GAL Convention

[Mark Swanson]

Hey, I am having a great time out in Tacoma at the GAL convention...getting to see lots of MIMF folks out here, and I had the pleasure to play for the Steel String Guitar listening session today. It went well, lots of great guitars! Photos to come I am sure...I wish you all were here!

[Chuck Tweedy]

Well Randy, here's the round I bought for you. Cheers Mate!
Now - apparently - I have to buy a round for everyone!
So, off to the pub after the ukulele concert.

[Randy Roberts]

Thanks you guys...

Sure would love to have heard you at the SS session Mark, did the Canadian Kids knock the sox off like they did last GAL?

What seems to be the current trends?

If any of you get a chance, I'd love to hear your opinion of any falcate braced SS (ala Trevor Gore) vs the sounds we are used to. I've never heard one and that was one of the things I was looking forward to at this GAL was running into a few to compare them.

Well I'll let you get back to soaking it in and sucking them up...

[Chuck Tweedy]

Had to look it up, but yes, there are a few of those falcate braced instruments here.
They sound like guitars to me.

[Barry Daniels]

Had to look it up, but yes, there are a few of those falcate braced instruments here.
They sound like guitars to me.

And that's a bad thing?

[Chuck Tweedy]

Barry,
No judgement ... overt or implied, just observation.

[Jason Rodgers]

Well Randy, here's the round I bought for you. Cheers Mate!
Now - apparently - I have to buy a round for everyone!
So, off to the pub after the ukulele concert.

14 - 1.jpg

My paw is in that toast, just to Jay's left. The first of many pints! My thanks to anybody who filled my cup (again and again... oy).

Thanks you guys...

Sure would love to have heard you at the SS session Mark, did the Canadian Kids knock the sox off like they did last GAL?

What seems to be the current trends?

If any of you get a chance, I'd love to hear your opinion of any falcate braced SS (ala Trevor Gore) vs the sounds we are used to. I've never heard one and that was one of the things I was looking forward to at this GAL was running into a few to compare them.

Well I'll let you get back to soaking it in and sucking them up...

I think the Canadian kids were representin' in the classical category this time. The one falcate that I know of for sure was one by a guy named John Parchem who posted the whole build in a thread on the ANZLF. It sounded good - even and balanced - but not necessarily loud (though I'm not sure if that's a G&G goal).

I can say that Mark's and Chuck's guitars held their own nicely against the other 29 instruments played. Mark's curly redwood on EIR is really smooth to play. Harry Fleishman said it was a real joy. Chuck's guitar (subalpine fir on Steve Senseney's maple) was the only instrument to receive a spark of applause immediately after Mark played his excerpt, in part I think because it has such a big voice. I played Chuck's guitar in the open mic, and several times again after, and I loved it! And I'm not just BS-ing because these guys are my friends: they make great instruments!

This was a great conference. Aside from spending most of my time hanging with Chuck and Mark (and his friend John from back home), I spent a lot of time talking with Jim Bonnel and Loren Schulte between events. David King and some other guys (Mark) and I played frisbee out on the lawn one evening. It was fun getting to know Veronica Merryfield and pick her brain about pickups. I had breakfast one day with Kathy Matsushida, too. And of course, I went around showing off my new guitar to all of my lutherie heros and shamelessly gushed my admiration for their work and the inspiration they have given over the years: Ralph Novak, Harry Fleishman, and Mike Doolin. I'm still flying high from the week, and will be for some time!

[Mark Swanson]

Yes what a time I had! Thanks Jason, Chuck, Veronica, and everyone else too many too mention...I had a really great time.

[Chuck Tweedy]

Third that...

[Barry Daniels]

Barry,
No judgement ... overt or implied, just observation.

Sorry Chuck. Just yanking your chain.

[Tom Harper]

I haven't been on mimf for quite a long time, having been busy negotiating some of life's sharper left and right turns, but running into folks at the convention reminded me of how much I enjoy the forum and miss the members. I plan to check in more often. It was really great to see folks again and get a bit of time to converse and listen to the incredible performer/builders that hang around this forum.

See you all later. Due to my finally honed short term memory (I've gotten my retention down in the micro second range) I can't remember who left my shop in such a mess, but I need to go straighten it out before I can make a dent in my task list.

Still lusting after Chuck Tweedy's steel string,
Tom Harper

[Jason Rodgers]

Still lusting after Chuck Tweedy's steel string

Hell, YES!

[Chuck Tweedy]

Thanks guys, that's very nice of you to say.
It was a great convention. Best one yet for me I think - I was actually able to relax and just have fun.

Now .... let's see if I can actually sell that guitar!

[Jason Rodgers]

Put a grand on it over your usual price and talk up the rarity of the wood combination. Get some good quotes from us who sat through the SS listening session and/or played it. Heck, I'm not biased: quote me.