Any guitar-shop employees around?

ChristineBCW · 28-07-2012

I'm wondering if there are any guitar-shop or music-store employees among this group.

I was stumbling thru Taylor Guitar's website on the road and finally saw the "Sustainable Ebony" video that Bob Taylor did, discussing that his company bought up an "ebony farm" in Africa when he discovered 90% of those trees were being felled and wasted simply because the wood was 'marbled' instead of solid black.

Personally, I love the guitars that display wood marbling effects, and I can't imagine a fingerboard's 'marbling' or colorations would be any less attractive because of it.

But then again, Playing It seems to be the far more important ingredient. This takes me back to my dismissive attitude towards "sexy PC cases" - if someone spends time looking at their guitar instead of playing it, something seems a bit off.

*cholla* · 28-07-2012

Not me for sure .
You might look at this thread .
http://club.myce.com/f1/just-guitar-freaks-302512/

Watch the really good players they usually don't even look at the guitar .
Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Roy Clark, Jim Stafford, Kenny Wayne Shepard to name jsut a few.
Watch a few videos of them & see how much they look at the guitar while playing.

I'm with you I actually would like the marbling.

**Wombler** · 28-07-2012

That's a very forward thinking guy and I like his attitude towards the environment.

As Bob Taylor says the important thing is how it plays and sounds and I can't help agreeing with that.

Wombler

**olyteddy** · 28-07-2012

Does the marbling affect the integrity of the wood? I guess the fretboard is a relatively cosmetic part but if marbling affected say the expansion/contraction of the wood it could cause problems...(not a guitar player here)

*cholla* · 28-07-2012

I've never worked with ebony but it is supposed to be a very dense & hard wood.
IMO the marbeling would possibly be slightly less dense. But again that would depend on what causes it. If it is just a pigmentation difference then probably no effect. If it is caused by faster growth because of more favorable growing season then I suppose this would be a less dense wood.

**Wombler** · 28-07-2012

Quote:

Ebony varies from deep black to dark red, with a variety of rich dark shades. Heartwood may display dramatic and irregular striping of bright brown, gray or greenish black on a deep black background. It is genetics that determines the shade, along with moisture, mineral content of the soil, and age/growth rate of the tree. Generally, the darker ebony is found at higher altitudes and from older trees. Ebony with more red tones has its origin at lower altitudes and from soil with greater iron content.

Wombler

ChristineBCW · 29-07-2012

I'm told by uncertain sources ("h - u - b - b - y") that he thinks Ebony's colorations won't have anything to do with density or wear characteristics.

He pulled out one of the older Fender Strats with a maple fingerboard - 30 years old, it has dimples and wear-bowls at certain places, but so do the frets. It's perfect for what it does. The same aged acoustics - with ebony fretboards - don't show as significant wear despite having larger gauge strings (ie, a better 'sanding' effect).

He pointed out "some guitar owners replace fretboards - those are just thin veneers over the neck. Luthiers do that easily enough."

In short, "If nicely marbled ebony lasted only half as long and started splintering, so? Just replace it. Get another 10 years out of a new piece. The frets probably need replacing anyway."

I still can't believe that anyone who loves Wood Anything doesn't love all kinds of grains and all kinds of patterns and colorations. I'd be fascinated to meet guitar players who'd turn their nose up at any instrument with More Wood Patterning than Less, but apparently some guitar-makers believe this has always been the case.

Oh... one other correction... the comments about "looking at guitars" was more related to a Purchase Decision based solely on The Looks, as if I'd be hanging them on a wall instead of playing them. Some instruments are indeed guilded like museum pieces (I really don't like mother-of-pearl inlays - there are fingerboards that look like NASCAR racers!). Just give me an occasional dot or stripe. Ah, yes... 5th Fret... now the 13th...

ChristineBCW · 29-07-2012

One other comment about Taylor Guitars, and a plug for them... when we travel without acoustics (so easily damaged or stolen), we ask for Taylor models and they always arrive with the same easy playing ability. We never need 'our own', unlike favorite Martin's.

No awkward 'getting used to' hours, no finger-tripping over string height or frets - it's wonderfully the same. And so are the audio settings, another great benefit for performers. They are also predictable studio guitars, too, which is a minor convenience.

**Wombler** · 29-07-2012

Do I read into that that you play live performances yourself?

Wombler

*marloyd* · 30-07-2012

I'd like to hear some of your music,I'm just a music fan but appreciate good music how about it Christine,my wife's name is Christie but I call her Chris.Have you recorded any music that you've done that we could hear.

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StormJumper · 30-07-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wombler

Do I read into that that you play live performances yourself?

Wombler

Her and her better half has a band.

Will not name my source Christine.

ChristineBCW · 30-07-2012

Yes, my hubby's had a band for decades. I'm just a newbie to it, but the band are all neighbors in Austin, and are with us on this trip for our several performances ("playing for lunch or supper", at a few county fairs).

All of the bands' kids are getting into the act - they might use The Everly Kids as a band name, or the Doo-Wop's or something since those '50s jewels are certainly the kids' favorites.

I'd never paid much attention to music growing up, but Hubby & Band got me into it, big time. Truly enjoy the music and performing, but also enjoy the campfire times with the kids. Hubby claims our 'family TV' is a few instruments and keyboards and a drum-kit, and sad for Network TV execs, yes, we do spend more time playing music than watching any modern TV schtick.

**Wombler** · 30-07-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristineBCW

Yes, my hubby's had a band for decades. I'm just a newbie to it, but the band are all neighbors in Austin, and are with us on this trip for our several performances ("playing for lunch or supper", at a few county fairs).

All of the bands' kids are getting into the act - they might use The Everly Kids as a band name, or the Doo-Wop's or something since those '50s jewels are certainly the kids' favorites.

I'd never paid much attention to music growing up, but Hubby & Band got me into it, big time. Truly enjoy the music and performing, but also enjoy the campfire times with the kids. Hubby claims our 'family TV' is a few instruments and keyboards and a drum-kit, and sad for Network TV execs, yes, we do spend more time playing music than watching any modern TV schtick.

That's awesome and I wish I had musical talents!

Really cool avatar BTW!

I've noticed you've been having a bit of an avatar identity crisis recently but you should keep that one.

Wombler

ChristineBCW · 30-07-2012

Actually, I'm unpleased that I posted the Rollercoaster Photo because I have no way to change it - all I could do is post more and clog up the server with JPGs - not a very nice thing to do since it's someone else's file storage.

I'd much rather change Profile and Avatars since those SEEM to be delete-and-replace-with functions, so while I'm still consuming server disk space, I get to change pix without increasing storage.

I need to ask that question to be certain, though.

*marloyd* · 30-07-2012

Is there a limit on what we post ,if there is I'm in trouble.
I thought that was a great photo of you why the regret on posting it

ChristineBCW · 30-07-2012

It's just "server space consumption", that's all. I like cleaning up after myself, not leaving tidbits behind... I consider it "user discipline" to some extent.

I am active on an old-radio-show forum where people post a few MP3s at a time - only a few - so that server can host many "fews" rather than "many" by one or two users. After a while, I understood and believed that to be a superior way of using a forum's file-space for The Many.

Not that I really care. Once I'm Empress Of The Galaxy, I'll fix everything. Like, Stormy's refusal to deliver 12Tb HDDs by tomorrow! Sheesh-! "Everyone needs several 12Tb drives!! Five or ten of them!"

And yes, I'll probably want the 36Tb versions next. I'm pretty sure he's holding up that design, too!

And why is the $20 threshold so mysterious?!! Heck, Floppy Drives are INCREDIBLY mechanical and using a huge amount of metals, yet those cost ?? $12 - 15?!! Wow - what a bargain in materials and engineering!

**Wombler** · 30-07-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristineBCW

It's just "server space consumption", that's all. I like cleaning up after myself, not leaving tidbits behind... I consider it "user discipline" to some extent.

There are limits on the sizes of individual photos you can post but providing they're within those limits (which the forum software enforces automatically) the images aren't of an inappropriate nature, and there aren't an extremely excessive number of them, then people should feel free to post photos as it's part of the facilities we provide here for our members.

There are plenty of entertaining threads containing almost entirely photos such as this one and we even have dedicated photo threads like this one for example so there's no need to artificially cramp your style.

Wombler

*cholla* · 31-07-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristineBCW

One other comment about Taylor Guitars, and a plug for them... when we travel without acoustics (so easily damaged or stolen), we ask for Taylor models and they always arrive with the same easy playing ability. We never need 'our own', unlike favorite Martin's.

A little something about breaking a Taylor guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

@ ChristineBCW , Since you from the Austin area have you even went to an Austin City Limits show ?

ChristineBCW · 31-07-2012

We know the ACL people, and friends performed but we never would be asked - too small-time. Circus mentioned that he performed at a Hastings in Amarillo in years past - last century, sometime.

ChristineBCW · 31-07-2012

Thanks for the comments about pix. I still rather dislike clogging up servers with pix, so I'll change avatars and Profile Pix instead.

**Wombler** · 31-07-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristineBCW

Thanks for the comments about pix. I still rather dislike clogging up servers with pix, so I'll change avatars and Profile Pix instead.

If you're happy, we're happy.

Wombler

*cholla* · 31-07-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristineBCW

We know the ACL people, and friends performed but we never would be asked - too small-time. Circus mentioned that he performed at a Hastings in Amarillo in years past - last century, sometime.

I've been a regular veiwer of ACL since it started . You already know I'm sure but they do have from unknowns all the way to the top. Less unknowns these days than when they started though .
I still wished I had been VHS recording the ACL with Marty Robins .
He did a parody of one of his songs I would like a copy of .
The parody was of "Big Iron " it was "Big Orange" instead .
The stranger had a big orange on his lip . Marty instead of usual western attire had on a stripped sailor shirt. To my knowlege ACL has never reran this .

I don't think I've ever went to a performance at a Hastings store.
I went to a performance I think they at least partially sponsered at the local civic center. Beatlemania . I'm not a really a Beatles fan but this group did their music pretty well . It was free.

28-07-2012	#1
ChristineBCW MyCE Die Hard Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: USA-Canada Posts: 1,299	Any guitar-shop employees around? I'm wondering if there are any guitar-shop or music-store employees among this group. I was stumbling thru Taylor Guitar's website on the road and finally saw the "Sustainable Ebony" video that Bob Taylor did, discussing that his company bought up an "ebony farm" in Africa when he discovered 90% of those trees were being felled and wasted simply because the wood was 'marbled' instead of solid black. Personally, I love the guitars that display wood marbling effects, and I can't imagine a fingerboard's 'marbling' or colorations would be any less attractive because of it. But then again, Playing It seems to be the far more important ingredient. This takes me back to my dismissive attitude towards "sexy PC cases" - if someone spends time looking at their guitar instead of playing it, something seems a bit off.

28-07-2012	#2
cholla MyCE Resident Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amarillo ,Texas Posts: 5,356	Not me for sure . You might look at this thread . http://club.myce.com/f1/just-guitar-freaks-302512/ Watch the really good players they usually don't even look at the guitar . Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Roy Clark, Jim Stafford, Kenny Wayne Shepard to name jsut a few. Watch a few videos of them & see how much they look at the guitar while playing. I'm with you I actually would like the marbling. __________________ cholla pronounced ˈchȯi-yə click on cholla to hear

28-07-2012	#3
Wombler Administrator & Reviewer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 9,578	That's a very forward thinking guy and I like his attitude towards the environment. As Bob Taylor says the important thing is how it plays and sounds and I can't help agreeing with that. Wombler __________________ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Forum Help: Forum Rules, MyCE Help Centre If you find these forums useful then: Register Here DVDFab/ImgBurn: Choosing the correct Layer Break Position in ImgBurn DVDFab: BDMV-REC Supported Burners Reviews: Ideal DVD Copy, Magic DVD Copier, DVDFab DVD Copy v9

28-07-2012	#4
olyteddy Senior Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In the present, the past was so long ago... Posts: 6,565	Does the marbling affect the integrity of the wood? I guess the fretboard is a relatively cosmetic part but if marbling affected say the expansion/contraction of the wood it could cause problems...(not a guitar player here) __________________ It's been at least 20 weeks since I had a sig...

28-07-2012	#5
cholla MyCE Resident Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Amarillo ,Texas Posts: 5,356	I've never worked with ebony but it is supposed to be a very dense & hard wood. IMO the marbeling would possibly be slightly less dense. But again that would depend on what causes it. If it is just a pigmentation difference then probably no effect. If it is caused by faster growth because of more favorable growing season then I suppose this would be a less dense wood. __________________ cholla pronounced ˈchȯi-yə click on cholla to hear

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29-07-2012	#7
ChristineBCW MyCE Die Hard Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: USA-Canada Posts: 1,299	I'm told by uncertain sources ("h - u - b - b - y") that he thinks Ebony's colorations won't have anything to do with density or wear characteristics. He pulled out one of the older Fender Strats with a maple fingerboard - 30 years old, it has dimples and wear-bowls at certain places, but so do the frets. It's perfect for what it does. The same aged acoustics - with ebony fretboards - don't show as significant wear despite having larger gauge strings (ie, a better 'sanding' effect). He pointed out "some guitar owners replace fretboards - those are just thin veneers over the neck. Luthiers do that easily enough." In short, "If nicely marbled ebony lasted only half as long and started splintering, so? Just replace it. Get another 10 years out of a new piece. The frets probably need replacing anyway." I still can't believe that anyone who loves Wood Anything doesn't love all kinds of grains and all kinds of patterns and colorations. I'd be fascinated to meet guitar players who'd turn their nose up at any instrument with More Wood Patterning than Less, but apparently some guitar-makers believe this has always been the case. Oh... one other correction... the comments about "looking at guitars" was more related to a Purchase Decision based solely on The Looks, as if I'd be hanging them on a wall instead of playing them. Some instruments are indeed guilded like museum pieces (I really don't like mother-of-pearl inlays - there are fingerboards that look like NASCAR racers!). Just give me an occasional dot or stripe. Ah, yes... 5th Fret... now the 13th...

30-07-2012	#10
marloyd MyCE Resident Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Michigan ,usa Posts: 7,372	I'd like to hear some of your music,I'm just a music fan but appreciate good music how about it Christine,my wife's name is Christie but I call her Chris.Have you recorded any music that you've done that we could hear. Embedded Images View/download images and remove advertisements by registering now! (it's easy, free and takes less than a minute) You must be registered in order view images in this forum. Embedded Images View/download images and remove advertisements by registering now! (it's easy, free and takes less than a minute) You must be registered in order view images in this forum. Embedded Images View/download images and remove advertisements by registering now! (it's easy, free and takes less than a minute) You must be registered in order view images in this forum.

31-07-2012	#19
ChristineBCW MyCE Die Hard Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: USA-Canada Posts: 1,299	We know the ACL people, and friends performed but we never would be asked - too small-time. Circus mentioned that he performed at a Hastings in Amarillo in years past - last century, sometime.

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