August 25th, 2008 . by MacNichol
CA Guitars new Integrated Series is creating a lot of buzz these days. The models feature integrated bracing, along with an offset soundhole, to produce a resonant guitar with a deep, mellow bass response along with a good overall balanced tone. For those who would like one of the new CA i Series, but plan to take the guitar on the road, to the beach, mountains, etc, the 5i is built exactly for that.
The 5iM-CE and 7iM-CE share many similarities, but the two differ in the following ways. First, and most obviously, the 5i has CA’s “road tough” satin finish, a fine, gritty finish that is built for those who plan to take their guitars traveling frequently and would prefer not to worry about little dings and knicks, which will not be so obvious as on a high gloss finish, which the 7i model has. Second, the 5i comes with a thickly padded gig bag that has built-in shoulder straps - again, this is for those who want to take their guitars on adventures. The gigbag will be lightweight, take up less space, yet nevertheless has thick padding to keep the instrument secure. The 7i, on the other hand, comes with a hardshell case. To sum up, the 5i is for those whose guitars will see some adventure, whereas the 7i is for those whose guitars will primarily reside at home.
People often buy carbon fiber guitars for the convenience of not having to worry about humidity and temperature changes. And, certainly, the 5i is a great guitar for any weather situation. However, with CA Guitars new i Series, I believe that people will buy for the sound first, and the worry-free aspect will simply be a nice bonus.
Posted in CA Guitars, Carbon Fiber Guitars | No Comments »
August 22nd, 2008 . by MacNichol
Check out the acoustic duo Lawn Jockey at www.lawnjockeymusic.com.
The acoustic duo Lawn Jockey is comprised of Elmwood Park, IL singer/songwriter/composer Tom Henry, and Henryetta, OK songwriter/composer Scott Stokes. The duo split in 2000 shortly after the release of “Jethro’s Revenge” which received critical acclaim. Both Tom and Scott are veterans of the stage and studio and have performed locally, regionally, and nationally.
On Tuesday, March 25, 2008 Tom and Scott agreed to put forth a new release in much the same vein as “Jethro’s Revenge”. The new release will contain elements of Folk, Psycho-Bluegrass, and Celtic flavored originals, and will be aptly titled “Out By The Cement Pond”.
Recording of the new release will occur in the coming months, and an internet release is slated for early 2009.
Posted in Acoustic Guitars, Artists, Larrivee Guitars, Mandolins | No Comments »
August 21st, 2008 . by MacNichol
To help support independent acoustic musicians, MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins has established an Artist Support Program, in which MacNichol provides independent acoustic artists with $100 accessories (strings, capos, picks, slides, etc.) credit per year, along with discounts on musical instruments.
To qualify, artists must meet the following criteria: 1) Primarily play acoustic music. 2) Have released at least one album on an independent label. 3) Have a website devoted to their music (myspace or similar pages are acceptable). 4) Perform at least 30 live performances per year.
For more information or to apply, please contact MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins at info@macnichol.com or 1-800-849-3305.
Posted in Accessories, Acoustic Bass Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Artists, Instrument Care, Mandolins | No Comments »
August 20th, 2008 . by MacNichol
For those of you into flatpicking, check out the new FlatPickerHangout, which includes forums, classifieds, reviews, and more.
The site’s mission statement:
The mission of the Flatpicker Hangout is to become the world’s most comprehensive flatpicked guitar resource by bringing the world’s flatpickers together into an active online community.
Posted in Acoustic Guitars | No Comments »
August 18th, 2008 . by MacNichol
You may have heard the buzz about Breedlove’s new Pro Series. The series offers a great deal on well-made guitars, and, as a result, you may have to wait several months before you are able to get one of the new Breedlove Pro Series instruments.
Breedlove’s Pro Series provide a custom shop feel at an incredible deal; indeed the Breedlove Pro Series may very well be the best deal on handmade guitars around. The concert body model of the Pro Series, model C25/SR, Herringbone, is made with a AAA-grade solid cedar top as well as with AAA-grade solid rosewood back and sides, and also contains many features that Breedlove’s higher end guitars do, such as Gotoh 381 tuners (custom upgrade to Gotoh 510 tuners is available), L.R. Baggs Element Active electronics (customizable to L.R. Baggs Dual Element, I-Mix, Breedlove Synergy System, or custom), bolt-on neck, and also a limited lifetime warranty from the builder.
Many people wonder why the Pro C25/CR has a lower price. There are two main reasons for this. To begin with, the Pro Series does not offer much customization. Customers can select electronics, tuners, and nut/saddle, but can not customize other aspects, such as tonewoods. Additionally, much of the initial work is done in South Korea. One Pro Series owner recently posted the following to the Breedlove Forum:
“The neck and body are indeed made in Korea. The tech that I talked to said that all the finish work, such as setting the neck, installing the frets, sanding, setting up the guitar is done at the factory. He also went on to say that they had quite a bit of discussion about marketing it as Made in the USA. They felt that because of all the work that was done in the factory by their techs who are working alongside the custom line, it should be billed as Made in the USA. They wanted their people to be recognized as the people who brought the guitar to life. I for one, and very satisfied with his answer. For all they do to put the guitar together and set it up, I feel that it is Made in the USA. Just for the record, I never had any issues with the sound, feel or quality of the guitar.”
See: Breedlove Forum
The most important question, though, is what does the Breedlove Pro C25 sound like? Simply put, great. The Pro C25 compares favorably to much more expensive models. The combination of cedar and rosewood provides for great warmth along with the piano-like bass that Breedlove rosewood models are known for. Features include deluxe hardshell case, herringbone purfling, dot position markers, asymetrical winged ebony bridge, ebony fingerboard, one-piece Indonesian mahogany neck with dual action truss rod, 1 3/4 inch nut, abalone ring rosette, strap button at the neck heel, and JLD bridge truss system.
Posted in Acoustic Guitars, Breedlove Guitars | No Comments »
August 17th, 2008 . by MacNichol
Posted in Acoustic Guitars, Breedlove Guitars | No Comments »
August 16th, 2008 . by MacNichol
A thought popped into my head recently. I think there should be a distinction between “adventure” guitars and “travel” guitars.
Here’s why:
When you mention “travel guitar”, different people have different images. Some are thinking of backpacking, trips to the beach, mountains, lake, etc, where the guitar may very well be played around the campfire, get water splashed on it, sit in the car trunk in 98 degree weather all day, sit in the car trunk in 30 degree weather all night, and other perils. Additionally, space may be an issue and they seek a small guitar.
Whereas others may be thinking that a travel guitar is one that will have to on a plane, sit in a trunk, be driven from an arid region to a humid region and back, but not necessarily be taken out into the outdoors, and space is not so much of an issue.
So, here’s what I’m thinking:
Adventure Guitars - BlackBird, Cargo, CA 5 and 6 Series, Baby Taylor, Breedlove Passport Series, Martin BackPacker, and other short scale and/or very small bodied guitars.
Travel Guitars - All carbon fiber guitars.
Posted in CA Guitars, Carbon Fiber Guitars, RainSong Guitars | No Comments »
August 14th, 2008 . by MacNichol
As do all Larrivee Guitars, the Traditional Series have a magical quality to them. When I first picked up the Slope Dreadnought model, I felt as though I had been transported back to the early 20th century, with the instrument’s traditional construction features such as a 12-fret neck and slotted headstock with volute give the guitar the look and feel of an instrument from a bygone era. Yet, the SD-50 also contains such modern features as a Tusq nut and L.R. Baggs iMix No-Cut System, resulting in great mix of traditional and modern.
For those unaccustomed to playing a 12-fret neck, it can take some time getting used to when playing beyond the twelfth fret, as your mind may see the connection between the body and neck and think that your hand is at the 14th fret, but this is fairly easy to overcome. For those who play purely below the 12th fret, it’s unlikely that you’ll notice much difference. Here are the specs from the Larrivee site on the differences between Larrivee’s regular dreadnought body and the Larrivee sloped dreadnought body:
Dreadnought
Lower Bout · 16”
Upper Bout · 11.875”
Waist · 10.875”
Depth · 5”
Overall Length · 41”
Scale Length · 25.5”
SD - Slope Dreadnaught
Lower Bout · 15”
Upper Bout · 11.25“
Waist · 10.5”
Depth · 4.875”
Overall Length · 40.5”
Scale Length · 25.5”
For information on the history of the transition from 12- to 14- fret necks, please visit: http://www.lutherie.net/12-14-evolution.html
Larrivee’s SD-50E produces a rich and warm sound with plenty of volume. It is exceptionally versatile and will accommodate many different playing styles but is particularly good for strumming and fingerpicking.
Features include: All Solid wood Construction, Single Piece Mahogany 12-Fret Neck, Canadian Sitka Spruce Sound Board & Bracing, African Ebony Fretboard & Bridge, Canadian Maple Binding w/ Herringbone, Mahogany Back & Sides, Shifted Symmetrical Parabolic X-Bracing, Hand fit Dovetail Neck Joint, Enlarged Soundhole w/ Herringbone Rosette, Slotted Headstock w/ Pearl Logo & Volute, Custom Milled Stainless Steel Tuners, Ivoroid Fretboard Binding, Larrivee Custom Beveled Pickguard, Mother of Pearl Diamond Fretboard Markers, Traditional Angled TUSQ Nut, Limited Lifetime Warranty, L.R. Baggs iMix No-Cut System, Arch-top Case.
Posted in Acoustic Guitars, Larrivee Guitars | No Comments »
August 11th, 2008 . by MacNichol
CA Guitars (Composite Acoustics) makes great dreadnoughts, and, model 8LB is unique in the carbon fiber guitar world. Specifically designed for bluegrass playing, the 8LB provides exactly what bluegrass pickers are after — a dreadnought that produces a deep, warm, somewhat punchy (but not too punchy) bass that doesn’t overshadow the mids, along with singing highs.
The first thing that you’ll likely notice upon first playing this instrument is its resonance. Like many carbon fiber guitars, the resonance is booming and seems to come straight out from the soundhole in a cylinder of sound. My favorite aspect of the 8LB is the control it provides a picker. In particular, I can strum a full, resonant chord, yet immediately pluck out individual notes that come through clearly. Most noticeably, during rhythm playing, I like to dance my fingers along the mids between chord changes - hammering on and off, sliding, bending like crazy — and those mids come through fully during those chord changes, preceded and followed by chords that you can make either booming and resonant, or smooth and mellow.
Noted bluegrass guitarist Tim Stafford plays the CA Guitars 8LB and had this to say, “I was recently backstage at the IBMA Awards with my Composite Acoustics getting ready to go on, and Tony Rice asked me to play the guitar a bit for Del McCoury – both true legends of Bluegrass music. Tony said: “Listen to that. Isn’t it something? It sounds incredible!” Del just grinned and agreed. But these comments are nothing new.” See CA Guitars Artists Page.
Posted in CA Guitars, Carbon Fiber Guitars | No Comments »
August 10th, 2008 . by MacNichol
Rick Spreitzer, Americana Singer/Songwriter, is among the many who have discovered the unique sound and benefits of playing a carbon fiber guitar. Rick plays two CA Guitars models, a GX Performer (now known as 8M-CE) and a Cargo. Rick says of his GX Performer:
“I was fortunate enough to be offered an artist endorsement from Composite Acoustics back in the fall of 2007. Being something of a codger and oldwooden soul, I was a little skeptical of a guitar made entirely of carbon fiber that is essentially molded and baked into form. I’m here to tell you, the Performer GX with the LR Baggs I-Mix onboard system has made a believer out of me.
Unplugged, the guitar has incredible balance across all six strings. From subtle fingerstyle to my mongrel thumb-thumping, percussive aggression, the Performer GX delivers equally well. The intonation is spot on (and superior to any instrument I’ve ever owned). Given the absence of a neck-body heel, I can (and have) literally capo’d as far south as the 12th fret. The integrity of the notes remain intact. I love the neck profile (which is something of a soft, broad “c-shaped” contour) and the 1 3/4″ nut width. It really suits my left hand, strummed or played fingerstyle and takes well to alternate/open tunings.
The LR Baggs I-mix is straightforward but allows for a lot of tonal control. Given my thumb-heavy attack, some pick ups capture a lot of unwanted “whap” and rumble. Not so with the Performer GX and I-Mix combination: I can really crash the soundboard without worry. Plugged in, the Performer GX is warm, meaty and balanced. I carry a Feedback Buster in the case, but I rarely need to use it. It’s a hassle-free guitar, plugged in and as such, is great for the mystery-meat of house PA’s.
Given I play most of my shows close to home (in North and South Carolina), there are ample opportunities for outdoor gigs and festivals. The carbon construction allows me to focus on the tunes, not the humidity. Same goes for tossing her in the truck and traveling. No worries there. Since early 2008, the CA Performer GX has become my main stage guitar and it seems like almost every other show, someone approaches and asks about it. Sometimes it’s a slack-jawed, “I think I just saw a UFO” look (due to the unique construction and design of the guitar). More often it’s a head-shaking “wow” from hearing that warm and meaty tone from a seemingly unlikely source. Not quite a year into owning this guitar, I’m an unabashed carbon convert.
I just ran across this great CA dealer from Salt Lake City, Utah who keeps a good supply of Composite Acoustics on hand and has genuine mom and pop store appeal: MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins. Michael’s been great to deal with and I just ordered a Composite Acoustics Cargo from him. With a trip to the South Carolina coast and the Flat Rock Music Festival just around the corner, another CA guitar couldn’t come at a better time.
Judging from my experiences with the CA Performer GX and all I’ve read about the Cargo (not to mention how difficult it is to locate one), I suspect I’ll soon have another reason for shaking my head and keeping my hands busy.
Rick Spreitzer
www.rickspreitzer.com
www.myspace.com/rickspreitzer
proud endorser of Composite Acoustics and MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins
Rick’s music has amassed some impressive reviews, including the following by Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange:
“It’s just that as good as this is, and it’s damn good, Spreitzer has a hell of a future ahead. The guy writes, he sings, he plays. He’s got the goods. I’m already looking forward to his next album.”
For more information on Rick Spreitzer, please visit his website or his myspace page.
Posted in Artists, CA Guitars, Carbon Fiber Guitars | No Comments »
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