Your least favorite acoustics

[West R Lee]

In fact Smith.........I'll bet you had a pair of chukka boots in the late 60's or early 70's!

West

 

[SmithfieldFair]

Arlington, then

West - Yes, we seem to have something in common. And, yes, I'll be playing at the Texas Scottish Festival at UTA in Arlington, TX the first weekend, June 2-4. Smithfield Fair will be on the stage with Alex Beaton and Alasdair Fraser over in the clan (families) tent area. We play on a round-Robin schedule Saturday and Sunday with Alex & Alasdair, and Friday night about 7:30, we'll do one of the opening concert slots, then over for an appearance at the ceilidh with Alex - a ceilidh, for the uninitiated, is a party with music. Would love to meet you. Come out and identify yourself. That goes for anyone else here in the East Texas area.

We're staying close to home for now - playing mainly around the state until the new album is finished. Then, we're off to Florida and Tennessee first up. In the studio, think of this - between myself, wife Jan, brother Bob, and lead guitarist David Praet...you'll see these Guilds....2 G37s, 2GF25s, M20, 3 B50s, DCE1, F30, 2 F112s - I'll try to get a photo of them as a group and post here. That's a good dozen.

Hey, Nancy - beauty of a refinishing on your F30. Enjoy that one. Well, here I go...back after that GF25. See you all soon...I hope. dbs

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Nancy,

That's me. Eloquent and accurate. Until I start writing, talking , or playing.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

DBS/SF,

Thanks for the tip on the earthpads. I've been a vegetabletarian for decades, and recently swore off buying any more leather. (Try finding a good no-leather banjo strap). So I've been looking for stuff like this. It looks like good quality at good prices, no? Do you have any more tips on eco-duds?

As for Volvos, i think they've gone downhill (heh heh). My '97 has cost me scads in repairs, but the 91 shoebox never needed nuttin'. I still like the looks of them, but by all accounts they aren't the king of the hill like they used to be.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

About the only brand I have a dislike for is Takamine....too much $$$, too little quality...used, they're not too bad... 8)

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I've never seen a good guitar player with a Takamine (though there must be some). I'd like to get a bumpersticker that says, "Friends don't let friends play Takamines."

Anyway, thanks for the Lao Tzu quote. I'm beginning to see why I'm so weak and cowardly.

 

[songsmith7]

Takamine and Fender are not in the same class as Martins, Taylors, and of course, Guilds. Even the GAD-Guilds blow away similarly priced Taks and Fenders.

I'm a big fan of Larrivee guitars. To me, they're as good as Taylors at a fraction of the price, especially the Canadian-made ones. I have a L-03 blackwood Larry and it is a special guitar, sonically and aesthetically.

Never liked Gibson acoustics, with the exception of the Advanced Jumbo I've borrowed from a friend. That is a sweet guitar, but most Gibsons I've tried sound dead.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Song,

Our ears were made in the same factory. I think Larrivee is the other most underrated brand in the universe, and Gibson the most overrated.

 

[john_kidder]

When Jean Larrivee was here in Vancouver, his guitars gained a great reputation with a few select players - some of my friends own his very early guitars, and they're great ones. Also, from that original shop came Rob Busto and other, who made a few very nice Haida Gwaai guitars in parnership with a couple of Haida carvers, and are now making wonderful Paragon guitars here in North Vancouver.

We have a terrific bunch of builders here - Dunn, Morgan, etc. - must be the air, the water, and perhaps the sweet smoke that occasionally swirls through town.

Cheers,

 

[dreadnut]

John: i used to frequent Vancouver in the early '70's, ride the electric buses, go to the Expo, and spend evenings at Oilcan Harry's in Gastown.

We have a couple local luthiers that make beautiful (and expensive) acoustics. One is Del Langejans in Holland, MI and the other is Bryan Galloup in Big Rapids, MI. I stopped in at Bryan's guitar hospital one day and he was preparing to ship one of his acoustics to Mandolin Bros. in New York. He handed it to me and let me play it, what a treat - piano-like sustain. It was Brazilian rosewood with a bearclaw spruce top. I picked it for a few minutes, asked how much for this one, he told me $5,500.00
I gigerly handed it back to him and said "thank you very much." :lol:

 

[Nancy]

Arthur Hansel guitar

Back from a long stretch working it's good to log in and read the new posts. I have asked Hans about this Hansel guitar just a couple of moments ago by e-mail but I thought I'd throw it out there to you all and see if anyone's heard of them. I have an old friend (he's 75) who has had a handmade guitar which I played for 7 years. He is planning his estate and wanted me to find out if anyone would know a value or even heard of the Hansel. I think the guitar maker was from Toronto but was Austrian. I remember being told that there were a few well known international artists who had commissioned a guitar from Hansel but I can't remember who they were after all these years. Anyway the guitar was numbered 203 made in 1949. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Nancy

 

[john_kidder]

Drednut:

Oil Can Harry's??!! Good god, man, you must be as old as me. I remember going there one night to watch the Ramsay Lewis Trio, B3 with Leslie and all, thought it was rare old high time, I did.

Thanks for the flashback.

 

[steverok]

I'm surprised that Gibson doesn't get better press here, I would think that both Guild and Gibson have a similar reputation as American guitars for the working man - big, rugged axes. Anyway, I own two Gibson acoustics, a J-100 Xtra bubinga, and custom shop J-45 macassar, both made in the past couple of years, and they rock my world. The vibration, resonance, and fullness move me every time. I hand-picked them, I did not seek them out, they just sort of found me. I cannot say the same for Taylor. Every one I have ever strummed is wimpy, they simply can't hold up to some moderate sawing. I also have the GAD mahogony 12-string, it has a nice warm sound for a 12-string, but, of course, I would LOVE to compare it to an old D-212. Realize that alot of people, like me, who are newcomers into the world of quality guitars, have not and may not have a chance to try the "real" Guilds, that are now part of y'all's chemical make-up. It sort of breaks my heart, because this sweet-sounding GAD 12-string is such a cool little guitar, but I know it's not quite the real thing, it makes me sad for some reason.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Steve,

I need to quit joking around because I'm not being clear. Of the big three, I like Guild and Martin more than Gibson. But I believe it's only my sense of hearing, and hearing varies like vision.

I also like a lot of the new brands. For example, I like Larivee more than Santa Cruz, but I think most people see it--or rather hear it--the other way.

 

[steverok]

I hear you. I have to be in a musical mood to appreciate any guitar. I agree that the Gibson price tag can be rather eye-popping, I got really good deals on both of mine, I would hate to pay sticker price. You could say the same for Martin, though, they're basic, solid-wood dreads are mostly all over $2K. I just found it interesting that you called Gibson over-rated, because they get bashed on almost every acoustic guitar forum, except the Gibson forum. I think Taylor are the most over-rated - every freakin' player on the Acoustic Guitar Forum plays a Taylor, I just don't understand it - they are pretty, but they look and sound way too dainty for my tastes. Again, I wish I had a chance to try some of the RI Guilds, but I live in Fort Lauderdale, the booty music capitol of the world, so fat chance !! FWIW, I wish Fender all the success in the world, in resurrecting the Guild line. Without their involvment, is it possible that Guild would now be extinct ?

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

AGF started as a Taylor forum. So most of the members still are Taylor owners. I don't like Taylors either for the same reason--they sound pansy and wimpy. I want hosewood dreds and jumbos. I want resonators on my banjos. And I much prefer F mandos to A mandos. (I do think that Gibson is still the benchmark in banjo and mando tone, though not in price.) And to me, lap steels sound like toys compared to pedal steels.

On the other hand, most of the players I admire most do not use the instruments I like most. I don't like strats, but my preference doesn't mean squat when you here all the strat players. So in a way, I don't care what Hattenhauer likes. Just because he likes Carlsberg beer doesn't mean everybody else who doesn't is wrong.

Now I'm trying to think of some wisecrack closer, but I'm going to try to quit doing that.

 

[steverok]

I've never heard of "hosewood". Sounds rather flimsy, if you ask me. :wink:

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

It certainly is at my age. Like shooting pool with a rope. They say the memory is the second thing to go. For me the third was my fretting hand. I have a date with Dr. Mack D'Knife. Wish me luck.

 

[dreadnut]

Hosewood? Hat, you so funny! And yes, both my banjos have resonators, one maple, one mahogany. I also have a killer handmade birdseye maple "A" mandolin.

Steve, you know just because you're in Florida doesn't mean you can't get your hands on a great Westerly Guild. That's what they make e-bay for!

I said I'd never buy a guitar on e-bay, how could I buy a guitar I've not played, sight unseen? But I bought both my F-512 and my DV-52 on e-bay and I was extremely happy. with a Westerly Guild, you know what you're getting:a real solid axe at an affordable price. You can still get a DV-52 for under a thousand bucks - bookmatched rosewood and AA Spruce top - it'll compete with any Martin D-28 or D-35 and have ya priced those lately?

I'm tempted to cash in some of my 401k to buy some vintage Westerly Guilds! Do you guys think I can convince my wife I'm sane?

 

[steverok]

I'm still in the market for a Westerly 12-string, but, with a 12-er, I'm reluctant to try before I buy. There is a nice-looking bare bones D-212 on ebay right now, but I'm not sure if that is a laminate or real mahogony. Also, not sure if I should be looking at a jumbo. Maple or rosewood ? I almost pulled the trigger on a F512, sight unseen, but opted for the GAD, not because of the money, but because I got to play the GAD first. Why is it that Sam Ash carries the whole line of GADs, but not the Tacoma's ? Anyway, I'd probably rather get a Westerly at this point. I may as well get the real deal.