GuitarStorage.com

Guitar Con Roadshow, Montclair, NJ 4/14/12

JakeS — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:13:34 +0000

See Guitar Storage racks and stands on display at the Guitar Con Roadshow in Montclair NJ – 4/14/12.

Print out this Free Shipping Coupon, present it at the show, and get your new Guitar Rack shipped free!

For show information, time and directions, visit the Guitar Convention website.

Lap Steel Guitar Instructions and Tips – Using the Bar

JakeS — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:07:43 +0000

In this video, Master Guitar Luthier and blues player, George Goumas gives us some tips on how to chose and modify a lap steel bar.

George explains that one of the essentials of playing a lap-steel guitar properly is being able to master the bar. He uses a Stevens steel bar from Stevens Corp which he bullnoses and, using a belt sander, polishes the little round nose instead of having both edges flat and short. George then shows a steel bar used primarily on resonator guitars, dobros and lapsteel guitars.

A lapsteel guitar is different than a pedal steel guitar as a lapsteel guitar has no pedals to change the pitch. If using a pedal steel, we would use a bullet steel, which is a lot different. It looks like a big tube. It is used predominantly by people who use lap guitars. The difference between the bullet steel and the pedal steel is that bullet steels have a finger groove. They are made with a semi-circular surface that will ride across the strings as you play. The differences are made for use on resonator and lap guitars but they have a sharp edge on both sides.

George shows a standard Stevens steel bar which he bullnosed, meaning that he put some tape on it, used a belt sander and a grinder to put a little bit of a round edge on it and then polished it on a buffer, as any scratches would catch on the strings. This helps it glide across the strings a lot better. George notes that there are copies of it being made today by various slide bar manufacturers. They are making them with a little bit of a rounded edge. It helps the bar glide along the strings a lot better because the round edge doesn’t catch on the strings. The sharp edge, on the other hand, catches. One has to use a lot more control using the sharp edge bar than one would have to with a bullnose. It works great.

They are a bit heavy – probably over a pound – but once you learn how to manipulate it properly, you’ll like it. If you’re a right-handed player, of course, you’ll be actuating the bar with your left hand. You put the finger groove on your index finger and cradle it. The other grooves on the middle finger and the thumb, and this will ride across the strings. His allows him to move across the strings without binding. With the sharp edges, there is binding. There are companies that make them with a bullnose, but he prefers to use the Stevens and do it himself. This allows him to navigate the neck better.

Guitar Polishing Suggestions

JakeS — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:11:19 +0000

Polishing your guitar will not only make it look better but will protect the wood as well.

When changing your strings and spending the time to work on your guitar, take the extra ten minutes to polish it as well.

It’s best to use a polish that’s made for guitars such as Martin’s Guitar Polish. These polishes usually come in a plastic spray bottle and the contents last a very long time on the shelf. When polishing, never spray the polish directly onto your instrument. This causes unwanted drips, especially onto electronics and into f-holes and round sound holes. Instead, spray the polish onto a clean, lint-free rag but just make one area of the rag damp – do not saturate it! Immediately apply the dampened rag to the wood of your guitar (one area at a time) and wipe in a circular motion until the polish is absorbed and evaporated. Start with the front (including the areas under the strings), then proceed to the body sides, then do the back of the body. When the body is done, you should then polish the headstock (especially under the strings) and the complete length of the back of the neck, but do not polish the fretboard as the fretboard is constantly getting natural oils from your fingers during playing.

Best Way To Store Your Guitars

JakeS — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:51:38 +0000

Instruments like to be in the same environment as we do: Not too cold, not too hot, and not too damp. Store your guitars in an area with an average humidity of 45 – 50%, and a temperature of approximately 70 – 75 degree F. If the ambient conditions are very damp, then use a dehumidifier. Conversely, if the ambient conditions are humid, then use a dehumidifier. The best method for storing guitars are in their cases but of course, we all like to view and appreciate our beautiful instruments and keeping them out of the case and ready to play definitely encourages us to play them more, but be careful of the sun and dust when storing out of the cases. Whether your guitars are in their cases or out of the cases, keep your prized possessions away from windows where it can be hot, cold, or drafty. If your guitars are out of their cases and near a window, the sun can wreak havoc on the finish and colors. When storing your guitars for a prolonged length of time, keep tension on the strings to keep the neck under the same and constant tension.

Best Way to Restring A Guitar

JakeS — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:45:28 +0000

When restringing your guitar, replace only one string at a time. This keeps the tension on the neck as close to what it should be as possible. Removing all the strings at once and then keeping the neck void of strings (and tension), only to reapply pressure again, poses the risk of neck misalignment and those annoying intonation problems that go with it. Also, try to replace the strings with the same gauge, or strings of a gauge that are as close to the previous gauge as possible. Again, drastic changes can cause intonation problems.

Happy Birthday George Harrison! And now we can play from your guitar collection!

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:32:51 +0000

George Harrison and his Gretsch Duo-Jet

Happy birthday to George Harrison! Although you no longer grace our presence, you remain relevant and people can’t get enough of your wonderful songs… and guitar licks. It seems there’s a new George Harrison iPad app that Dhani Harrison is helping to develop that will give iPad owners a shot at (virutally) playing guitars from George Harrison’s collection. The thought of getting my virtual hands on George’s Rickenbacker 360 12 string and playing the opening lines of the Beatles’ “You Can’t Do That” or “Ticket to Ride” would be a dream come true. Would also love to use the app to tangle with George’s Gretcsh Duo-jet and try the opening riff to “I Saw Her Standing There”.

George Harrison and his Rickenbacker 12 string

Obviously, this would be an impossibility without today’s technology. Imagine the millions of people who are, in effect, going to get their hands on those great guitars. You have to appreciate Dhani’s spirit of sharing for he knows the rest of us would love to get to mess around with some of the guitars in his father’s collection, and he’s found a way to do it.

I guess it’s time I break down and get an iPad. Happy Birthday George!

NAMM 2012- Reverend Guitars and Rick Vito

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:40:03 +0000

Rick Vito, happy to get a box of Tastycakes

One of the best “treats” (for us and for him-Ha!) was delivering a box of Philadelphia favorite, Tastycakes to Philly native Rick Vito. We saw a Rick at the Reverend Guitar Booth where he is a sponsored artist. Rick is an extraordinary guitar player who most recently toured as guitar player and frontman in The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, a reprisal of the original Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. He did an outstanding job, filling some large shoes. He had helped us out with a guitar part from that show and we owed him some Philadelphia Food in payment and were happy to pay that debt.

My Reverend Charger with P90s

One more thing; aside from meeting Rick Vito it was a great pleasure to visit the Reverend booth. I must give them an unsolicited plug. I own a Reverend Charger and it is the favorite guitar in my collection, and that includes Telecasters, Stratocasters, Harmony’s and Epiphones. It’s so well made and has great great tone. Considering the price, it’s almost shocking how good they are.I rarely see people selling theirs.

Dusenberg Guitars and Lap Steel

The Dusenberg Booth had some nice guitars including a beautiful Lap Steel. The only thing that was missing was Mike Campbell

NAMM 2012 Music Merchandise Show The Fender Booth

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:49:01 +0000

Custom Shop Telecasters in Sea Foam Green with Bigsby's

The Fender Guitar Booth was a sight to behold. They had row after row of Custom Shop Guitars on display there. You had to be careful to step over the pools of drool on the floor while looking at them.

There was a beautiful array of row after row of Telecasters with Bigsby Tremelo Bars in various shades of cool Sea Foam Green.These were all built to order for various clients by different luthiers in the Custom Shop

Jeweled Fender Stratocaster

One of the Strats had 161 diamonds and 117 other jewels. “Abby” hand wound pick ups were custom engraved. There were also 55’ of Rose Gold wire, hand hammered for good measure. I’ll bet it sounded like a million bucks too. We obviously couldn’t try that one.

There was an eye-catching Telly done in a bold hip art style.

There was a beautiful Japanese theme-ed Fender Stratocaster built by John Cruz. The body is Koa with a beautiful hand-tooled leather inset done by Dru Whitefeather.In addition, there is gorgeous inlay work done on the fretboard as well as the headstock.The pick ups are JC (John Cruz) Limited. This is one of two that will be made so if you’re shopping…..

Bold Hip Art Style Telly

Hand-tooled Leather topped Stratocaster

NAMM 2012 Music Merchandise Show Part 1

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:39:37 +0000

NAMM 2012 Entrance

The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants show 2012 has been everything we thought it would be and more. It is the biggest gathering of musical products anywhere in the world.There are 90,000 attendees from over 90 countries. While guitars dominate, there is nothing musical that you can’t find. It is a sought after ticket and our NAMM Membership got us in the door. It took all four days to see everything we wanted to see and that was far from everything.

One of the more enjoyable pastimes you can do there is star gazing and people watching and the first one we saw was Ozzy Osbourne shuffling past the the outdoor food concession. Once inside, we ran after David Crosby to get a photo, only to find it it was a lookalike.

Duane Eddy outside Gretsch Booth

Duane Eddy, the original “Rebel Rouser” and King of the Twangy Guitar was seen outside Gretsch booth. A likely place given Gretsch’s gift of twang to Rock & Roll. According to John Fogerty; “Duane Eddy was the front guy, the first rock & roll guitar god.” Duane Eddy’s “Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel” album charted for 82 weeks on Billboard.

Off with her head

JakeS — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:45:16 +0000

I have 1968 Martin D-28 whose neck has been broken twice, the first time by US Air on a trip to Binghamton my guitar ended up in Elmira. When I got it back the neck had a horse shoe crack on the back about 4″ below the headstock. The second time it fell face first off an upright stand and snapped the headstock clean off on a line from the A string tuner to the B string tuner. The third time it blew off a Hercules stand outdoors in down town Dallas and rebroke in the original place of the airline mishap. I am still playing “Marie” and got a pretty good song out her adventures, but do not recommend this method to any one!

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