One more "Accufuse" preston reed cover

[mike o]

Hope I'm not boring you all. I'm on vacation this week so the frequency of posts is way out of the norm for me! Here's a tune I'm still learning by Preston Reed called "Accufuse". I've been chipping away at this one for 3 years. My learning from it was to never again play it faster than I can thinking some how it will correct itself. Your brain will memorize mistakes as the correct way to play (bad habits). So, several months ago I slowed down to a snails pace and re-learned the song correctly. It's still difficult for me to keep a steady meter through the whole song. It just one of those songs that energizes me. Oh, the fan was going in the room so the guitar sounds a bit funky. Any way here ya go. Enjoy.

Accufuse video cover

[Guit Hacker]

Anyone who attempts a Preston Reed tune has some "#*!". I did notice you didn't choose one of his tunes that required body taps on your Mustapick like he does on his Adamas. I was wondering what you were using as a prop on your left leg?

[Bob1131]

Mike, very nice fingering!!! I can hear why this song gives you a lift!

[mike o]

thanks Bob and Git.

Git. I always use a Dynarette guitar cushion while playing. It replaces a foot stool while leaving both feet planted on the floor. Takes some getting use to though. The past few years I've paid a lot of attention to relaxing while playing and proper guitar position. I tended to use way to much energy all the years of playing bass and guitar. Almost like a white knuckle driver. In the long run you will cause damage to yourself and limit your musical growth. I'm seeing the dividends of my efforts now. I actually do some body tapping stuff as well. I know "Ladies Night" but not well enough to record and several other Preston songs. I also play Don Ross "Catherine", "Michael, Michael, Michael", "Kimblin", "That'll be the phone" and Several tunes by Don Alder (check out "Over the Top" which I'll record soon). I buy guitars to play them. Folks who know me are a bit concerned when I ask to try theirs. No fear, I'm always considerate with other folks property. Slap and Tap done correctly will not harm a well made guitar. One only needs to consider if its a player or a piece of art!

[Guit Hacker]

Thanks for the info. I'd been thinking about using a stool for a while but this looks more comfortable and relatively inexpensive.

As for the body tap remark; Preston does alot of those taps while wearing fingerpicks, which I believe is why he switched to the carbon topped Adamas. His old Washburns were probably looking like Willie Nelson's Martin.

[David Hilyard]

Originally Posted by Guit Hacker

Thanks for the info. I'd been thinking about using a stool for a while but this looks more comfortable and relatively inexpensive.

As for the body tap remark; Preston does alot of those taps while wearing fingerpicks, which I believe is why he switched to the carbon topped Adamas. His old Washburns were probably looking like Willie Nelson's Martin.

I think the increased scale length of the Adamas Long Neck was the primary reason he choose to play it. He's had some modifications done to his that help with the tapping, but I don't think durability of the top was the driving force behind his decision.

From his gear page:

"Preston is currently performing with an extensively modified Ovation Adamas LongNeck. The LongNeck has a longer scale length than a conventional guitar and is tuned a whole step lower. The extra string length and lower tonal range gives the guitar a rich, almost piano-like texture.
Since he already uses a lot of lowered bass strings in his music, with this guitar he is able to get closer to the range of an acoustic bass. It works well for the percussion-based, rhythm-oriented way that Preston plays. Also, the thinner, more flexible, drum skin-like carbon graphite top of the Adamas lends itself to the drum sounds he creates.

Modifications include the following:

* some of the signature Adamas "Swiss cheese holes" in the upper bout of the guitar have not been cut, making the decorative epaulet into a percussion pad.
* with the added weight of the longer neck, and his need for the guitar to hang freely in balance when performing, a ballast system was devised. A counterweight is screwed to the inside of the end pin jack in the tulips. The decorative trim where the top meets the body (called the bowl on Ovations) has been left off, as it would otherwise abrade Preston's constantly moving right arm.
* the bowl of the guitar is fiberglass, which has a better percussive resonance than the conventional plastic Ovation body."

Great job, Mike! A very cool tune and great playing.

Matt uses one of those guitar supports, too. I haven't warmed up to it yet. Still using the foot stool.

[mike o]

Thanks Dave. You may not know this. Prestons Long Neck Ovation was the inspiration for our Multi-scales!

[David Hilyard]

Originally Posted by mike o

Thanks Dave. You may not know this. Prestons Long Neck Ovation was the inspiration for our Multi-scales!

Mike,

No, I didn't know that! That's cool! So you liked that sound that Preston was getting and talked to Matt about building a multi-scale semi-baritone and suggested the design and scale length? Way cool! Thanks for that inspiration, Mike. It's a winner! I know Matt thinks so too. I'd like to know more about how that came about. Matt has mentioned it all started with you.

Dave

[mike o]

Yep. It's true. The first year or two I was playing guitar (about 10 years ago) I was living in Atlanta. I frequently went to Mars Music (remember them) in Marietta, Ga when they had seminars- bass, drums, guitars, etc. I'd always try to make it because they were conducted by pro players. We'll this acoustic guitar player named Preston Reed was their one night for Ovation Guitars. I never heard of him or any of the heavy wood players before. To me it was all Blues or Travis picking.... To say I was blow away is a huge understatement. That night forever changed what I thought is possible with a six string acoustic guitar!!!! Preston was playing the style and the sonic register (being a bass player) I that got me stirred up. He spoke in depth about his Long Neck Ovation and why it suited his style. I never forgot that night. We'll it took me several years before I finally decide to stop playing bass and more specifically, in bands any more. Remembering Preston material, I set out to learn songs that sounded like a full band on a six string. The Ovation Long Neck had the right scale length but I just didn't dig the sound. The longest scale production guitar out their is 25.5". Not where I wanted to be. I thought about it a year before deciding on finding someone who would build one. I spoke and e-mailed a few builders before someone suggested Matt. On Matts web site you could see he was building 7 - 8 string guitars with fan fretting so I figured he was the one. To my surprise, Matt was totally open to the idea of the build a was 110% up for the challenge. Matt suggested the fan fretting and scale lengths. Even with all the crazy things I wanted (fan fretting, 1-7/8 nut and fuller round neck, sound port, special woods, etc.) Matt offered a unconditional satisfaction guarantee to me. Matt called me right after the guitar was strung up "Mike, if for any reason you don't want this guitar. I want it back!".. Matt was also the guy who turn me on to Don Alder. Way cool. THANKS MATT

[David Hilyard]

That's a great story Mike. Thanks for sharing. I took a workshop with Preston at Healdsburg a few years ago. Soft spoken guy with a huge sound. I first met him when I lived in Connecticut and he lived in Armonk, NY. He used to gig at a Mexican restaurant in Middletown, CT where I lived, and played a lot of Leo Kottke style tunes then. This was in the late 1970's and early '80's, when we were much younger.

It was your guitar that Matt had just strung up and played a little when he called me in excitement saying he had one great sounding guitar that he was very pleased with and wondered if I would like to come over and try it. I was there in 25 minutes. I live 30 minutes away. He was right! It was my first taste of his semi-baritone and I liked it so much. I played a lot of his other semi's and deep baritone's after that and finally couldn't take it any more after playing Chris Ruble's, and ordered mine. I have much the same specs as yours, just different woods.

Your style fits the guitar well! Keep posting your tunes. They are really enjoyable!

Dave