, and now can't find who wrote it. Help!

Okay, are you tired of my answers yet?? We've only just begun. See ya

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: Gary T
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 08:33 PM

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the Joybells, but I'll see what I can find out.

Have a good weekend.

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: Big Mick
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 11:09 PM

Well, hot damn folks. I like the sound of this one. Loves her craft, great wit, not shy. April, welcome to our town. Jump in with both feet and a handful of fingerpicks. Be sure and drop a spud at the shrine to the Keeper of the Sacred Fertility Rites (you'll have to do some research to find that thread). You will find this place populated by mostly great people and one or two that take themselves way to seriously. Well, maybe three or four...............LOL. Just ignore 'em. You will find all manner of conversation here, most about music, some about the things that spawn it, and some about everything else. But mostly you will find an engaged community that is tickled you are here. Welcome.

All the best,

Big Mick

Subject: RE: Best-made Guitar
From: Big Mick
Date: 10 Jun 00 - 02:56 PM

And back on subject, I played a Rainsong guitar today. It is made entirely of a composite. I think it is graphite. Now, old Mick likes his wood, but I must tell you that this thing had a great action, and sounded wonderful unplugged. When I plugged it in, it sounded wonderful too. I doubt I would buy one at this stage. I still like my wood, but I really did enjoy this instrument.

Big Mick