I heard Bill Frizell (featured in May Acoustic Guitar) Sunday night (with Joshua Redman, & bass and drums). Beautiful guitar playing--like an updated Joe Pass--chord melody, plus interesting lines and great duets with sax. They did arrangements from Sonny Rollins' The Bridge album.

I saw an arch top guitar I might buy made by a luthier named Anderson. Does anyone remember him from Healdsburg? It's a gorgeous flamed maple. Does anyone have info about what to look for or look out for with a floating pick-up? Also, it has flat-wound strings (Great!), but the tuners are black and look similar to classical style. Good or bad? I didn't have time to plug it in, but the size and feel were nice acoustically. Any info would be appreciated.

I'm not sure if myself or Leha can make Saturday night, but I will pass it along to Leha and get back to you.

I don't remember Anderson from Healdsburg. Does he have a web site? Maybe that would job my memory.

At any rate, I trust your taste in archtops. If it makes you cry, it's the one.

I would love to see that show but I'm going out of town with my family (spring break).
Sonny is one of the best musician you can see. I saw him the last time he was at the SFJAZZ and he never disappoints.

Concerning the Andersen, his guitars are right up there with the best luthiers and everyone I played was outstanding. Check out his web site www.andersenguitars.com

Have a good time at the show.

Bobbie, Leha sends her regrets as well. Other things already scheduled. I know you'll find someone lucky enough to go.

[This message has been edited by drDAve (edited April 10, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by drDAve (edited April 10, 2002).]

So I rushed to the store to plug it in. As I pondered the fact that it only had a volume control, the salesperson thrust a Gibson L5 in my hands (new - with a volume and a tone control). It was even more wonderful (and the same price) but it was very heavy. So next he handed me an L4 (half the price - 4 controls - one with a sort of damping effect - quite fun).

Afterwards, I was lucky to talk to a number of knowledgeable friends and I bought a couple of books by Wheeler about American guitar history - I'm fascinated.

I also use a fairly new Epiphone Emporer Regent...mainly when I don't want to "endanger" the Gibson.

pictures: www.mikelnelson.com/instruments/otherguitars.html

To be honest, I've never understood the outlook that says acoustic and electric guitars are completely different instruments.

Okay, they definitely are in terms of sound and vibe and feel, but in terms of the skills required to play them? No.

I play about equal acoustic and electric guitar. The big difference, to me, is that an electric produces sound much more efficiently in terms of decibels per muscular effort. That means you can rip along and play a million notes on an electric because of the low action and less muscular effort per note, but you also produce noise much more efficiently.

You are looking at some fine instruments. You can't get much better than an L5, although weight and size are considerations. Fortunately, there are a few great small builders producing stunning archtops. I sometimes play my '42 Epiphone Spartan which has a floating pickup, and two small controls on the pickguard. To me it is an acoustic guitar, and would be with the pickup or not. I also have one of those old D'Armond clamp-on type of pickup that I can attach to my Bacon archtop, but I usually leave it off. Either way, it is an acoustic guitar. When I think electric guitar, it is a strat, tele, les paul, or other similar type of thing.

Yes, indeed, now that I've started, why would I want to stop with two? Your guitars are awesome, Jeffrey. And definitely, the swing's the thing.

The fellow at Blue Note (James) started me on my quest for a floating pick-up. I didn't realize it's full significance at the time. The Anderson is at Gryphon's (Palo Alto). He's experimenting putting finished guitars in stores, as well as offering his custom-made models. Sylvan (Santa Cruz) would be the place to get a solid body - computer hook-ups and all.

I'm going back to Blue Note to try the Heritage l6 again, and then I'm going to Schoenberg's in Tiburon.

The neck goes "through" the pickups on all these models...the body is just different. (at least that was my experience). So they play very similarly.

Oops! The electric side is creeping out.

Anyway, here's a thought: amps are heavy and expensive. They're a commitment.

I happen to be the temporary custodian of a Line6 POD 2.0 amp simulator. No, it's not an exact reproduction of a vintage tube amp. But it's pleasingly close. A click of a switch and I go from a pre-CBS blackface twin to a Marshall Plexi. And so on.

And, I got it on ebay for just over two hundred cimoleans. Bobbie, you might consider borrowing or buying one of these devices. You can effectively play around with a dozen different amps. From there, you will identify tones that speak to you.

From there, you can go out and buy that amp.

Hmmmm.

Speaking of some jazz stuff: I've heard that the "Wizard of Waukesha" can be seen once a week playing jazz and blues on the guitar that he created at a club in New York called Fat Tuesdays. Is this still true? Have any of you Big Apple types made the pilgrimage recently? I've considered making a long weekend trip just to see and hear him. I hear that he is down to mobility in just a few fingers ironically much like Django to whom he was often compared early in his career.

In the new issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine Bill Frisell talks about the Anderson Archtop that he used on the new album. He also mentions using one of Steve Klein's guitars.

sounds like you found a gem of a guitar. I went to their web site http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/H575Custom.htm check it out and see if it's the same model you bought.

I listen to KCSM a lot. It's the San Mateo jazz station, 91.1. They're having another jazz festival, Jazz on the Hill, June 1 and 2. Two stages outdoors on separate hills - it's really nice.

I'm fortunate to be able to hear lots of live music. I get cds of performers of songs I want to learn. Of all the singers, Ella Fitzgerald can't be beat. And she performed with just about every major jazz player - from Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, on and on. I also get guitar-solo versions of the songs.

I also heard Ray Brown and Christian McBride - a more modern style than bebop - can't think what it's called. Knocked me over.

I guess Joe Pass is my favorite because I expecially like chord-melody style. I have Blues Dues, Portraits of Duke Ellington, and my favorite, Unforgettable (all standards).
(I once thought I'd try to learn all of these, but somehow I haven't gotten very far.) Have you heard of "Out of the Past", fingerstle duets - Duck Baker and Jamie Findlay - they were here recently - wonderful!