The Best Little Guitar Shop in Milwaukee (2012 Martin HD-28)

I've been going regularly to Milwaukee since 1998 as class counsel for thousands of children in state care seeking to reform the foster care system through the courts.  Yesterday, I was in town for a day of meetings that included the public release of the most recent settlement monitoring data, which was strong.  The Journal-Sentinel featured the latest results with some of my comments to journalist Crocker Stephenson here.

A good day got even better when I decided to check out Wade's Guitar Shop for the first time before my flight back to the East Coast.  It's a small shop crammed with electrics and acoustics, with mostly new and some used instruments.  These guys have been around since 1989 and know guitars.  They are the go-to Martin dealer in the area and had several walls of these in stock.  Alex was extremely accommodating in suggesting and pulling down a half dozen guitars for me to try.

As a guitarist, it's always fun to try various makes and models to discover all the options and challenge one's particular tastes in size, shape, sound, etc.  The real magic of it, though, is that even supposedly identical models can have different personalities that I imagine the maker would be hard-pressed to explain.  The challenge is to find a good match, which can obviously be a very personal experience.  In this store, one guitar stood out - a new Martin HD-28.  It's a dreadnought with a solid Sitka Spruce top and solid East Indian Rosewood back and sides.  Staff was excited about this one, calling it a "cannon," and it did not disappoint.  It sparkled with life as soon as I started playing it.  I really liked its easy-playing low profile neck and the tone was wonderful.  I would have loved to spend more time with it, but this instrument lists for $3449, and I don't have the $2200+ I would have needed to walk out with this beauty.  I had to leave this one for some other lucky guitarist to snap up.  If you are in the area, be sure to give it a try before it's gone.

Motivation

Having a great-sounding guitar that is a pleasure to play is great motivation to progress and learn new material.

This weekend I had some time to work on the 80's classic "The Promise" by When in Rome that my wife has been wanting me to learn since forever.  The guitar arrangement below by Mile 77's Harry Watson was a great starting point.  He uses E-A-C-G-C-E open tuning, which is new to me, and an effective combination of fingerpicking, rhythmic and percussive strumming, and harmonics.



I grabbed my Guild F-47RCE, which to my ears rivals the tone and volume of Watson's Taylor.  With new Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze light-medium strings the open tuning rang out with clarity. Elixir coated strings are also more gentle on the fingers (having not played regularly in years, I am only just beginning to re-develop protective calluses on the tips of my fingers).  It's going to take me a little bit longer to master the lyrics and syncopation, but it feels great to be making music again.

1984 Guild F-45CE (2)

FedEx delivered my first Ebay guitar auction purchase today.  I was relieved to get the instrument in one piece.  This vintage Guild was shipped insured from California in its case, boxed up with foam case holders at the top and bottom. Upon taking it out to assess its condition, I was pleased to note that it was as advertised: almost thirty years old and scarcely a blemish.  It played beautifully right out of its original case with a warm and full voice despite its smaller oval soundhole and much thinner profile than my dreadnought-sized guitars.

The Guild F-45CE is a lovely instrument with a delicately arched Mahogany back and retro-looking electric pickup controls.  Guild did not put pick guards on these so I was pleased to see that there were no significant pick scratches or gouges on the solid Spruce top.  Unlike my large Guild F-47RCE, this is not a guitar to be flogged with monster power chords, but is ideal for precise finger- and flat-picking.  Now that I've had a chance to meet her in person, I see no need to add a pick guard to her. The action is also good as is, with the only fixes needed being to re-glue the last inch of the binding at the top of the first fret (a recurring Guild issue on older models it seems) and replacing the Fishman pre-amp battery holder that has some corrosion on the metal contacts.  This is the best addition to the stable so far! I hope to sell some of the others I have recently listed to make room for this find.

Breedlove Atlas Stage C25/SR (2)

Here is my latest Craigslist posting seeking a good home for a recent acquisition that plays a lot better after a professional set-up adjustment.  I will be showing it tomorrow to my first potential buyer.

Breedlove Atlas Stage C25/SR Acoustic-Electric.

This is a 2009 guitar that looks and plays great.  Solid Sitka Spruce top, Indian Rosewood back, sides and fretboard with striking wingspread abalone inlays.  L.R. Baggs Stage Pro pickup is top notch (one of the reasons they call this guitar the “Stage” model).  Cosmetically intact but for a small ding on the front.  Comes with original Breedlove archtop Hardshell case in good condition.  Recently professionally set-up with easy low action and new strings.  Ready to go and priced to sell.

This guitar lists for $1339 and sells for $999.

See all specs here: http://breedlovemusic.com/guitars/atlas-guitars/stage-c25-sre

See reviews comparing this model favorably to more expensive Martin and Taylor guitars here:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/breedlove-atlas-stage-series-c25-sr-concert-acoustic-electric-guitar#review

Musical Evening

My recent renewed interest in guitars and music has been well-received by my immediate family.  This week, before and after a celebratory birthday dinner at home, I broke out a number of my new guitars to show and various family members gave them a try, from my brother the professional musician to my son who tried his first couple of chords.  My daughter pulled up a clip and some chords online for a song she is learning to sing from one of her favorite acts, "City and Colour."  After transposing the song up to her preferred range (capos are a wonderful thing), it was very satisfying to accompany her beautiful voice and make music together.  Her grandparents were a very appreciative audience. It's always wonderful to be able to share a common interest with the ones one loves.

The family then spent the weekend in New Hampshire, another occasion for shared meals, some music, and birthday presents. The many music-related gifts that came my way were much appreciated.  My kids sprang for the Farley's folding guitarist stool and stand with footrest pictured above that MusiciansFriend.com delivered earlier in the week.  I also received a coffee table book surveying the acoustic guitar lanscape.  Although the text leaves a little to be desired, the large-size pictures are eye-candy to the aficionado.

My wife was even able to find me (courtesy of Amazon) the American re-issue CDs of one of my "guitar heros" Marcel Dadi's first two LPs I owned in the 70s as a teen (see my earlier post). These include some of the earliest finger-picking tunes I learned and with which I can now get re-acquainted (in other words, re-learn!).  I wonder how we managed before the internet.  The resources available online to the guitarist are almost limitless and I hope to continue sharing some of them in future posts.

Mint!

If you spend any time reviewing want ads for used guitars you start developing a sixth sense for certain types of guitar sellers.  One common type starts by listing their guitar in "MINT!" condition. What this usually means is that the seller paid full price, brought the guitar home and tried it for "half an hour" (I kid you not, this is a recurring meme), the guitar has not left its case since, and the owner is under the delusion that they can get full price when they re-sell it.  While the guitar may be in like-new condition (if it has not cracked due to poor storage conditions), it does not mean it commands its sticker price or even close.  Many first-time guitar sellers apparently do not understand that this is just like selling a used car.  As soon as you drove that new car or guitar off the dealer's lot it significantly depreciated in value.  You are not going to get what you paid for it, or even close.

There are exceptions for premium vintage guitars, of course. Just like vintage cars, the right make and model can command premium dollars.  This 1942 Martin D-18 sold for $29,000 in 2008 on Ebay!  As the story goes, the original owner was unable to play it due to an accident shortly after he received it as a gift.  The guitar then spent most of the next 65 years in a closet.  If you have something like this that your grandparent strummed pre-war and that has been untouched in a closet since then you might want to get it professionally appraised...

Multiplying Guitars (Breedlove Atlas Stage C25/SR)

Rare are the active guitarists who do not accumulate guitars. For starters, it behooves professional performers to have at least one backup instrument ready to go should they break a string mid-set, start having technical issues with their electric pickups, or worse.  Performers and studio musicians also often look to different guitars depending on the playing style, sound, and vibe being sought on any particular song or project.  Even amateur pickers tend to collect guitars that they enjoy for various aesthetic and musical reasons.  And when traveling, many guitarists don't trust their most valuable guitars to the vagaries of airline personnel and baggage handlers, opportunistic thieves, and other disasters waiting to harm their baby, so they pack a travel guitar.

As a budding guitarist and performer, I was no different. My prize was my Martin, but I later added an Ovation.  I also owned a 12-string for awhile for its unique sound and a classical nylon-string guitar for more classical guitar music.  The upshot is that guitarists are constantly changing up their lineup of instruments based on their current needs, desires, and checking account balances. Then there are those who purchase a guitar with the intention of learning to play and after six months or ten years of the instrument staying in the closet or under the bed they realize they never will.  All this makes for a brisk market in used guitars for sale or trade that benefits those with the patience and cash flow to wait for the right instrument at the right price.

The other day I responded to a Craigslist add from a musician who needed to sell his second guitar for funds the same day.  As I was going to be in his neighborhood later that day anyway, I texted him what I was willing to pay for his Breedlove Atlas Stage C25 SR electric-acoustic guitar if it was in good shape and he got no higher offers.  We met up later in his building's lobby to check out the guitar and I finalized the deal.

The original Breedlove case had seen some travel, but perked up well after I used some solvent to peel off all the beat up airline FRAGILE stickers on the outside.  The hardshell case had clearly done its job as the guitar itself was unscathed apart from one small ding in the finish on the top.  I look forward to getting acquainted with my new find over the coming days.