Applause mandolin

What happens when you wash an Ovation guitar?  It shrinks into a mandolin.  The mini Schnauser's name is Willie Nelson and he is seriously thinking about hammering out a tune.  Seriously, this (for the price) is a grand little mando.  Johnny Cash black, built in electronics--what more do you want?

Ovation Celebrity

If you are a fan of "Lost", then this red Ovation Celebrity is a must have.

An axe I would love to own

How about this?  I would certainly be grateful to own this axe.

Identify the man and the guitar

Easier than the last.  Who is this guy?  What is the make and model of his guitar?

Alvarez Yairi

Who has played Alvarez Yairi guitars?

The Trubadour

If you want to be a true trubadour, this is what you must do.  Name the guitar and the place.  First to get both wins a Monte Cristo cigar--but you must pick it up in person--and smoke it here with me.  I have two of them!!

Xaver Grand Concert (Tobacco Sunburst)

This little Grand Concert is the bomb!  What are you waiting for--this fine piece will not be available for long.  Gerry is working on another Grand Concert right now--if I have my facts right, which should be completed for the Spring.  I hope it doesn't sell before completion, because I would dearly love to be among the first to give it a test run.

Chet Atkins

How about this guy?  Chet Atkins design.  Brazilian mahogany before it was a bad word.  Each string has it's own adjustable sound pod--but unless your name is Chet Atkins--do not play with it.  But for plugged in classical players--this is your guitar.  This model was admittedly short lived, mainly because of the weight.  From the rear you would think it is a Les Paul.  The next generation of Gibson Chet Atkins Classical Electric guitars was considerably lighter.  I'm pretty sure I saw Willie Nelson playing one of these one time when Trigger was being "worked on".

Gibson J-200

Buddy Holly, Elvis, Everly Brothers, Stompin' Tom Conners, Emmy Lou Harris.  Even Keith Richards owns one of these.  How can you go wrong with a J-200?  Have you ever played a J-300?  It has East Indian Rosewood back and sides as opposed to the maple on this one.  Just being in the same room with this guitar elevates your status as a human being.

Gibson Southern Jumbo

I know.  It's not a jumbo.  But this has been my main workhorse since 1968.  And if I told you who has played this guitar, you would surely accuse me of name dropping.  This instrument has been everywhere--just like the song.  Back in the day you had little trouble carrying it aboard the plane, but it has spent it's time in the hold as well.  It has been worked on by the likes of Frank Gay and Brian Doubledam--good reason for it's tip top shape today.

Xaver Grand Concert

This beautiful guitar is looking for a home.  Check the "Xaver Guitars" web site to find all about this great guitar, as well as other great "Xaver Guitars" that need to be played and loved.  They will just blow you away.

Downtown Vintage Guitars

Last night I dreamed that I was sitting on this bench, playing this guitar.

Two Matons with Tommy Emmanuel straps

Guitars patiently waiting for the master to pick them up.

Waiting for Tommy.

Tommy Emmanuel hits the stage like a ton of bricks.  He comes out smoking and does not miss or misplay a single note for the entire evening.  If you have never seen him live--do not miss the opportunity.  Check back to this Blog tomorrow.  If you just cannot wait--search Tommy Emmanuel on You Tube.  As a matter of fact--check Tommy out on You Tube anyhow.

Maton Guitar--Part 2

Who scratched Tommy's Maton?

Maton Guitar

And who do you think might own this fine instrument?

Oscar Peterson guitar by Grit Laskin

This guitar was built by William "Grit" Laskin in honour of Oscar Peterson.  This beautiful guitar was sitting right in front of that open door you see just before the door was opened.  John remarked that if someone comes through that door, the guitar would surely be knocked over.  No sooner was the guitar moved when the door burst open making it quite evident that John had just saved this beautiful instrument from serious damage. 

Gibson SG

What a great Gibson SG.  Solid mahogany.  A friend left it with me to test drive--he picked it up three years later.  I hope he is playing it because it is a great little guitar.

Garrison

John playing his Garrison guitar.  This guitar was made in Newfoundland and is unique in that it has a one piece moulded plastic bracing.  Sounds great at a great price.

A Guitar Called Jack--Part 83

And to celebrate this fine instrument, Gerry made this incredible desktop wallpaper.  One day I mentioned the fact that all guitar players should have 30 or 31 guitars so they could choose a different instrument to play each day of the month.  Anything over this would be too many, as then each instrument would not see sufficient play time.  Well, since I have taken this guitar home, I have played it almost exclusively.  And even when I do play another guitar--I still make time to visit with my new Xaver guitar.  Each time I pick this guitar up I am inspired--in different ways.  Sometimes I find a new riff, sometimes an idea for a new song comes to me--and sometimes a tune I have been playing for many years comes together for me in an all new fashion.  Not only am I completely happy with this guitar--it has exceeded my wildest expectations many times over.

J-200

I saw this J-200 in a music store in 1989.  I couldn't speak--I was awe stricken.  It was the first brand new J-200 I had ever seen.  Notice the Security Monkey guarding these three great Gibsons.

Three Gibsons

Les Paul Classic, Chet Atkins Solid-body electric Classical guitar and a mahagony SG.  Three great Gibsons.

Epiphone

Nice guitar.  I remember playing this guitar, but I do not know who owns it or where it is today.  The strap, however, I recognize as mine.

Gibson Everly Brothers

Designed by Phil and Don, this guitar is the ultimate acoustic guitar for rock and roll.  The brothers played J-200s at first, but were virtually destroying a pair of them every month by crashing them into each other, plowing them into michrophones etc.  They went to Gibson with an idea for a more durable rock and roll acoustic guitar--thus, the oversized pick guards.  I understand Albert Lee has a pretty sizable collection of "Everly Bros guitars", including the prototype which was given to him by Don.  Don't you just love the star fret markers?

Bill's D-18 Martin--Part 2

  On the last day of 2012 will be the 50th anniversary of getting this D-18 Martin! A few years before, I had bought my Vega banjo from Manny’s Music on 48th st in NYC, as a friend had said they had great prices. So I traveled up there again on the last day of the year in 1962, while I was living in that apartment on Daniels st in Arlington, Virginia. I had hoped they had a few Martin D18’s and the guy took me to a room with a huge pile of Martins! The price was $212, even then it was a steal. In fact, it may have been, because he pointed out that the price was cheap because the serial number had been removed (chiseled out)!! I think the whole batch were like that – was there a truckload of Martin’s that disappeared that year? I asked no more questions and bought the thing. I’ve played it ever since. Two areas of minor damage; you and I were horsing around and somehow it hit the floor on an edge and was damaged. Then, years ago in Group Therapy, the guitar player loved to use my guitar at shows and he used a vigorous hand with a flat pick and it has worn spots of a circular pattern below the pick guard. But it still plays like a dream.

Bill's D-18 Martin

This 50 year old D-18 has a few character marks, but is none the worse for the wear.  I first played this guitar when it was brand new--one of the very first Martins I had ever played.  My main guitar back then was a "Kay Country" dreadnought, so, whenever the opportunity presented itself I was certain to play Bill's Martin.

A Guitar Called Jack--Part 82

 

And here we have "A Guitar Called Jack".  Thanks to Gerry Gruber and Xaver Guitars--I have been practicing hard, attempting to do justice to this fine instrument.

A Guitar Called Jack--Part 81

So, here I am with Willie Nelson playing a tune I wrote last September.  http://xaverguitars.ca/guitars-for-sale/mjacs1222/mjacs1222.html Lots of stuff on a Guitar Called Jack at this web site.

A Guitar Called Jack--Part 80

And, on the 23rd of December, 2012 "A Guitar Called Jack" is finally finished.  How does it sound?  See for yourself.  Check me out on You Tube.

A Guitar Called Jack--Part 79

Yellow glue is applied to the bridge footprint (and to the bridge).  The bridge is placed inside the masked off area.  A caul is placed on top of the bridge.  Two special long-reach c-clamps go through the soundhole, and clamp down on the caul on top of the bridge.  Two more wooden clamps also go through the soundhold and clamp down the wings of the bridge.  These wooden clamps have cork lined jaws, so no cauls are required. The clamps remain on over night.  (Masking tape also lines the edge of the soundhole so that the clamps don't scuff the edge of the soundhold.)

Next up is fitting the bridge pins, making the nut, setting up the string action. After that, installing the pickup, pickguard, and strap button.  Finally, Gerry will hand polish the entire guitar, and then send an email to me to come and pick it up.

A Guitar Called Jack--Part 78

Installing the bridge is a little like installing the fingerboard overhang.   First Gerry locates, checks, double-checks, triple-checks... the precise location of the bridge.  Then he surrounds the bridge footprint with three layers of masking tape.  He enlarges the footprint (where there is bare soundboard) by carefully scraping away lacquer.  He then assembles all the cauls and clamps needed to install the bridge.  A critical caul is the one inside the guitar directly under the bridge.  This caul is specially shaped to fit over the X-braces, and to support and protect the bridge plate inside, while the bridge is clamped down and the glue is drying.