December 2nd, 2008 . by MacNichol
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November 18th, 2008 . by lsatinfo2
Pointless Picks debuted at Summer 2008 NAMM Show, winning a Best in Show Award. The picks are round, with raised grip rings in the center. The picks come in bright colors (easier to find if you drop one) and three different thicknesses - light (.58 mm), medium (.72 mm), and heavy (1.0 mm).
They’re similar to rounded picks such as Golden Gate or Dawg Picks, but because of the circular shape, there’s more space that’s hitting the string. This leads to two advantages. First, for individual note picking and slow strumming, much greater volume. Indeed, I stacked up the 1.0 mm Pointless against a 2.0 mm Dunlop, and, the Pointless came out the volume winner. Second, you can slide the pick underneath the string and then lift the string up away from the guitar body, and then let the string snap back to get a touch of a snap to the sound. You can even move the string right up to the raised grip and get a little bit more leverage and snap.
The disadvantage of the additional area hitting the string is that, although for playing individual notes at slow or medium speeds, the Pointless stands up well to other picks, for fast individual note playing, I frequently found the Pointless too bulky and found myself tripping up often. Granted, I’ve been playing with regular picks (pointed or rounded side) for nearly twenty years now, whereas I’ve had the Pointless Picks for a mere four months. Thus, it may just take some getting used to.
Interestingly, when I did medium and fast strumming, the Pointless produced less volume. This was odd when I did a lot of runs mixed in with some strumming because the runs came out much louder yet the strumming much softer. I tested the .72 mm Pointless against a Dunlop nylon .73mm, and got much more balanced volume from the Dunlop.
However, something that I like about Pointless Picks when doing light and medium strumming is that the strings’ notes meld into one wall of sound coming out from the guitar rather than a bunch of individual notes that happen to be played almost simultaneously. For rhythm playing, this could be beneficial. Another aspect that I found interesting is that because of the rounded and large space, I could “bounce” the pick up and down across the strings when doing medium or fast strumming, thus achieving either a volume increase on certain strings. I also angled my hand downwards about 45 degrees to get a different, slightly more percussive sound. In short, light and medium strumming with a Pointless produce a much different sound from that of other picks.
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November 8th, 2008 . by lsatinfo2
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October 30th, 2008 . by lsatinfo2
Here’s a quick breakdown on the differences between phosphor bronze strings and 80/20 bronze acoustic guitar steel strings:
Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings:
A popular choice among many guitarists, phosphor bronze strings are typically built with an alloy of 90% copper and 10% tin with phosphorous added. These strings are on the bright side, but not as bright as 80/20 strings. D’Addario’s EXP coated phosphor bronze strings are mellower and are right in the middle between bright and mellow.
80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings:
Made with windings that are 80% copper and 20% tin, 80/20 bronze guitar strings result in a very bright and clear tone. D’Addario’s EXP coated 80/20 bronze guitar strings are a bit mellower than uncoated strings.
References
For more information on the differences between acoustic guitar strings, please see the book Acoustic Guitar or D’Addario.com.
Posted in Accessories, Acoustic Guitars | No Comments »
October 10th, 2008 . by MacNichol
MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins now carries the new Oasis case humidifer, model OH-6. Below is the information from the Oasis website detailing the case humidifier.
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The huge success of our original Blue Oasis® “sound-hole” humidifier has brought many inquiries about ways to provide humidification for other instruments including violins, violas, cellos, mandolins, ukuleles, jazz guitars and guitars with flat top cases.
After careful consideration, we decided that the best approach to solving this challenge was to develop a humidifier that attaches to the inside of the instrument case. Finding a secure way to attach the humidifier to the inside of the case, and still have it easily removed and re-attached, was no small challenge.
Starting with our proven technology, the Blue Oasis® humidifier, we inserted two neodymium magnets in the seam of the humidifier*. The magnets then attach to the instrument case using either a steel belt style clip or a stainless steel strip with adhesive backing. The belt style clip fits over the side of the case and provides a flat vertical surface for the magnets to adhere. The adhesive backed stainless steel strip allows for either vertical or horizontal attachment anywhere there is a flat surface inside the case**. An advantage of this type of humidifier is the flexibility to position the humidifier in a wide variety of locations within your instrument case.
That’s not all folks! We are also including a 10cc. syringe. The syringe will increase the user’s control during filling or refilling the humidifier. Since the humidifier holds about 32cc’s of water, it will take 3+ syringes of water to fill the first time. After that, refills should only take 1+ syringe of water. As always, we recommend the use of distilled water which will extend the useful life of your humidifier.
Posted in Accessories, Acoustic Bass Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Instrument Care, Mandolins | No Comments »
September 19th, 2008 . by MacNichol
MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins is pleased to announce the availability of gift certificates. MacNichol gift certificates are a great way to provide that perfect gift for the musician you love. Gift certificates are available in any amount above $10, and may be used for custom made instruments, guitars, mandolins, or accessories. These certificates are entirely refundable.
For more information, please visit MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins Gift Certificates, or contact us at 1-800-849-3305, or info@macnichol.com. Thank You.
Posted in Accessories, Acoustic Bass Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Breedlove Guitars, CA Guitars, Carbon Fiber Guitars, Instrument Care, Larrivee Guitars, Mandolins, RainSong Guitars, Weber Mandolins | No Comments »
September 10th, 2008 . by MacNichol
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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 »
February 9th, 2008 . by MacNichol
MacNichol Guitars and Mandolins announces that it has become an Official Dealer for D’Addario Strings, fine acoustic guitars strings, and Planet Waves, maker of many quality instrument accessories, including guitar humidifiers and capos. D’Addario is noted for producing its EXP line of acoustic guitar strings, which contain an fine layer of D’Addario’s EXP Coating bonded to the Phosphor Bronze wrap wire, which is then wound onto the hex-shaped core wire, producing a barrier against corrosion and wear. EXP’s sound bright and clear with new string tone that lasts three to four times longer than traditional strings.
With the addition of D’Addario acoustic guitar strings and Planet Waves products, MacNichol.com now offers guitar and mandolin players several more choices for accessories.
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