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Gerald Sheppard GA (UPDATE)
I'm overwhelmingly fortunate to be in constant contact with guitars made by some of the most talented luithers on the planet. This little series will be my ode to those builders and the outstanding instruments they produce.
Instrument - Gerald Sheppard Grand Auditorium Madrigal Top - Engelmann Spruce Back and Sides - Cocobolo Nut Width - 1 13/16 Saddle Spacing - 2 3/8 Lower Bout - 15 3/4 Waist - 9 1/2 Upper Bout - 11 1/2 Depth - 4 1/2 Pickup - None Special Features - Cutaway Photos Videos - (I forgot to turn off the autofocus! Sorry guys- I know it's annoying!) (More soon!) Impressions - My immediate thought after picking this one up was, "This is a thick sounding guitar!" It definitely bucks the common notion that Engelmann doesnt give you power. There's so much weight in every note...the low-end is just thunderous...deep and rich. I believe there are a few key places in my recording where you can get a sense of this. Let me know if you can point them out! The overall sound is covered in a thick layer of overtones, but the fundamental is so strong that it doesnt sacrifice much in the way of clarity. This makes for a guitar that has a decidedly modern sound, but enough versatility to cover most stylistic applications imaginable. I really enjoy the single note overtones that come up when you linger on a note for a bit. You can get some sense of them around the very end of the piece. I'm also impressed with the ease of response I'm getting. This is a guitar that is noticably larger than an OM, yet it responds like a small body! You can really make some dramatic swings in dynamics and it more than keeps up. I think Gerald makes some of the most impressive sounding guitars imaginable, and that goes for ANY price point. In thinking of all my favorite modern voiced guitars I've played (guitars by Ryan, Somogyi, Traugott, Olson, Bashkin, Maingard, ect...)..there isnt a specfic instrument I've liked more than this one. If you're looking for a holy grail of a guitar, you might need to give Gerald a call...like, yesterday! Last edited by usb_chord; 07-08-2014 at 10:09 AM. |
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Wow, Brian. Nice playing...and you're right. That's one pretty amazing guitar.
More, please!! Dirk |
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Thanks, Dirk! I'll try to put another clip up pretty soon..
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Great review... thanks so much for sharing and for the wonderful tune. Cheers, berf
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You're right about how rich that guitar sounds - it's fabulous! So is the tune, and the playing as well - looking forward to more like this (but how are you going to top it?).
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nice guitar in both looks and sound. nice playing too! the compression on the recording was evident, as was the camera focusing problem. would be cool if you re-shot it. i've never had the chance to play a Sheppard but i've heard a few of them now and they've all sounded really fine. i hope i run across one in person some day.
i wish we had more folks posting up samples like this. keep it up. its really enjoyable and interesting. i hope to be able to add a few in the near future. thanks, Brian. always a pleasure!
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Bill Gennaro "Accept your lot, whatever it may be, in ultimate humbleness. Accept in humbleness what you are, not as grounds for regret but as a living challenge." |
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Quote:
Thanks for the feedback on this, Bill! This was my first dealings with compression - I've definitely got some work to do with figuring out how to use it properly! As stated above, the auto-focus thing annoys the tar out of me. I'm partly just stubborn about re-shooting since this was a " one take" recording. As you probably know, those don't happen too often! For me, only one other time... |
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Brian,
Lovely playing of a very pretty piece on a fantastic guitar! I thought your review was quite accurate and matches my own experience with the Sheppard GA that I own. Well done Brian! Glenn
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My You Tube Channel |
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Sometimes beauty is visual. Sometimes it's aural. Your post is both! Very nice playing and you certainly did justice to a great guitar.
I've never played a Sheppard so it looks like I'll be on the lookout! Thanks for the post. I think you have a new fan!
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"Everyone has a crack. That's how the light gets in". Leonard Cohen |
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That's a huge sounding guitar indeed.
Very slick playing, Brian. |
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Very nicely done. Thanks for sharing. Would love to try one of his guitars someday.
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Matt |
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Your music just put me in a very good space, Brian. Thank you.
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Larry Pattis on Spotify and Pandora LarryPattis.com American Guitar Masters 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists Steel-string guitars by Rebecca Urlacher and Simon Fay Classical guitars by Anders Sterner |
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Beautiful guitar, beautiful music!!
Yes, you probably overdid the compression, but through my B & O earbuds, the sound is nice and punchy, with lots of bloom that I'm certain must feel simply thunderous against your chest. Then there's the focus shifting in and out. Unlike you or some others, I DIG IT!! With a fixed angle shot, it makes the video breathe a bit, and I chose to see it as the camera's way of dancing along to the tune. Some good takes speak for themselves, and this one speaks volumes. Even if you do another take, don't take this one off the net just yet, bro!
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____________________________________________ 1922 Martin 0-28 1933 Martin 0-17 1974 Alvarez/Yairi CY120 2010 Baranik Parlor 2013 Circa OM-18 2014 Claxton OM Traditional 2014 Blackbird Rider |
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So, so, so much. I've followed a lot of Youtube links on this forum in the years that I've been reading and wrestling with this beast and yours is the only one I check back regularly hoping for new stuff... the 5:55 cover was the one that roped me in Looking forward to hearing some new songs!
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My kind of Fingerstyle music.. Gorgeous guitar too
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Chad Fengel itunes My YouTube "Only by becoming acquainted with your own self, can you gain the composure to write original music" Michael Hedges ♫ |
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boutique, gerald sheppard, handmade guitar, review, usb_chord |
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