On a cold, misty night of the 31 May, The Timber Snakes made a rare appearance for 2008 and played 2 sets to a packed Charleston Hotel.

The pub was packed with guested dressed in a "western theme"

A special appearance was Gavin Webb once bass player for the seminal Australian band "the Master Apprentices". The original bass player from the ARIA Hall of Fame band played 3 songs with The Timber Snakes.

Simply put the Sweetwater facility is nothing short of amazing. It is a state of the art complex through and through from the architecture to the plumbing. Yes I said plumbing, to be more specific, urinals! It can be sensory overload for those visiting for the first time. Your eyes are darting from place to place not knowing where or when to pause and take in your environment. First the sheer scale of the facility consumes you and yet oddly enough it has a tremendous element of comfort. You enter into a grand hall first greeted by a reception desk (more like reception island) and a soothing lounging area accented with flat panel TV’s and sheik furniture. Curiously one detail I had never noticed until Gear Fest was the well-behaved acoustics of the massive hall. During previous visits for small training sessions or seminars the hall remained sparse and therefore relatively quite. During Gear Fest when the hall was full of people clamoring and the constantly changing compliment of instruments it remained a pleasantly comfortable space. To paint a picture I’m referring to a space constructed primarily of glass, metal, terrazzo and stone! That doesn’t even sound good on paper!? Yet they pulled it off with great success.

Once past the main entry there is a music store with a tantalizing albeit mere appetizer of what Sweetwater has to offer. Rather than filling the store with “dream products” for you to admire knowing that’s the first time you’ve ever seen one and probably the last. They managed to assemble a very well balanced palette of products from entry level to top shelf for you to browse, demo and of course purchase.

On the opposite side of the hall are the Sweetwater recording studios and they are a sight to behold. The vast majority of us will never have the opportunity to tour a state of the art recording studio outside the pages of Mix magazine and yet Sweetwater not only welcomes you but also encourages you to explore their facilities. The Sweetwater studios may not be outfitted with $250k - $500k Neve or SSL consoles however; they spared no expense when it came to the construction of these beautiful suites. They are first-rate top to bottom and no detail was overlooked they are truly a site to behold. Fill these impressive rooms with a compliment of Digidesign consoles, Adam monitors and tension tabbed screens with projectors for visual monitoring and you have three knock out studios. Last but certainly not least is their impressive mic collection which has its’ own room displayed for the world to see behind floor to ceiling glass. Cool blue, back lit display cases chocked full of pristine examples of some of the most sought after mics you can think of draw recording enthusiasts like moths to bright light and leaves them fogging up the windows trying to get a better look.

Sweetwater also lays claim to a Russ Berger designed Theatre that is a true gem. The list of unique features that make this room so special is far too long to cover here. One of the room’s most prominent features is the Lares acoustical enhancement system, which you have to hear to believe. This incredible room is an entire story in itself. A single paragraph being to anemic to do this room justice I hope to revisit it in a follow up story.

Continuing deeper into the massive building you find yourself in the midst of a grown up playground. Virtual golf, pool table, pin ball, arcade games and putting green just to name a few. On the opposing side you’ll find a café and deli along with a barber shop, bank, fitness facility (with trainer), instrument repair shop and even a warehouse observation deck that looks down over the truly impressive warehouse facility. It’s obvious that Sweetwater cares greatly about the well being of their employees and that care is reflected back through the employees themselves. Their entire staff from management on down should be complimented. They possess all the knowledge, technical expertise and artisanship that you would expect from a company such as Sweetwater without the stuffy corporate persona that is so typically associated with a corporation of that size. One of Sweetwater’s Sales Engineers, Ben Price, for example is also currently a recording engineer and recording artist (Disguise the Sky) that has recently been signed to an independent label. This is a-typical for an employee of Sweetwater, those who are enthusiasts themselves and passionate about the industry we work in.

All this fun and you haven’t even made it outside to the vendor areas and live demonstrations. There was a tent just for the all the guitar and bass players out there, which by the way also housed the Orange County Choppers “Peavey Chopper”. Fred Gretsch was on hand signing autographs with a gorgeous backdrop of Gretsch hollow body guitars. Another tent housed a barrage of vendors that was just like walking through a three dimensional rendition of a Sweetwater catalog. A little further down was the “flea market” tent, which included bargains on vintage gear to products still in the box. Sharing the parking lot were semi trucks from Crown, Soundcraft, Studer and Digitech.

If you wanted to see it, it was there. If you didn’t see it you weren’t looking hard enough! After reading this you may be thinking to yourself Sweetwater’s Gear Fest sounds pretty cool. Well you haven’t even heard the best part yet. First of all it’s open to the general public unlike some other similar events AND it’s free. So I guess some of the best things in life are free, all you have to do is register and they let you walk right in like you own the place!

by Jason Levert

For a really long time, I knew Bo Diddley more by the covers of his songs, performed by other bands, than for his own records.

Starting with George Michael’s version of “Faith”, when I was a 13 years old pimply brat; going on with U2’s “Desire”, at an age when Bono Vox was an idol for provincial “Paninaris”; up until the more interesting (and older, even if I discovered it later) David Bowie’s “Panic in Detroit”, The Rolling Stones version of “Not Fade Away”, “Pills” by The New York Dolls, the amazing Jefferson Airplane’s “She has Funny car”. And most of all, the unreachable explosion of rage and violence in “1969” by The Stooges.

The simple fact that he wrote these songs, should be enough to make us understand who we lost, but obviously it’s just a little part of Diddley’s greatness. A few days back, I recovered an old cd player I hadn’t used for a long time, more or less since the mp3’s came along, and I set it up in my kitchen with some shabby-looking pc-speakers. This way, I’m listening to music during supper, breakfast and while enjoying my night-time beer. Since the player is a bit damaged, I didn’t dare open it before testing it, so I put it on without checking which record was inside: it goes without saying, it was “Bo Diddley is a Gunslinger”, with all the soft voices, the inimitable Gretsch sound, slideguitars, sex and entertainment. So, a bit by chance, I was reminded of what we really lost…something quite bigger than George Michael…

Per tanto tempo, ho conosciuto Bo Diddley più per le cover delle sue canzoni suonate da altri che per i suoi dischi. A partire da “Faith” di George MIchael, quando ero un tredicenne brufoloso, proseguendo con gli U2 di “Desire” quando Bono Vox era l’idolo dei paninari di provincia, fino alle più interessanti (e precedenti, ma da me conosciute in seguito) “Panic in Detroit” di David Bowie, “Not Fade Away” degli Stones, “Pills” delle New York Dolls, la fantastica “She has Funny Cars” dei Jefferson Airplane. E soprattutto, l’irraggiungibile esplosione di rabbia e violenza di “1969” degli Stooges.

Il solo fatto di aver scritto queste canzoni basterebbe a far capire chi abbiamo perso, ma ovviamente non è tutto. In questi giorni, ho recuperato un lettore cd che non usavo da tempo, più o meno dall’avvento dell’mp3, e l’ho montato in cucina con due piccole casse scalcinate da pc, per ascoltare musica ad ore pasti, colazione e birretta serale. Siccome il lettore è un po’ sfasciato, prima di provarlo non ho osato aprirlo per vedere che disco c’era dentro, e così l’ho messo direttamente su: manco a dirlo, era “Bo Diddley is a Gunslinger”, con tutte le vocine, la slide, il suono inimitabile della Gretsch, il sesso e l’entertainment. Così, un po’ per caso, mi sono ricordato davvero cosa abbiamo perso… altro che George Michael…

Bo Diddley is seen here with his trusty rectangular Gretsch. He actually created that style of guitar...which leads me to ask why? There is no doubt that thousands upon thousands of A7s, D7s, and B7s have been rocked out on that bad boy. Actually, Bo Diddley didn't really change chords much and most of his songs featured one to two chords and he just played them in that funky rhythm.

Nous Non Plus recently headed back into the studio to finish work on our upcoming release (working title, "Nous Non Plus: Deux," fall 2008). Engineer and wine lover Bryan Cook manned the dials at Kingsize Studio Sound Labs in Eagle Rock, CA (check out the studio's site... it's kinda cool).

When you're in the studio, you're working hard (usually 10-12 hour days) and you don't really have a lot of great food options (the section of Eagle Rock where we recorded looked like a scene out of the Lethal Weapon franchise). We did make some groovy music and we managed to drink well.

Tradition dictates that food writing should be positive... that we should write only about good food. But in the world of rock 'n' roll, even when the music is great, the food usually sucks.

Here's a little photo essay of our session...

Bad: reheated Mexican food.

Bad: flavorless Thai food... hey, you know, sometimes you have to eat cause you're hungry!

Good... actually, very good: 32-channel Neve 8068. Man, that desk sounds warm and rich...

Good: early 1980s Fender Super Reverb and Fender Champ (I believe they were post-1982 since that was the year that Fender started making them again). I also played through the Supro behind the Champ. When you turn those little amps up to 10 they sound fantastic.

Fun: the guitar selection at Kingsize is colorful... among other axes employed on this record, the Gretsch G1626 Synchromatic Silver Sparkle Jet with f-hole (second from right) sounded awesome on some of the more rocking numbers. It was made for only a few years and now is almost impossible to find. The main guitar I played was my custom John Carruthers "Johnny Rivers" model telecaster. Also played a beautiful vintage Fender Jazzmaster with tremolo.

Excellent: 1982 Salomon library selection Riesling was off-the-charts delicious.

Nice performance: Jean-Luc Retard (aka Dan, bass, vox) opens a bottle of one of NNP's officially favorite wines, Movia Puro Rosé. In the photo, Dan is disgorging the sediment from the bottle in a sink full of water (the plates and cups on the bottom served as a stopper for the drain; Kingsize is a great studio but the plumbing is, let's say, creative).

Hits the spot: after the wine is disgorged, it's totally clear.

Good company, bad food: from left, our friend Joachim Cooder, Céline, Bryan, and Jean-Luc and I "grind out" on some mediocre Mediterranean.

Arrived in HongKong at 6:40 am on thursday, sunny and hot, almost as if the rarely seen blue sky welcomed my arrival. The minute I stepped out the airport I realized it wasnt true! First asthma attack in 15 years damn the air was so hot and thick and humid, tried hard to breathe in yet it felt like my lungs were being sucked out of air. The asthma attack was minor but later when I crashed on my bed the black out was real.

Spent half the day unpacking, putting up new speakers in my room, music is important. Thank parents/maid for cleaning up my room man the humid is horrible my guitars are wet, strings feel rusty, yuck! All shit aside, I must prepare myself for project_1098.

I think my search for tone has ended.  Don't get me wrong, I loved the amp I used to have (Orange AD30), but there's something about that boutique sound...

Next stop...Gretsch Duo Jet.

my baby is always there for me

no matter how long or how far its been

my baby always knows how to put a smile on my face

when I'm done i can just put her back in her case.

Epiphone
Site: http://www.epiphone.com/
Romania: Proguitar
Artisti: John Fogerty, Ace Frehley (KISS), Billy Greer (Kansas), Chris Henderson (3 Doors Down), My Chemical Romance, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Jim Laurey (Motorhead), John Lennon (The Beatles), Bob Marley, Paul McCartney (The Beatles), Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Morris (Judas Priest), Willie Nelson, Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), Nichelback,
Despre: Este o submarca a Gibson

Fender
Site: Fender.com
Romania: ProGuitar
Artisti: Avril Lavigne (Telecaster), Eric Clapton(Stratocaster), Jimi Hendrix(Stratocaster), Sum 41(Telecaster)
Despre: Unele dintre cele mai renumite chitari din lume.

Gibson
Site: Gibson.com
Romania: din cate stiu eu nu exista reprezentanta in Romania
Artisti: Duran Duran,  Angus Young (AC/DC), BB King, Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Aerosmith, Los Lobos, Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory), Foo Fighters, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Eagles, Gretchen Wilson, INXS, Joel Madden (Good Charlotte), Neil Diamond, Prince, Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Rudolf Schenker (The Scorpions), Shakira, Shania Twain, Sheryl Crow, Slash (Velvet Revolver)
Despre: Sunt considerate cele mai bune chitari de serie din lume.

Gretsch
Site: Gretsch.com
Romania: Proguitar
Artisti: Billy F Gibbons (ZZ Top), Bono (U2), Eric Johnson, George Harrison (The Beatles), John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Malcolm Young (AC/DC), Martin Gore (Depeche Mode), Neil Young, Sheryl Crow
Despre:

Hora-Reghin
Site: Hora.ro
Romania: in mai toate magazinele de instrumente muzicale
Artisti:
Despre: Suna destul de bine doar ca trebuie sa ai grija de ele. Cea mai mare problema a lor sunt cuiele de acordaj care au tendinta sa se strice. Am auzit des acest lucru dar se poate sa fie si din cauza ca hora e o chitara de incepatori si se tinde sa se duca la extreme. 

Ibanez
Site: Ibanez.com
Romania: M&C musical
Artisti: George Benson, Chris Broderick (Megadeth), Brad Delson & Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park),  Cristi Gram (Phoenix), Billy Graziadei (Biohazard), Dexter Holland & Noodles (The Offspring), Jani Liimatainen (Sonata Arctica), Munky (Korn), Mike Mushok (Staind), Matt Roberts (3 Doors Down), Barry Stock (Three Days Grace),
Despre:

Jackson Guitars
Site: Jacksonguitars.com
Romania: Proguitar
Artisti: Phil Collen & Rick Savage (Def Leppard), Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden), Phil Demmel  (Machine Head), Hammish (My Dying Bride), Outkast, Derrick Green (Sepultura), Serj Tankian (System of a Down),
Despre:

Maxine
Site: -
Romania: Se gasesc in magazinul muzica la etajul 1
Artisti: -
Despre: Sunt ieftine si suna destul de curat.

Schecter
Site: Schecterguitars.com
Romania: M&C musical
Artisti: Robert Smith and Simon Gallup (The Cure), Jerry Horton (Papa Roach), Tommy Lee, Evil Jared (Bloodhound Gang), Adam (Three Days Grace), Mark & Frank & Aaron (Crematorium)
Despre:

Squier
Site: Squierguitars.com
Romania Proguitar
Artisti: Sum 41 (Telecaster), Avril Lavigne (Telecaster)
Despre: Chitari facute de Fender pentru low-end user.

Stagg
Site: http://www.staggmusic.com/
Romania: erau importate de M&C musical, acum nu mai apar pe siteul lor
Artisti:
Despre:

Yamaha
Site: http://www.yamaha.com/guitars/home/
Romania: E un magazin pe undeva pe Bdul Victoriei, cum mergi dinspre muzica spre Bdul Regina Elisabeta.
Artisti: Brian May (Queen), Sammy Hagar & Michael Antony (Van Halen), Tony Kanal (No Doubt), Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard)
Despre: 

Das ist jedesmal sehr anstrengend, aber ich opfere mich gerne (s. Bild)!

There will also be lots of special events and contests throughout the anniversary year, including an online search for the world’s best unsigned bands and a show in New York City featuring a lineup of “Gretsch Greats.” So, bookmark the Gretsch site (www.gretsch125th.com) and check it out often. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and get to share the stage with some of the "Gretsch Greats."

Here’s a bit of Gretsch trivia for you: Friedrich Gretsch, born in Germany, started the company in 1883 at the age of 27 when he opened a small shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., to make banjos, drums and tambourines. Banjos (as well as mandolins) were the "guitar" instruments back in those times.

Then, only 12 years after opening up shop, Friedrich fell ill and died unexpectedly. His son Fred Gretsch, Sr., took over the biz, at the young age of … 15. Yes, one five, fifteen.

Photo courtesy Lonely Moose.

"The electric part of the guitar looks to be added on". Check here.

... offered for sale, both on ebay and by the leading archtop traders.

Gretsch archtops have never been a favorite with jazz players, Mary Osborne, Freddie Greene, and Sal Salvador being the only major players (as far as I can recall at the moment) to have a Gretsch as their main instrument. The informative, but also intolerably snobbish Vintage Guitars Info argue that

Older Gretsch models (pre-1970) don't tend to hold up to time as well as other makes. Older binding materials and glues tend to deterior with age. This can cause expensive repairs such as neck sets and binding replacement. Additionally, Gretsch electronics (pickups, switch/knob layout) is not as sonically sound or versatile as those of other makers during the same period.

I am far from sure this is correct. It is well known that, for example, older Epiphones have notorious problems with binding, necks and tailpieces. I wouldn't say that older Gretsches in general hold less well up to time than Epis, although both may not hold up as well as Gibsons. I am also somewhat baffled by the statements about Gretsch electronics. Gretsch electronics is just different from say Gibson humbuckers or Epi New Yorker pickups.

Whatever all that is, I have noted that more and more old Gretsch archtops -- notably early Synchromatics -- are appearing on ebay and in the inventories of the archtop traders. They generally trade for rather small amounts of money, often in the neighbourhood of 1k USD. I submit that many of these guitars represent excellent value for money. Here is a stunning 1963 Clipper.

Gretsch's Vinnie Colaiuta Signature Series features legendary Gretsch formula maple in traditional size shells, finished in White Wash High Gloss Lacquer. All lugs, brackets, and die-cast hoops are in a black chrome plated finish. Bass drums feature black wood hoops and heavy duty telescopic spurs. Mounted toms include tom brackets and the GTS suspension system. Floor toms include brackets and legs. All toms are equipped with Permatone coated heads. This is Vinnie's signature sound, purely defined.

Gretsch is well known in the drum world as a company that makes quality products that have a great sound. It all started over 100 years ago when Freidrich Gretsch, an immigrant from Mannheim, Germany, founded a small store in Brooklyn in 1883. Little did he know that his small shop was going to blossom into the empire that Gretsch is today.

Freidrich passed away in 1895 and the company was then run by his son Fred Gretsch Sr. Fred was just a teenager when he assumed the responsibility of the company and he worked hard to provide the Gretsch customers with quality instruments. Fred Sr. did so well that within 20 years he built the company up to a huge 10 story building on Broadway Ave in Brooklyn.

From this building, he responded for the increased demand for more specialized guitars. First, the acoustics became popular with country western performers and then came the age of electronics.

In 1935 a man by the name of Duke Kramer, joined the company. Duke is still on the council to this day and has helped to tie the generations of the family together. Duke recognized that the Gretsch instruments had a great unique sound that energized the market for decades.

Fred Sr. Retired from the the company in 1942. His sons, Fred, Jr. and William "Bill" assumed leadership after many years of getting know the inter-workings of the Gretsch empire.

Fred Gretsch, Jr. joined the ranks of the Navy as a commander during the war and Bill Gretsch became president in his stead. However his tenure ended in 1948 when bill passed away and Fred re-assumed his role as the leader of the company.

The age of rock was among them, and it exploded with the entrance of bands and singers like Elvis Presley, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

In 1967 the Gretsch Company was sold to Baldwin music. But the business began to decline after the transaction with out the TLC that the Gretsch family had given their great company.

But in 1985, Fred W. Gretsch, the great-grandson of the company founder, bought the company back from Baldwin and the company was once again in the companies hands.

The homebase was moved to Savannah, where Fred revitalized the company with new offerings. The Gretsch guitars and Gretsch classic drums were quickly becoming in demand once again and Gretsch quickly increased their share of the marketplace.

Today, Gretsch continues to be one of the best guitar and drum manufacturers around. And with 120 years of experience, who can blame them.

You can't go wrong with a Gretsch!

To learn more about Gretsch and Gretsch drums, please visit http://www.Gretsch.com

Welcome to the pinnacle of guitar nerd-dom.  The following is a list of every guitar I have ever owned (off the top of my head, I may be missing a few).  Trust me, I could go in to a lot more detail, but I’m afraid I’d be creating a black hole in the web with my super-concentrated geekness.  Enjoy.

1.       1964 Fender Jazzmaster– Bought this from a classified ad on AOL (pre-eBay days) for about $450.  The finish was stripped and it had a brushed-on clear finish.  Everything else was original including the tortoise pickguard, pickups and slab rosewood fretboard.  I had the body refin’d to Burgundy Mist, a Fender Custom Color, and added a repro greenish-white pickguard.  I think I sold this for about a grand after a year.

 

2.       1966 Fender Electric XII – bought at a pawn shop on Key West for $100.  It was spray-painted flat black with white splatter paint all over it.  Serious rust on all of the metal bits.  I had the body refin’d by Koontz to Lake Placid Blue, a Fender Custom Color.  The neck needed to be refin’d as well, so I went to Fender’s office in Scottsdale, AZ and obtained a NOS headstock decal (they gave it to me).  Koontz shot the neck with clear with a little yellow added to keep it looking vintage.  Most of the metal was re-chromed, but the tuners where shot.  I got the “F” tuners off of a Fender Kingman acoustic that a buddy of mine had (I put some Schallers on his guitar, he was quite happy with the trade).  The original pickups and wiring harness all worked, but I had to order new hardware as all of the screws, springs, etc. were too corroded.  This guitar came out great in the end.  Total cost was less than $500; I sold it for $1,000 at a guitar show.

3.       1978 Fender Stratocaster (my first guitar) – This thing weighed a ton.  It had a punk rock refin in yellow (looked ok from about ten feet away), white pickguard, maple fretboard and non-original tuners and bridge.  The neck was a three-bold tilt neck with a baseball bat feel.  I bought it for $375 at Montreux Music in Troy, Michigan in 1986, and sold it to a buddy for the same about six months later.

4.       1988 Fender Telecaster– This was an early American Standard model in cream with a white pickguard and rosewood fretboard.  This guitar was my main git in the early 90’s with the Crabby Jacks.  This was a very solid guitar that stayed in tune and never gave me a problem.  The tone was a little bland, and I did break high E strings pretty regularly, but overall it was a very solid guitar.  I bought it in Detroit right after I graduated from MSU for about $450.   I sold it after I switched to a more Gibson sound in the mid-90s for about $500.

5.       1991 Fender Telecaster– This guitar was my backup to the ’88 Tele.  It was sunburst with a maple fretboard.  I never like the maple beck as much as the rosewood.  Other than the fretboard, this guitar played and sounded just like the ’88 which made switching during a show a breeze.  I never really bonded with this guitar; it was always a number two to me.  I can’t remember where I bought or sold it.

6.       1992 Fender Stratocaster– This was a ’62 reissue in Lake Placid Blue with a white pickguard, rosewood fretboard and all standard Strat stuff.  This guitar was really bright and had a nice tone.  Two things bugged me about this guitar: 1. I would accidentally hit the pickup selector switch while strumming; 2. the intonation would go out after a few weeks (never had a guitar do that before).  I can’t remember where I bought or sold it.

7.       1969 Gibson SG Standard – I bought this guitar from a colleague at work in Durham, NC for $800 in 2006.  It was the original finish and no neck or headstock repairs, but the pickguard, pickups, bridge and tuners were all repros.  This guitar had a slim, narrow neck at the nut, but it got very chunky and clubby towards the 12^th fret.  The playability was good, but I never really loved this guitar.  I traded it for a Rickenbacker 330 in 2007.

8.       1978 Gibson Les Paul Standard– I picked up this tobacco sunburst Lester in Ferndale, Michigan in the mid-90s for about $800.  It was all original, and I was drawn to it because it wasn’t too heavy (still very heavy, but was Les Paul isn’t) and had a fairly slim neck.  This guitar was a machine.  It stayed in tune always and had great rock tone.  I only got rid of this once I was totally smitten by a Gretsch Nashville I picked up, and decided that if one is good, I should have two.  Sold this at a guitar show for about $900 in the late 90’s.

9.       2002 Gibson Custom Shop ’57 Les Paul Goldtop – I did a little work for the Custom Shop at the ad agency that I was working at, and in return the good folks at the Custom Shop gave me a great deal on a guitar.  For $800 I got a new ’57 Les Paul goldtop.  What a lovely guitar.  To be honest, it was too much pressure to have such a pristine guitar; I was almost afraid to play it.  In the end the neck was a bit chunky and I seemed to have a hard time tuning it.  I sold it on eBay in 2004 for $2,000.

10.   1968 Epiphone Riviera (still own this one) – In high school I was in a band called Mondays Friends and our guitarist Matt Zacharias owned this guitar.  He quit the band in 1986 to join Crossed Wire, and shortly thereafter I bought this guitar from him for about $375.  It is a sunburst 335 basically but with mini-humbuckers that really sound great – really good rock and roll tone.  The guitar has a headstock repair from before my time that is solid, but is becoming more and more visible over the years.  The tuners are changed to Grover Imperials.  A stop tailpiece has been added and is now in the case as a Bigsby in now installed.  The pickguard is in the case also with no bracket.  This guitar has been with me for over 20 years, and I can’t imagine selling.  It is not totally original, nor is it the best guitar I’ve ever played, but it does have a vibe that is so rock and roll that I love it.  It’s my workhorse.  Old reliable, if you will.

11.   197? Epiphone acoustic (still own this one) – I think I paid $250 for this in the 1995 or so.  An odd guitar with a Kalamazoo sticker inside, but clearly made in Japan.  It’s a J-200 style jumbo with maple back, sides and neck.  The front is spruce.  It has replacement Gibson-style Kluson tuners because the original tuners were junk.  It plays well, sounds ok and is a good utility guitar to have around.

12.   1974 Guild F212 XL – I bought this in Lansing, MI while I was in college for about $450..  It was in really great shape until I dropped it and the neck separated from the body.  Elderly Instruments did the repair, but it was never really quite the same.  To be honest, a 12-string acoustic is a niche guitar, and I just didn’t have much need for it.  I sold it in the mid-90s for about $500 at a guitar show.

13.   1959 Gretsch Clipper – My brother A.J. called this one in.  As is his style, he was at a garage sale in Rochester, MI and he saw what he described as an old, hollow-body guitar.  I took the tip and headed over to the sale.  It was so dirty that I had to lick my thumb and rub the headstock just to make out the brand.  I didn’t know much about Gretsch’s at the time, but it felt like it had a nice neck.  I took it home for $35.  After hours of cleaning, I exposed a beautiful sunburst finish in absolute mint condition.  The only thing wrong with this guitar was the pickup did not work and base of the pickguard had self-destructed (turned to powder).  Elderly Instruments’ repair shop fab’d up a new base, and the pickup was sent to Frog’s pal Seymour for fixin’.  Turns out Seymour is none other than Seymour Duncan (the man, not the company) and he rewound this odd pickup in his garage on some vintage winding machine that he has at his home.  Once it was all back together it played great and had a dark jazzy tone.  The problem was that I played rock and roll and this thing would feedback like you wouldn’t believe (it was very hollow).  I sold it after many years for about $750 because I just never played it.

14.   1967 Gretsch Nashville– I traded a dead-mint 1968 Fender Super Reverb for this guitar at a guitar show.  (Back story: The amp had a mismarked rectifier tube all its life, so it sounded crappy.  It sounded bad so nobody every played it.  Nobody played it so it was in brand-new condition.  Danny at Blitz Amps finally figured out the rectifier snafu and this amp came to life.  But I already had my ’65 Super, so I didn’t need two.  What I did need was a backup to my ’69 Gretsch, and this guitar was it.)  Same feel as the ’69 and nearly the same tone.  The finish was not as pretty as it was more of an opaque orange with no grain showing, but it was near mint and very shiny.  It was totally solid and played great.  I think I bought the amp for $350 at pawn shop in Detroit, and I added about $100 fixing it.  What a great trade as this guitar was my #2 through all of my days in Shifter.  Also, this guitar was born in August of 1967 just like me!  I finally sold it in 2004 at Gruhn’s for $2,200.  (The photo is of this guitar when it was for sale on Gruhn’s website).

15.   1968 Gretsch Nashville (still own this one) – I bought this guitar on eBay from a guy in Canada in 2006 for $1,500.  The guy shipped it from Canada to North Caroline in the non-original case.  No box or packing material.  I can’t believe it made it in one piece.  Lucky I guess.  It is the most beat-up Nashville I have ever owned, and maybe my least favorite in terms of feel.  It sounds good though.  The bridge needs to be up higher than the other Nashville’s I have owned, and I’ve gotten rough with it before resulting in the bridge tipping over.  That doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in terms of this guitar being a solid stage guitar.  I bought this guitar because I was missing owning a Gretsch Nashville, especially my ’69.  I think I should always have one because it is my favorite guitar.  Maybe I’ll find one with a better feel and replace this one at some point in time?  We’ll see.

16.   1968 Gretsch Nashville – I bought this in 1999 from Jeff Hart (of Jeff Hart and the Ruins) when I was living in Raleigh, NC.  I didn’t really want it, but he is a good guy and he needed money as his girl was pregnant.  I bought it for $1,200 on a $300 a month installment plan.  It was a solid guitar with very good feel.  It was very much like my ’67, but not quite as clean.  I never played this guitar in a band or outside of my house.  It was #3 after my ’69 and ’67.  I sold this in 2004 at Gruhn’s for $2,000.

17.   1969 Gretsch Nashville– This is the best Gretsch guitar that I have ever owned.  This was my main guitar through the Shifter years.  I was actually going in to a guitar store in 1994 in Rochester, MI with money in hand to buy a P90-equipped Les Paul that I had been eyeing for a few weeks.  Once in the store, I saw this guy playing a beautiful orange Gretsch hollowbody and I was smitten.  But the guy just kept playing it forever.  Finally, I walked up to him and asked if I could see if for a moment.  When he handed it to me, I walked right up to the counter and bought it for $900.  I had worked out a deal with the store owner that I would play it with my band that night and if I didn’t like it, I would exchange it for the Gibson the next day.  I got it set up at Koontz and it was love.  That guitar played and sounded great.  It had a really beautiful orange finish with lots of grain.  The binding was in great shape and it was all original.  I liked that the headstock was orange, it was the only one of these that I’ve owned with an orange headstock.  Great twangy tone that would get pretty rockin’ with a Tube Screamer kicked in.  And my Super Reverb seemed to never sound better then when I played that guitar.  I sold this guitar at Gruhn’s for about $2,000 in 2004.  I miss it.  (This photo is my guitar when it was on Gruhn’s website.)

18.   1969 Gretsch Country Gentleman – I bought this guitar from a store in Rochester, MI for about $850 in 1995 or so.  I thought the Gent looked cool with George Harrison played on, and it seemed like a pretty good deal.  I had been playing a Nashville for a while by this time.  The thing is, it didn’t sound or feel like a Nashville.  It is bigger and the tone just wasn’t quite right for me.  I cleaned it up and sold it for basically what I paid for it within a few months of buying it.

19.   1970 Gretsch Tennessean– This one came from my roommate Bill’s colleague at Webasto Sunroofs.  I don’t remember his name, but I think he built high-end acoustic guitars or something like that.  This thing was jacked and he sold it to me for $100 in 1996.  The wiring harness was there, but the pickups were gone as was the Bigsby.  The pickguard was there and in good shape, which I thought was amazing.  The worst bit was somebody had crudely inlaid their name in fretboard, but the inlays were no longer there.  A real hatchet job.  Once again, I went to Mike Koontz at Koontz Guitar repair.  He took three years to finally get it done, but he expertly replaced the fretboard including replacing the neo-classic thumbnail inlays.  He installed repro pickups and Bigsby, added tuning pegs, buffed the finish and set it up.  It cost me about another $400 with parts and labor, but it was reborn.  It played great and stayed right in tune, but the neck was a bit wide for my taste, and I could be picky since I had three Gretsch Nashville’s at that time.  This guitar never made it on stage, but it was a good project bringing it back.  I sold it at Gruhn’s for $1,800 in 2004.

20.   1979 Gretsch White Falcon – This is the most I have ever paid for a guitar: $1,700 in 1995.  This was such a cool guitar with the monster headstock, sparkling binding materials, aged white paint and gold hardware.  But like the Gent, it never felt or sounded as good as the Nashville’s.  I never played it with Shifter, although I wish I had just for a photo or two with it.  It was large and in-charge!  I sold it in 1996 on consignment at Elderly Instruments for $3,000.

21.   1992 Gretsch Duo Jet – A reissue made in Japan, but a very solid, good guitar.  I bought it in 1996 and sold it the same year after I got the ’67 Nashville.  These guitars are cool, and sometimes you can find a good deal.  I think I paid $650 and sold it for the same to my buddy Tony Castalani.

22.   198? Rickenbacker 370 – I bought this guitar in 1992 from a guitar store in Rochester, MI for about $700.  The 370 is a three-pickup 360.  Mine was finished in Mapleglo and near mint.  I think I played this guitar at the very first Crabby Jacks gig at the Hamtramck Pub.  I maybe would have become a complete Rick-addict except this guitar had a funny little glitch that nobody seemed to be able to fix.  In the middle of any given song, it would lose volume and sound AM  radio like.  I’d toggle the switch or bang it a bit and it would come back.  I could never get it to happen in a repair shop though.  I finally just sold it in 1993 at a guitar show to some guy who followed me around all day making low-ball offers.  I think I got back my $700, maybe a bit more.

23.   1992 Rickenbacker 330 (still own this one) – I traded a ’69 SG for this one.  It’s all original and in near-mint condition.  The Jetglo (Rick-speak for black) is very nice.  I like it.  I play it a bit.  I’m not overly inspired by it.  I think it will get traded out for something else in the coming year.  Possibly an SG with P90s or something?

24.   196? Silvertone Stratotone (still own this one) – This is my garage rock git.  My pal Founder gave me this one back in 1996.  These are cool little guitars.  They look like a 4/5^th scale Les Paul, but they do not sound or feel like a Lester.  They are light with little, bright DeArmond pickups.  There is a rotary switch and super-cheap plastic knobs for volume and tone.  In the middle position, the tone is sweet jangle rhythm, but not very loud.  When you use either pickup individually, the sound is louder and more raw, but not distorted.  I put a Thrush woodpecker sticker on it years ago, which is still there.  This one is cool, although it has never gotten much playing time in my bands.

UPDATE FEB. 2008...

25.   2004 '60s Fender Custom Telecaster w/ Bigsby Just picked this one up off eBay for $650, and it's a beaut.  A 3-color sunburst with double-bound alder body.  The neck is clear maple with a rosewood fretboard.  Vintage tuners, w/b/w pickguard, vintage re-issue pickups, "F" Bigsby... I could go on and on.  It has a nice tweed vintage looking case, but I don't think it is the OHSC.  Seems aftermarket to me for some reason.  This is one of the few Japanese guitars I have ever owned, but that was on purpose becuase I didn't an overly collectible / valuable American Tele because I have some modifications in mind for this one.  Stay tuned.  Oh, and the Ricky may go on the block soon too.

Also, check out the follow up article: "And a fair amount of amps too."

Pure hardcore blues rock. What else do you want out of life.  When you're out late at night drinking like mad, what do you do the next day? Why you call in 'twisted' at work. Calling in sick is so old and busted.

It's unbelievable how good this song is. Listen to it HERE.

Now go away and let me drink two-fisted, because I'm callin' in twisted.

I do have a musical background.  I started playing organ when I was 11.  My late grandma was really into it so I followed suit because I looked up to her and enjoyed spending time with her.  I currently own her organ and it hasn't worked well.  I know it will be soon time to release it for someone else to enjoy.

I've always experienced music through the guitar portion.  I think everyone has an instrument that resonates with them.  For me, it's an electric guitar.  So, I decided to put my past musical training to use again. 

It's been fun, but there are some things I find a bit challenging.  My fingers get pretty sore.  I guess you have to build up some callouses--this makes me smile.  No more pretty manicures for me!  I've never really had nice nails anyway because I'm always cooking, crafting, or working with my hands.  My right shoulder is a bit sore from getting used to the position.  I also found the D chord incredibly hard to play.  My third finger wants to hit the first string!  I am giggling, of course, as I type this.  I'm not really complaining here.  There is so little to actually complain about with this new endeavor.  The tone of my guitar is beautiful--thank you, Gretsch!

So, after three days of playing, I know three cords.  I am self-taught so far.  I'll probably take up lessons after the busy holiday season.  I don't want to develop any bad habits.  I remember last year I tried to teach myself to knit.  That was a big mistake--I had to take lessons and learn all over again.

The thing is that I tend to approach most everything in my life from beginners mind.  I like to think of things as new daily even if I've done them before.  That way, I can be open to always learning.  I've had to set aside most of my musical knowledge in learning guitar.  The instrument is way different than an organ I have to say.  It is like learning to ride a bike.  I also feel like I'm in Kindergarten musically in some ways.  But, guess what?  I'm having a blast!

I have been having a hard time sleeping the past few nights because I want to get up and play my guitar.  I also wake up feeling all giddy.  I am like a little kid on Christmas--but every single day.  I have not felt this happy or excited in a long time.

The thing I've learned though is that dreams do come true.  I mean, sometimes, they take a bit longer than you thought they would.  I had put my dream of playing guitar on the backburner for close to 25 years.  I also noticed my mind surrendered to a limiting belief that I'd never be able to fulfill my dream.  I just gave up. 

My husband and I are big music fans.  I am grateful to him for encouraging me to continue with my dream.  He helped me remember that I have always wanted to do all of this.  I think that is the true blessing of the spiritual path--having someone you love help you remember your dreams.

I am sure a year from now, I'll be giggling as I remember how much I struggled with certain things initially as I learned to play.  It is always fun to take stock of where you were a year ago.  I did that above with the knitting.  Last year, I had problems of all kinds.  This year, I spent time making scarves, shawls, etc.  I am having a blast!

So, you're never too old to try anything or go for it.  There is a part of me that wishes I had learned guitar when I was younger.  However, isn't that just a limiting belief to think that it will be harder since I'm older now?  I don't want to have any limiting beliefs about my dreams any more.

I'm sure I'll be writing more about my guitar playing adventures.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll be able to play an entire song well in another year...or less!

Rockin',

Lisa

Among archtop collectors, Gretsch archtops have seldom been considered worthy of much attention. However, having followed prices for archtops offered at ebay closely over the last five years, I am pretty certain that I can discern a tendency for the better Gretsch archtops to fetch increasingly large prices, particularly early Synchromatics. Perhaps archtop collectors are finally seriously turning their attention to Gretsch?

Although I tend to think of Gretsch archtops as generally somewhat less aesthetically pleasing than high-end Epis and Gibsons, there are some very fine specimens among their early archtop models. Here is a particularly fine blonde example of the Artist Model (with some later additions, including the finish)

Gabe setting up drums with David Ashkenazy...

Nice vintage Gretsch kit!

Gretsch Drums

David Ashkenazy's website

If You are a reader on this blog then you know full well how I feel about Sara Groves. In particular her last CD Add to the Beauty. I consider that CD to be one of the top 10 CD's of the last 20 years. If you haven't bought it yet...get on it. With that said on her site she announced a new CD

On November 6th, INO Records will be releasing Sara's new album "Tell Me What You Know".

Sara says on her site:

"My life has been so changed and challenged in the last couple of years by people who have endured incredible hardship around the world, and by the people who have come alongside them working as what I imagine Jesus intended when he called us His Body. Where I used to see politics, poverty and detached social agendas, I now see people. This album is about people, and the defiance of their hope, it is about freedom, both spiritual and physical, and it is about what I have yet to learn about God from my neighbors who have gone to the places where courage is required, and have found a deeper understanding of Christ and his suffering, his redemption, and his joy."

But now I am ready.

If you are linking to me and I am not linking to you post a comment...I will fix that

If I am linking to you and you are not to me....please fix that

If both of us are not linking to eachother....tell me and lets fix that

Also I would love everybody under the sun to subscribe to this site. Click the link below and do it now. Your life just might change forever

"My King" - Dr. S.M. Lockridge
Hillsong United - All of the Above (Revi
Top Worship Lyrics
Worship Master List
My guitars (things in my bag)
Conferences
Vicky Beeching Painting the Invisble
Brian Doerksen Holy God
Top 25 CCLI.com Downloads for USA Feb 20
Gear

Anyway...it's wicked cool and very brian setzer meets hillsong united. lol  and its coming in the mail...WOO HOO.

Also you wouldn't believe what I paid for it.It's not crazy expensive as it is, but what I paid is INSANE! .I have a contact at guitar center who really hooks me up. He is in Oregon. where i used to live. I met him once and had fun talking and since then I get like employee price. If any of you worship guys want his info let me know.. Email me. or post a comment and I'll email you.

I can't wait till it comes...It is a sound I can't get from my other gear.