I just got my Ibanez AF120 archtop back form Gene Imbody’s United Lutherie in Jacksonville, Ohio. It only had a bad volume pot, but since the electronics are only accessible from the f-holes I decided not to tear into it myself. I know it wasn’t a big job, but I have to say how pleased I was with Gene’s professional and friendly demeanor, reasonable price, and quick turn-around time.
If you have any guitars or amps lying around in need of repair I’d highly recommend giving him a call. Also, check out the shop’s myspace page and photos where you can get a good feel for the shop and some of the work he’s done.
Be sure to tell ‘em John sent you.
I first picked up the guitar in the Spring of 1984. Only a year earlier Ned Steinberger unveiled his line of guitars at the Chicago NAMM show, so it’s no wonder I’ve always loved them. They were bringing something new and fresh to the scene just as I was entering it, and some of my favorite musicians were starting to perform with these eye-catching guitars and basses as well. Over the years I’ve always wanted a Steinberger guitar both because of it’s compact size and it’s innovative design, but other guitars always seemed to make their way into the collection first. Finally, I decided to check out one of the new Steinberger Synapse models being carried by Musician’s Friend.
Because there is already a great deal of information on the web about the Synapse guitars I’d just like to outline the features I still had questions and concerns about before ordering, and the experiences I’ve had with the guitar so far.
Last Thursday night I ran into a problem that comes up occasionally. As with a lot of smaller venues, the stage was not well designed and the poor lighting left me at a disadvantage when it came to following my charts. The quartet I was playing with this particular night has a big repertoire with very specific arrangements, so I definitely needed to see what was on the page. Fortunately I had just enough light to get by, but several avoidable mistakes happened due to the situation and I made a note to look into a new stand light this week.
Continue reading 'This Little Light Of Mine'
Even as an iPod/iTunes user I’ve never been a subscriber to many podcasts. Apart from the occasional NPR show I’d missed, I just didn’t want to spend time downloading podcasts without some assurance that I’d actually enjoy the content. However, I’ve recently run across the No Idle Frets Jazz Guitar Podcast by Nick Carver which may change my listening habits.
Continue reading 'No Idle Frets Podcast'
Ah, serendipity. Last week I was strolling through my local library looking for a good book when the words “Piano Girl” caught my eye from the new in non-fiction shelf. Curious, I picked it up and found myself engrossed in one of the most touching, truthful, and funny books I’ve ever read about the life of a musician.
Continue reading 'Piano Girl'
A few weeks back I bought the new L.R. Baggs M1 Active acoustic guitar pickup. Because this pickup is relatively new, I had a difficult time finding information and user reviews on the web, but I decided to take the plunge based on the good buzz surrounding this product. Here are a few of my impressions so far.
Continue reading 'L.R. Baggs M1 Active Review'
