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  #61  
Old 05-11-2018, 08:56 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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Slow day one at La Conner, which is the usual thing, though I always hope for better. Very pleasant day none the less catching up with the peers, and do I mention the “Blue Room” yet? Of course not, I had only the name, not the reality, which is that lunch does not begin to describe the opulent feast made available all day to the exhibitors and their staff. Way beyond reasonable expectation.

Had a pleasant dinner in one of the half dozen cafe/restaurants along the promenade separating the town from the waterfront. And not pricey at all either, though I am betting that too is available, judging by breakfast at $24 before tip and merely 2 eggs, potato’s, toast and coffee (for 2).

Tonight I expect to abandon Linda in the hotel and head up to the Cantina event with music and alcohol. If able, I may fill you in tomorrow.
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  #62  
Old 05-11-2018, 09:44 PM
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The blue room...ahh...what a treat. The luthiers are indeed being treated well.
Here's a shot of Bruce shortly after lunch, and he's still smiling!

IMG_2013.jpg

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  #63  
Old 05-12-2018, 10:25 PM
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As I was about to enter the Cantina, Ben Wilborn and his musical partner, Brad, in company with Sparky popped out and we walked down to the event venue where we stood around in the cold for an hour yakking. At some point we were joined by Bruce and Matt Petros. That’s what happened last night.

Brad and Ben are also known as “Frog and Toad” in their musical life, and have a CD by that name. You should be willing to go out of your way to hear it IMO.

Today was adequately busy at the show. It was a blur. George who is moocatdog on UMGF visited, and three separate people seemed actually interested in my work. My best friend from high school lives in this area, and he and his wife (Karl and Kate) joined Linda and I for dinner.

We will check out of the hotel in the morning, have a 3rd breakfast at Calico Corner, do the show (lunch in the “blue room”), and put 100 miles on the car before dinner. That’s the plan. Who knows what will really happen.
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  #64  
Old 05-13-2018, 09:19 AM
Casey86 Casey86 is offline
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Bruce nice to meet you and your wife yesterday at La Conner. Enjoyed your anecdotes about bass maker James Ham, and guitar luthier Michael Dunn's russian sidecar motorcycle! Michael does often show up at gigs with his guitar in the sidecar.

After we talked to you Marcia and I had the privilege of seeing Paul Asbell showcase a guitar. We sat 6' feet away and received a 30 minute masterclass in finger style blues, jazz melody chording and lead soloing. Very inspiring. Had to leave with his cd!

Hope you enjoy your La Conner visit, perhaps see you in Vancouver for the guitar show this summer.

Regards Casey & Marcia
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  #65  
Old 05-13-2018, 09:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer View Post
As I was about to enter the Cantina, Ben Wilborn and his musical partner, Brad, in company with Sparky popped out and we walked down to the event venue where we stood around in the cold for an hour yakking. At some point we were joined by Bruce and Matt Petros. That’s what happened last night.

Brad and Ben are also known as “Frog and Toad” in their musical life, and have a CD by that name. You should be willing to go out of your way to hear it IMO.

Today was adequately busy at the show. It was a blur. George who is moocatdog on UMGF visited, and three separate people seemed actually interested in my work. My best friend from high school lives in this area, and he and his wife (Karl and Kate) joined Linda and I for dinner.

We will check out of the hotel in the morning, have a 3rd breakfast at Calico Corner, do the show (lunch in the “blue room”), and put 100 miles on the car before dinner. That’s the plan. Who knows what will really happen.
That is quite a grouping right there!!!! I happen to own guitars from 50% of them and soon to be 75%. Guess I am doing OK. Met Sparky at WILS 2 years ago, but never got to play his guitars as it was too busy and noisy that year. I concur that Frog and Toad make some very nice accoustic music together. Have a safe trip back today, you have some very important business to attend to shortly!
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  #66  
Old 05-13-2018, 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Casey86 View Post
Bruce nice to meet you and your wife yesterday at La Conner. Enjoyed your anecdotes about bass maker Michael Hamm, and guitar luthier Michael Dunn's russian sidecar motorcycle! Michael does often show up at gigs with his guitar in the sidecar.

After we talked to you Marcia and I had the privilege of seeing Paul Asbell showcase a guitar. We sat 6' feet away and received a 30 minute masterclass in finger style blues, jazz melody chording and lead soloing. Very inspiring. Had to leave with his cd!

Hope you enjoy your La Conner visit, perhaps see you in Vancouver for the guitar show this summer.

Regards Casey & Marcia
So cool that we discovered our third person connections in a few minutes of conversation! I very much hope to see you again in Vancouver next August.
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  #67  
Old 05-15-2018, 08:28 PM
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We're home from La Conner and all of our pets made it in good health and greeted us heartily, especially the dog who howled in delight. He is NOT a hound.

Did an unexpected thing and bought a guitar! I was overwhelmed by its beauty and lost control of myself. I'll bet many of you know what I'm talking about. "Comes around/goes around", or "pay it forward". I'll post pictures when it gets here on Friday. The maker's first name is Tyler, and I don't actually know his last name yet. I am thinking he is headed for greatness.

I also picked up a Humphrey amplifier, which I have wanted to do since a couple of years ago when I tried one which has haunted me ever since. If I'm going to play plugged in (I am) I may as well sound GREAT.
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  #68  
Old 05-15-2018, 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird View Post
The blue room...ahh...what a treat. The luthiers are indeed being treated well.
Here's a shot of Bruce shortly after lunch, and he's still smiling!

Attachment 8541

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That is a HUGE guitar!
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  #69  
Old 05-15-2018, 09:47 PM
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That is a HUGE guitar!
Actually, I am a tiny person.
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  #70  
Old 05-16-2018, 02:07 PM
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We're home from La Conner and all of our pets made it in good health and greeted us heartily, especially the dog who howled in delight. He is NOT a hound.

Did an unexpected thing and bought a guitar! I was overwhelmed by its beauty and lost control of myself. I'll bet many of you know what I'm talking about. "Comes around/goes around", or "pay it forward". I'll post pictures when it gets here on Friday. The maker's first name is Tyler, and I don't actually know his last name yet. I am thinking he is headed for greatness.

I also picked up a Humphrey amplifier, which I have wanted to do since a couple of years ago when I tried one which has haunted me ever since. If I'm going to play plugged in (I am) I may as well sound GREAT.

That is too funny, you were suppose to sell not buy. That is quite an endorsement for Tyler What's His Name, to make you impressed enough to pull the trigger!!! WOW
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  #71  
Old 05-16-2018, 02:54 PM
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The mystery deepens as I'm not seeing a luthier named Tyler on the La Conner Guitar Festival site?

Looking forward to seeing your new guitar, Bruce!
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  #72  
Old 05-17-2018, 07:24 AM
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Looking forward to seeing the guitar and hearing more about the luthier - coming with praise from you should certainly boost his career!
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  #73  
Old 05-17-2018, 10:26 AM
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Tyler had just the one guitar on the table, and it wasn’t his table. He has been working for Tom Ribbecke for several years, though this instrument has little in common with Tom’s work as far as I can see. I imagine Tom will have had more to do with Tyler’s future then I, but history will be the judge.

Tyler is delivering it at 8 am tomorrow, which is quite early for me.

I used my Humphrey Amp yesterday in rehearsal with my dinner jazz group, and it actually does sound great. My current amp is merely very good; it seems that the best solid state amps approach tubes ever more closely, but never actually get there. Of course the Humphrey is 4x the price. It would seem duplicitous to me to expect people to pay more for my Guitars because they sound better, and not do the same for myself.
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  #74  
Old 05-17-2018, 10:32 PM
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I am not a fan of reversed linings, and in fact consider them to be the result of a popular misunderstanding regarding how a guitar really functions. I could write a book on this, but not now.


There are those who feel that the sides of a guitar cannot be too rigid, but needless to say, I am not among them. It is not worth going to war over, and who would want to go to war with Australia, anyway?
Hey Bruce, just wondering if you could elaborate on these two points. Especially the second one regarding the sides not needing to be as stiff as possible.
Maybe not an entire book, but I’d love a paragraph or two
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  #75  
Old 05-18-2018, 03:53 PM
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Well. It really could be a book, and the Australian contingent has written a big one partly on the subject. Aussie Trevor Gore is the author, I believe.

The upshot is the thesis for what I call the "modern Guitar", which i define conceptually as a speaker mounted in a cabinet. The object being to isolate the top from the rest of the guitar and keep the energy in the top turning as much as possible into sound. This is the extreme, and many proponents do not go all the way. Some do, and may put quite a bit of weight onto the sides to increase their inertial resistance, I'm talking pounds!

The other view has it that sheer volume is over rated, and that the ideal tone of a guitar comes from having the whole structure involved in the vibration. For luthiers such as these, myself among them, adding hard spots, which would be rigid or heavy local areas, can be viewed as impediments to the flow of energy.

Most builders walk a line between the extremes, whether they are aware of it or not, and I have come to think that it is more challenging to find ones "true voice" if in the confusing middle ground. It is usually better to take a stand in lutherie as in life. But I may be wrong, I have taken a stand and it works well for me; experiences will vary.

Regarding reversed linings specifically: Because they add a sort of second member parallel to the sides, they cantilever rigidity projected into the plate. My view it that while I do want the plate to side connection to have great integrity, adding rigidity to the plate it the last thing I want to do as it impairs every aspect of the guitar as I conceive it except only possibly tone, and I seriously doubt that.

I have not read Trevor's book, though I have been in many discussion rooted in it. It is probably broader that I know, but has certainly contributed to my knowledge, particularly where "other" concepts are concerned. Being experienced and set in my ways, I am unlikely to pursue it further. What I do know of it seems quite contrary to me, possibly misguided given my own goals. There are many ways to skin a guitar!
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