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The latest/greatest?

10/28/2011

1 Comment

 
 Tomorrow I expect to receive a very interesting guitar. It was made by a company called Boulder Creek and my first reaction – as I’m sure many guitarists would be – was hey, where’s the sound hole?! The top is bookmatched solid spruce with no sound hole at all, just a flat surface. There is a “sound port” on the upper side of the instrument, similar to what is found on the side of the lower bout on the very expensive McPherson guitars. I did some serious research before pulling the trigger on this one because to be totally honest, I’ve seen quite a few new and at the time, innovative designs come and go over the last four decades.

What made me go ahead with this purchase was what appears to be a very innovative bracing system under the top that combines graphite and wood at certain pressure points, the idea being that the top can vibrate to its maximum capability with this system, thereby producing the best possible volume, sustain and resonance. There are dozens and dozens of testimonials on the company’s web site by professional and advanced players confirming this. Also, the overall fit and finish and quality of the wood used appears to be excellent. So I went for it.

But in the back of my brain there is still the little voice that says – hey, pal, haven’t you gone down this road before? Over my many years of playing there have been many latest/greatest guitars on the market. Some have managed to gain a bit of a foothold, such as the round backed Ovation guitars. For some reason they are still very popular with Irish bands and some older single performers still used them. I do have to say that in many cases the top wood on Ovations, particularly the Elite series is spectacular. In fact, many years ago I had a student who owned one of the very first Elites and it was a great instrument with good, even tone and superb action and “play-ability.” I even offered to buy it but he wouldn’t sell. A year or so later I bought the less expensive thin-line electric/acoustic Legend and while it played well and sounded pretty good amplified it was a total dog without amplification. It didn’t last long around here.

Some small manufacturers have experimented with different shaped bodies on acoustic guitars based on theories of better sound but few if any of them survive for long. Most of the real R&D comes down to an area that few of us see: the bracing system under the top. Simply put, the quest is to brace a guitar as lightly as possible to encourage maximum vibration of the top – and still keep the guitar from imploding due to the pressure of the strings. This quest has been going on for literally hundreds of years and there have been some good results. Unfortunately for most of us, they tend to be in very expensive guitars like the aforementioned McPhersons and Goodalls.

In the world of electric guitars the design horizons are expanded as much by a search for better sound as by economic factors. Let’s face it, the majority of electric guitar buyers are young men who are at least somewhat impressed by flash over substance, and of course which of their guitar heroes are playing a particular instrument. I confess to falling into that trap back in the 1970s when I bought an electric that featured a solid aluminum neck that extended through the body with two very handsome pieces of walnut on each side. It supposedly had really revolutionary pickups but to be honest, I bought it because it looked very much like the super expensive Alembics that Jerry Garcia was playing at the time. Problem was, the thing weighed something like 15 pounds and was very neck heavy, making it a real core to hold and play. That company, whose name I’ve forgotten is long gone. Lesson learned, I hope.

I guess the bottom line is that there’s a reason Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Larivee and dozens of boutique makers have stuck to standard guitar designs. In the case of Martin for over 150 years, with a few tweaks now and then. Exotic woods have become all the rage and some look spectacular, particularly the ones in Taylor’s Fall and Spring Limited Edition series. But walnut, bubinga, cherry, Tasmanian blackwood and others are unlikely to supplant spruce, cedar, rosewood, mahogany and maple as the luthiers’ woods of choice. Not until supplies of those woods run out at least.

But in spite of all this I am still psyched to see and play that Boulder Creek. The price was attractive too and if it performs as advertised it could be a real find. And isn’t the search as exciting as the results?

Peace & good music,

Gene

1 Comment

"Low end" guitars, then and now

10/20/2011

4 Comments

 

I ran into a local guitar maker the other day, someone I hadn't seen in quite a few years and we spent a few minutes catching up. Of course, the talk turned to what's going on with guitars these days and he had some interesting observations, one of which is that he believes we are in the midst of something of a "golden age" of guitar making. He bases this feeling on not only the plethora of small, "boutique" makers producing superb instruments - a class of makers who were rare not that long ago - but also the quality of what's being built by the big guys: Martin, Taylor, Gibson. I had to agree. But in thinking about our discussion later on something else struck me.

Yes, the high end options are many and of consistently good or even great quality. But on the opposite extreme I see the same sort of thing going on: a beginner or recreational player who doesn't want to drop a lot of money has some fantastic options too. More than ever, in fact.

Back in the 1960s when I began playing there were basically three options on the bottom rung of the guitar ladder: Stella, Harmony and (Sears brand) Silvertone. For all I know they were all made by the same company because they shared many of the same characteristics: plywood bodies, tuners that barely worked if they worked at all, necks that were both narrow and chunky with sharp fret edges that were sure to cut the inside or your hand sooner or later, and most of all, absolutely horrible sound. But many thousands of us, enthralled by the Beatles or Bob Dylan spent our hard earned paper route money on those clunkers and it was a true test of one's commitment to playing the guitar. The first guitar I bought came from a music store in New London, Connecticut and I couldn't take it home until I made three monthly payments of ten dollars! It definitely fell into the category of the above instruments.

Everything changed a few years later when the first decent Japanese guitars arrived, primarily from Yamaha. Most of them at least looked like the Martins and Gibsons we lusted after (kinda....) and they were at least a step up in all the bad areas I mentioned. Yamaha's success was noticed by other Japanese companies and soon other brands began appearing for relatively low cost. Some of these unfortunately were junk - looked nice but had serious intonation problems or basically fell apart after a year or so. But some companies "got it" in terms of what American guitarists wanted and expected and by the end of 1970s the imports were really hurting the big guys like Martin and Gibson. Players who still wanted an American made premium guitar were more likely to hold onto their "OK" import for a longer amount of time than in the old days when that hunk of junk Stella was something to get rid of as soon as possible. The American companies just could not compete, price-wise, with the imports. That, combined with it being a low point in interest in acoustic guitars almost put Martin out of business.

By the end of 1980s something else was happening. Some of the higher end Japanese guitars, while quite nice, were bumping into the lower end American guitars price-wise. Even the lower priced Japanese instruments were getting a little pricey. This did not go unnoticed by the Chinese, who were becoming a major competitor of Japan in virtually all manufactured goods. So before long low priced guitars starting appearing with "Made in China" on the label. The first ones were pretty much junk - made to look somewhat like famous American models but the quality of the build, woods used and especially the sound was awful. But the Chinese are fast learners and by the late 1990s some decent instruments were coming in - and priced lower than anything comparable coming out of Japan.

Ten years passed, bringing us close to the present day. That low end is still dominated by Chinese guitars but they are getting some heat from low end instruments coming from places like Korea and Indonesia. I predict that India will be the next producer of good quality, low end guitars. The American companies have taken an interesting stance while all this has gone on. Martin and Taylor are now making most of their lower end guitars in plants in Mexico and while they are quite nice, my opinion is that you can get more bang-for-the-buck with a mid priced Chinese guitar. I'm sure Martin and Taylor are at least partially banking on consumers wanting those names on the headstocks of their guitars in spite of the possibility of getting a better instrument for the same price, made in China.

The bottom line is that the beginner or casual recreational player today has dozens of choices and not only that, the builds are quite uniform in quality - no more rolling the dice when you order a less expensive guitar without playing it first. You can be reasonably sure that a guitar from Epiphone, Recording King, Silver Creek or a few others will be set up well, have good fit-and-finish and will sound good. One import brand that I've been very impressed with recently are made under the name of Austin. They are very reasonably priced and sound great. On the other end, guitars from Eastman and Takamine, while definitely (in many cases) in the price range of lower end Martins and Taylors are superb instruments.

So that's what I mean about it being another golden age of guitars. The first "golden age" is considered to be the 1930s and into the early 1950s, with Martins and Gibsons from that era commanding a king's ransom. A 1932 Martin owned by actor Richard Gere recently sold at auction for $62,000 - before the buyer's premium! When that guitar was new, it sold for less than $200. Many of the guitars from that era are now bought purely as investments, which I think is very sad. Guitars are made to played!

Will the guitars made today be worth a hundred times more in 50 or 60 years? Doubtful, just based on the fact that those early guitars were made in small numbers and of those, only a small percentage survive. Not so even with the nicest guitars today.

So if you're stuck with a junk guitar owned by your great uncle or if you're considering an upgrade, the time is now. Your options are many and that can't help but be a good thing!

Peace & good music,
Gene

4 Comments

Playing weddings

10/10/2011

0 Comments

 

Yesterday was a spectacular, hot and sunny day here on Cape Cod. It felt more like a day in July than one in early October. I played the post-ceremony cocktail hour or so at a wedding, which was held at an inn over in Wareham. It was an outdoor ceremony and reception and unfortunately the only practical place for me to set up and play was in the direct, hot sunlight. I felt bad for the poor groomsmen who wore three-piece suits and were all sweating and uncomfortable in a very short amount of time. I wondered aloud to my wife when I got home why weddings couldn't have some sort of provision for clothing alternatives in these circumstances but she reminded me that the opposite situation would have taken place if it had been cold and the poor bridesmaids in their light chiffon dresses had to deal with freezing! She was right of course. Weddings are certainly wonderful events but no matter what there always seems to be some hassles involved. Oh well, I guess!

That direct sunlight on my Martin was not a good thing either. I could feel the face and the fingerboard heating up as the minutes passed and the capo I was using with its black finish was almost uncomfortably hot to the touch. It made me wish I had a less expensive but serviceable guitar to use in those circumstances. In any case, the guitar and I got through it fine, I think.... Hoping I don't find the bridge lifting or some other bad things in the next few days (!)

As I drove home I got to thinking about weddings I've played over the years, both with bands and as a single. Generally, function work is great as compared to playing in bars. At functions everyone is there to have a good time and vibe is very positive, which definitely is not the case sometimes in bars. Also, the pay is usually pretty good. So I seek out this kind of work whenever I can.

Weddings, as I said earlier, often involve some level of stress for the participants. As a musician you must take this into account, both when you contract for the job, as the time approaches and at the wedding itself. Playing ceremonies has its own set of challenges. The bride and groom (usually the bride) have favorite and/or what they consider appropriate songs that they want performed. That's all well and good but you would not believe some of the requests I've had over the years, things like "When I'm 64" for a recessional, Elvis's "But I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" sung next to the bride and groom - in the middle of the ceremony! And the all-time most curious request: "Send in the Clowns" for a processional. I kid you not. "But it's such a pretty song!" said the bride-to-be. I nixed that one.

Then there was and most likely still is the outright animosity from clergy person officiating the ceremony. This is always at the very least disdain but sometimes reaches the point of outright rudeness. It took me a while to figure this one out, but finally it came to me: I was taking a gig away from his organist! For whatever reason, priests in the Catholic Church have been most inclined to this attitude, to the point that I think twice about doing wedding ceremonies at certain churches in our area.

But when things go right, acoustic guitar music at wedding ceremonies and small receptions works very well. My job, as I always tell the bride and groom, is to help elevate the mood and never, ever be intrusive. When a bride comes to me with a list of a half dozen or more songs she wants in the ceremony, I gently remind her that it is NOT a concert. People are there to see and enjoy the wedding and the music should be like good stage lighting: illuminating and very important but never ever drawing undo attention to itself. My standard plan is incidental music for 15 minutes or so when the guests are arriving in the church, a planned processional tune, perhaps one instrumental in the middle of the ceremony and if communion is being offered, instrumental music while that is going on, a pre-determined recessional and more incidental music as the guests leave the ceremony.

That's it. No more. It works and I've had dozens of experiences that were positive and later the bride has commented on how much the guests enjoyed the music. For their part, the bride and groom are usually so nervous that the music they agonized over is hardly even noticed by them!

Now, receptions? Well, that's a subject for another entry here!

Peace & good music,
Gene

0 Comments

What's that weird sound?

10/3/2011

0 Comments

 
All of sudden one day your prized guitar starts making a strange rattling sound. What the heck?! It's not my playing. I don't think so, anyway. A rattle, a buzz, there's something there that wasn't there the last time I played. What could it be?

If you live in an area that undergoes a gradual but definite change of season, that is usually when such annoyances occur. Wood that's used to make your guitar is a living, breathing thing and is held together with glue, for the most part. As the wood expands and shrinks with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity bad things can and most likely will happen sooner or later. It doesn't matter if you have a $200 Chinese beater or limited edition custom guitar costing many thousands of dollars. Sometimes there's nothing to do but take it to a qualified guitar tech but sometimes you can cure or at least minimize the issues yourself. Here are a few common problems and some cures.

Now, understand that this is coming from a guy who scored a robust 15 of a possible 100 points on a high school aptitude test (what-are-you-going-to-be-for -the-rest-of-your-life kinda thing) in the section called Mechanical Reasoning. So if I can do some of these things, so can you!

Rattles are common as the wood changes. I've found that often this is caused by the adjustable tension rod in the neck. What's happening is that the nut or nuts on the end of the rod are not tight anymore, or perhaps the rod itself is moving slightly with the vibration of the strings. It's time to take a slight turn of the rod using something like a nut driver if the guitar has the adjusting point under a truss rod cover on the head of the guitar, or using a special long hex head wrench (available from Martin and Stewart McDonald) inserted in the hole you'll see in the top brace just inside the sound hole toward the neck of the guitar. Usually just a quarter or a half turn will do the trick; any more may adjust the relief on the neck to the point that the strings begin to buzz when fretted, or the action becomes uncomfortably high. Do this with tension from at least four of the strings. Otherwise you will not get a accurate adjustment.

If that doesn't do it, you may have a more serious issue, something like a loose brace inside the guitar. This is something that's hard to spot with the naked eye and is best left to a qualified repair person. That brace will need to be re-glued and clamped with special clamps designed for guitar repair.
You can usually determine is a top brace is loose by placing your fingers of one hand in various places on the face of the guitar as you strum the strings with the other hand. You can often actually feel the vibration of the loose brace.

The next most common annoying sound is string buzz - the sound of one or more strings bouncing on a fret that is not the one on which you are pressing down. There are many possible causes of this. If open strings buzz you may need a new nut or saddle or both. You can attempt this repair yourself by buying a pre-cut nut (measure the width - it will most likely be either 1 11/16ths" or 1 3/4" ) and carefully removing the old one, then gluing on the new one, or buying and replacing the saddle. Saddles are slipped into the slot in the bridge and should fit tightly but should never, ever be glued in place. Pre-made saddles are rounded on top at just the right radius so don't ever sand the TOP of the saddle; if it is too high you can sand the bottom but be careful and do a tiny bit at a time, re-inserting it often to test out the level. If you sand off too much you can make shims from thin plastic but this is not a preferred solution because using shims will dampen some of the string vibration and diminish the volume and resonance of your guitar. Both of these repairs can be done yourself but I much prefer bringing the guitar to a repair person who I know will "get it right."

Buzzes from frets are more difficult to identify and repair. Sometimes one or more frets will rise up slightly as the fingerboard wood adjusts to changes in humidity. Those bad boys can sometimes be found by placing a flat edge such as a metal ruler on the fingerboard - if it rocks back and forth you've found the culprit. Guitar techs use a special hammer to re-seat high frets and if you decide to try to push a fret back down using force, do it very, very carefully. Again, I would not do this myself but I know guitarists who have succeeded in this scary little operation.

The overall "relief" of the neck - the angle or bend - may have changed with the season. Take a long flat edge and place it on the first fret and the 14th fret. You should be able to barely slip a business card between the strings and the fretboard at the 7th fret. If you can't there is not enough relief in the neck and the truss rod will need to be adjusted because this is what's causing the buzzing. Some guitarists think a neck should be perfectly straight but this is not the case; there must be the slightest of bends in the neck to compensate for the up-down vibration of the strings. On most guitars, turning the truss rod nut clock-wise will straighten the neck, or give it less relief; turning it counter clock-wise will increase the "bend" or relief. In any case, keep some tension on the neck when you do this adjustment and turn JUST A BIT, then re-test the relief. Giving that nut a big crank will most likely only make things worse.

I almost always have to adjust the relief on my guitars on a seasonal basis. I invested in the correct wrenches and nut drivers and I'm glad I did because they make this little job fast and easy.

A few other things to be on the lookout for that unfortunately will need the skills of a professional to repair - so let's hope you never see them! One is a lifting bridge. Keep a close watch on the back of the bridge because that is where you'll see the first sign of lifting. If you see even the slightest gap there get your guitar to a repair person to be reglued and clamped or even replaced. If you wait on this it will only get worse and may even weaken the top to the point that the bridge plate inside the guitar begins to detach from the underside of the top - not a good thing. Also, be on the lookout for cracks beginning to develop anywhere on the body of the guitar. Fortunately, cracks can be avoided almost always by the use of a guitar humidifier. You should use one all winter long, without fail. Along with those things I run a room size humidifier in the studio all winter long. I do my best to keep the humidity level at 45%. Dryness if the enemy of guitars!


If you have questions about any of the things I've mentioned or would like a recommendation about dealing with them, drop me a line.

I hope these little tips help you avoid problems or deal with them if they crop up. It's enough of a challenge to play well - we don't need guitars that sound bad no matter how hard we try to have good technique.

Peace & good music,
Gene


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    Gene Bourque

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