Rudi

Nevada Music was quiet today so I tried out the Ibanez Archtop they have. Oddly I cant find it anywhere online, not even at Nevada's webpage (not this single PU version anyway). Its about the same shape as the Epiphone Broadway I tried last month. It has a single humbucker at the fingerboard position, floating bridge, 20 frets and flatwound strings. It has a sparsely applied light matt blue paint job. An odd finish for this sort of animal. At a little over £400, its also cheap. It sounded better than I thought it would. I wound down the action a little and it didnt play too badly either. It didnt shout buy me though, and I found the narrow fretboard too much of an ordeal to work with. I can work with higher actions if I have too, but narrow necks and small radii are a no-no. My fingers just complain if I try. They say 'what the *%€* have you given me here?!' Anyone who's had to appologise to their fingers in a guitar shop will know what I mean.

Europa - Santana

Joe is the jazz player I admire most. I once saw him at Ronnie Scotts, and Oscar Peterson dropped by and sat in on the piano. Joe knew nothing of this until he heard the piano. He had been playing with his eyes closed. I was sat right up front to stage & could clearly see everything Joe was doing. Not that it did me much good

I shouldve disclosed where I was headed to. Its is actually guitar village in Farnham! Well done for that bit of research Mike. Its amazing you got the exact same place I'm headed for. I have only ever mail ordered one guitar only. That was the Yamaha Silent. I wouldnt do this normally though. Especially with a new venture such as an archtop. I dont yet know what I will like. I havnt sufficient experience with this sort of model. The furtherest Ive ever traveled to try guitars was to Kirkham Lancashire. This was the former premises of Fylde. http://www.fyldeguitars.com/ I still have the Fylde I got from there some 40 years ago. I think I paid about £170. They cost one a hell of a lot more now. I am still doing some research, but you (Mike) have saved me a massive amount already. Thanks for that.

'Calvary' was on it too. A pretty good spanish instrumental. Treat yourself to a new CD of it Tom. But we digress... Mercury Blues - Ry Cooder

The shop dont have a Port Town in stock. groan....

OK there is one Hagstrom & one Godin at another shop in Farnham (a bit nearer than the Guidford one). They could be gone before the holiday period, but on the plus side thaey stock both Peerless and D'Angelico models. Spec-wise, the Peerless Port Town seems better suited to me. So do their signature Martin Taylor models but using one of those would hurt a bit (see my signature model thread). It may work out that I like none. In that case I would cast around for another nylon strung model.

I played it to death too. If its the Happy Trails version. I cant tell because the links disabled!

The still are. Wagon Wheels have capitalised on that.

I'm dym? Ok maybe I am but I'm not wrong about the searing mustard brain blast.

Well we dont all have heroes, or magic for that matter. I'm think of painting the Peewee pink, calling it the 'wimpy guitar' and pledging to play it if someone catches me making a mistake.

Coleman have just brought out an ‘original’ version of their English Mustard. I am hoping it’s like the stuff I had when I was a kid. In a ham sarnie, it could produce a powerful assault on the frontal lobes. Painful & pleasant in equal measure. Mustard hasn’t done this for 40 years for me. Or maybe I just got used to it? Dunno. I usually mix up the powdered stuff these days with cold water & a dash of soy sauce. Anyway I’m going to hunt down a jar this weekend.

You have a movie, and a lyric. Great. Rock ballad & Country rock are basic music forms. It you have access to a piano or guitar and can learn three chords, you can create the music you want in 2 minutes. It’s very simple. Keys: I suggest the key of C. Using C, F and G chords. Guitar: I suggest key of A. Using A, D and E chords. Have fun.

Who's Lovin You Tonight - John Hammond

I dont know what model. Its a Samsung. It cost £70 ($115) about 18 months ago. It is not touchscreeen. Ive never used the internet on this or any phone, but there is an APP folder with radio, games and other stuff Ive never looked at. I only traded up my £10 phone to get one that would link to my car. I'm not a gadget / tech person. But you can tell that right?

The sound & tonal range from the Steve Vai clip is great. Nice warm tones in the 1st two minutes.

I'm not sure my phone is clever enough be able to use this.

love those Youngbloods anyway.... Let It Bleed - Rolling Stones

can they do other tunings? Violin for example?

Inspired by Jorma Kaukonen and endorsed by Julian Bream.

counter-culture shock?

Black Peter - Grateful Dead

Thats something I had not thought about. Yes the brand logo is a name too, and can be seen as a status symbol of sorts. I have a aged Washburn that hangs on the wall in my living room. It was very cheap (£150 some 14 years ago) I only use it for practice and dont even plug it in. So its used more than any guitar I have. Nevada wouldnt even consider it for part X when I bought the last Jackson. Even though it plays better than 90% of the models hanging on thier walls. So its still my practice model.

This topic was inspired by the Steve Vai link on Tapper Mike's post in the 'Guitar Recommendations' thread. I feel uncomfortable about signature model guitars. Even though I have one. Its a small F# model that can fit in my suitcase when I go on holiday. It's cheap. It was even cheaper because of a big paint blister on the headstock. This is it (the Les Paul shape) http://www.epiphone.com/News-Features/News/2010/The-NEW-Epiphone-Les-Paul-Pee-Wee-and-Vee-Wee-Zakk.aspx Now I had no idea who Zakk Wylde was when I bought it (I've since watched a brief YouTube performance by Mr. Wylde, and that's still all I know of him). I am very ignorant of many 'name' players and this includes most of those who have signature models associated with them. But I feel uneasy about the association implicit in a signature model instrument. Even if it were a guitarist I liked and respected, I still would not want his/her name and paint job on my guitar. Example: Here's a Doug Irwin guitar of which there were only two models made, both for Jerry Garcia. The shape is unique and was only ever used by JG. A replica is now available to buy and I would love to try it out but once again wouldn't really want to gig it. http://www.lieberguitars.com/guitars/lg74/ At $6200 its out of my price range anyway. It doesn't matter too much about the PeeWee I bought. It will never be gigged, but if it were, I might be tempted to buff the paint off first. Is that an overreaction? I don't know. That's part of why I am posting this up now. How do you feel about signature models? Somebody is buying them.

Lily - The Dodos