Played a Ryan

[Groovingdan]

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.

[Glennwillow]

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

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by stevecuss

Yep, Kevin Ryan is one of the GOATS. Trained under Jim Olson, I bvelieve. One of his models, 'The Cathedral' is aptly named.

Okay, I guess I'm missing the cultural reference here. Did you intend to write that Kevin Ryan is a hoofed ruminant omnivore, Capra aegagrus hircus, who manages to build superb handbuilt guitars despite the fact that he has hooves and not opposable thumbs? That he has remarkable focus despite the fact that his wife occasionally has to stop him from eating the binding for his guitars before he can glue it in place?

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

[Yrksman]

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

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

I can say more about Mr. Ryan than his guitars as I spent a half an hour talking to him at Woodstock. His guitars were there, but I felt intimidated and did not feel comfortable playing them. There were two if I recall and both sold.

Kevin was very gracious and treated me like I was a VIP when I am a nobody...great guy, regular guy, easy to talk to.

I played one there at the same time - truly one of the best 5 guitars i have ever played. Just perfect.

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Okay, I guess I'm missing the cultural reference here. Did you intend to write that Kevin Ryan is a hoofed ruminant omnivore, Capra aegagrus hircus, who manages to build superb handbuilt guitars despite the fact that he has hooves and not opposable thumbs? That he has remarkable focus despite the fact that his wife occasionally has to stop him from eating the binding for his guitars before he can glue it in place?

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

Greatest Of All Time. GOAT



And yes, Kevin is.

[fenderball]

where is this guitar??

[gitarro]

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...

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by The Growler

Greatest Of All Time. GOAT



And yes, Kevin is.

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

[stevecuss]

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.

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

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

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by stevecuss

Wade,

I couldn't agree more. mY parents raised goats for years. They are superior to sheep.

Yeah, but they STINK!!! I mean, they’re genuinely RANK!! The only thing that smells worse is a fox farm on a hot day!!

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

[Jeff Mc]

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.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by Jeff Mc

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.

For my style of playing, his Mission Grand Concert is my favorite model. When I was looking for a luthier to build a custom instrument for me, he was on my short list but his prices were not in my budget at the time. I managed to catch Kathy Wingert just before she became a bit better known in the guitar world. 16 years later and I couldn't be happier with my choice. But, every Healdsburg I would still always check out the Ryan offerings there. I am glad to hear that you are still enjoying your Ryan MGC.

Best,
Jayne

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Yeah, but they STINK!!! I mean, they’re genuinely RANK!! The only thing that smells worse is a fox farm on a hot day!!

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

Wade, were I an honest man, I would confess that when I played the Ryan guitar at the Music Emporium (see post above) it stank. Wicked bad, as we say in Maine.
To be clear, my playing. Not the guitar.
David

[Naboz]

"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.