Breedlove Jamming!

File this under "too cool not to share." And believe you me, it's gone viral big time and in a hurry. More than four million hits in its first week online! Noah is only eighteen, but no Justin Bieber. Instead, let him blow you away with his mature, soulful voicing and driving guitar re-interpretation of LMFAO's raunchy anthem. This kid is talented, and he sure makes his Breedlove guitar sound good! Enjoy.

Bourgeois Guitars

(c) Music Emporium, used by permission

Master luthier Dana Bourgeois traveled down from his 1860's mill-house workshop in Lewiston, Maine to the Music Emporium in Lexington, MA last night to regale a large crowd of enthusiasts with a glimpse into his artisanal guitar-making process. After passing around an unfinished Adirondack Spruce top with scalloped braces, Bourgeois continued the show-and-tell by carving down the braces with intermittent tapping of the top as he explained how he voiced it to obtain as many tones as possible.  Little by little, as he carved away at the braces, shared personal anecdotes and tricks of the trade, and fielded dozens of questions, the top became more flexible with varied tones across its plane.

What became very clear is that the optimal voicing of any top is more art than science as every piece of wood has its own characteristics that, as Bourgeois explained, are unpredictable and unique.  An artisanal guitar maker's experience allows him or her to recognize these qualities and obtain the optimal balance between the responsiveness of the wood and its structural integrity.  Mr. Bourgeois has been designing and building acoustic guitars since 1974 and explained how he learned early on by repairing wonderful pre-war Martin guitars before these became recognized as premium "vintage" guitars.  The results could be seen in the dozen Bourgeois guitars we were able to assess after the presentation, from parlor-size to dreadnoughts, in beautiful hand-selected tonal woods.  He has also been experimenting with a vintage varnish that offers much better clarity and breathability, and with beautiful results judging by the two guitars I examined with this finish.  If you are gassing for a high-end acoustic by one of the best small shops in the world, head over to the Music Emporium or check out Bourgeois' very well-done website and order yours today.

Once!

This weekend I took my wife to NYC for her 40th birthday, staying at the beautiful new Intercontinental at Times Square.  Up first was a matinée performance of "Once," the most Tony-nominated show of 2012, with its acoustic guitar-heavy score, set, and book. What a great show! Think Irish Sesiun with a contemporary edge.  Even as the audience files in for the show, the actors - all musicians - are on stage jamming on acoustic guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, cello, and piano. The simple set is a large open space with a bar and the audience is encouraged to come up and buy a drink before the show (and at intermission) and mingle on set.   From then on we follow the story of a singer-songwriter-guitarist Guy in Dublin who meets a Girl who plays the piano and sings.  She inspires him to give his music another chance, they make beautiful music together, but they have to deal with their respective unfinished relationships while it is clear they have fallen in love.  The arrangements for guitar and piano are simple and effective, allowing for the full power of the lyrics to hit you like a ton of bricks with the raw emotions of love.

Special kudos to the sound crew, as the balancing of the wireless mic'ed voices and acoustic instruments is extremely well-done (sound designer Clive Goodwin, who workshopped the show at the ART here in Cambridge, has one of Once's 11 Tony Award nominations).  The lead Guy of "Once" plays what looks like a well-worn Johnny Cash-model Martin D-35 guitar that rang out whether finger-picked or strummed.  Indeed, the Martin guitar company has recently become the official guitar and guitar strings sponsor of "Once" (earlier promotional materials and video of the musical had Guy playing a well-worn black Takamine like the original Guy in the original movie from a few years back).  Well played C.F. Martin and Co.

Later, we had time to drop in on Matt Umanov Guitars in the West Village before dinner.  They had a good selection of Martin and Taylor guitars, among others, but I was disappointed not to find any new Guilds in stock to test drive even though they are a Guild dealer.  In fact, the only acoustic Guild in the whole store was a used 1995 D-55.  I took the opportunity to put it up against Martin's new HD-28 that I have raved about before and that they had in stock, but the Guild came out ahead of this particular guitar in my book.  My wife even commented that the D-55 was noticeably more resonant than the HD-28 from her vantage point across the room.  Too bad they wanted $1995 for it. Bargain hunters are out of luck at this iconic store...

How I came to also play a 1971 custom spanish guitar worth $10k later that weekend will have to wait for a later post...!

1984 Guild F-45CE (2)

My 1984 Guild F-45CE is an interesting guitar with a great vintage look and sound.  First there's the oval soundhole and venetian cutaway.  Very cool.  Then there's the beautiful Mahogany arched back that helps add depth and projection.  Finally, there's the slim neck and two retro pre-amp knobs that add to the electric guitar-like playing feel of the guitar.

The F-45CE was a happy eBay find.  I bought it at a reasonable price because the electronics did not work due to corrosion in the battery holder.  I was even able to buy the original full-page color ad for this very model from the January 1984 issue of Guitar World, also on eBay for a couple of dollars.  After my go-to luthier replaced the battery holder and connecting wires that had blackened beyond use, the guitar was once again in full working order.  I enjoyed playing her, but with my total guitar count having crept up in the interim, it was time to find her a good home.  Several Craigslist postings later, I met up with her new owner today.  No haggling was necessary after he picked out a few bluesy licks and confirmed that she was in pristine condition as advertised.  It was love at first sight!  I got my asking price, and he got a beautiful vintage instrument with many years left in her.  It's nice to know that she will be appropriately appreciated.  Happy trails!

G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome)

Being new to the blogosphere and various online forums for guitarists and guitar enthusiasts, it is not unusual for me to come across unfamiliar acronyms.  One common term I repeatedly encountered and for which I had to look up the meaning is "GAS," or Guitar Acquisition Syndrome.

And OMG, I recognized all the symptoms in myself.  It is basically the uncontrollable urge to purchase "just one more guitar."  It is in fact a highly contagious condition that tends to be propagated by fellow guitar enthusiasts, with known hot spots being well-stocked local guitar stores and various online guitar forums.  (I'm talking about y'all at "Let's Talk Guild!")  It is also enabled by such online portals as Craigslist, eBay, and all the online guitar stores with the cool guitar eye candy.  It's now clear I've got a recently re-acquired and virulent case of GAS after being in remission for a couple of decades.  The dangers of this affliction include financial hardship and marital difficulties.

When I relayed this humorous acronym to my wife, her only comment was "it's not funny."  LOL!  So it's time to winnow the herd, as they say.  No more purchases until I can sell a few of my recent acquisitions that are not keepers.  Not unless a screaming buy happens to come to my attention, of course...

30-Year Closet Find (1979 Yamaha FG-335)

Finding a good used guitar on Craigslist is all about knowing what you are looking for and serendipity. Good guitars at attractive prices are often scooped up within hours while overpriced models get re-listed over and over. Short of checking the local listings often enough to respond to the good listings immediately, I wondered if there was an online service that could automate the task with an email alert. And, of course, there is one. Craigslist Checker will run your search hourly and send you an email with links to any listings that pop up for the item you are seeking. Free searches are good for seven days.


Yesterday, a vintage Yamaha acoustic that had been in a closet for thirty years popped up for short money. Within an hour, dozens of prospective buyers popped up as well according to the buyer, but I was upfront with all my contact info and how much I was willing to pay, so I got the call back when the first buyer no-showed. Going in I knew the original chipboard case with its missing handle and other scars was worthless. Nor is a 1979 Yamaha FG-335 anything like a vintage Martin closet find. The guitar was also missing one of its plastic bridge pins. Upon inspection, there were also a few more small dings than advertised. Even with only five 30-year-old strings on it, though, the guitar had decent tone. The white binding had that vintage yellowed appearance and overall the condition of the guitar was excellent. I was able to close the deal for less than $100, 30% below asking.

With a little TLC, some new strings, a replacement set of matching bridge pins salvaged from another guitar, and a hardshell case I had left over from another used purchase, this now makes for a solid traveling guitar for those campfire outings. It even still had the original allen wrench in the old case pocket that I was able to use to tighten the truss rod and bring the really high action down. Note the cool wood truss rod cover (Yamahas went to truss rod access above the heel block shortly after 1979).

Yard Sale Treasures (1938 Martin 000-28)

With spring having sprung, yard sale signs are starting to sprout on the weekends and you never know what treasures will lurk among the usual junk.  My current favorite tennis racket, for example, is a $10 yard sale find from several years ago.

According to the press release for this week's Heritage Auctions' Vintage Guitars Auction at the Dallas Guitar Show, the top vintage acoustic guitar for auction this year is a $75 garage sale find from many years ago, now appraised at $40,000+!  It's a 1938 Martin 000-28.  Unsurprisingly for a garage sale find, it is in only fair condition with several top cracks, a small break in the side waist, and moisture damage to the finish.  The listing notes severe wear to the original frets and severe playwear to the body.  One of the original tuners was replaced with a non-matching one and there is a hardware store bracket screwed right into the top back of the headstock, presumably for a strap (or to hang the guitar up in the garage?!).

And yet, this is a highly desirable vintage guitar made by Martin pre-war with beautiful Brazilian Rosewood back and sides.  Brazilian Rosewood is a prized hardwood for its outstanding resonance, colorful shades and figures, and floral fragrance reminiscent of roses.  It is only found in Brazil from the eastern forests of Bahia to Rio de Janeiro, and it is now banned for harvest and trade as an endangered species as much of its habitat has been converted to farmland.

Opening bids start at $20,000 plus the 25% buyer's premium (another $5,000). You have one more day to place an online bid.  The auction goes live this Friday!  Or you could just keep an eye on your local yard sales...

If you want a cleaner vintage small-bodied Martin and money is not an obstacle, check out this 1928 Martin 00-44 listed for $100,000.  Back here in Boston, though, I'm perfectly content strumming my unassuming 2002 Martin 000-1 bought last week for less than $500 off of Craigslist.  It's bringing me and my son lots of playing pleasure and none of the headaches and costs of restoring and caring for a museum piece.  Carpe Diem!