In addition to the 45 bajillion other things going on in my life, I have been considering changing web hosting services and along with that, probably moving this blog. I have finally decided to do it, although I will not get to it before November. As soon as I'm finished with a big project I'm working on (due to be completed by November 2), I will front-burner the migration. The web site will look different but have as much or more content, functionality and optimization for every size and kind of screen upon which it could possibly be viewed. The blog will be at the web site, provided I can feed it as well as I can here, on Blogger. I may use this current blog as a mirror for what is on the web site, until I'm sure I don't need to maintain it. I'll update this info, as I have a better idea of when the change will occur.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Farewell My Lovelies
Just a quick post, in case you don't follow on Twitter (which, admittedly has been weak of late) to mention the end of the Genuine Raptor® Picks flash sale.
At the time I'm writing this post, there are only 6 sets of "buy 4 and get 1 free" at a clearance price on my web site GuitarTechniqueTutor.Com When these are gone, they will be gone.
I know I have written on more than one occasion, that I used the same guitar pick for decades, with no interest of ever changing. For me, the pick I play with is not generic, in any way. it's extremely personal. When I was doing weekly podcasts, I wanted to review some guitar picks, so I put out requests for what are kindly referred to as novelty picks. I know, novelty pick conjures thoughts of picks with little teeny bungee cords on them or picks made out of milk protein. Those were not what I was looking for. I wanted to review some good new pick designs.
I received picks from a few different pick makers, and to give them an honest review, I had to play with them. If I'm remembering correctly, I left the Raptor® for last, even though it looked the most interesting and promising. When I tried it, the experience was amazing. Not only did I like it, but I didn't want to stop playing with it. The next day, when I went to play with my old faithful, I wasn't as enamored as I had been for the previous decades that I used it. It was weird. I felt like I was cheating on a long-time lover. My affection for the oldie had evaporated over night.
If your mind is closed about changing picks, like mine was, you might want to try them anyway. The clearance price is right about at my cost - there's no profit added. I'm just trying to clear them out. (Of course, I'm keeping a stash for myself!!)
Get them while you can.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Lefties Rejoice
There is a bunch of lefty guitarists who don't like me. I love them so I'll not bring up our philosophical divergence. Lefties, rejoice! There's a beautiful new G Series from our good friends at Takamine, that very well may delight you.
Here is what Takamine says about them:
Each of these guitars features a slim mahogany neck and 12"-radius rosewood fingerboard which provides great feel and playability, and the onboard Takamine TP-4TD preamp system found on the GD30CELH and GD51CELH models gives you a built-in tuner with three-band EQ and gain controls for excellent amplified performance and versatility.
And we haven't forgotten about you bass players. The new GB30CELH jumbo bass features a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides that produce a rich, resonant sound. The slim mahogany neck and 16"-radius rosewood fingerboard provide great feel and playability, while the onboard Takamine TK-40B preamp system has a built-in tuner, three-band EQ and gain controls, mid-shift control, bass-boost switch, and EQ bypass switch for the ultimate in versatility and sound quality.
The GD30LH and GD30CELH models feature a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides for all of the full, rich sound players expect from the classic dreadnought body style.
A left-handed version of one of our most popular G Series models, the GD30-LH is a classy-looking dreadnought guitar that features solid-top construction, a beautiful gloss finish and all the full, rich sound players have come to expect from this classic body style.
Perfect for any player looking for a great all-around acoustic guitar that can cover any style, the GD30-LH combines a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides that produce a rich, resonant sound. The slim mahogany neck and 12”-radius rosewood fingerboard provide great feel and playability, while the split-saddle design of the pin-less rosewood bridge provides superior intonation for sweeter-sounding chords and single-note runs.
Other great features include a synthetic bone nut and bridge saddle, rosewood headcap, pearloid rosette and dot inlays, chrome die-cast tuners and a beautiful gloss finish. Available in Natural. MSRP $459.99
The GD30CE-LH is a left-handed version of one of our best selling G Series acoustic/electric models. This stage-worthy dreadnought guitar features solid-top construction, a soft Venetian-style cutaway and a superior-sounding Takamine electronics system.
Ready for any performance situation, the GD30CE-LH features a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides that produce a rich, resonant sound. The slim mahogany neck and 12”-radius rosewood fingerboard provide great feel and playability, while the onboard Takamine TP-4TD preamp system gives you a built-in tuner with three-band EQ and gain controls for excellent amplified performance and versatility.
Other great features include a pin-less rosewood bridge, synthetic bone nut and split bridge saddle, rosewood headcap, pearloid rosette and dot inlays, chrome die-cast tuners and a beautiful gloss finish. Available in Natural. MSRP $559.99
The GD51LH and GD51CELH models feature solid spruce tops and rosewood back and sides for a warm, resonant sound that will bring out the best in your music.
The left-handed GD51-LH is a classy dreadnought-style guitar that features deluxe cosmetic appointments, solid-top construction and a warm, resonant sound that will bring out the best in your music.
Combining a solid spruce top with rosewood back and sides, the GD51-LH pumps out all the big, bold tone players expect from a dreadnought. The slim mahogany neck and 12”-radius bound rosewood fingerboard provide great feel and playability, while the split-saddle design of the rosewood bridge provides superior intonation for sweeter-sounding chords and single-note runs.
Other great features include a synthetic bone nut and bridge saddle, rosewood headcap, abalone rosette and dot inlays, gold die-cast tuners and a beautiful gloss finish. Available in Natural. MSRP $519.99
With deluxe appointments, solid-top construction and great performance features including a Venetian-style cutaway and Takamine electronics system, the left-handed GD51CE-LH is built to bring your music center stage.
Ready for the demands of any performance situation, the GD51CE-LH features a solid spruce top and rosewood back and sides that produce a big, bold sound. The slim mahogany neck and 12”-radius bound rosewood fingerboard provide great feel and playability, while the onboard Takamine TP-4TD preamp system gives you a built-in tuner with three-band EQ and gain controls for rock-solid amplified performance and versatility.
Other great features include a synthetic bone nut and split bridge saddle, rosewood headcap, abalone rosette and dot inlays, gold die-cast tuners and a beautiful gloss finish. Available in Natural. MSRP $624.99
The left-handed GB30CE-LH is a stage-worthy acoustic-electric bass guitar that features solid-top construction, a soft Venetian-style cutaway and a superior-sounding Takamine electronics system.
Ready for any performance, the GB30CE features a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides that produce a rich, resonant sound. The slim mahogany neck and 16”-radius rosewood fingerboard provide great feel and playability, while the onboard Takamine TK-40B preamp system has a built-in tuner, three-band EQ and gain controls, mid-shift control, bass-boost switch, and EQ bypass switch for the ultimate in versatility and sound quality.
Other great features include a dovetail neck joint, synthetic bone nut and bridge saddle, rosewood headcap, pearl dot fingerboard inlays, abalone rosette, chrome die-cast tuners and a beautiful gloss finish. MSRP $759.99
So, if you're one of the beloved lefties, out there, and you're in the market for a new axe, these beautiful Taks may be just the ticket for you! If you play one, contact me and let me know what you think.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Drool, Slobber, Swoon
If you have been reading this blog or if you used to listen to the Guitar Technique Tutor Podcast for any length of time, you know I love, love, love PRS guitars. Actually, I may be understating it.
There is something to love about every PRS guitar -- the constants are superior quality and masterful design. Likewise for the limited editions, but on steroids. Enter, the premier Limited Edition Custom 24 Semi-Hollow.
LUSCIOUS, isn't it??
The Custom 24 is the original PRS guitar - the guitar Paul Reed Smith took to his first NAMM trade show in 1985. The original one I fell in love with. That flagship model has since become indispensable to countless musicians in the studio and on the stage. It's a guitar that "streets" for the low $700s
Through the years, the SE Custom 24 has evolved with the PRS craft and has been offered in several configurations.
Definitely, not too shabby. This one, is the Brushstroke 24. Based on Paul’s Guitar, the guitar Paul Reed Smith is currently playing in the studio and on the stage, the Brushstroke 24 is lacking neither tone nor style. This limited edition model carries over a familiar wood combination, the unique “brushstroke” bird inlay design, and adds 24-fret, tremolo versatility to the Core Paul’s Guitar model. The pickups deliver a full range of tones from sweet, clean highs to full, alive mids and driven lows, and the electronics configuration consists of two narrow 408 pickups with a 3-way toggle switch and two mini-toggle switches that allow players to move between humbucking and single coil tones with no volume loss when switching from full to single coils for maximum versatility.
Fewer than 200 of these instruments will be made for this small batch run. The specs are impressive on this beauty that "streets" for about $3800.
BODY
Top Wood Figured Maple
Back Wood Mahogany
NECK
Number of Frets 24
Scale Length 25"
Neck Wood Mahogany
Fretboard Wood Rosewood
Neck Shape Pattern Regular
Fretboard Inlays Brushstroke Birds
Headstock Inlay Rosewood Headstock Veneer with Inlaid Signature
HARDWARE/ELECTRONICS
Bridge PRS Tremolo
Tuners PRS Phase III Locking Tuners
Hardware Type Nickel
Treble Pickup Narrow 408 Treble
Bass Pickup Narrow 408 Bass
Pickup Switching Volume and Tone Control with 3-Way Toggle Pickup Switch and 2 Mini-Toggle Switches for Coil Tapping
Back to the copious drool worthy Custom 24 Semi-Hollow. It is the one configuration that has never been offered on a Core Custom 24 - a semi-hollow body with an f-hole...until now.
The 2014 Custom 24 Semi-Hollow has all of the versatility and reliability of the Core Custom. The addition of a chambered, semi-hollow body gives this guitar added midrange and resonance while losing none of the instrument’s tried-and-true character.
The 2014 Custom 24 Semi-Hollow is the first of its kind. Fewer than 200 of these instruments will be made for this small batch run. Like the Brushstroke 24, extremely limited run.
It's available in the same colors as the Brushstroke 24, except for Tiger Red, which are:
 |
| Aquableux |
 |
| Blackgold Burst |
 |
| Blood Orange |
 |
| Faded Whale Blue |
 |
| Violet |
 |
| Jade |
(I would have probably named the "Jade" color something else, if the photo is true to the color of the guitar -- maybe "Moldavite," and why not the color of a meteorite-born stone for a cosmically fabulous guitar?)
 |
| Obsidian |
The Specs on this uber-marvelous work of art are:
CUSTOM 24 SEMI-HOLLOW MODEL SPECS
BODY
Top Wood Figured Maple 10–Top
Back Wood Mahogany
NECK
Number of Frets 24
Scale Length 25"
Neck Wood Mahogany
Fretboard Wood Rosewood
Neck Shape Pattern Regular
Fretboard Inlays Birds
Headstock Inlay East Indian Rosewood Veneer with Inlaid Signature
HARDWARE/ELECTRONICS
Bridge PRS Tremolo
Tuners PRS Phase III Locking Tuners
Truss Rod Cover "Custom"
Hardware Type Nickel
Treble Pickup Uncovered 59/09
Bass Pickup Uncovered 59/09
Pickup Switching Volume and Tone Control with 5-Way Blade
The street price is about the same as the Custom 24 Brushstroke.
Whether you're in the market for your first PRS and your budget is constrained, or you have some serious coin to spend, there is PRS work of art for you. If there is a guitar store near you that carries them, you owe it to yourself to play them. If you do, be prepared to love, love. love them.
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