B.I.G. 2019!!! CHECK OUT what the builders have been up too!!!

[Nemoman]

Originally Posted by matthewpartrick

Room and plane booked. Juston and I will ride in together. Will bring the 1930 OM 28 and any requests from this list:

Baranik Meridian
Giacomel Saturno
LeGeyt parlour

Looking forward to catching up with old friends and making new ones!

My Meridian build will just be getting underway around the time of the B.I.G.--I'd love to try yours out, Matthew!

Looking forward to meeting you there...

[TomB'sox]

Had a dry run yesterday in NY...T.S.I.G..NY 2018. Tom's single invitational guitarapolooza. Coopman and I have exchanged emails in the past and found we had shared tastes in guitars and music. He is also known as John in some circles and lives a couple hours away and decided to make the drive over with some guitars.

We had a great time (at least I did haha, he may think differently). He brought several and I had a few to show him. What was even better than the guitars was John's playing. He is really really good to the point where I just gave up, sat back and enjoyed his music. I felt like I had just been to a concert. He writes his own stuff and plays in a variety of tunings. Just magical stuff. With the open tunings, he makes the guitars just ring beautifully and selfishly I will say the Sexauer sounded simply amazing under his fingers as did a Wren that he brought.

We had a lot of guitars to try out and John also makes guitars and he brought 3 of those along. They were all really good, but he had one with a redwood top which was just great! If I had tried that at a festival, I would have bought it, sadly, he made it for his wife and apparently she likes it too, so I did not have a chance. I have the new BlackLion Wilborn with the top shelf redwood and by the end of the day, we both came to the same conclusion, we love redwood tops! Loud, full, clear, and I would say shimmery trebles, crystalline trebles. They seem to have a little magic built in.

Also, at the end of the day, I realized this is exactly what I want the real B.I.G. to be. Making new friends, watching great players play, and discovering new guitars you may have never played or wood combinations you had not tried that you find you really like. Everyone just having a big jam interrupted only by more fantastic music and food etc.

I want to thank John for coming over and sharing his unending talent with me. He is gracious and kind and has a gift for composition. Thanks John.

[coopman]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

...
We had a great time (at least I did haha, he may think differently)
....

Just came across this. So no wonder my ears were burning ... I had a wonderful time. But, you are being too kind. It's the guitars, Tom ... it's the guitars. They were so inspirational. The Sexauer is stellar. We had it in a variety of tunings and both open and capo'd all over the neck. It sounded stunning everywhere: sparkling with deep, rich authority. Never even noticed it was a fan fret... so natural. The Wilborn Blacklion proved that it was no cub either. It sounded great ... not a hint of small body boxiness. A very sweet guitar that even the Sexauer powerhouse couldn't push around.

I was very fortunate to have participated in this "dry run". Based on that I can assure everyone that the B.I.G event is going to be fantastic. Tom has a wonderful vision for this event, and clearly has the ability to pull it off. I hope this will be the first of many. I think the biggest risk for attendees will be over-stimulation

So nice to have met you Tom and share an afternoon together with a bunch of beautiful instruments and good stories. Face to face beats virtual any day, but what we have here on the AGF is certainly the next best thing. Just remember my motto though: "friends don't let friends play alone" !

John

[Carmel Cedar]

This "dry run" exemplifies the awesome spirit Tom is putting into crafting this event. Super exciting for all of us AGF'ers!

[s2y]

I might be interested. Still working on the details. I should probably start practicing NOW to avoid looking like too much of a hack.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar

This "dry run" exemplifies the awesome spirit Tom is putting into crafting this event. Super exciting for all of us AGF'ers!

Thanks, I am still holding out hope you will be able to attend. I know the timing is not the best for you. I knew I should have checked your schedule first .

Originally Posted by s2y

I might be interested. Still working on the details. I should probably start practicing NOW to avoid looking like too much of a hack.

Well, I hope you ARE interested! Don't worry about the practicing, Nemoman and I have already started our own little group, we will be in the corner watching and dreaming and there is nothing wrong with that!

[jt1]

Really looking forward to this

But, all guitars, all the time? Nah. I'll likely be flying into Austin a few days before the big event to have some cool folks play the went-to-war guitar for the eventual documentary film.

And, well, there are some very cool mountain biking sites between Austin and Tom's house. Check this out. Anyone else up for risking your limbs and digits with me on a mountain bike?

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by jt1

Really looking forward to this

But, all guitars, all the time? Nah. I'll likely be flying into Austin a few days before the big event to have some cool folks play the went-to-war guitar for the eventual documentary film.

And, well, there are some very cool mountain biking sites between Austin and Tom's house. Check this out. Anyone else up for risking your limbs and digits with me on a mountain bike?

I coach the local HS mountain bike team. I'm game if we can get some bikes.

[jt1]

Originally Posted by justonwo

I coach the local HS mountain bike team. I'm game if we can get some bikes.

We can get bikes! Easy in Austin. Maybe not so easy elsewhere. But, I'll figure this out.

Too cool!

(Of course, this presupposes that I will by then have recovered from the wicked concussion I suffered 2 weeks ago when, on my bicycle commute, I had a more than close encounter with a hit and run car driver.)

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by jt1

We can get bikes! Easy in Austin. Maybe not so easy elsewhere. But, I'll figure this out.

Too cool!

(Of course, this presupposes that I will by then have recovered from the wicked concussion I suffered 2 weeks ago when, on my bicycle commute, I had a more than close encounter with a hit and run car driver.)

Wow, hope you feel better! I won't risk life and limb, but I'm reasonable shape and would love a not-so-dangerous-but-as-far-as-you-want-scenic ride!

[jt1]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Wow, hope you feel better! I won't risk life and limb, but I'm reasonable shape and would love a not-so-dangerous-but-as-far-as-you-want-scenic ride!

Thanks.

Bikes and guits!

[TomB'sox]

Don't forget, there is a Collings tour on Fridays in Austin too, but you have to sign up ahead of time...

[Bruce Sexauer]

‘Stellar” is a short word, John, and I appreciate your using it. My own opinion pales in comparison others. It will be very interesting to see how this guitar holds up at B. I. G.

[s2y]

Someone say bikes?

I had a bad wreck last year. Slid out at 40mph and broke my collar bone. Was lucky it wasn't a lot worse.

[jt1]

Originally Posted by s2y

Someone say bikes?

I had a bad wreck last year. Slid out at 40mph and broke my collar bone. Was lucky it wasn't a lot worse.

Yes, bikes! I've been a road cyclist for decades. Had my share of crashes. Took up mountain biking a year ago. Great fun, many broken bones, though.

I'm thinking mountain biking in the Texas hill country, but would also happily consider road cycling.