[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by theEdwinson

Joel and I are honored and proud to be asked to attend Tom’s BIG show with some of our guitars. Especially considering the other modern legends and luminaries who will also be present. I actually feel like a wharf rat, stowing away on a billionaire’s yacht!

I have lots of experience with guitar shows, so I know how fast they sneak up one you. You gotta dive in head first, many months before the event, and build your guitars, because six or twelve months will glide by at stupefying speed if you don’t.

Have you ever had that dream where you are playing the lead role in a broadway play, and suddenly it’s opening night, and you haven’t even read the script? Yeah, it can be like that.

So I already got a good start on two very special guitars I plan to bring. These are my “spare time” builds (if there even is such a thing). The first one is pretty much the top of my line: A Zephyr 00 model, with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, a bearclaw Sitka top, scoop cutaway, multiscale, upper and lower bout sound ports with sliders so you can play them open or closed; also arm and rib bevels, my new Omega style open headstock, and a few other surprises. I intend for it to have the kind of visual appeal that will reach out and grab you by the eyeballs, drag you in close, and then fill your ears with ethereal siren-songs. High hopes, eh?

The other guitar is one I’ve been wanting to make for along time: It’s a Eclipse OM model, with a Florentine cutaway, arm and rib bevels, Omega headstock, and some amazing quilted Maple back and sides, with an Alaskan Yellow Cedar top. It will be decked out in flamed Katalox trim. And get this- I’m going to finish the Maple with a transparent BLUE, with subtle black shading. This was inspired by the famous Blue Guitar collection, a series of super-high-end arch tops, all with blue finish, that’s were commissioned by the late Scott Chinery back in the late 90s.
This Blue Guitar collection is gloriously detailed in Ken Vose’s book, Blue Guitar, published in 1998 by Chronicle Books. I’m sure most of you luthiers are familiar with this, but if you haven’t heard of it, get on Google RIGHT NOW!

Meanwhile, I need to get some work done. I will post photos of the guitars when the time is right. And I’m really looking forward to seeing this show get wings and fly. THANK YOU Tom, for being such a great friend to all of us!

WOW Steve, thanks for posting. The builds sound fantastic. I have recently been made a convert to Maple guitars. It is too bad that the old stereotypes still exist, they are just amazing to me when you hold a luthier built maple guitar, be prepared to be very surprised at the sound! Top o' the line BRW topped with bear claw sitka...I thank you so much for building such guitars for the Guitarapolooza!!!! So lucky to have you. Can't wait to start to get pictures up of the builds to get everyone's juices flowing!

Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt

When I did the Collings tour a few years ago there were zero guitars to sample at the factory - that may have changed, I don't know. Since Hill Country Guitars closed, there is no longer a big Collings dealer here in Austin, though both Austin Guitar House and Austin Vintage Guitars have recently become dealers. Neither has anywhere close to the selection that HC had, unfortunately, but both are great shops in their own way.

By the way, if anyone would like a local guide to Austin guitar shops, I would be happy to help out (any excuse to go!). I recommend doing it Friday morning before the Collings tour (or instead of), as there won't be time before Tom's shindig starts on Saturday. It's a pretty long drive from Austin - but scenic!

Our house is just around 55 minutes from Austin depending on where you start from of course. Thanks for being the Austin connection Stan!!! You are officially a secretary to the undersecretary of the Austin Guitarapolooza Ambassador's office! Pay is still under committee approval though!

Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt

Check your messages, Mike. If you do want to tour Austin on Friday, it would be best to fly into Austin rather than SA - cut down on driving time. These cities are as far apart as Philadelphia and Atlantic City, but the traffic is worse.

Anybody else? My CRV will hold 4 passengers. It's kind of a tough call. Austin has better guitar shops (IMO), but San Antonio has a unique culture, the Riverwalk, the Alamo, and the Spurs. And who is going to be able to tear themselves away from Tom's for very long? There are also some fabulous nature areas quite close to him: I can show you some birds that I promise you've never seen before.

Traffic can be bad for sure. For other folks who do not want to do Austin or the Collings tour, flying into SA is easiest in my opinion. Once there you get on 281 north and make only three turns (two rights and one left haha) to get to my house. As Stan mentioned, there are endless things to do in San Antonio. There is a cave system 20 minutes from the house that is simply amazing! This is one reason I was trying to emphasize in the introduction, do NOT be afraid to bring family and take a couple of days on either end of the trip as there is plenty for them to do in the area if not wanting to hang out with the guitar people all day!