#16
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My dad was really good friends with Kevin before my dad passed away when I was a kid. I called Kevin a few years ago just to gain more information about what my dad was like. He spent about an hour talking with me and was super kind. I'll never be able to afford one of his guitars, but what he gave me was more valuable.
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Acoustics: Farida OT-22 Recording King RAJ-126 Electrics: Gibson Les Paul Custom MJT Tele Ibanez AS93 |
#17
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I played a Ryan Nightingale (cedar top over BRW) at an AGF gathering a fair number of years ago. The guitar belonged to BillyBoy of this forum.
I am still haunted by how fantastic this guitar sounded. Bill liked to use medium gauge high E and B strings on his guitars, and for me, playing this guitar with these heavier unwound strings was very uncomfortable. In spite of that, I still thought the guitar was amazing. I have a couple of instructional DVDs with Al Petteway playing a Ryan Nightingale. Just listening to him play that guitar on the DVD is pretty mesmerizing. I wish I owned the Ryan Nightingale that BillyBoy owns, but a person can't own them all. I have more than my fair share of great guitars as it is. But, WOW! What an incredible guitar, maybe the best guitar I have ever played. - Glenn
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My You Tube Channel |
#18
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Actual Photo Of Kevin Ryan With One Of His Guitars Or did you intend to write that Kevin Ryan is "one of the GREATS," but auto-incorrect "corrected" that to say "GOATS?" Just curious.... Wade Hampton "BAAAAAAAAH..." Miller |
#19
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I’ve known Kevin almost 20 years when I spent an unforgettable week at an ASIA symposium in Nashville in his and Jim Olson’s company. (We drove in my van out to a restaurant one evening with a Jim sat beside me telling us the James Taylor story. I missed the turning by about 15 miles, no exaggeration)
Last year on my first visit to NAMM I headed for the Ryan booth. There were about a dozen guitars on display, all but two, this was the first morning, sold. Oh dear, one of the two unsold resides here with me. It is fair to say that the response of anyone who’s played it is awe/stunned silence/OMG! Cedar and African Blackwood, at 6.21 in the video below Kevin picks up my guitar and talks about his design. I’m privileged to own it. https://youtu.be/76ljEL1RdQk
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Chris Stern Guitars by: Bown Wingert Kinscherff Sobell Circa Olson Ryan Fay Kopp McNally Santa Cruz McAlister Beneteau Fairbanks Franklin Collings Tippin Martin Lowden Northworthy Pre-War GC Taylor Fender Höfner 44 in total (no wife) Around 30 other instruments Anyone know a good psychiatrist? www.chrisstern.com |
#20
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The Bard Rocks Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments. |
#21
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And yes, Kevin is. |
#22
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where is this guitar??
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2013 Custom Shop Martin 000-18 1974 Martin D 28 2001 Taylor 314CE 1990 Alvarez DY-50 2019 McPherson Sable Godin A6 Ultra lots of electrics and amps! |
#23
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On a more sobering note the fact that that ryan was being sold on a estate sale makes it possible that its previous owner who has passed away, may have once been a agf member. Time passes so quickly...
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In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#24
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I agree, that Kevin is one of the greatest guitar builders of this or any other era. But I think that this particular acronym is one of the most obfuscating and counter-communicative Internet abbreviations I've ever seen.
Having been around real live goats, and - worse - having smelled billy goats in high summer along the banks of the Kaw River when the temperature was over 100˚ Fahrenheit and 100% humidity, I'm sorry, calling Kevin Ryan a "GOAT" seems inappropriate to me. My colleague here agrees: ˙˙˙ Wade Hampton Miller |
#25
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Wade,
I couldn't agree more. mY parents raised goats for years. They are superior to sheep.... But yes, Greatest Of All Time. I don't know where it began, but either with Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning - a sporting reference for sure. Quote:
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Steve Mcilroy A25c (Cedar, English Walnut) with Schatten HFN (custom MiSi Crystal Jack Preamp, putty install.) Maton 75th Anniversary OM 50th Anniversary Fender Am Std Strat. Gretsch 6120 Nashville Players in Blue. Line 6 Helix. If I played as much as I read threads, I'd be a pro.... |
#26
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I’ve only met Kevin Ryan in person a few times, but from what I could tell on those occasions, his personal hygiene was impeccable. He didn’t smell anything at ALL like a goat, or any other ruminant that have ever been within whiffing distance of. I’m just sayin’.... whm |
#27
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I have had a Ryan MGC for a little over 18 years. It is a tremendous guitar, I guess my favorite. I have spoken to Kevin on the phone numerous times and at Healdsburg; a great guy. I called him on a whim before I bought the guitar and asked if he had any guitars in stock. As it turned out, he had a guitar that he said was sitting under the work bench. In the final stages, he had discovered a crack in the Brazilian. They called the person who ordered it and said that they would repair it so that you would never know that it was repaired and offer a sizable discount. The guy said no thanks so there it sat. So I bought it at a great price - his highest end Brazilian and Adirondack. Kevin had a business manager at the time and I mentioned that we were having a get together with a bunch of local guitar friends. He sent me another Ryan for them to demo. I did take it to the gathering but was a nervous wreck as it got passed around. I put it away quickly.
I also owned his Cathedral prototype for quite a few years. I finally sold it. It was a big guitar but surprisingly light for its size. It was just too big and wasn't getting played much. |
#28
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Best, Jayne |
#29
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To be clear, my playing. Not the guitar. David |
#30
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"Oh, the horror..." [in one's best Brando voice]
How do you manage the haunting, the yearning for that which is unreachable?How does one go back to the mere mortal-built guitar? I saw a Ryan--once--as Deliberate1 left, that is how I reacted; backed slowly away, not daring to play it, admiring but resisting the siren's call I'll never be able to afford.
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-It's a dangerous business, going out your front door; You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, There is no telling where you might be swept off to. |