A TAYLOR GUITARS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION • VOLUME 47 • WINTER 2006

pure acoustic the gs series takes shape I’m a 30-year-old mother and wife who Jorma Kaukonen, Bert Jansch, Leo Kottke, 1959 Harmony Sovereign to a collector, loves to play guitar. I currently own two Reverend Gary Davis, and others, and my I will buy that Taylor 110, or even a 200 Letters Fenders. But after seeing you recognize listeners tell me I am better than before series model, which are priced right. my kind of player, my next guitar will be the “incident”. That’s a long story about John-Hans Melcher a Taylor (keeping my fingers crossed for a great guitar saving my hand, my music, (former percussionist for Christmas). Thanks for thinking of me. and my job. Thanks for building your Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret) Via e-mail Bonnie Manning product like I build mine — with pride Via e-mail and quality materials. By the way, I saw Artie Traum conduct After many years of searching and try- Aloha, Mahalo Nui a workshop here in Wakefield and it was ing all manner of quality instruments in Loa, A Hui Hou a very good time. Artie is a fine musician order to improve on the sound and feel Aloha from Maui! I met David Hosler, and a real down-to-earth guy — my kind of, would you believe, a 1966 Harmony Rob Magargal, and David Kaye at Bounty of people. Sovereign, I’ve done it! It’s called a Taylor Music on Maui last August, and I hope Bob “Slice” Crawford 710ce-L9. Thank you for this superb they survived their Hawaiian tour [Events, Wakefield, Rhode Island instrument. Fall 2005]. Thank you for the privilege of Michael Betteridge having your team come here to serve us. I Web TV Via e-mail have loved owning and playing my Taylor Just a quick note to tell you how much Illustration by Rick Geary guitar for two years, and I was planning to I love the Taylor website. It’s a fantastic Mute Testimony T5 Deposition take it in to Bounty for some minor repair resource and the video content is superb: Thank you a thousand times. Yesterday, Music is very important to our law firm; all the partners play in an work when I learned about the [Taylor Day I can watch Taylor videos on my laptop, I opened my new 510ce-L9 at the store, amateur band — the Objections. I just received a T5 as a birthday gift from event]. I was excited to have people look at while my other half watches the soaps on tuned it up, and played one big E chord, my partners. This is my third Taylor, and I am amazed by the quality, my guitar who really know Taylors. TV — we’re both happy! then muted it — and all the other Taylors sound, feel, and looks of this instrument. I am now 55 and still astonishingly It also was fun to watch the guys work I have a 2001 315ce and I love it to bits. on the wall were still ringing harmonics! good-looking, so I might quit the firm and hit the road. If my partners sue on all the guitars, especially mine, and I I’m coming over see my brother in L.A. The shopowner and I were so amazed, we Taylor for damage done to our firm, I will represent you. enjoyed learning from them and speaking next year, and I’m hoping to fit in a factory both just broke into delighted laughter! It I thought that my 714 was the most beautiful guitar I had ever played. with Rob. David [Hosler] told some great visit to see you all. Thanks so much, Bob was surreal. Not any more. jokes, so he was fun, too. Thank you for the and Company; you’re fabulous. Your new Dreadnought voicing is beau- Joe Williams care with which you handled my guitar. Dave Scott tiful. Your short-scale is way more play- Via e-mail I am even more sure now that Taylor is West Midlands UK able. Your ES system is simply the most Number One in every way. Please thank perfect amplified acoustic ensemble of those who thought of the idea to tour The 15-Year Report sound (string tones, harmonics, thumps, Hawaii. It is deeply appreciated. Mahalo You probably get tired of hearing this, scratches, and every other sound that Pilot Program The upshot is, I went on the website Nui Loa (thank you very much), a hui hou but I have some praise for your company. playing creates) I’ve ever heard from a I got the Fall [2005] issue of Wood&Steel that night after the gig (around 2 a.m., (until we meet again). Aloha. I bought my Taylor 810 in 1989 and have guitar. And the fragrance of the guitar and took it with me on a flight to New because I couldn’t wait) and looked at the Dale Kreps loved it now for 15 years. In that time, I’ve — from what source, who knows? — is a Jersey, where I did the Springsteen “Light T5s. I watched all the videos, and now I Maui, Hawaii had some dealings with Taylor customer really unexpected bonus. of Day” benefit at the Stone Pony in have to have one! It’s the perfect guitar for service, which has always been extraor- Who could ever expect a new guitar Asbury Park. As I got on the plane with me, with all my traveling and the fact that A Cut Above dinary. Wood&Steel is fantastic and I’m not only to sound wonderful, play easily, my gig bag, the pilot, who was standing at I need both electric and acoustic sounds. I have to write about the astounding sure it is very effective at bringing you and meet all my expectations times 10, the entrance to the plane, asked me what I haven’t actually played one yet; I will try quality of your instruments. I have been new business. It sure does make me want but also smell good? Incredible. I played it kind of guitar I had. I said, “Collings.” He to find one in Nashville. a cabinetmaker for 20 years and a guitar a second Taylor. for hours and hours last night. I love this said, “I have a Taylor.” I said. “Oh yeah, Cindy Bullens player/teacher for much of that time. My Recently, I ordered some accessories new guitar! great guitars.” Nashville, Tennessee trade keeps me close to the wonderful from Janet [Reynolds] in the TaylorWare Bill Cory Then I told him I had the new stuff we call wood. It also keeps my hands department. She was terrifically helpful Colorado Springs, Colorado Wood&Steel with me and he asked to see [Ed. note: In addition to working as close to sharp blades. and polite. Your company is as impressive it. He took it into the cockpit to show his a vocalist with Elton John and on the Two years ago, I was working at a table as your products, which are stellar. Yours is Guru Gone Wild co-pilot (I guess) and to read it. He came Grease soundtrack, and as a songwriter saw and received a rather nasty cut that a shining example of American business A heartfelt thank-you to Bob Taylor back out and we talked about guitars; he with Nashville stalwarts Al Anderson and required tendon surgery on my guitar-fin- the way it should be. and his engineers, technicians, craftsmen, has a 314ce. I told him that I bought a Radney Foster, Bullens has enjoyed a highly gering hand. When I rather jokingly asked Mike Dosch and administrative staff — you are all Taylor for “a friend” and had played his, regarded recording career. Her new CD, the surgeon if I’d be able to play again, he Via e-mail incredible people to have created the fin- but that I had some really great acoustics Dream #29, features guest performances stopped sewing and said it would be “the est line of acoustic and electro-acoustic and couldn’t really justify getting another by Elton John, Delbert McClinton, and Tim best therapy” I could do. So when the ban- instruments I’ve ever held in my hands. one, unless it was something completely Wakefield.] dages came off, I dusted off my old [other Two-part Harmony I’ve tried all kinds and have been playing different. brand] and started at it. I’m a drummer, but I go to all the Taylor since the Beatles blew up the world with We talked some more and he sug- It All Ads Up Well, time, lack of care, and a new left workshops. Recently, I caught Pat Kirtley their atomic array of spectacular music. gested that I look at the T5. Then I read I typically read right over ads and hand made the old guitar seem even older! at the Candyman in Santa Fe, New Mexico As a guru for the high-technology indus- Wood&Steel during the flight and read don’t give them a thought. Then I saw Then I played a Taylor 414-RCE. It fit like and he gave us his all, for two hours! By try for 35 years, I searched local music my name associated with [Boston Red your ad in Guitar Player magazine about a glove and sounded like a dream, so I the way, there was not one Taylor owner stores and pawn shops from the East to Sox pitcher] Tim Wakefield — so wild! the woman who got nine innings alone risked divorce to buy her. Six months later, in the audience for Pat’s clinic — he said the West Coast and from the Rio Grande So, after the flight, I showed the pilot [the with her Taylor. My friends have known I had mastered the C chord again and was that was a first! Keep doing the work- to Toronto, checking out and playing every item about Tim Wakefield] and said, “This me to say that “football season is guitar on my way to fingerpicking heaven. shops. I love them, and it breeds a respect guitar I could get my hands on. I thought is ‘the friend’!” He said, “You’re Cindy season.” I may be a football widow, but my I am now fully recovered from the for Taylor Guitars. Thanks again for your Mr. Parker had the right idea, but that Bullens?” It was a great little connection! husband is guitar widower. injury and back to playing [material by] community support. When I sell my big continued on page 28

2 IN THIS ISSUE BobSpeak WINTER 2006 f e a t u r e s

1 The GS Guitars If the unveiling of the T5 threw a wrench in the guitar world’s gyroscope, our latest innovation boldly proclaims that at Taylor the acoustic guitar still reigns supreme. By Jim Kirlin. Story begins on page 15.

Constant 15 6 T5 Today development New colors, tops, pickup options, and left-handed models add to is causing the T5’s runaway momentum, plus tips from the T5’s creators us to be on getting the most from the axe. “luckier”. 8 The New Taylor Stomp Boxes On the heels of the ES, the K4, and the T5, we introduce two control boxes designed to “enable 8 your rig” for live performance. By Andy Robinson.

devotion into acoustics for 2006. 10 Sessions: For this guitar, we started with Just Like Artie’s blank paper, or at least as blank a Thumb’s Blues sheet as we can effectively come up Artie Traum has the blues and with at Taylor. he’s willing to share via this The fact is, we have a design thumb-thumper’s guide to a clas- philosophy that fills in the first half of all our “blank papers”, but what sic American idiom. Bob Taylor. Photo by Rita Funk-Hoffman remains to be pulled out of thin air is always exciting and can really be seen 12 The Wood&Steel and heard in a new creation when we get 12 Interview with efore going home for players in which they mention that both it right. Sometimes, those design sessions Corey Harris the recent Holidays, the acoustic and electric sounds make are frustrating, yielding less change than I opened my copy their life onstage easier, but they exclaim we’d hoped for. Other times, it works Buddy Blue talks to the man who Bof MMR (Musical Merchandise Review) how wonderful the tone is in each of the very well. d e p a r t m e n t s provided one of the highlights to see that music dealers had voted Taylor settings. From our vantage point, it almost of the PBS docu-series, Martin 2 Letters Guitars the “Acoustic Guitar Line of the It’s the tone of the T5 that so many appears to be luck when something really Scorsese Presents the Blues: Year” for 2005. I congratulated everyone people have fallen in love with. This tone works, like the T5 or the new GS, but then 3 Bobspeak A Musical Journey. in our company, and I thank you, our is the result of many years of acoustic we realize that we are always developing 4 Kurt’s Corner customers and dealers, for making such development and understanding, coupled ideas and that constant development is 5 From the Editor/ recognition possible. with our willingness as woodworkers to causing us to be “luckier”, if you know On the Web 18 On Review That was a nice way to end what was venture into our own designs of electron- what I mean. 7 Events New releases from the Farmers, ics. It doesn’t hurt to see artists like Dave The GS (Grand Symphony) is a guitar an exciting year for us at Taylor Guitars. 14 Q&A Brandi Carlile, Jim “Kimo” West, The T5 had a successful launch and the Matthews, Jason Mraz, Collective Soul, with a fresh new voice and a larger size. 22 Mixed Media Rich Eckhardt, Eugene Ruffolo, players who’ve discovered this guitar have and Prince using their T5s in their latest Still, it’s all Taylor in appearance, sound, been very happy with it. Its success isn’t videos. and feel — just a new Taylor like one 23 WorldView and Jonathan Kingham. Reviewed totally predicated on the fact that it is In this issue of Wood&Steel, we are very you’ve never heard. This guitar will be 26 Soundings by Marc Harris, Julie Bergman, so versatile, but rather on the fact that it happy to introduce the new “GS” guitars. arriving at Taylor dealers in April. Be sure 29 Almanac Kenny Weissberg, Dan Forte, sounds so good. We get comments from We decided to pour our attention and to check it out. ■ 32 Seasonal Tips Bryan Beller, and Jim Kirlin.

3 Kurt’s Corner WINTER 2006 Editor John D’Agostino

’ m writing this on our Managing Editor last day of business in Jim Kirlin 2005. The last day we Assistant Editor Ibuild and ship guitars, speak with cus- Amy De Groot tomers on the phone, have meetings, and plan for the next year. It’s a good day to Art Director reflect and to look ahead. Rita Funk-Hoffman We had an incredible year this year. Graphic Designer We launched our first electric guitar, Erin Fitzgerald the T5, in May, and Taylor has been one of the Top 10 selling brands of electric Contributors guitars in the US ever since — with only Bryan Beller • Julie Bergman • Buddy Blue one product! Bob Borbonus • Gary Correia • Jonathan Forstot We entered the year with some guitars Dan Forte • Marc Harris • David Hosler in inventory, but we’re ending the year Len Jaffe • Deborah Liv Johnson • Wayne Johnson with just 24 unsold guitars on hand, and Jenny and Kurt Listug at the Taylor holiday party. Photo by Marina D David Kaye • Mike Keneally • Pat Kirtley with a good chunk of the next six months’ Kurt Listug • Tom Mulhern • Chris Proctor production already sold. We had demand Andy Robinson • Simone Solondz from our dealers for several thousand which is a 45-minute drive from our facili- more in 2006. Bob Taylor • Artie Traum • Kenny Weissberg Looking ahead, we’re about to launch more guitars this year than we were able ties in El Cajon. Technical Advisors to produce. After several record months We hired and trained several new sales our first new body shape since 1994. It’s Zach Arntz • David Hosler of shipping, we’re ending the year with people who are getting their own ter- an entirely new sound for Taylor guitars, Tim Luranc • Mike Mosley our highest-ever revenue. ritories for 2006. We’re making our sales but distinctively Taylor. I think it will Brian Swerdfeger • Glen Wolff We’re busting at the seams for space territories smaller next year, so that our be very popular, and reach guitarists for and need more production capacity. To sales people have fewer dealers to service whom we haven’t made the right guitar Photographers that end, we’ve negotiated a lease for an and can thereby give each of their dealers — until now. Randi Anglin • Pat Boemer • Larry Clark • Erin Fitzgerald additional build-to-suit structure next a higher level of service. We’re also introducing new electron- Rita Funk-Hoffman • Marshall Harrington door, and it’s already under construction. We piloted the concept of “Taylor ics developed by the same people who Dena Hickman Wolff • Pat Hier • Randy Hoffman We also added another building in Tecate, Days”, where we send factory technicians produced our Expression System and David Kaye • Pat Kirtley • James Steinfeldt Mexico, and successfully moved our to a store to tune-up and restring custom- K4, and we’re adding some new color Illustrators Baby and Big Baby production there. Our ers’ guitars, and answer their questions. and pickup options to the T5. You can Erin Fitzgerald • Rita Funk-Hoffman work force and management there has Some of these were done in conjunction read more about all these exciting new Rick Geary • Elwood Smith • Tom Voss become well grooved-in, and the place with a workshop conducted by a Taylor developments elsewhere in this issue. is running very smoothly. It’s been five clinician, others were not. These proved Here’s wishing you a prosperous and Circulation years since we started our Tecate facility, to be extremely popular. We’ll be doing expanding New Year! ■ Lyndsey Butler • Sheila Dupre • Sara Gill Tina Murillo • Suzie Reed • Mary Warren Production Services 2006-07 HOLIDAY / VACATION SCHEDULE Pacific PreMedia If you are planning to visit Taylor Guitars in 2006, please be aware that we normally are open Mondays Bordeaux Printers, Inc. through Fridays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) and always are closed on weekends. Factory tours begin promptly VQS Enterprises, Inc. at 1 p.m. and you need not make a reservation unless you are part of a group of ten or more, in which case please give us at least two days’ notice by calling the number below and asking for the factory tour manager. Distributors Please take note of the weekday exceptions below; on the following dates, the entire complex will be closed, Western Graphics and no one will be answering phones. We wouldn’t want anyone to suffer the fate of the Griswolds in National Lampoon’s Publisher Vacation (there’s no Taylor Moose out front to tell you we’re closed). Taylor-Listug, Inc. For more information about tours and/or for directions to the factory, see the “Contact” page of our website. If you live outside of the San Diego area and can’t remember if we’re going to be open on a certain date, please call us at ©2006 Taylor Guitars. TAYLOR, TAYLOR GUITARS, The Stylized Taylor Guitars Logo, TAYLOR QUALITY GUITARS and Design, WOOD&STEEL, DISCOVER THE (619) 258-1207. We look forward to seeing you! INDIES, the Peghead Shape Design, Bridge Shape Design, Taylor Pickguard Design, and QUALITY TAYLOR GUITARS, GUITARS AND CASES and Design are regis- Closed Monday, February 20 (President’s Day) tered trademarks of the company. 300 SERIES, 400 SERIES, 500 SERIES, 600 SERIES, Closed Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day) 700 SERIES, 800 SERIES, 900 SERIES, BABY TAYLOR, BIG BABY, PRESENTATION SERIES, GALLERY Series, LIBERTY TREE, K4, TAYLOR K4, TAYLOR GUITARS K4 Closed Monday-Friday, July 3-7 (Independence Day vacation) EQUALIZER, TAYLORWARE, TAYLOR EXPRESSION SYSTEM, and EXPRESSION SYSTEM are registered trademarks of the company. 100 Closed Monday, September 4 (Labor Day) SERIES, 200 SERIES, NYLON SERIES, BABY LIBERTY, Closed Monday, October 16 (Taylor Guitars Anniversary) TAYLOR ACOUSTIC ELECTRONICS, DYNAMIC BODY SENSOR, DYNAMIC STRING SENSOR, Closed Thursday-Friday, November 23-24 (Thanksgiving) SIGNATURE Series, T5, T5 THINLINE FIVEWAY, TAYLOR GUITARS T5 THINLINE 5-WAY, T-LOCK, and Closed Monday, December 25, 2006—Friday, January 5, 2007 (Holidays, Company Vacation) WAVE COMPENSATED are trademarks of the company. Patents pending. 4 from the editor On The Web ied shows, including that of the What’s new at taylorguitars.com New York Society of Illustrators. f you fly into San Diego High-quality prints of select- IInternational Airport/ ed “Seasonal Tips” works are Lindbergh Field in early popular items in our online T5 soundcheck 2006 and disembark at TaylorWare catalog. Capping what might be our most Terminal 2, you’ll have a More recently, we’ve been ambitious website project yet, chance to see Made in honored to feature illustrations San Diego/Played Around by Elwood Smith (“Sessions”), we’re excited to announce the the World, an exhibit that whose work appears in the launch of the T5 Soundcheck. In showcases several of this New York Times, Forbes, Time, this feature, we give you the power region’s musical-instru- Newsweek, and Rolling Stone to hear exactly what the T5 can do. ment icons. Presented (and on the cover of the Artie Choose a T5. Pick an amp. Hit the under the auspices of the Traum/Chris Shaw/Tom Akstens Made in San Diego/Played Around the World exhibit at Terminal 2, 5-way switch, then go. San Diego County Airport San Diego International Airport. Photo by Andy Robinson CD, Big Trout Radio). Authority’s Cultural Photographers have been You can compare the T5’s different Exhibits Program, it’s the a huge part of the Wood&Steel top woods. Or get that “dirty” electric handiwork of the Museum of Making and Guitar Player), Marc Harris (editor/ story from day one, and although we can’t sound. Strum through a PA. If you Music, itself a fascinating repository of contributor to major guitar publications), list everyone whose work has appeared don’t already own three T5s and a musical instrument memorabilia, archival Randy Hoffman (pro musician, photog- herein, several deserve special mention: bunch of cool amps, this is materials, and interactive fun located in rapher, award-winning music journalist), Randi Anglin (Nashville-based voting Carlsbad, just north of San Diego (museu- Len Jaffe (singer-songwriter/guitarist, member of the Recording Academy who the next best thing. Look for it mofmakingmusic.org). concert promoter, founding member of the has photographed many of the biggest in the T5 section. The airport display case devoted Songwriters Association of Washington, names in music), Pat Boemer (BFA with to Taylor Guitars features a koa XXX, DC), Deborah Liv Johnson (singer-song- Honors from the Art Center College of video library a Liberty Tree Guitar, and a guitar Bob writer, journalist), Tom Mulhern (former Design in Pasadena, California, photo- Visit our See/Hear section, where Taylor made in 11th grade. Also repre- Guitar Player stalwart, writer/editor of graphs featured in Digital Imaging maga- sented are Deering Banjos, Carvin Guitars numerous magazine columns and books zine, art photography featured in group our “Factory Fridays” series contin- and Pro Audio, Azola Basses, Dell’Arte on audio and musical equipment), Dylan exhibitions, Award of Excellence from the ues with a two-part segment about Guitars, Snider Amplification, and Wild Schorer (former editor of Acoustic Guitar Creative Show-San Diego), Mike Campos milling master-grade koa, and in Thing Trumpets. There’s even a one-of- magazine, Telluride Bluegrass Festival fin- (guitar and TaylorWare photography), February, with a new installment on a-kind, doubleneck electric guitar hand- gerstyle-guitar champ, author of instruc- Marshall Harrington (longtime guitar finish and colors. After reading Artie crafted in 1957 by the late Walter James tional guitar and transcription books), “glamor shot” and Taylor catalog pho- Harvey (1922-1981). Simone Solondz (journalist, former tographer, clients include Intel, Nissan, Traum’s “Sessions” piece in this issue, Made in San Diego/Played Around the editor of Acoustic Guitar magazine), and Reebok, TV Guide), Pat Hier (proud hop online for a virtual lesson with World accomplishes two things: it reveals Kenny Weissberg (former music jour- Taylor owner who balances a day job in Artie on thumbpicking your way that sun-baked San Diego is home to nalist, long-time producer of San Diego’s Crete, Nebraska with an interest in pho- through the blues. And join profes- some prestigious instrument makers, Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay series, tography and music), Randy Hoffman sional studio engineer Gary Hedden and it provides a breather after the current host/deejay of the acclaimed radio (see contributing writers, above), Robert (Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, Michael interminable schlep from the Terminal show, Music Without Boundaries, streamed Sanders (award-winning digital photog- 2 gates to the baggage-claim area. The Saturday mornings at 91X.com). rapher whose clients include Tony Hawk, Jackson) as he reveals his secrets exhibit, on display through March 31, In addition, several of Taylor’s esteemed Qualcomm, Easton Sports and BMG about recording an acoustic guitar. 2006, is visible on the second-floor land- clinicians have shared their expertise in Music), James Steinfeldt (Photographer ing just past the escalators that take you print, among them Bryan Beller, Wayne of the Year at the 1998 Los Angeles Music down to the baggage area. Johnson, Mike Keneally, Pat Kirtley, Awards, photos placed in Rolling Stone n recent years, we’ve welcomed some Chris Proctor, and Artie Traum. [Bob Dylan, Madonna] and SPIN, CD cov- Iexcellent non-staff contributors to the Since its maiden issue in mid-1994, ers for Miles Davis, Willie Nelson, John Wood&Steel fold, and I’d like to acknowl- Wood&Steel’s pages have been bookend- Denver, Dee Dee Ramone), and Chris edge and thank them for their journalistic, ed by two of Southern California’s best Wimpey (various Taylor ad campaigns Look for additional information on the Taylor website, illustrational, and photographic contribu- illustrators — Rick Geary (“Letters”) and catalogs, has shot for Lexus and the tions to this publication. and Tom Voss (“Seasonal Tips”). Geary’s 2006 advertising campaigns for Harley- including audio and video content, when you see In alpha order, our outside writers credits include regular contributions to Davidson and Kawasaki Motorcycles). have included Julie Bergman (folk-blues National Lampoon (1979-1992), MAD, And a special heartfelt thanks to Dale these icons associated with Wood&Steel articles. guitarist, former music-biz publicist, cur- Spy, Rolling Stone, the San Diego Reader, Van Zant, who for years squired this pub- rent feature contributor to Acoustic Guitar, the New York Times Book Review, the lication through the critical, high-tech, Guitar Player, and other music publica- Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union- pre-press production phase to make it tions), Buddy Blue (founding member of Tribune, and Los Angeles and San Diego look as good as possible. Dale has moved the Beat Farmers, current music columnist magazines. Voss has done illustrations on to another line of work, but his high for the San Diego Union-Tribune), Dan for a number of top advertising agencies standards and selfless work ethic remain Forte (Stanford journalism grad, con- and publications, and his original art has a benchmark for Wood&Steel. tributor to Vintage Guitar, Guitar World, been recognized in some prestigious jur- — John D’Agostino Read this and other back issues of Wood&Steel online (news/events)

5 As if the new solid colors weren’t in conjunction with the under-fretboard T5 the Next Generation: New Options for ’06 enough of a tease, we’ll also be offering pickup, will give you jazz tones and over- new premium wood tops as options on driven-neck-pickup sounds that are out of While many people were reacting to Product Specialist Brian Swerdfeger. “All our 2006 T5s. Joining the existing forest this world — they just sound so good!” the sonic boom of the T5’s 2005 debut, four colors are rendered in small-flake of T5 woods are a master-grade quilted The technical explanation of the the minds behind the innovative guitar metallic, which gives you depth and maple, and some of the most amazing effect of adding that pickup is that you’re were working on new options that prom- dimension while avoiding the ‘gaudy’ look koa we’ve ever used (see the “Killer Koa, increasing the aperture that the electron- ise to increase its already broad appeal. of some metallics. And they all look great Part 1 & 2” video in the Factory Fridays ics have on the strings and on the magnet- Specifically, an expanded palette of colors, with the white binding. section of our website). ic field; it just does things, physics-wise, premium tops, a new pickup option, and “In a sense, these finishes reflect the But the super-charged changes don’t that create new sounds. a left-handed model rachet things up a ongoing romance a lot of us have with end with visual aesthetics. An important “You can even get Strat-like tones,” notch for the second generation of the cars and guitars. Some of the finishes on new custom option enables you to order Swerdfeger adds. Thinline Fiveway. the most iconic electrics of the past were a neck-position humbucking pickup on Also new for 2006 are lefty T5s, aka The new finishes — Sage Green, Lake borrowed from the hot cars of the day. any new T5. “answered prayers” for the many left- Placid, Pearl Blue, and Crimson Red There was a natural correlation between “The neck-position humbucker replaces handed players who’ve been jonesing — are striking, and strikingly different cars and guitars, and we’ve carried that the body sensor and turns the T5 into for a T5. for Taylor. They look like something you’d forward with the new T5 colors. When more of an electric guitar,” Swerdfeger To see the new colors and read see on a classic electric guitar, and that’s you see the chrome appointments and the explains. “All the positions will still sound about the new options for 2006, see no accident. colors and the white binding all together, good through an acoustic amp or PA, the T5 section of our website. Consult “Our new colors definitely give the you get the sense of looking at a great although you might surrender some of the your local authorized Taylor dealer T5 more of an electric-guitar vibe,” says hot-rod.” super-zingy top end. But the new pickup, for ordering instructions.

high-gain distortion, and you easily can halfway up toward “wide open”. Turn the Start with the T5 tone controls in the T5 Tone Tips: A Guide to Getting Started drive a band just by pluggingFully it Electric in and bass knob the same amount in the oppoFully- Acousticcenter detent position and volume slightly grinding a few chords! Be sure to check site direction (down). This will slightly higher.

The immediate pleasures of the T5 are live sound, is processed, compressed, and out the “High-Gain Tips” video on the ELECTRbump-upIC the mids. Use the T5 volume to Set the amp EQ flat to start. If the EQ well documented, no more eloquently or “effected”. Modern music is full of cool Taylor website, in the Performance Tips control the amount of drive. controls are active on the amp or PA, be extravagantly than by new owners who sounds like chorus, delay, and overdrive. section of “See/Hear”. Switch to the clean channel on the amp. sure to start in the flat or “no EQ added” ELECTRIC continue to send us detailed mini-jour- Don’t leave them out of your recipe. Start with full distortion in the center The T5 has amazing tones available inOR all position, then dial-in EQ to taste. If the nals of their experiences (see Q&A this switch position on the T5. Put the amp five positions. EQ controls are not active, turn them all issue). In the spirit of shared discovery Choose the Right Amp on overdrive or go through your favorite up slightly, maybe around 3, and work we offer our own tips on getting the most stomp box and drive it. Move through Acoustic from there. out of a T5 — information that should be Electric positions 2-5. Only position 1 has a body ELECTR TheIC T5 offers an incredible tone palette Note: The T5 and ES pickup systems useful both to those who’ve already put a Try the T5 through an electric amp first sensor and should be avoided at full gain. when run through a good acoustic amp or are ACOUmagnetic.STI CIf you plug into an amp or T5 through the paces and to those who are (the same amp you would use to for any Tone Tip: With the amp in distortion PA system. Just plug-in and dial-in what PA channel that is set up for a piezo X-DRIVE PHASE DELAY - 9 just opening the guitar case and wonder- high-quality electric guitar). The T5 is mode, go to switch positionMASTE R5 on the T5, you want. Switch through different posi- pickup system, you’ll need to start with ing, “Now what do I do?” a fully electric guitar, capable of driving dial the treble up past the center detent, tions and turn the tone controls. fresh EQ settings.

Important Safety Note: Optimized setup: Electric and Before you plug into any Acoustic amps together FullyFully Electric Electric FullyFully Acoustic Acoustic Optimized amplifier, make sure it is prop- Pick a good high-gain amp erly grounded for both safety and a clean PA or acoustic amp. ELECTRIC and proper shielding. In addi- ELECTRELECTRIC IC Incorporate an A/B/Y box (see tion, carefully check to make ACOUSTIC page 8) and some effects. Switch ELECTRIC sure that the ground lug is not between a great overdrive setup ELECTRELECTRIC IC broken off of any amps, exten- OR OR on the gain amp and a totally sion cords, or power strips in clean sound on the acoustic amp.

the AC chain. A B INPUT BOTH Then hit “both” on the A/B box. Now cancel all your appoint- Use Effects ELECTRELECTRIC IC ments and prepare to have some Consider this: no one listens ACOUACOUSTISTIC C serious fun! to dry, flat sounds! Everything A/B BOTH X-DRIVEX-DRIVE PHASEPHASE DELAYDE -LA 9Y - 9 we hear, from recorded CDs to MASTEMASTER R

6 OptimizedOptimized

ELECTRIC ELECTRELICECTRIC

ACOUACOUSTICSTIC ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC ELECTRELEICCTRIC

A AB B INPUT INPUT BOTH BOTH

A/B A/B BOTHBOTH

ELECTRICELECTRIC

ELECTRICELECTRIC ACOUACOUSTICSTIC The Walnut Valley Festival ticularly electric performances by Huey September 14-18, 2005 Lewis and the News, Jimmy Dawkins, the Cowley County Fairgrounds Fabulous Thunderbirds, blues harmonica Winfield, Kansas master James Cotton, and an amazing set by Mavis Staples. Temperatures remained in the low 90s Taylor’s Lonny Brooks held down for much of the Walnut Valley Festival our exhibitor’s booth, demo-ing guitars — better known as “Winfield” — as throughout the weekend, giving many attendees were treated to performances bluesers their first glimpse of the T5, and by guitar hero Tommy Emmanuel, the even contributing to the relief efforts for Wilders, the Greencards, and many oth- the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Barrie ers. In addition to the concerts, acoustic Broadbent of Millbrae, California was players are drawn to Winfield by the the lucky bidder on a Taylor T5 Standard National Championship competitions we raffled off, raising $2,500 that was held in a number of musical donated by the festival organizers to the categories, including flatpick- New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund. The ing and fingerstyle guitar. N.O.M.R.F., founded by Benjamin Jaffe, Roy Curry from Tennessee director of Preservation Hall, distributes took home a W10e for placing grants to New Orleans musicians of all third in the flatpicking division, genres who apply for relief and lack the while Oregon resident and Taylor guitar tech Tim Luranc re-strings a Taylor owner’s guitar at Winfield. economic means to pursue their craft, Photo by David Kaye Solid Air Records art- replace their instruments, or gain access ist Doug Smith chose a to live performance venues. W14ce after placing third in the fingerstyle category. Music events we’re co-sponsoring Special mention goes to 16- and/or exhibiting at during the first tri- year-old Adam Gardino from mester of 2006 include: Folk Alliance Colorado Springs, Colorado, Conference, February 9-14, Austin, who in his very first trip to Texas (folk.org); Wintergrass Bluegrass Winfield made the top five Festival, February 23-26, Tacoma, in the fingerstyle competition, Washington (acousticsound.org/!wg_ playing his 214. home.htm); SXSW, March 15-19, Austin, The festival kicked off on Texas (sxsw.com); Dallas Guitar Show, Wednesday night with the annual Taylor April 21-23, Dallas Texas (guitarshow. Guitars Concert, this time featuring past McKee, who plays percussive fingerstyle its 33rd annual com); MerleFest, April 27-30, Wilkesboro, Winfield fingerstyle champion and Taylor a la Preston Reed. McKee had never even installment in North Carolina (merlefest.org); Tulsa clinician Chris Proctor playing for a held a T5 before, and after he coaxed lush late September. Guitar Show, May 6-7, Tulsa, Oklahoma standing-room-only crowd. tones from it he was moved to exclaim, The event man- (tulsaguitarshow.com). Please come by On Thursday, the festival was in “Sweet guitar — I really can’t believe ages to retain and say hello! full-swing. The PR department’s Lonny how easy it is to play!” A total of 12 Taylor the community To ensure that you don’t miss the Taylor Brooks and David Kaye and Regional guitars were sold at Winfield, among them spirit common events coming to your area, register for Sales Manager Steve Bernstein were the a 30th Anniversary XXX-MS, a 912ce, and to festivals of our free “E/vents” reminder e-mail pro- eye of the storm of activity at the Taylor a T5-S1. the ’60s, and gram by going to our website, rolling your booth, which didn’t let up until Sunday. always has cursor over the “news/events” tab, and They were joined by Jim Baggett of Mass SAN FRANCISCO attracted a clicking on “Taylor Calendar”. You’ll see St. Music, our dealer in Lawrence, Kansas, BLUES FESTIVAL w o r l d - c l a s s where to click to enroll. Once enrolled, who brought more than 25 Taylors for lineup of musi- you’ll automatically be notified a month visitors’ playing and viewing pleasure. September 23-25 cians to the in advance of every event. And, for the first time ever, Taylor brought The Great Meadow at Fort Mason historic Fort T5 raffle winner Barrie Broadbent at the San Francisco Blues Festival. If you’d rather not receive e-mail notic- veteran guitar tech Tim Luranc to do free San Francisco, California Mason grounds, Photo by Lonny Brooks es, simply refer to our online Calendar for diagnostics and re-stringings for wide- which have the information, which is updated daily. ■ eyed Taylor owners. Founded in 1973 by Tom Mazzolini, the Golden Gate A number of top-notch performers San Francisco Blues Festival celebrated Bridge as majestic backdrop. ing B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray got a long-awaited chance to audition our its title as “America’s longest continu- Since its inception, the SFBF has hosted Vaughan, Etta James, and Bonnie Raitt. T5, among them Emmanuel and Andy ously running blues festival” by holding some of the biggest names in blues, includ- This year was no exception, with par-

7 New Stomping Grounds: Taylor Introduces Two New Quality Accessories

Taylor’s Universal A/B/Both box allows a player to run sturdy, pedalboard-friendly aluminum enclosure. While there a Taylor T5™, Taylor acoustic, or any brand of electric guitar, are other A/B/Both boxes on the market, the Taylor box is acoustic guitar, or bass to two separate outputs. Foot switch- uniquely useful in that the three LED status lights make it easy es are used to toggle between amps, PA systems, and other to keep track of where you’re sending your guitar sound at all destinations, or to activate both outputs at the same time. times. Because the “A” or “B” indicator stays lit even when The box initially was conceived with the T5 player in mind, the “Both” switch is activated, you’ll always know where your says Taylor Special Projects Manager David Hosler. “Players signal is going when you switch out of “Both”. might want to send their signal directly to a PA system for The A/B/Both box also can run in reverse (two inputs and clean acoustic sounds, and then switch to an electric-guitar one output). When used this way, it allows a player to plug-in amplifier for electric clean and high-gain tones. Or they might two guitars and have them share one output, and that enables want both sounds happening at once.” two different guitars to be ready to go at all times. The player The box features a 1/4-inch unbalanced input jack, two 1/4- simply selects a guitar using the A/B footswitch, which auto- inch unbalanced output jacks, two road-ready foot switches, matically mutes the guitar not in use. and three individual LED status lights, and is housed in a

8 As part of our continuing effort to develop useful and exciting tools for the gigging guitarist, we’re kicking off 2006 by introducing two new Taylor control boxes — the Universal A/B/Both and the Expression System Tuner Mute Balanced Breakout™.

The ES Tuner Mute Balanced Breakout is a foot- “It was designed so that players with Taylor ES electron- controlled mute switch for tuning offline, and was designed ics can mute their guitars and tune silently onstage without exclusively for an Expression System-equipped Taylor guitar. compromising the high-quality balanced signal of the onboard This handy little box allows you to keep a tuner connected system,” explains David Hosler. “The Balanced Breakout also and mute your signal when desired, all the while maintaining is a bit of a ‘tone machine’; we use a high-quality audio trans- the pure, balanced signal path of the ES. It also includes a former in it, so you’ll not only maintain a balanced signal, but high-quality audio transformer that sweetens your tone and you’ll also get the sonic benefit of that transformer simply by eliminates switching surges caused by mixers with undefeat- plugging in.” able phantom power. The control box can also function as a microphone mute, The box features balanced XLR input and output jacks, a offering on/off foot-switchable control for any dynamic micro- tour-ready mute switch, and an independent 1/4-inch output phone (such as a Shure SM58). This is a great way to help for an electronic tuner, and is housed in a sturdy, pedalboard- avoid feedback problems when the mic is not in use. friendly aluminum enclosure.

Both control boxes will be available in early 2006, through both Taylor dealers and TaylorWare. Suggested retail list price is $118 for each. Consult your local dealer or taylorguitars.com for more details.

9 otherwise would. Once the thumb established a steady groove, blues players would pick out melodies on the treble strings with their first, second, and third fingers. Sessions In the key of E, for example, the thumb hits the low 6th string (root E) on every beat, or plays the downbeat of each measure. In the key of A, the thumb hits the open 5th string (root A) and in G it would be on the 6th string, 3rd fret. Simple? You bet. But getting a proper feel for this style of playing, as exemplified by Brownie McGhee, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Big Bill Broonzy, or Doc Watson, might take some serious practice. Generally, the thumb plays the root of each chord, although some players might hit a 3rd, a 5th, or some other interval. It’s good to bear in mind that there are no absolute rules in this regard. Try pinching the bass and treble strings together and you’ll be on your Opposing Thumbs: way to playing fingerstyle blues. Thumping Your Way to Great Blues by Artie Traum In fingerpicking styles, the thumb tends on every other beat — back and forth, Example 1 to alternate between strings. In E, for back and forth, steadily creating a groove. This example for beginners gets your example, the thumb would move back and It is recommended to practice this with a thumb and picking fingers warmed up forth from the 6th string to the 4th string metronome at various tempos. in the key of E:

While many classic blues guitarists Blues” and “Freight Train”. If the thumb thumped on the bass strings, Mississippi is steady and keeps good time, every- Example 2 John Hurt, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and thing else falls into place. If the thumb This example also is for true begin- Elizabeth Cotten most definitely were fin- loses momentum, the entire song will ners, to get your thumb working back gerpickers on such songs as “Candy Man fall apart. and forth:

Illustration by Elwood Smith

pposing thumbs are said to be an essential feature of primates, which my encyclopedia defines as mammals with “opposable thumbs and big toes.” We human primates can use our thumbs for hitchhiking, pressing stamps on enve- lopes, or scratching our ears. By comparison, the big toe is not quite as useful, Oor even noticeable, unless you stub it while looking for a midnight snack. The thumb plays an essential role for guitarists who wish to play acoustic blues. It also establishes the rhythmic foundation for fingerpicking in genres that include country music, slack key, contemporary-guitar compositions, and songwriting. By my measure, there are three ways to use your right thumb in blues: thumping, alternating bass, and snapping the strings. The old-time blues players — Lightnin’ Hopkins, Son House, Mance Lipscomb, Charlie Patton, Blind Blake, and Robert Johnson — played by “thumping” on the bass strings with the right thumb. Because they often played solo guitar, the thumb was a kind of rhythm section that kept the time going, the way a bass player and drummer

1 0 Recently, I chatted with blues artist One thing about the guys who invented To further your blues education and develop those chops, check out Rory Block, who reminded me of a tech- the blues: they were a tough, stubborn lot nique we call “snapping” the bass strings. who didn’t suffer fools gladly. Happy and Artie Traum’s Easy Steps to Blues Guitar Jamming: “I think it was Willie Brown who Many country-blues musicians lived Play Along and Learn! — the new instructional DVD invented snapping the bass,” she recalled. in isolated areas and rarely got to hang “He’s the hardest snapping guitarist. You out together, which might account for released on Homespun Tapes. In just under two hours, the do it by pulling up on the bass string, that blues subgenre’s loose form. Muddy Traums teach you the techniques and raw materials you need actually getting under it, to give it a per- Waters once told folklorist Alan Lomax, cussive snap.” “We settled down way out in the coun- to play six blues standards in the keys of E and A (e.g. “Key to Big Joe Williams also used this tech- try, where there wasn’t another house in the Highway”, “Trouble in Mind”), and then provide the rhythmic nique, in addition to hitting the body of sight.” Similarly, Howlin’ Wolf was born the guitar like a percussion instrument. in the small community of West Point, backing so you can jam with them. Although the DVD is filled with a Funk bass players use this technique, as Mississippi. He learned guitar whenever lot of material for all skill levels, it’s designed to enable even a novice to well; Victor Wooten, for one, slaps, pops, he could take a break from “fixing fences, and snaps all over the fingerboard. picking cotton, and pulling corn.” learn and play along (homespuntapes.com). We tend to think of blues as a standard- In those heady, early days, blues ized form consisting of 12-bars, 16-bars, riffs, ideas, and tradi- or 24-bars, and as a tions were passed on player you must know whenever musicians The ideas in Examples 3 and 4 recall A chord. Mostly, though, you’ll be focus- Vibrato can be achieved by planting how to stay within this ran into each other the styles of Brownie McGhee, Lightnin’ ing on the “inner” strings, which makes it your finger(s) on a string and moving form. Rufus Thomas, John Lee Hooker on the streets of Hopkins, and such contemporary artists that much funkier. Sliding into notes, or your wrist back and forth. The faster your who wrote the R&B Greenville, Mississippi, as Keb Mo, Bonnie Raitt, and Taj Mahal. hammering-on, will enhance your style. wrist moves, the deeper the vibrato. classic “Walkin’ the told a newspaper in Houston, Texas, or New Please note that while these figures cap- Bending the strings, whereby you lift a John Lee Hooker told a newspaper in Dog”, once noted Orleans, Louisiana. ture the essence of acoustic blues, they string so it moves up a half or a whole Atlanta, Georgia, “I don’t play a lot of fancy that “12-bar blues Atlanta, Georgia, “I Memphis Minnie aren’t exact stylistic replicas of any par- tone, is another technique you can use to guitar. The kind of guitar I want to play is is the backbone of was from Algiers, ticular artist’s riffs. Certainly, less is more enliven your sound. mean, mean licks.” I’ve heard that Hooker American music.” don’t play a lot of fancy Louisiana, but moved with these exercises. B.B. King was one master who never was a kind, generous man, but when his It wasn’t quite that at age 13 to Memphis, At times, you’ll want to play a full E or felt comfortable using a slide. Instead, he thumb started hammering on the bass clear in the 1920s and guitar. The kind of where she played gui- learned to bend strings and use vibrato to notes, it was simply scary. ’30s. Producer Bobby tar in clubs under the approximate what he heard from bottle- continued on page 28 Shad — known for guitar I want to play is name “Kid” Douglas. neck players. “I learned to trill my finger,” his work with Charlie She was one of a he said. Parker and Dinah mean, mean licks.” handful of women Example 3 Washington, as well blues performers Lighnin’ Hopkins Riff in the Key of E: as with many blues at the time, and she artists — noticed knew many styles of that Texas bluesman Lightnin’ Hopkins music, including gospel, jug band, and rarely stuck to blues form. “He had no blues. Her guitar playing was so good she conception of a 12-bar blues,” Shad told is said to have beaten Big Bill Broonzy in writer Arnold Shaw. “It could be eight- a guitar contest. and-a-half [bars] or 13-and-a-quarter.” The original bluesmen (and women) I recently came across a story on the were ruthlessly competitive. They tended Internet about Hopkins and Billy Gibbons to upstage each other and show-off their of ZZ Top. It seems Lightnin’ wasn’t chang- speed licks. A guitarist was said to “cut” ing chords at the right moment, and when a fellow musician whom he out-played, Gibson commented on this quirky style, and there was a lot of bragging and boast- Hopkins said, “Lightnin’ changes when ing at jam sessions. But in spite of all the Lightnin’ wants to.” bravado, the old bluesmen acknowledged Hopkins came from Centerville, Texas other players as sources of inspiration. and was strongly influenced by Blind Fred McDowell, a shy and quiet genius Lemon Jefferson during the time when from Tennessee (and a major influence on Lightnin’ helped the older musician navi- Bonnie Raitt’s slide playing), admitted he gate the streets of southern towns. And “learned a lot from one fellow, Raymond Lightnin’ certainly was a no-nonsense guy. Payne. He was really good.” Muddy Waters Many years ago, at the Swarthmore Folk gives credit for his wounded, volatile style Festival (near Philadelphia), some friends to Son House and Robert Johnson, two and I managed to get backstage to see undisputed geniuses of the Delta. Muddy’s him warming up. One friend had learned playing skills sharpened through end- several Hopkins riffs note for note, and he less performances at rough juke joints, played them for Lightnin’, who shook his fish-frying parties, street-corner gigs, and head and said, “Good son, but you need eventually in working-class clubs in the feeling.” Then he walked away. slums of Chicago. John Lee Hooker had a similar sense Let’s look at an essential blues riff in the of style. “I don’t think about time,” Hooker keys of E and A. once said. “You’re here when you’re here.”

1 1 THE WOOD&STEEL INTERVIEW WITH

orey Harris snuck you utilize to draw different tones and feelings from? up on the blues CH: I’m always learning how to be a bet- ter singer. I’ll sing different songs in dif- milieu a decade ferent ways, you know, try to hit the vibe ago with his that’ll get the song over to the listener. I’d say the voice is definitely an instrument. C COREY All my favorite singers have different ways debut album, Between Midnight and of singing. Day. Here was a young upstart playing W&S: Who are some of your favorite HARRIS singers? old-time country blues with the vir- By Buddy Blue CH: Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong. I like B.B. tuoso chops and natural conviction of King’s singing, Stevie Wonder…wow, such legendary figures as Charley there are so many to choose from. W&S: You were an anthropology stu- Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and dent, and many people who approach recording as anthropology come off as Robert Johnson, and the blues world sounding like they’re trying too hard. How have you been able to avoid that syndrome trembled in awe. and keep your music sounding natural? CH: I think when a lot of people do Where so many others had taken that, they tend to step outside of them- selves, they’re not expressing what they similar journeys deep into this music’s really are, you know? I don’t go outside of past, inevitably only to come across myself in my music, I always try to express what I really feel inside, the way I see as forced or downright spurious, things. To me, that’s it — keep it genuine and about something grounded. I try to Harris managed to sound as if he’d just write from experience, or if I’m singing a song, I try to relate to it one way or anoth- stepped out of a time machine from er as opposed to just singing something I The glue binding these projects togeth- think sounds cool. the year 1928 — no small trick for er was Harris’ seemingly supernatural W&S: You’re playing guitar in a new ability to make everything he recorded a college-educated language teacher “ I t h i n k style on this record, yet you’re utilizing sound completely musical and unaffected, cyclical hooks and grooves that remain from Denver. as opposed to the well-meaning but ulti- blues-based. It’s like the vocabulary is dif- mately artificial results of a musicologist’s ferent but the feeling remains the same. Is Not content to exist as a mere revival- t h e r e a r e experimentation. blues so deeply grounded within you that His latest CD, Daily Bread, finds the it always informs your guitar playing? ist, Harris on subsequent outings used 36-year-old swimming in the rich, blue CH: Yeah, definitely. That’s how it all d i f f e r e n t waters of the Caribbean, effortlessly con- started out for me, so it seems natural that the blues as the foundation for a myr- necting the melodic and rhythmic dots I’d refer to that. Actually, I didn’t start out from Jamaica to Mali and back to America. playing blues, but when I started to play iad of musical adventures: 1997’s Fish t y p e s o f Harris recently spoke with Wood&Steel W&S: Having been categorized as a blues guitar well, I realized I needed to learn Ain’t Bitin’ grafted on New Orleans- about his past and future, his passions musician early on, do you consciously try how, because it was a foundation for so and techniques, the state of the blues to get away from that pigeonhole, or do many different kinds of music. When I styled brass; 1999’s Greens From the today, and how his Taylor 514ce helps him you just go wherever the path leads you was coming up, I heard a lot of musicians b l u e s f o r to fulfill his musical vision. as a musician? saying that if you could play the blues, you Garden explored the blues roots inher- CH: People are always going to say could play anything — and that’s really Wood&Steel: I love your new CD, certain things about you, that you true, you know? ent in funk and even hip-hop; 2003’s d i f f e r e n t Daily Bread, and like most of your albums should do this or do that, but you gotta W&S: That is true, but very few it came as quite a surprise to me. What do what you want to do. I just try to be modern guitarists have mastered the early Mississippi to Mali found Harris bring- would you call it — reggae? Caribbean? myself, that’s all. country-blues style to the degree that you Corey Harris: I don’t know what I’d W&S: So few people have been able to ing the blues back “home” to Africa t y p e s o f have. How does a well-educated, middle- call it; to me it’s just “roots”. It definitely get that raw, raspy, Charlie Patton kind class kid from Colorado find that con- — a voyage also chronicled that year has some reggae in there, but it’s not really of vocal style you had down on your nection with the cultural and emotional p e o p l e . ” a reggae record. We try to keep it simple early albums without sounding phony elements of a style so far removed from in the PBS docu-series, Martin Scorsese and keep a message in there, try to have and affected. Now your vocal style is much your own experience? it be about something other than simple more clean and smooth. Do you view the CH: I grew up in Colorado, but my fam- Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey. entertainment. voice as an instrument like a guitar, which ily is all from the South. That was the

1 2 reference point. Somebody would die and CH: Yeah, yeah, there’s “ I f e e l W&S: On the subject of instru- now they’re just a name. You gotta look at we’d all go down South, and I’d see where a lot of that. Hip-hop has ments, when did you start playing the guitar, and for me, Taylor is consistent. my mom was from. As a black kid dealing become very corrupt and Taylor guitars, and which Taylor model I’ve never picked up a Taylor that didn’t with the family history, the things you’d very hedonistic, but it wasn’t do you play? sound like a Taylor, but I’ve picked up hear from your elders about what it was always about that. When I l i k e I ’ m a CH: I have a 514ce. [Piedmont blues Martins, for example, where I said, ‘This like when they were coming around, and first got to know hip-hop, it artist] John Cephas suggested that I doesn’t sound like a Martin.’ I like some- what it was like when their own elders was just starting to have the try a Taylor and I really liked it. It was thing you can count on. With Taylor, you were coming around, that had something gold chains and stuff, but m e s s e n g e r featured in the movie I did with Martin know there’s a certain level it’ll live up to. to do with it. Plus, there’s a big black com- there were more kids wear- Scorsese over in Mali. I’ve played it into It’s always gonna be high-quality. munity in Denver. Even when we moved to ing natural jewelry with the ground; I love it. Now I’m on the W&S: Back to what you were talking the suburbs, we were always involved and red, gold, and green or that b e t w e e n Wood&Steel mailing list and I’d really about with the Scorsese thing, I found in touch with our people. had a picture of the African like to get another Taylor. that segment where you were playing W&S: I grew up in an integrated neigh- continent on it. It was more W&S: How much did you use the with [legendary African folk musician] borhood in the ’60s, and the black kids about what you were inside 514ce on Daily Bread? Ali Farka Toure tremendously moving. had no interest whatsoever in the blues; as opposed to how much w h a t ’s g o i n g CH: It’s the only acoustic I used. I use The merging of continents and cultures they looked at blues as “Uncle Tom” jive. money you had. I mean, it anytime I do an acoustic song. Even and traditions…I actually got a lump They were all listening to Wilson Pickett let’s face it — all these cats on an electric song, I’d use it for the in my throat. If it had that effect on and Aretha Franklin, but there was no going around showing off all o n o v e r “skank”, a rhythm or something. me as an observer, what must it have interest in seeking out the roots. You’re of this money, well, it’s nothing W&S: Most of my life I was primarily been like for you to experience it all first- a younger generation — has that outlook compared to what the people an electric guitarist — I had acoustics, hand? What did it mean to you musically changed with time? who are selling their records [ i n A f r i c a ] but they were cheap models, just to and personally? CH: I think it’s always that way, just like have, the people who wrote bang around and practice with. When CH: Personally, I feel like I’m a messenger kids now don’t want to listen to Wilson the contract. It’s an illusion. I finally started shopping for a quality between what’s going on over [in Africa] Pickett, you know? Every generation wants Most of the kids doing a n d w h a t ’s acoustic guitar a few years ago, several and what’s going on over here. I feel like to be on the cutting edge, they want to be hip-hop now are middle people told me I should get a Martin we need to become closer in music and happening. If it ain’t goin’ on, the youth class, they don’t come from because my playing is blues-based and in other aspects, because that’s where we don’t want nothin’ to do with it. I think the projects or rough, tore- Martins were supposed to have a warm- came from. Even though it was a long time one thing about black music is that it up neighborhoods. It’s a ste- g o i n g o n er, rounder, bluesier tone. But when I ago, that’s our reference point, that’s where never gets into much nostalgia. It does reotype that the media likes sat down with a Taylor, it was life-alter- it started. They realize that over there. No what it does at the time that it does, and to perpetuate about young ing, I couldn’t believe how beautifully it one sits down and has any philosophical, when that time is over, they move onto black people as a whole. But h e r e . ” played and sounded compared to any highbrow discussions about it, they just something else. in general, I love hip-hop, other acoustics I tried out. know it’s the case. People over there knew W&S: How do you feel about hip-hop as I think it’s great. It’s just CH: The thing about a Taylor is that it’s black-American music, and I was accepted, an extension of black musical and cultural another development from always consistent. You know what you’re whereas very few people over here are into heritage? Is it a positive thing? Is it really the same tree that the blues gonna get, whereas I’ve run across other any African music style at all. Ali Farka even music? came from. brands that just don’t deliver. Other Toure picked me up at this little airfield CH: I think it definitely is real music, W&S: I guess anoth- companies that’ve been around for a about two hours outside of Timbuktu, this but it kinda depends…like I tell my kids, er problem I have with long time have had so many changes in little strip in the sand, and he’s listening there’s a difference between being a rap- hip-hop is that kids aren’t technology and glues over the years that to Bobby “Blue” Bland and Otis Redding. per and being an MC. You take someone learning to play instruments It’s no big deal to like Mos Def or Chuck D, they are truly anymore. Is that an old him. Everyone over MCs, whereas someone like P Diddy is fogey’s attitude? there knows these not an MC. He can rhyme and he’s got a CH: Well, that’s true and cats, this American little rap and flow, but he’s not truly an that is important, but I think music. I think that’s MC. An MC has really mastered wordplay; hip-hop came about because why I’m here — to these are cats that read the dictionary. The of cuts in school funding be a bridge between power of words and sound is elevated to a during the ’70s and ’80s. us and them, and try height that you don’t really see with some Kids in inner city schools to facilitate under- cat who’s just got a catchy rhyme about a didn’t have access to instru- standing, musically girl or jewelry or something. ments anymore, there were and otherwise. I think a lot of people’s vision of hip- no band programs anymore, W&S: I’m more of hop has been distorted by corporations all that dried up. All the an American roots- and record companies who put out music kids had access to were music guy than a that’s just junk — you know, just fun little their wits, maybe a turntable world-music guy jingles that youth can get into so they can and a microphone. I think — I’m admittedly make money. That’s rap music, that’s not what’s going on in society very uneducated hip-hop in my book. People who really do has a tremendous effect in about that stuff — hip-hop don’t do it because there’s money how music turns out. If it but I’ve always been in it, they do it because that’s what they are weren’t for all the economic able to get into Ali and that’s what they do. problems that started with Farka Toure because W&S: There’s been a real glorification of Carter and went on with when I listen to him, that whole bling-bling, what-I-got-that- Reagan, hip-hop would have it touches me from you-ain’t got mentality. evolved differently. continued on page 19

1 3 there; 4) Gretsch Filtertron pickups, like the XXX-KE has joined the family, I on a Gretsch Country Club (which I have a question: will you please make used to have; I also had a Tennessean); a 12-string model with the short-scale 5) there is a little spank there, like a advantage? Can I custom-order one? second- or fourth-position, out-of-phase Please remember that we 12-string lov- Strat sound. When it comes to electric ers would very much like to enjoy the guitars, I am a “Fender guy” rather than benefits of this revolutionary improve- a “Gibson guy”, so this is perfect for me. ment, and maybe even save our fingers As for the five-position switch, I to play a few extra hours. sometimes use the number-1 acoustic Mr. Taylor, your fantastic guitars have position, but primarily I use the sec- really changed my life. I have read that Bob Taylor (center) with students from El Capitan High School’s guitar-building class. Photo by Erin Fitzgerald ond and fourth positions — the mod- you are a 12-string lover also, so you ern humbucker and the ’50s archtop undoubtedly understand the magic of sounds. When we do the Nora Jones the 12 and the benefits of the short-scale. song, “Humble Me”, the third position What a truly incredible day it would be Taylor Guitars’ efforts to jump-start gui- ly equipment. Am I wrong about this? mimics a good resonator guitar sound. if these two fantastic ideas joined forces tar-building courses at two local high Anyway, if you get the chance, check out Initially, I was getting a little too much in one guitar to add another miracle schools — Valhalla and El Capitan, here Glenn’s incredible live solo shows. I recently got the koa top T5 with Fender “spank” in all the positions, but creation to the Taylor family! Please put in the San Diego area. The guitars these James Anas Q chrome hardware. Kudos for cre- I put the next gauge strings on and got me at the top of the list if one of these students make are their own to keep; they Via e-mail ating an awesome guitar that I love less string snap, especially while finger- becomes available. have nothing to do with Taylor except that playing. Everything since the creation picking, and that helped tremendously. Larry Burkhart we helped get the programs up and run- Happy to solve the mystery. Glenn of the Tele, Les Paul, ES 335, Strat, and Now for a couple of questions. Via e-mail ning and Bob Taylor himself has feted the A tours with a K20 (koa Dreadnought) SG has pretty much been a re-make or If I go up a gauge (D’Addario jazz graduates in ceremonies that took place in and a red 655c (Jumbo maple 12-string hybrid, and virtually all of the round- electric mediums, 12-54), should I get While a short-scale 12-string might our performance venue. cutaway), so you were right on both hole acoustic and archtop body styles the guitar set-up, or can it handle a A not be on the front burner at this Not sure where you got the idea that we’re counts. As to the depths to which artists and designs came before all the solid- one-step gauge change as is? Also, is time, it doesn’t mean we haven’t been doing this “across the U.S. and elsewhere,” delve to discover the nuances of their gear, body innovations. I really think the T5 there a piezo pickup under the saddle? thinking about that. Such developments but perhaps the last line of the “FYI” piece that ranges as far and as wide as the dif- stands as a truly new and innovative I know there is a neck pickup under the begin with building prototypes before will assuage your fears: “Hopefully, this ferences in various artists’ skill levels and guitar design. body and the “lipstick” pickup near the moving on to the tooling-up process, innovative pilot program will also serve musical styles. For my eclec- bridge (that actually is a humbucker, which is a considerable investment of as a model for other school districts, and Some recording artists get very involved tic style of play- too, correct?) Is there another pickup, time, energy, and labor. But with the peo- attract the attention of school administra- in the gear thing; Clint Black is a fine ing (standards, magnetic or piezo? ple we have here at Taylor, today’s inspira- tors to help generate future funding, so example of someone whose interest in James Taylor, Mark Shuttleworth tions frequently are tomorrow’s realities, that the same opportunities will be avail- his guitars and amplified tone and sig- Police, ’50s bal- Via e-mail so keep reading Wood&Steel and checking able to more students.” nal chain seemed to intensify the more lads, hymns our website, Larry, and maybe your ship famous he got (see Buzz Marcus’s reveal- arranged for gui- Sounds like you’re having fun exper- will come in! I own a Taylor 614ce. Last time ing, two-part “Wood&Steel Interview” tar), this guitar A imenting with that T5-S2, which was Q Glenn Tilbrook (of Squeeze fame) with Clint in the Spring and Summer is what I have one of a limited run we offered only at the I’m the proud owner of a Taylor came through this area, he played a solo 2001 issues). Other performers leave the been looking for 2005 NAMM show (thus explaining why it Q and I’m thinking of buying a new show in Northampton, Massachusetts. guitar stuff to their techs and can’t tell all my life! I’ve has chrome and not gold tuners). Now for one soon. But could you please clear He is as accomplished a “live” player/ you much at all about their instruments found it to be your questions. up a gray issue for me? I understand singer as I have ever seen. That night or equipment — all they need to know is equally good for The change in string gauge is fine; that Taylor has provided money and he played two Taylors — a six-string that something sounds, feels, looks, and/ solo or duo work maybe just a little turn on the neck to supplies to high school shop programs Dreadnought that looked to be either or works well enough to properly deliver with a female keep it straight would help. There is across the U.S. and elsewhere, which is walnut or koa, and a red 12-string their music. singer who plays no piezo under the saddle; we use a great; I believe that young people need Jumbo cutaway that I assumed was a There simply is no corollary linking acoustic guitar about 25 percent of the magnetic body sensor to pick up the to acquire skills through shop classes, maple 655. an artist’s talent, or an artist’s interest in time. When my partner plays, I get sep- body sound. Yes, the pickup near the etc. But I feel that sooner or later guitar After the show, I asked him what creating the best-possible music, with his aration from her acoustic sound, and I bridge is a stacked humbucking pickup. buyers like me could be buying guitars woods the guitars were made from. He or her knowledge or expertise concerning get greater clarity when it’s just me on And last, yes, there is a body sensor locat- with parts made looked me straight in the eye, shrugged, their instruments. Some incredible guitar- guitar backing her voice. And because ed behind the bridge that functions in the by kids. This and said, “I have no idea.” I do not think ists and superstars don’t even bother to the guitar is acoustic, there is enough first selector position. raises red flags. he was joking, but maybe he was just change their strings and wouldn’t know a decay on the notes to avoid the constant Mark, you seem to be totally into John Nichols being coy. Do you guys know what mod- cutaway from a cold cut; conversely, some annoying sustain of an electric guitar exploring your T5, so when you get a Via e-mail els he tours with? I was not about to go amateur players and weekend warriors in a solo/duo situation. chance, hit our website for more informa- onstage and look in the soundhole to see can tell you how the wood cells line up Here is how I would describe the five tion on sounds and ideas: taylorguitars. You can the model numbers. in their favorite axe. It’s all a matter of pickup positions: 1) with a lot of bass com/guitars/T5/feature A lower the Point of interest: if Glenn really does personal inclination and nothing should and treble, kind of an older Ovation red flags. In the not know which woods were used on his be read into either a preoccupation with sound, but roll-off either bass or treble I just bought a XXX-KE [30th Spring 2004 issue guitars, can one assume that players of guitar specs, or a lack thereof. and it could be any number of electric Q Anniversary koa] and I am still of Wood&Steel, this caliber just do not care about such By the way, we agree with you about acoustics; 2) gets more of the “woody” trying to quit trembling! Wow, you real- in both the things as long as the instrument feels Glenn Tilbrook’s talent and great per- tone of a modern hand-made archtop ly did a wonderful job with this truly “Bobspeak” col- right and plays well? I was under the formance skills, and there’s a news item (rather than the ’60s Gibson L5 or ES magical guitar — so impressive! Last umn and the impression that with each level artists in this issue’s “Soundings” section that 175 thru Fender Twin tone); 3) maybe a year, I purchased a K65ce-L7 Custom “FYI” feature, move up, they get deeper and deeper should interest you. ■ Tele bridge pickup — there is a sparkle and I dearly love this darling. Now that we wrote about into the nuances of everything, especial-

1 4 GS SERIES pure acoustic The GS Series Takes Shape

The T5’s sterling rookie season in 2005 has prompted no shortage of frothy speculation regarding fresh devel- opments for 2006. In the broader context of Taylor’s electronics advances over the past several years, from the Expression System to the K4, from the T5’s versatile pickup system to a pair of new stomp boxes (see page 8), the momentum certainly seems to be surging along the lines of amplified tone. What might be next on Taylor’s design frontier? Rewind to May of last year. In the immediate wake of the T5’s official spring launch, a fresh wave of excitement was spreading as T5 models began arriv- ing at (and quickly exiting) dealers’ stores. The fac- tory was steadily increasing production to fulfill the demand. The company’s product development group was already actively exploring the second generation of T5 ideas, from different pickup configurations to new color options (see page 6). Bob Taylor, as the guiding hand of development, had been assessing the T5’s trajectory and pondering the R&D focus and possible tooling efforts that would be necessary to lead the company into 2006. A realization came one weekend, and early the following week Bob convened his design team for a product development meeting at which they would begin charting the course for the coming year. Bob’s top priority: to make a strong acoustic state- BY JIM KIRLIN ment. “We certainly were riding high on the T5’s success, and a lot of people in our product development group were P H O T O S B Y trying stuff,” Bob recalls, “but the next direction wasn’t clear. And it occurred to me that there was a whole life- P P M / P A T B O E M E R & time to make new iterations and let the T5 develop.” Bob told his design group that Taylor owed it to cus- RITA FUNK-HOFFMAN tomers to let them know that the company’s head was still very much in the acoustic game. “We weren’t going to go away and become the electric guitar company that used to make acoustics,” he contin- ues. “Besides, there were still a lot of ideas that we had yet to express with acoustic guitars.” continued on page 16

1 5 GS continued from page 15 little bit bigger, and in reality, it’s a i n d i a n r o s e w o o d Bob’s comments provide an update lot bigger.” Larry Breedlove says that to the Wood&Steel cover story from the w e s t e r n r e d c e d a r Summer 2002 issue (“New Frontiers in although the new body shape does Tone”, archived on the Taylor website), bear some similarities in shape to which illuminated a similar mind- the Grand Auditorium, he never set of tonal exploration. That period approached it simply in terms of would lead to the revoicing of the re-working the GA shape. Taylor Dreadnought and our other “We worked from certain dimen- steel-string models; the expansion of sions, but we really drew a whole the Nylon Series, the development of new guitar. In fact, I even used the Expression System, and experi- some T5 lines, initially.” mentation with scale length, which In addition to pushing the would come to fruition with Taylor’s waist up, Breedlove widened it 30th Anniversary model, short-scale 3/8 of an inch, lessening the L9s, and eventually, the DDSM. “pinching” effect that can dimin- For 2006, the renewed focus on ish the tonal output of the guitar. acoustic guitar has spawned an even Coupled with the bigger, rounder more dramatic breakthrough, in the lower bout, the new body geometry form of a brand new body shape, a was now capable of producing a bold new Taylor acoustic sound, and more powerful sound. ultimately, a new way of thinking “There’s so much energy going about the Taylor line. into a guitar via the strings,” Bob explains. “It’s what I call ‘fixed Shaping the Sound overhead’. The question is what “There was a sound I had in mind, happens with that energy? With and a shape that I thought would something like the GA, all of the yield that sound,” Bob says of the sound is produced and then stops initial inspiration for the new body. at the edge of that guitar; we just “The shape centered on the con- pushed the fence out a little bit on cept of the Grand Auditorium [Bob’s this new body, so you get a bigger first original guitar shape, intro- payback with it.” duced in 1994 to celebrate our 20th Bob feels that the new shape Anniversary] and how it could be offers players a truly fresh acous- modified, in a way.” Bob shared his ideas with senior guitar designers Larry Breedlove and “T h e g o a l w a s t o d e s i g n Ed Granero, giving them some basic a g u i t a r t h a t h a s a d e e p e r , design direction. “I asked Larry to take the waist p i a n o - l i k e b a s s , w a y m o r e and move it up toward the neck, and then make the lower bout a little more v o l u m e , a n d a g o o d l o w - e n d ‘pregnant’,” he elaborates. “What that does is add a little bit of real estate in s u s t a i n , w i t h o u t r u i n i n g an area of the lower bout where every little bit can pay back big dividends. t h e c l a r i t y o f t h e m i d s It’s really all geometry. People don’t realize that a 14-inch pizza is actually a n d t h e h i g h s .” twice the size of a 10-inch pizza. But — B o b T a y l o r do the math. You make the guitar a

1 6 tic voice, much like the Grand Auditorium did when it was No Six-String Bling introduced. From the outset, Bob and his team assumed “The GA is the hands-down winner of that particular shape a back-to-basics design approach with the GS, and tone. Nobody even comes close to the success of that focusing purely on tone. In returning to an model in a non-dreadnought guitar. It’s great for fingerstyle acoustic roots concept, he took into account and all-around light rhythm, but it’s not a bluegrass guitar that for better or for worse, over the last 12-15 GS — a thunderous, low-E and -A-string kind of a flatpicker’s years, Taylor has come to be perceived by some as the “CE” (cutaway-electric) company. b i g l e a f m a p l e “Part of it is that we did such a good job of it that everybody said, ‘I want a cutaway s i t k a s p r u c e with electronics on my guitar,’” Bob says. “Pretty soon the guitar is the ‘c and e’, delight, with that low-end, traditional thump. and in some ways people forget about the “So the goal was to design a guitar that has a deeper, rest of the guitar.” piano-like bass, way more volume, and a good low-end sus- The decision was made not to make a cut- tain, without ruining the clarity of the mids and the highs. away version of the GS, at least initially. An The idea was to start with the concept of the GA and make it option for electronics is available, but all stan- more boisterous. And it made sense to go there by changing dard models will be made without them. the body shape. Another major distinction of the GS body “It’s got a great mid-range — if you want, you can get a shape is that, rather than simply being insert- little bit of that ‘low-fi’ mid-range chunk that people like to ed into each Taylor series up the line, it’s being hear in recording, but you also can play it more clearly if you grouped as its own separate series, consist- want. And if you just want to strum or play fingerstyle, it’s ing of four different tonewood combinations loud and really bright.” — mahogany/cedar, maple/Sitka spruce, rose- The new shape was officially christened the Grand wood/cedar, and rosewood/Sitka spruce. Symphony, or GS. In addition to the body’s modified dimen- GS Because the emphasis is on tone, all four models feature the same simple, understated i n d i a n r o s e w o o d appointments, including ivoroid binding, an s i t k a s p r u c e abalone rosette, and abalone microdot fret- board inlays. Three of the models are priced sions, other shape refinements, such as a more sloped the same ($2,698), while the mahogany/cedar shoulder, were incorporated to give the GS unique version is $2,598. Without trying to decon- aesthetic appeal. struct the existing Taylor line, the pricing par- Inside the guitar, as Larry Breedlove ity of the GS Series and Ed Granero note, the GS bracing isn’t represents an oppor- a significant component of the new sound tunity to break free of at all. It’s essentially a standard Taylor some of the conven- bracing scheme, which includes the for- tions that have come ward-shifted X-bracing and the relief rout to govern the other around the outer edge of the soundboard. steel-string series. A few other very subtle structural chang- The GS also reflects es were made in top, back, and side thick- shifting realities both ness, but the distinctive tonal properties in wood supply and GS remain predominantly shape-driven. market preferences. “Everything tends to run through a cycle, t r o p i c a l and people’s tastes are changing in terms of what they want in a guitar,” Bob says. “For a a m e r i c a n m a h o g a n y long time, it’s been a paradigm where, ‘here’s the plain-Jane mahogany guitar, and here’s w e s t e r n r e d c e d a r the expensive rosewood guitar, which has to continued on page 20

17 INDIE ARTISTS To hear sound clips from these CDs, go to www.taylorguitars.com/news/onre v i e w

The Farmers / Loaded Rich Eckhardt / Soundcheck Again,” and “Follow” (which features a late-Beatles-esque arrangement and production values) — could pass for solid country-rock standards, while songs like “Happy”, “Someday Never Comes”, “Gone”, and “Tragedy” have an late-’60s songs of Bob Dylan. Therein acoustic core, tasteful instrumentation, The Farmers and an unpretentious quality that puts Loaded lies the formula of the Farmers’ suc- cess: they’re able to harness classic a great distance between this artist and (Clarence Records) American idioms to create their own the rest of the pack. Taylors Used: 710ce-L9, DCSM organic sound. And nowhere is that Carlile already has a strong musical Thefarmersmusic.com sound better represented than on this identity, which might be even more satisfying new album. apparent onstage than in this initial CD The Beat Farmers came roaring out of — Marc Harris outing, but this is a good introduction San Diego, California in the 1980s to earn to an artist who has every chance of a diehard international underground fol- “…able to harness classic “…the new breed of Nashville becoming a significant player. lowing for its aggressive country-blues- Brandi American idioms to create their picker: plays country but comes — Julie Bergman rock. The band carried on until 1995, Carlile own organic sound.” from a rock background.” when singer/drummer/guitarist Country Brandi Carlile Dick Montana died onstage of a massive (Red Ink/Columbia Records) Jim heart attack. Taylors Used: 914ce, 612 “Kimo” West Recently, founding members Buddy Brandicarlile.com Brandi Carlile / Brandi Carlile Eugene Ruffolo / The Hardest Easy Slack Key West Blue (vocals, electric, acoustic, slide, and (Westernmost Records) steel guitars, banjo, harp), Jerry Raney Twenty-three might seem a tender Taylor Used: 514ce (vocals, electric, acoustic, and 12-string age to score an album deal with a Jimkimowest.com guitars), and Rolle Love (bass) reunited major label, let alone put out a mature as the Farmers, rounding out the line- debut effort. But when a musician has On the cover of his new CD, Jim “Kimo” up with drummer Joel “Bongo” Kmak, been singing and performing since the West stands barefoot on the beach, a Montana friend and occasional fill-in age of eight, and playing guitar since clad in baggy shorts, looking more during the Beat Farmers’ heyday. she was 17, that’s already a good num- blissful than Swami Satchidananda The group’s reemergence has been well- ber of years spent getting to know the after his 19th epiphany. There is no received. In September 2005, they were mic, the stage, and what works to get a accompanying thought balloon, but if honored with a Lifetime Achievement song across. there were, it might read, “Slack key, sí Award at the San Diego Music Awards, and Brandi Carlile’s self-titled album, — Weird Al, no!” their new CD, Loaded, was the year’s num- recorded in part in her Washington Many musicians lead double lives ber-one seller on the milesofmusic.com State log cabin, might not be the most (at least), but West’s fluctuations are website, which specializes in Americana, adventurous collection of tracks, but “…has the ability to deliver a “…rich, soulful singing…the true synapse shredders. Not only does he alt-country, roots-rock, folk-rock, folk, it serves notice that this young singer, song with extraordinary expres- ability to evoke deep emotion split his time between L.A. (where there’s bluegrass, and singer-songwriters. The songwriter, and guitarist has the ability to sion, honesty, and grace.” line by line...” more work) and Hawaii, but to keep the Farmers beat out such Americana heavy- deliver a song with extraordinary expres- fresh mahi-mahi and opah on the dinner hitters as Ryan Adams, Nickel Creek, sion, honesty, and grace. table, Kimo has worked for years as musi- John Hiatt, and Sonny Landreth — a feat Carlile’s music is a close mix of alt- cal director/lead guitarist for Weird Al made more appreciable by the fact that country and acoustic-laced pop, and her Jim “Kimo” West / Slack Key West Jonathan Kingham / That Changes Yankovic. After playing theatres, casinos, Loaded wasn’t released until October. delivery, alternating between her roots- Everything and state fairs, arousing fans of musical Loaded easily ranks among the band’s music-flavored lower register and a satire via “My Bologna”, “Another One best work. Overall, it’s a bit gutsier than soaring falsetto, has drawn compari- Rides the Bus”, and “Like a Surgeon”, the Beat Farmers’ earlier efforts, perhaps sons with Patsy Cline. Carlile co-wrote West retreats post-tour to the solace owing to Raney’s rock influences, and the majority of the tracks with musical and sanity of the Islands to decom- evidenced in the fierce overdriven riffs of partner Tim Hanserath, who also plays press and go acoustic. “Lost in My Car” and the soaring electric guitar and contributes backing vocals. Slack Key West is his third foray in leads of “Beans ’n’ Weenies”. The CD also Hanserath’s twin, Phil, plays bass and a passionate pursuit of all things ki is very wide-ranging. Among its exciting adds harmonies, and Carlile and the ho ‘alu (slack key). It could have been tracks are the psychedelic “Hard Knot”, twins share production credit. In the subtitled Seven Shades of Modal, as with its distinctively Hendrix-y vibe, and main, the songs are sparingly produced his easy-to-digest (just short of New the down-home “Shadows of Glory”, with and driven more by acoustic guitar Age) instrumentals all take place in its pitch-perfect slide work. than hard-edged electric. an assortment of lush, open tropi- The highlight of Loaded, though, is Carlile’s lyrics and stories tend cal tunings. The soothing collection “Impressed”, an acoustic strummer in toward the darker side of self-discov- “…his instrumentals all take of 11 originals and three well-chosen the fertile key of G major, on which the ery, but the narratives flow easily and place in an assortment of lush, “…a wistful, late-night ambi- covers is not only reminiscent of slack Farmers make their own rootsy sound pull you in to feel the emotion. A few open, tropical tunings.” ence that flickers with mellow key masters Gabby Pahinui and Ledward while giving a nod to the great mid- to songs — “Throw It All Away”, “Fall Apart sophistication.” Ka’apana, but also harkens back to the ’80s

1 8 To hear sound clips from these CDs, go to www.taylorguitars.com/news/onre v i e w COREY Windham Hill sounds of Will Ackerman the 514ce for rhythm accompaniment mixed feelings clear — affairs of the cliché alarm. Fortunately, award-winning and Alex de Grassi. (West acknowledges because “its size gave me an even and heart, described in fragile detail, are not singer-songwriter Jonathan Kingham HARRIS Windham Hill mainstay, pianist George less-bassy tone.” It was double-tracked, without effort, fear, pain, and wavering applies a sensitive touch on That Changes continued from page 13 Winston, for his ongoing entrepre- using just the microphones, and panned resolve. He’s certainly not afraid to get Everything, a classy assortment of can- the same place as Charlie Patton or Blind neurial efforts to bring ki ho ‘alu into hard left and right. dark. “Irreplaceable” and “A Kiss for Your dlelit confessions. Joe Reynolds or Skip James. the mainstream.) The bouncy “Workin’ for Peanuts” shows Travels” are desperate, plaintive wails in Kingham’s smoky baritone is the CH: Right! They’re very hip to American There is nothing on this CD that will off some fancy fingerpicking, and a non- song form for a dearly departed friend, perfect mood setter, infusing his origi- music over there. They check stuff out and make you laugh or groan like the stuff steel remake of the chestnut “Sleepwalk” and the ironically titled “Gracefully” could nal material with velvety warmth as he they travel. They’ve been doing that for West plays in his other life, where he dons recalls D.C. forefathers Danny Gatton and be a candidate for the songs-to-stab-your- pays homage to the vintage R&B and decades — longer than a lot of us have. It’s the spandex and turns the amp up to 10 Roy Buchanan. Then things get romantic self-over hall of fame (“We walked here torch-song traditions. Kingham’s melodic something that’s universal to me. It goes during songs like “I Lost on Jeopardy”, on the jazzy “Catalina” and on the gut- together/it takes two to break the vow/ phrasing forms each song’s emotional beyond the words to the songs. There are “Eat It”, or “Addicted to Spuds”. On Slack string, flamenco-esque “Tronar Los Dedos from glory to ashes/yeah, just take a look centerpiece, while spare, well-appointed certain vibes, the vibration of the singing Key West, you get mild-mannered Clark (Snap Your Fingers)”, which boasts an at us now”). arrangements, including piano, B3 organ, and playing comes through. Kent, not Superman. And if he isn’t able instantly memorable melody. Just when you think all is hopeless and and archtop and pedal-steel guitars match W&S: Alvin “Youngblood” Hart got to save Metropolis, he’s certainly capable It’s that level of maturity — never lost, Ruffolo smiles and winks with “Run the expressiveness of his voice. The pared- angry with me not long ago because I of easing your troubled mind and rocking resorting to chops for chops’ sake to You”, a spry, clever, “I’m in love with down production enhances the intimacy wrote a story saying that as much as I your little baby to sleep. (even though he obviously has them you” ditty with a bouncy groove, major of the record and gives every element loved his country-blues playing, I couldn’t — Kenny Weissberg to spare) — that simultaneously illus- tonality, and a quirky string arrangement, room to breathe; the effect is a wist- hang with his electric rock records. He trates why Eckhardt is so in-demand all of which could fit perfectly on side ful, understated, late-night ambience that sent me this nasty e-mail implying I was Rich Eckhardt and proves that he’s no mere sideman. two of the Beatles’ “White Album”. And flickers with mellow sophistication. a bigot, that I was in the yoke of the Soundcheck Indeed, he’s an artist with a lot to say the uplifting album closer, “Only Love”, Kingham dims the lights and gets his oppressor, and he refused to tap-dance (independent release) — no lyrics necessary. speaks for itself in its yearning for The groove on with the jazzy R&B opener, for my benefit and whatnot. I must admit, Taylors used: 610ce, 514ce, NS52ce — Dan Forte One True Thing, no matter what the cost. “Every Little Step”, the album’s most up- I took a bit of umbrage at that! Is there richeckhardt.com Ruffolo’s songs are so holistically tempo track, as his husky vocal cascades some implication of bigotry among white Eugene complete that it’s easy to gloss-over the over silky hollowbody electric, gently people who love old-time country blues? rewarding instrumentation. Backing shimmering B3, and laid-back horn fills. CH: Wow…people hold their music Best-known as Toby Keith’s gui- Ruffolo vocals, percussion, strings, and even lap From there, Kingham lights his torch on right on their sleeve, with their heart. tarslinger, Rich Eckhardt represents the The Hardest Easy steel guitar weave in and out, seamlessly, the softly swinging “All That’s Missing Sometimes people will have hostile reac- new breed of Nashville picker — one (Oats Music) almost unnoticeably. You can be lulled into Is You”, his aching vocal reminiscent of tions [laughs]. We might say we don’t care who plays country music but comes from Taylor Used: 514ce forgetting that acoustic guitar anchors Lyle Lovett, tinged with pedal-steel and a what people think, that we’ll do what we a decidedly rock background. A prod- Eugeneruffolo.com nearly every track. In particular, “The sultry sax solo. Kingham works in mostly want, but obviously, we want people to like uct of the D.C. area, he cut his teeth Hills of Sicily” (co-written with Taylor cli- hushed tones the rest of the way, employ- what we’re doing. Whew! [laughs] playing covers of Foghat, the Doobie Pop songwriting, as a craft, is decep- nician Artie Traum) features a beautiful- ing tasteful restraint, heightening the W&S: What’s your opinion on the state Brothers, and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, tively elusive and difficult. The writer sounding, room-miked guitar and rich, emotional impact of his sentiments. of the blues today — its health, its long- and cites the Beatles and Monkees as makes choices about instrumentation, complex harmonic textures that make you Thematically, That Changes Everything term prospects for the future? early inspirations. harmonic content, form, melody, lyrics, wonder how he keeps it so simple with so illuminates the full spectrum of love, from CH: I think there are different types of After landing a road gig with Eddy and myriad other components long before much songwriting and instrumental tal- its heart-fluttering beginnings to its time- blues for different types of people. I don’t Raven, Eckhardt moved to Music City in the song’s final vision is realized. The hope ent at his disposal. weathered reaffirmation. The title track think the meaning of the blues was ever 1989, and has since played with some of is that the little pieces blend into one, the But that’s how Ruffolo’s craft works, toasts the pivotal moment of acquiescing tied down in the first place, and it’s more country’s biggest names. But hearing the composite parts are forgotten, and only and its simplicity in execution only serves to love’s pull; “Real Woman” is a tribute vague than ever now. In general, blues Ventures made him “realize that some the song and its true meaning are heard to illuminate how far a heart can rise, fall, to love aging gracefully; “Better Word For is something that’s gonna be sold in the songs were complete without lyrics,” and and understood by the listener. It’s a lot and rise again. Utterly conventional, yet Love” reflects on the inability of words marketplace as a commercial product. consequently his solo debut is an instru- easier said than done, especially when somehow effortlessly unique in its beauty to encompass deep feelings. On the slow, But the kind of music that R.L. Burnside mental feast. trying to convey feelings of loss, love, and emotional expression, this album soulful lament, “Only a Dream”, Kingham’s or Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown played Opening with the crunchy squawk of sadness, and hope. landed square in my chest and is stuck longing hangs thick in the air before his — yeah, that’s dying out, plain and simple. the Jeff Beck-inspired title track, Eckhardt Enter Eugene Ruffolo, a New York-based there still. voice slips into a pristine falsetto worthy Even if we all go out and learn all those makes it clear that we’re not in Nashville singer/songwriter/guitarist of the highest — Bryan Beller of a Chris Isaak tune. songs and reproduce them note-for-note, anymore, Toto. But the mood quickly professional order. His vocal talent alone After the irony-soaked “I Don’t Love it’s still dying out. We should appreciate it swings to an almost New Age feel for the has landed him session work with artists Jonathan You Anymore”, Kingham closes with a and do what we can to let people know it acoustic “Old Chanoanon River” (its title as disparate as Garth Brooks, Livingston beautifully minimal cover of Sade’s exists and play the music and everything, a reference to the Native American name Taylor, and Tony Bennett, and his voice Kingham “It’s Only Love That Gets You Through”, but music reflects an era and time period, for the Cumberland) before skipping can be heard on countless Hollywood film That Changes Everything accompanying himself on piano. Though not simply entertainment or nostalgia. to the Austrian-titled, Celtic-sounding soundtracks. But his rich, soulful, singing (Exact Records) the album runs its course in under 40 There’s different music for different “Zwergelgarten” — two of ten Eckhardt (certain passages conjure up a modern- Taylor Used: 510 minutes, Kingham takes his sweet time times, and this is not really blues time originals in the set. day Bill Withers) is but a piece of his true Jonathankingham.com every step of the way, savoring love’s many anymore. Blues time was back when my Rich’s main acoustic is a 610ce, which talent: the ability to evoke deep emotion splendors and enduring power. mom and them were coming up and a bit he miked with two Shure KSM 27s. “One through his own material, line by line, Romantic balladry is slippery turf. It — Jim Kirlin ■ before that. Everything has changed. It’s is close, near the soundhole,” he explains, seemingly at will. takes a special knack for nuance to craft cool to know where you come from and to “and the other is just over the top of my The Hardest Easy, Ruffolo’s third album, love songs (in this case an entire album’s continued on page 28 head and back about two feet.” He also ran is his take on the dangers and aspirations worth) that conjure the feeling without a DI from the guitar’s preamp. He used of love. On the title track, he makes his laying it on too thick or setting off the

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continued from page 17 for a half an hour straight just for the pick it, de-tune it. Before I knew it, I get fancier to help justify the cost.’ pure joy of it. was probably an hour and a half into The statement we’re making with the “Something about the GS struck an evening of discovery, which was a GS Series is that all woods are getting me on the emotional side and just lot of fun. rare. Mahogany is becoming more made me want to play. It has such a big “The GS is the first guitar in a long, GS rare and harder to get than rosewood. voice, plus a fun aspect. I would play it long time, probably since the GA in SERIES “So one reason we’ve compressed one way, grab a different pick, play a the acoustic guitar world, that says, those prices is to let people know little harder, play a little softer, finger- ‘Here’s a new voice that’s inspiring,’” that it really is all about the tone with these guitars. We’re not going to say one guitar is way more valuable than another guitar based on the wood. We’ve broken down the lines of the decoration, so it’s not like you have to Girthy and Giving buy into the idea of a fancy guitar to Last fall, Taylor product specialist Brian Swerdfeger took a few GS get the rosewood. prototypes out to music stores in Orange County, California. “These are just guitars; they’re very Below are some initial impressions from players. workmanlike, they’re elegant with ivo- roid binding and nice little abalone Corey Witt, Brea, California rosette and microdots on them. Pick the one that you think sounds the “‘Girthy’ is definitely the word I would use to describe the GS. I own a best. You don’t really have to pick the 25th Anniversary, all-mahogany 314-MCE, which to me is just the perfect one in the line that you can afford, Taylor. I casually play Taylors at stores all the time, and while they’re all because if you can afford one, you beautiful guitars, none compares to mine. This was the first time I played Body Type: 6-string GS Strings: elixir medium can afford all four. It’s really about a Taylor and felt like it really resonated and had the girth and the warmth getting back to basics, yet it’s a guitar Cutaway: none that I feel my all-mahogany one does. And what’s notable is that my wife, that needs to be played, because it’s a Electronics: none Body: width: 16 1/4” sweet-sounding guitar.” who doesn’t know anything about guitars except for the fact that they’re the ‘other woman’, heard it, too. It actually felt louder than my all-mahoga- depth: 4 5/8” length: 20” ny, but it didn’t feel boomy like a Jumbo. The GS has that sweet spot in the Big Voice, Pure Joy width at waist: 10” “This is a real player’s guitar”, lower-mids; they just felt so round.” overall length: 41” assesses Taylor product specialist Neck width: 1-3/4” Brian Swerdfeger, whom many read- Ian Williams, owner, Rockit Music, heel length: 3 1/2” ers may recognize from his T5 demon- scale length: 25 1/2” Brea, California stration videos on the Taylor website. no. of frets: 20 Swerdfeger is a busy gigging guitarist “For me, the beauty of Taylors is the articulation; you hear those notes Binding material: ivoroid who worked on the T5 with Taylor and all of that pretty upper end as well. I thought the GS had a nice way of body: ivoroid Special Projects Manager David Hosler marrying that nice clarity with bottom end.” fretboard: ivoroid and Bob Taylor, and on the prototype peghead: none heel cap: ivoroid refinement of the GS over the last Brian Tong, Costa Mesa, California soundhole: none several months. He’s also a self-con- “I’ve owned other Taylors, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve never really Purfling material: plastic fessed gear hound who owns numer- liked the Taylor tone. I love their playability, but to my ear, they just never Rosette size: 3-ring ous acoustic and electric guitars. As a material: abalone gave me that deep, visceral, ‘bone-resonating’ feel. But with the GS, the way discerning player, he recounts his first Inlays peghead logo: mother-of-pearl impressions of the GS. the top moves…I felt an instantaneous feedback in the way it vibrated. fretboard: 4 mm abalone dots “It felt like the Taylors I’m used What I like the most is the natural compression of the wood to where Finish back/sides: gloss to, and it played great, but it was a there’s no sort of dead feeling when you hit it harder. It felt a lot like my top: gloss completely different sound. I mean, neck: satin favorite OM in terms of how it projected; it gave me that initial push, but I’m usually surrounded by different TUNERS: taylor gold compressed really nicely to where, when I laid into it, everything smoothed guitars, but every once in a while I BUTTONS: gold pick one up, start playing, and later out. It kept giving me more the harder I played it, and it kept giving me NUT/SADDLE: tusq BRIDGE PINS: ebony w/ab dot realize, this is the first time I’ve played more the softer I played it. I never felt like it let me down.”

2 0 he adds. “And when you run across listen to them on their own. And a sound you’ve never heard before, they encourage people to play all it inspires new songs. Now I have four models, because each one this instrument that can articulate really responds uniquely to an what I hear in my head.” individual player. Swerdfeger’s feelings were vali- “I think we proved that in- dated when he started taking GS house,” Swerdfeger says, “where I’d prototypes out on gigs (see “Girthy be playing or David would be play- and Giving” sidebar). ing the cedar/mahogany model “People would hear it and say, and getting great sound from it. ‘What’s that?’ — not because they Then Bob Taylor would pick it and visually recognized it as a new it just wouldn’t sound the same. shape, but because it had a voice But then Bob would pick up the they hadn’t heard from other spruce/rosewood guitar and sound Taylors. A lot of people didn’t expect spectacular on it because he has a it from a Taylor. That’s another fun really light touch, and for the way thing about the GS. It’s a sound that he plays, that’s his sound. Almost Taylor isn’t known for, yet it’s not the opposite is true for me — I someone else’s sound. It’s a very sound clunky on the spruce/rose- distinguished, complex sound. If wood guitar. you’re a connoisseur, when you play “So, that’s what led us to the idea this guitar you’ll find things in it that these are all going to be priced that you would expect from the the same, because we can’t say one most boutique-y specialty builders is better; depending on your play- — yet at an amazing price.” ing style, it might not be. It’s like Returning to the notion of the having four different flavors, each GS as a “player’s guitar”, Swerdfeger of which is completely valid and yet points out that it’s an instru- totally subjective.” ment that can really be driven In reflecting on the GS proj- dynamically with one’s picking/ ect, Bob Taylor sums up the merits strumming hand. of reaching forward and design- “I’ve noticed that really good gui- ing a guitar that truly offers A guitar of the caliber of the Taylor GS Series deserves a case of equal distinction. tarists who’ve played a long time something new. A rugged yet elegant chocolate brown, alligator-inspired, polyvinyl exterior wraps can get all kinds of amazing voices “The GS has allowed us to refresh the sturdy 6mm, 5-ply archtop shell. Inside, the rich texture of crushed velvet covers out of one acoustic guitar, because ourselves, and to refresh the expe- thick layers of open and closed cell foam for a tailored, glove-like fit. Custom touches they know how to lean into it or rience with players. It’s important include a removable, formed heel pad, an adjustable, padded headstock wedge, a back off, or move their hand closer for us to continue to develop some wooden belly band, gold-plated hardware, a combination lock, and hand-stitched to the bridge or neck. I think the GS new frontier. We need it. Customers leather handles. guitar is so dynamic in that sense, need it. The industry needs it. This from really quiet to blistering loud. P r i c i n g : is all an ecosystem, and our role There are so many subtle nuances in that is to take a cool idea and and complexities in there.” G S / T r o p i c a l a m e r i c a n G S / I n d i a n R o s e w o o d turn it into something a person can While both Swerdfeger and M a h o g a n y W e s t e r n R e d C e d a r find in a store and take home and David Hosler can talk at length W e s t e r n R e d C e d a r $ 2 , 6 9 8 play. I try to never forget that role. about their personal impressions $ 2 , 5 9 8 It’s our contribution to inspiring of the GS, both stress that rath- G S / B i g L e a f M a p l e new music, by giving players a new, er than trying to define the tone G S / I n d i a n R o s e w o o d S i t k a s P r u c e great sound.” ■ themselves, people should play and S i t k a s P r u c e $ 2 , 6 9 8 $ 2 , 6 9 8

L o o k f o r G S S e r i e s g u i t a r s i n s t o r e s s t a r t i n g A p r i l 1, 2 0 0 6 . V i s i t t a y l o r g u i t a r s . c o m f o r m o r e d e t a i ls .

2 1 SHORT SCALE, these short-scale dreads because of their produce a full-color 2006 calendar prior HIGH MARKS playability, vintage warmth, and powerful to the November 16 CMA Awards, held ES electronics. Previously you’d have to for the first time in New York’s Madison Acoustic Guitar / Nov 2005. install aftermarket electronics in a vintage Square Garden. The “April” photo fea- Our short-scale 710ce-L9 or vintage-reissue dread to get this com- tured longtime Taylor player Billy Dean came up anything but short bination of vintage whomp and acoustic- crouched in front of a Chevy pickup with in a gear review. Then-editor electric sound. But not anymore.” one of his all-koa K20 Dreadnoughts. Scott Nygaard starts by recall- Dean’s latest CD is Let Them Be Little. ing how the “bassy whomp” TAYLOR DAYS ARE of a Martin D-28 established LEO AND MIKE’S a defining acoustic voice for HERE AGAIN MMR (Musical Merchandise Review) EXCELLENT a generation of players in the / Nov 2005. A nice item in the “Upfront” VENTURE LA GUITARE ’60s and early ’70s. While the arrival of section details the runaway success of Guitar World Acoustic / Oct/Nov À DEUX TÊTES Among the variety of solidbody and companies like Taylor and Larrivée intro- the “Taylor Day” events we launched at 2005. An article about the latest collabo- Guitarist Acoustic / Jan 2006. This chambered-body models that guitar mak- duced a more balanced, refined contem- various dealers’ stores in 2005. The multi- ration between Leo Kottke and Phish lavishly produced French magazine has ers have introduced since then, the T5 is porary tone, Nygaard acknowledges, the pronged efforts combine a regular work- bassist Mike Gordon has two photos a two-page story about the T5. Dusting rightly lauded for not just blurring but robust low-end of a D-28 remained a shop featuring a Taylor clinician with a of Leo playing his signature Taylors. off the college Français, we were able transcending the categories that have long sonic benchmark for many. If Nygaard is diagnostic/re-stringing session conducted to translate the headline (“Two-Headed defined the “acoustic-electric” realm. The implying his own subjective preferences, by techs from the Taylor factory and a Guitar”), and we could read enough to T5’s pickups and five-way switch dra- he also professes that the 710ce-L9 “is the meet-and-greet with the Taylor Regional discern a predominantly favorable slant matically distinguish it from the other first Taylor I’ve played that duplicates the Sales Manager for that area of the country. to the article (nice photos). guitars in the pack (including the Godin vintage D-28’s woody boom….with the We did 43 such Taylor Days before the Multiac Steel SA, Gibson Americana first strummed G chord, my face bright- year ended, and more are in the planning Pioneer Cutaway, and Fender ened and I was off, boom-chucking like stages for 2006. Acoustasonic Strat), most of one possessed, ripping into G-runs and To ensure that you don’t miss the which utilize a piezo pickup plat- launching first-position flatpicked leads Taylor events coming to your area, register form. As in most other magazine with abandon.” for our free “E/vents” reminder e-mail reviews, the T5’s extraordinary But Nygaard quickly realized that this program by going to our website, rolling versatility and amp compatibil- was no Martin clone. The short-scale’s your cursor over the “news/events” tab, ity are cited for giving the player slinkier feel made it easier for him to play, and clicking on “Taylor Calendar”. You’ll Also, a “First Stringers” review of Brandi a diverse range of tonal colors. “great for bending and wiggling strings see where to click to enroll. Once enrolled, Carlisle’s CD mentions her 914ce and Also in this issue, the cover — even in the first position”, which also you’ll automatically be notified a month in 612 (see “On Review” this issue for Julie story on Neil Young mentions caused him to lighten up his attack. The advance of every event. Bergman’s review of the CD). his Taylor 12-strings; the “First guitar’s strong point, he felt, was versa- If you’d rather not receive e-mail notic- Stringer” section features three es, simply refer to our online Calendar for ETC. artists who play Taylors (Iron & information, which is updated daily. Do New York / Sept 2005. The venerable Wine [Sam Beam], Ali Handal, a search for “Taylor Day” to get specific city magazine’s “Best Bets” page sports THIN LINEUP and Bob Burger); and an LR Baggs ad dates for those events. a full photo of the T5 with a descrip- Guitar World Acoustic / Dec 2005. shows Jim Messina playing his DDSM. tion titled “An Acoustic That Blows the The T5 is featured in a roundup of COUNTRY Amps” and directs readers to Rudy’s 10 thinline acoustic-electrics. The story RIBBONS AND CLAMORING Music Stop in New York City. (“The Thin Crowd”) traces the devel- GUITARS Country Weekly / Nov 7, 2005. Taylor Music Inc. / Sept 2005. There’s opment of the hybrid concept back to Electronic Musician / Nov 2005. The sightings in this issue included Alan a nice nod to Taylor in the “NAMM Gibson’s 1982 launch of the nylon-string cover story is about recording with rib- Jackson, Neil Thrasher, Pam Tillis’s band, News” section (“Taylor T5 a Bonafide Chet Atkins Standard (followed by the bon (or velocity) microphones, and the and Craig Morgan. Hit”), and info on the new Doyle cover photo is a beautiful shot of Chevy/CMA calendar. Chevrolet and Dykes Anniversary Edition in the a Taylor 110, poised and ready the Country Music Association teamed to “Gear” section. ■ to “sing” into an expectant rib- bon mic. Ribbon mics are known tility, inviting him to play “up-the-neck for their “punch”, natural room jazz chords” as well as fingerpick. He sound, and excellent low-end reckons that the axe would be especially definition. The article, “Capture loved by players who employ a variety That Vintage Vibe”, focuses on 13 of techniques. quality ribbon mics for the proj- Nygaard also raves about the ect-studio owner, organized in Expression System, calling it one of the groups by price and physical con- best amplification systems on the mar- struction. The 110 pictured on the ket. He mentions that as he cranked up cover belongs to EM Senior Editor the volume (playing through a new AER steel-string SST in ’87), Gino Robair, who told us in an e-mail, AcoustiCube 3), a couple of passers-by and notes the influ- “Feel free to mention it’s my personal gui- remarked how natural it sounded. His bot- ence of semi-hollowbody tar. I love the sound of that instrument.” tom-line assessment: “There will certainly electrics like the Gibson be a lot of guitarists falling in love with ES-335.

For the latest Taylor media coverage, visit taylorguitars.com/news/news.html 2 2 Sebastian, Alejandro Sanz, guitarist millions (a month earlier, La Ley had black-stained maple beauty to be Vicente Fernandez, Juan Gabriel gui- staged its official final concert at Luna auctioned off during a fundraising ball tarist Gustavo Farias, and others, has Park Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina). at the Royal Lancaster Hotel to benefit created a frenzy among the pro Chances are good that we’ll be hearing the Willow Foundation. The winning community. Many stores are already in more from Cuevas, who plans to pursue bid of £20,000 — a record for the event negotiations to become part of the a solo career. — came from the chairman of Liberty dealer network, which will make Tay- Taylor player Julieta Venegas (Soundings, Bishop, an accountancy firm specializing lor a household name in Mexico in the Summer 2004 issue) also performed at in providing services for UK and inter- MEXICAN GUITAR ON very near future. We look forward to the Latin Grammys, and another past national contractors, particularly those in Taylor Guitars has established a a great future with Taylor Guitars in winner, Marco Antonio Solis (who again the IT sector. formal presence in the Latin American Mexico and are very proud to be part of was nominated in the Best Male Vocal The Willow Foundation was founded retail market, forging a relationship with this family of guitar craftsmanship.” Album category), was a 2005 presenter. years ago by former Scotland and Arsenal Elizondo Music, a distributor based in Many of those popular and emerg- Two weeks before the program, Solis had football (soccer to Americans) goalkeeper Guadalajara, the capital of the Mexican ing Latin artists, including Maná, La played his red T5 for a crowd of thousands and British television sports commentator state of Jalisco. In March 2005, Elizondo Ley, Bacilos, Chayanne, Julieta Venegas, at one of Southern California’s premier Bob Wilson and his wife Megs in memory officially debuted the Taylor line at the Juan-Carlos Formell, and Reik, already venues, the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. of his daughter, Anna. The organization Soundcheck Expo, the Mexican equiva- play Taylors, so it was not surprising “Also, I recently was invited to the House funds and organizes “special days” that lent of the U.S. NAMM show, held at that the sixth-annual Latin Grammy of Blues in Hollywood to see Aleks Syntek,” provide seriously ill young adults with Mexico City’s World Trade Center. More Awards show, held November 3 at the Elizondo relates. “I showed him Marco’s a respite from the routine of illness and than 12,000 musicians attended the event, T5 and he fell in love with it and ended treatment that can dominate their lives. according to Elizondo Music President up playing it during his concert. He will Recently launched as a national char- Raul Elizondo, who deemed the show “a take delivery of his own T5 in Mexico City ity, Willow hopes to help the estimated great success” for introducing Taylor to and wants an 815, as well.” 12,500 people in the UK, aged 16-40, Mexico’s “pro” music community. Taylor-playing melodic-pop group Reik who are diagnosed every year with a “Music is like a religion in this country, also was nominated (Best New Artist) life-threatening illness. and guitars are a main instrument in and served as presenters. But the big- “This wonderful gift [the 614ce] the music,” Elizondo reflected after the gest winner of the night was Colombian achieved an extraordinary result for the event. “Many musicians don’t have access rocker Juanes, who walked away with Willow Foundation,” said Wilson. “We are to high-quality guitars like Taylors, so Latin Grammys for Best Rock Song, Best indebted to both Sound Technology for they were very excited when they saw Rock Vocal Album, and Best Music Video donating it and to Kim Scott, Chairman our booth. We had great attendance, and honors. Juanes performed solo vocal, just of Liberty Bishop, for his generosity in many prominent musicians stopped by, ingly, also added to the excitement at his voice and a Taylor. purchasing it.” including members of the band Molotov, the booth. David Marshall, Managing Director guitarist Arturo Ibarra from the leg- Given the high-end market position GUITAR SIGNED BY of Sound Technology plc, added, “As our endary Spanish rock band Rostros of Taylor relative to the income limita- ROBBIE WILLIAMS chosen charity, we are delighted to have Ocultos, songwriter Sergio Fachelli, Sin tions among portions of the Mexican helped the Willow Foundation raise such Banderas, Benny Ibarra, members of the customer base, one might wonder how RAISES £20,000 FOR a significant sum of money, and are very band Maná, renowned producer Memo commercially viable Taylor can be CHARITY grateful to Taylor Guitars for their help Gil, Timbirichi, and many others.” south of the border. A Taylor 614ce signed by British with this project.” Elizondo says that the Taylor Expression “The truth is that when you see pop star Robbie Williams raised £20,000 For more information visit willowfoun- System impressed many of the pro musi- and feel a Taylor, you don’t want to let (about $35,000) at a late-November char- dation.org or soundtech.co.uk. cians, who were well aware of Mr. Rupert go,” Elizondo explains. “This is exactly ity event in London. Taylor Guitars’ UK continued on page 24 Neve’s audio-design legacy, yet were what happened during the Expo, and distributor, Sound Technology, amazed that such quality electronics we feel that this will happen across donated the were avail- able on an the country. Musicians had never been acoustic guitar. The exposed to such quality craftsmanship T5, not surpris- and are willing to save for that guitar after they play one. “The number of Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, was Hispanic pro-end users, awash in our guitars. like Maná, La Ley, Pepe Lead singer Beto Cuevas of the Chilean Aguilar, Sin Bandera, Joan rock group La Ley played a T5 during L-R: David Seaman and the band’s farewell performance. The Bob Wilson repeat nominees, who formed in 1987 hold a 614ce and already had a Grammy and a Latin signed by Clockwise from top: Latin Grammy to their credit, exited in grand Robbie artists Aleks Syntek, Marco style by performing energized renditions Williams Antonio Solis (photo by Oscar along with Elizondo), and Sergio Vallin of “Mentira”, “Aqui”, and “El Duelo” for TaylorWare of Maná a television audience numbering in the items

2 3 1 Aosta, Italy 2 Neustadt, Germany r e g i o n , Taylor players — in the Shibuya district 3 Berlin, Germany located at of Tokyo. 4 4 Hamburg, Germany the “hub” “The hall was equipped with one 5 Cologne, Germany 9 3 of the Alps, of the best sound systems I have ever 6 Walldorf, Germany surrounded 5 experienced,” says Hosler, “and the bands 7 Freilassing, Germany by Europe’s continued from page 23 questions to us, and then explaining the took full advantage of it. The concert was 8 Vienna, Austria four highest answers to each other in Japanese. It was absolutely great — fantastic players and 9 Amsterdam, Netherlands mountains BOB AND DAVID amazing and quite humorous at times, but performers, all Japanese.” Among them 2 — Mont IN JAPAN totally successful. Immediately after the was Yoshiyuki Sahashi, who performed 6 B l a n c - In October, Bob Taylor and David Hosler summit, we held an interview session with with his Life on the Longboard Band and M o n t e 8 traveled to Japan for the second time to two national Japanese magazines, includ- accompanied many of the guest artists. 7 Bianco, Matterhorn-Cervino, visit our distributor, YMT, headquarter- ing Acoustic Guitar (Japan).” The following day the Taylor team took Monte Rosa, and Gran ed in Tokyo. Their first official event The following day, Bob and David a four-hour train ride to Osaka for lunch Paradiso — all more than 13,000 was a dealer summit held at the YMT accepted a personal invitation from Ichiro with two more local dealers, then con- 1 feet high]. National Showroom and Service Center Katayama, President of Takamine, to visit ducted a combination re-stringing clinic/ After 12 hours on the road, we in Tokyo. In attendance were storeown- their new factory. Bob and Ichiro have T5 demo at the local Taylor dealer, Yamaha meet Mike and Bryan and a film ers and sales staff from many of the 38 been friends for many years, and it was Music. There was more guitar-playing fun crew in a nice Italian restaurant Taylor dealers that cover Japan. Some had a great honor for the Taylor duo to be and four Taylor guitars were purchased in the middle of nowhere (Mike traveled six hours, one way, by train to invited to tour their new facility. The before the night was over. and Bryan were guests on a DVD attend the gathering. Takamine factory is located on Takamine “On the way back to Tokyo the follow- shoot for a German drummer). “It was a fantastic time of fun and Mountain, in the Kiso Valley — a two- ing day, we stopped in Kyoto to tour the The next morning, we leave Italy information-exchange with them,” Hosler hour train ride south. After a delicious various temples,” Hosler says. “Kyoto is an and return to Neustadt around reports. “We discussed numerous topics, lunch consisting of numerous traditional absolute must-see for anyone who travels midnight, where we’re met by from the increasing popularity of Taylor Japanese dishes, the group drove up the to Japan. It is an amazing area that leaves Mike’s European road manager, guitars in Japan to wood combinations mountain to the factory for an afternoon a lasting impression on anyone who visits. Pieter van Hoogedam from and the sounds of different body shapes. of hospitality and friendship. We arrived in Tokyo late that evening for Amsterdam, Holland. YMT has built a fantastic service and sales “When we returned to Tokyo, we had dinner with a well-known Japanese pro- Tuesday, October 4, first center, where they have a dedicated staff of dinner with guitarist Kazumi Watanabe, ducer/writer and our good friend Hiro, workshop day. After a quick sales and product support persons, as well his wife Coco, and YMT staff members,” of Leo’s Music, a successful ‘pro’ instru- stop at Meinl to meet the boss, as skilled and gifted in-house techs.” Hosler recalls. “Kazumi is a fantastic ment rental company not unlike Center Mr. Meinl, and show the guys our According to Hosler, the dealer summit player and a national treasure in Japan, and Stage and Lighting in the States. Hiro is facility, we hit the road through he’s very popular in American real Taylor fan and owns several beauti- the former East Germany to set jazz circles, as well. He gave ful Taylors that he refers to as ‘the best up our first workshop at Just the T5 a huge endorsement at guitars in Japan!’ Acoustic Guitars, in Berlin. Mark NAMM 2005 and continues “One of the major impressions with Bazaniak, the store manager, to talk about it in Japanese which we left Japan is that the popularity Top: The Keneally/Beller tour route; Above: Mike gives us (and his customers) a music magazines.” of Taylor Guitars and acoustic guitar play- Keneally warms up for a workshop in Vienna. really warm welcome, with snacks and Photo by Thomas Supper On Friday night of that ing in general is at an all-time high. YMT Italian red wine. It is always a pleasure week, YMT and Taylor Guitars and Taylor are significantly contributing Sunday, October 2, 7 a.m. Time to to hang out with Mark and his crew in sponsored an evening con- to that trend by supporting the culture leave Neustadt for the long ride down to Berlin; I’ve known him for a long time, cert featuring four acts — all of acoustic music in Japan with a dedi- Aosta, Italy to pick up Mike Keneally and and our relationship is a cool mixture of cated and passionate Bryan Beller for a one-week Taylor work- friendship and straight business. staff of professional shop tour of Germany, specifically to show Mark was well prepared; a nice and people who really the T5 to our dealers and their customers. interested crowd showed up and we had love what they do!” It had been my big wish to get Mike over a wonderful evening. Mike and Bryan here ever since I saw him rocking the played as though it was a stadium gig, 3958 MILES Anaheim Hilton during a Winter NAMM while we stood in disbelief at the things WITH show 15 years ago. I couldn’t imagine that are possible using the T5 — am I started on an interesting note. A sales KENEALLY, anyone better suited to this “job”. still on the same planet? Mike’s use of the staffer from Aomori, in the northern After a quick stop to pick up Max (a Meinl T5 was amazing as he switched so fast region of Japan, had created a list of ques- BELLER, trainee) to show him “life on the road,” we between the acoustic side and the rock ‘n’ tions to ask Bob. The person spoke very AND THE head down to the Swiss/German border roll rig that our brains could hardly keep little English, and was hoping that some- T5 (I couldn’t pass by historic Montreux, up — and he was using regular, borrowed one would be able to translate. A tour journal by Switzerland without showing Max where gear from the shop. Those two hours “What at first looked like a dif- Thomas Supper, the Deep Purple song, “Smoke on the totally kicked my knowledge and under- ficult situation actually turned into a Marketing and Sales Water”, was born). Then it was up to the standing of the T5 to a new level, and I Above left: Bob Taylor and David Hosler pose really cool time for all of us,” Hosler says. already had been working with the guitar after a meal with staffers from Japanese dis- Manager for Taylor mountains, through the big tunnel where “It was impressive watching the entire tributor YMT and friends; Above: a temple in Guitars at our distributor, Meinl, located in the Swiss/Italian border is and down again for a while! (Mark and Ray, thanks again group working together to translate the Kyoto. Photo by Bob Taylor Neustadt (Bavaria), Germany. to lovely Aosta Valley [the smallest Italian — you rule Berlin!)

2 4 Wednesday, October 5. I agreed to we rent a rehearsal room so they could host musicians from all over the world, it’s Anniversary models, LTDs, a late checkout at the hotel because this rehearse the next morning with a drum- whether it is the acoustic guitar festival, or simply guitars with outstand- would be an almost 24-hour day. I drove mer and violinist for an upcoming gig in Dan Crary, or Beppe Gambetta, and being ing wood figures, George, Andy, us to the former East Berlin, past the Amsterdam. We arrived in Cologne at 3 so well received made us feel like we and Giancarlo carefully choose Reichstag, the Brandenburg gate, and end- a.m., and after a short night’s sleep Mike were home. Because the European NATO guitars, and their customers love ing up at Potzdammer Platz, which used and Bryan left for rehearsal. A few hours headquarters is in Heidelberg, some them for it! to be the “dead zone” back in the cold war later, we were saying, “Hello, it’s nice to be American friends showed up for the This workshop, like all those times. It remains a very strange feeling to in Cologne at Beyer´s Guitar Center. Let’s workshop and an audience of more than before it, went very well, and we drive on a road where you still can see the have a cool evening together.” 85 made it an unforgettable evening. Mike were really surprised that Sound- marks on the ground where the wall used The Guitar Center workshop rocked. broke the ice by asking a question and Andy used a Midas 56-channel to be. I explained to the guys that you They had a well-prepared stage for Mike rewarding the person with the correct console and a big touring P.A. could hold your hand out of the window and Bryan, drew another big crowd, and answer with a free copy of a Sounds of system to give Mike a 10,000- and it would be in East Germany, while again I had to stop the guys with hand Wood&Steel CD I’d given him. We did that seat-venue sound! Because of the your body would still be in the West! signals because they were oblivious to for the rest of the tour. workshop’s early starting time, Enough sightseeing. We hit the road to the time. Our thanks to Peter Alexius, Bryan was in seventh heaven meet- we were able to spend a lot of Diane Magagna. Photo by Erin Fitzgerald Hamburg for our second workshop day. A acoustic floor manager of Guitar Center/ ing Geli [Angelika Taylor], the pro bass time afterward talking to inter- shop called Amptown would be hosting Cologne, who did the scheduling, let us player on Super Idol, Germany’s version ested customers about the T5 and and the masterminds, Mike Keneally us; they’d had a “grand opening” a couple use his rehearsal room, provided over- of American Idol. One moment in the its possibilities. This is a good and Bryan Beller! And above all, thanks weeks earlier after moving to a new loca- night accommodations for Mike’s violin workshop stands out for me: Mike broke time to acknowledge Mike and Bryan for to Taylor Guitars for making the T5 and tion inside Hamburg’s well-known “The player, and made a perfect workshop pos- a string on a T5 Custom Koa but kept devoting so much time to discussion and for sending such wonderful clinicians all Bunker”, leftover from the bad days of sible, and without whose unselfish help all playing while pointing to the string, hop- to answering customers’ questions after over the world; they help us to understand WWII. When we started right on time our plans for Cologne could not have hap- ing for a replacement guitar. Franz kept the workshops. your passion for making guitars! at 7 p.m., store manager Michi Palow pened. Also, thanks to the Guitar Center pointing to the wall, where there were The last official tour day started with — Thomas Supper and acoustic department manager Frank boss, Winni Beyer, who drove to his sec- three different T5s to choose from. Mike a bombastic wake-up concert, courtesy Elwart couldn’t believe that more than 90 ond store in Bochum to get a rehearsal kept pointing and playing, Franz would of a traditional Austrian marching band people had shown up, because this was the drum set for Mike’s drummer. We’ll never respond by pointing to the wall as if to playing right in front of the window of DIANE MAGAGNA GOES last date confirmed and they had not had forget your support! say, “You have your choice — which do Bryan’s hotel room! Once on the road, INTERNATIONAL time to publicize it in a big way. The next morning, we said goodbye you want, the spruce top, the maple top, or we travelled to Vienna, Austria, where we On October 1, longtime Taylor sales An enthusiastic crowd celebrated a to Max, our Meinl trainee, who left by another koa?” The whole audience started were guests at Musik Prodiktiv’s house staffer Diane Magagna assumed a new great evening, in which Mike and Bryan train for home. It was a great experience to laugh. After the workshop, the “spare” fair. Big stage, big lightning, and Jennifer role as International Sales Manager. In had to do more Frank Zappa material for him to hang out on the road with us T5 Mike had played found a new home Batten — former Michael Jackson guitar- essence, she’ll be responsible for all of our because a couple of hardcore Zappa fans “old rabbits”, and it helped to prepare with a proud, excited customer. (Thank ist — conducting a clinic right before we international business, working closely were in the audience. Again the T5 shined. him for future tasks in the world of guitar you, Franz — we’ll be back!) set up the gear! with our overseas distributors and report- Mike had to sign tons of CDs — more business! For Pieter, Mike’s road manager, Saturday workshops always are a bit Mike and Bryan met some friends from ing to Robert Sandell, Taylor Senior Vice than 30 for one customer! (Thanks again Max’s departure was a blessing — he no difficult because there are so many things Prague and we had a great tour finale. President of Sales. to Michi, Frank, and the whole Amptown longer had to sit between all the boxes of to do on a late Saturday afternoon. But Shopowner Martin Sobotnik couldn’t stop Diane had been the Regional Sales crew for setting up such a well-prepared Wood&Steels, merchandise, and luggage. while driving from Walldorf to Freilassing smiling and telling me how cool the guys Manager for the Northeastern sector evening for us all!) I decided to cancel our Thanks to my GPS, we were able to avoid (border town to Salzburg, Austria), I was are. He decided to keep another T5 in of the U.S. since she started at Taylor Hamburg hotel reservation and drive the some serious traffic jams on the short sure that George Oellerer, Andy (of Sound- Austria, which he took from the Meinl in January 1993, but she arrived with a four hours down to Cologne, site of our drive down to Walldorf, near Heidelberg, Andy), and Giancarlo of Musikhaus booth that my two colleagues, Matthias long résumé of experience in the inter- next workshop. where Franz Schobert, manager of Session Oellerer had done a perfect job preparing and Rolf, were running there. national market. Mike and Bryan had requested that Acoustics, awaited us. Franz loves to for our T5 performance. Over many years We left Vienna and started the murder- “In 1975, my husband and I started an of working together, George, the owner, ous 800-mile drive to Amsterdam, where export company, Cobble Hill Associates, has become the “man of special requests,” the Mike Keneally Band had a show at the with the objective of taking American- and his demanding customers legendary Paradiso Club. For me, it was made products overseas,” Diane says of know that they always will time to say goodbye to the guys and head her early days in the business. “I was find hard-to-find Taylors on back to Germany. very lucky when two people in the music his newly designed “Taylor I can´t say “thank you” enough to eve- industry took a chance on me — Michael Wall”. Whether rybody involved in this fantastic 10-day Gurian of Gurian Guitars and Ron Lazar trip — Mark and Ray in Berlin, Michi of Dobro. Those associations and several and Frank in Hamburg, Winni, Peter and other product lines became the basis of Dennis in Cologne, Franz, Holger and our overseas business, and off I went — Geli in Walldorf, Georg, Andy, Giancarlo, selling American-made products around Sound-Andy in Freilassing, Martin, Meinl- the world, going door to door. What Matthias and Headliner-Rolf in Vienna, a thrill it was to travel the world and Pieter van Hoogedam from Amsterdam, make relationships and friendships that would last 30 years.” L-R: Bryan Beller, Winni Beyer, Mike There was speculation that Diane was Keneally, and Peter Alexius at Guitar Center the first American woman to sell U.S. in Cologne. Photo by Thomas Supper continued on page 27

2 5 SHINING RAY Music & Relief concert that raised funds and CMT, and featured a mix of live private benefit concert featuring Mo to the organization works with key agencies, Paul McCartney launched his fall 2005 and other support in the aftermath of and taped performances and messages, raise funds for the local non-profit Voices legal counsel, and community resources “US” tour of America with a September Hurricane Katrina. The three-hour, com- broadcast from staging areas in New York, for Children organization. Unfortunately, to serve the best interests of children both 16 concert in Miami. As the entourage mercial-free program aired on MTV, VH1, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Atlanta, along most of Mo’s music gear had been stolen inside and outside of court. snaked its way across the country, the with satellite feeds from bands during the previous night from the band’s van. To raise additional funding for the orga- reviews were almost unanimous in their their concerts in other cities that evening. Taylor already had contributed a nization, KPRI in November issued anoth- praise for the show, and especially for a set Other Taylor artists included Dave 614ce as an auction item (it would fetch er Live Tracks CD compilation, recorded list that included some long-unperformed Matthews (914ce), Jewel (her older $3,000), so Mo played it throughout the by various artists visiting San Diego dur- Lennon-McCartney songs. 914ce), Maroon 5 (814ce), Alan Jackson show, along with an 810 that was loaned ing the past year [see “Soundings”, Winter The 63-year-old former Beatle was (custom 610), Three Doors Down (710), to him through a local 2005]. ably backed by a young band that fea- Rob Thomas (914ce), the Radiators a u d i o pro du c t i on “We’re pleased to once again acknowl- tured drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr., gui- (814ce and another GA), and Mark com- edge Taylor Guitars (with the Expression tarist Rusty Anderson, keyboardist Paul Broussard (T5). System) as ‘the official acoustic guitar “Wix” Wickens, and guitarist/bassist The big surprise in the ReAct of KPRI Studio i,” said Hughes, allud- Brian Ray, who wielded an ES-equipped Now sequence was Sir Mick Jagger ing to the sterling reputation of our Taylor 655 played through a K4. Sound strumming his 414 on a rendition axes among many guest musicians engineers (including FOH knob-pushers) of “Waiting on a Friend” dur- who perform acoustically at the sta- told Taylor Artist Relations Manager Bob ing the Rolling Stones show tion. “One of the stand-out tracks is Borbonus that the ES/K4 combination is in Milwaukee (Jagger Jars of Clay’s ‘all-Taylor’ version of “the best acoustic amplification system bought the Taylor, sans America’s ‘Lonely [they’ve] ever heard.” The tour ended with pickup, some time ago People’.” two dates in late November at the Staples in the UK). Earlier in Center in Los Angeles. the summer, Bob Borbonus had GOT LIVE PICKUP IF YOU spent some WANT IT time with Jagger On October 10, the Goo Goo Dolls and Keith Richards performed a pair of tunes on NBC’s Today at A&M Records dur- show, entertaining a live crowd from the ing a private listen- program’s outdoor stage at Rockefeller ing event to preview Plaza in New York City. Frontman Johnny the new Stones record, Above: San Diego Padres pitcher Rzeznik strummed a 915ce on the first A Bigger Bang. In addition to Scott Linebrink. Photo by Scott Schorr; song, “Better Days”, a single that appears showing the Glimmer Twins some Right: Actor Terry O’Quinn on the set on the compilation Sounds of the Season T5s, he talked Mick into letting us of the show Lost — The NBC Holiday Collection. The band install a pickup on his acoustic in also used Taylors in the video they shot case he wanted to play it live. for the song on October 3. Prior to the Stones’ November 11 On September 10, concert at San Diego’s Petco Park the band and its 915ce (home of the Padres baseball team), pany, Unisound 2.0. As if the logistics were among a raft Charlie Watts’ drum tech bought weren’t already askew, it started raining of Taylor acts an 814ce and Jagger bought halfway through the outdoor show, forc- who performed another 414 to use as a backup. ing everyone to seek shelter in the living TAYLORSPOTTING in the ReAct Now: room of the home that hosted the event. It would come as no surprise if music MO MONEY FOR KIDS KPRI co-owner and afternoon deejay players were to list a Taylor guitar among A pair of Taylors helped save Robert Hughes said the audience ulti- items deemed essential for survival and the day in October when bluesman mately was thrilled with the more inti- sanity were they stranded on a desert Keb Mo and a San Diego radio mate performance, and he thanked Taylor island. Apparently, actor Terry O’Quinn station found themselves in a and Unisound for rising to the occasion. is one of them. O’Quinn plays castaway bind. Independent rock station “I know Keb was particularly impressed John Locke on ABC’s hit show, Lost, now 102.1 KPRI-FM had organized a with the 614ce,” Hughes informed Bob in its second season. On the recently Borbonus the next day. “Who wouldn’t released DVD set of 2004’s debut season, be?” Keb also signed and personalized O’Quinn is shown in one of the “behind the guitar for the winning auction bidder, the scenes” features playing a Taylor 30th Loretta Morris. Anniversary Commemorative 714ce-L30. Voices for Children works to ensure that On September 26, NPR’s daily All abused, neglected, and abandoned chil- Things Considered program broadcast a dren who have become dependents of the story about a new CD, Oh Say Can You San Diego County Court will have a safe Sing?, which showcases the musical tal- and permanent home. Using a network ents of 11 major league baseball players. ON of trained and educated volunteer Court Among those who scored album cuts Top: Brian Ray. Photo by Bill Bernstein; Above (L-R): Keb Mo picks on an 810 with guitarist Clayton Gibb Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs), were San Diego Padres hurler and Taylor For more Soundings, visit www.taylorguitars.com/news/news.html 2 6 ON

man Scott Linebrink, former St. Louis Wolf, and John Lee Hooker. Rev. Gary and the guitar cost me. But I just like it, Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Famer Davis used to sing on the street in my and it’s worth it. All guitars sound differ- Ozzie Smith, Philadelphia Phillies short- neighborhood in the Bronx, and my friend ent, even when they’re the same model, continued from page 25 — has dedicated the entire second floor stop Jimmy Rollins, Florida Marlins first Willie Green, who was a janitor of a tene- same specs, made from the same wood, products overseas, but even if that’s diffi- to acoustic guitars, where they keep 18 to baseman Jeff Conine, and two Cleveland ment building, played guitar, so I picked it but you have a favorite among them. That’s cult to verify, it’s irrefutable that she broke 22 Taylors in stock at all times. While I was Indians — centerfielder Coco Crisp and up from him. why I didn’t just buy another Baby Taylor; new ground. “Early in her career, Diane there they sold a 914ce and a PS10ce to first baseman Ben Broussard. “You put country music and blues I wanted that one.” spent a lot of time pioneering the acous- one customer, while in another part of the All Things Considered host Melissa together, and it’s almost like if you turn tic guitar business with musical instru- store a rep from another guitar company Block spoke with the album’s producer, blues into a major key — you get rock and FRESH SQUEEZED ment importers and distributors abroad,” played a T5-C2.” Scott Schorr, about bringing the project roll,” Dion continued. “You get what Chuck Fans of Glenn Tilbrook (of the band says Sandell. “In combination with her After a day visiting the stores in Sydney, to life, and about each player’s person- Berry and Fats Domino and I were doing, Squeeze) should know that on January 24, success selling Taylor products to U.S. ality and musical interests. The record like ‘blues-country’. But that’s what we 2006 filmmaker Amy Pickard’s documen- Dena and her hosts flew to Broad Beach spans a mix of genres, including country, called ‘rock and roll’ back in the ’50s.” tary, Glenn Tilbrook: One for the Road (The dealers, we think her experience in the on the Gold Coast for the yearly AMAC rock, hip-hop, bluegrass, and soul, and On Bronx in Blue, Dion does justice to Story of One Man, Two Guitars, and an export market will be put to good use includes both cover tunes and originals. the music of Reed, Wolf, Robert Johnson, RV!), is being released worldwide on DVD representing Taylor and helping dis- Linebrink chose to cover the song “Wave and Lightnin’ Hopkins, employing his by Image Entertainment. tributors to grow Taylor’s market on Wave”, written by his friend and fel- “backpack guitar,” a Baby Taylor. The film, which took several years to share in their areas.” low Texan, country singer-songwriter Pat “[The Baby Taylor] almost sounds like finish, was already in the works when “I’m very much looking forward Green. There’s also a nice photo on the an official Delta blues guitar — to me, Tilbrook and Pickard visited the Taylor to representing the Taylor brand NPR website of Linebrink in the studio anyway. That guitar has a lot of midrange. factory in December 2002 to have his K20 overseas and getting reacquainted with his Taylor 310. It’s not the big bass and the fullness, but and red 655ce (with Florentine-cutaway) with many old friends and places,” you grab a chord, and it just jumps right worked on. Tilbrook performed at a local Magagna adds. Responsibility STILL ROCKIN’ out at you — bing! It’s right in the middle. club, the Casbah, before leaving town. for the crucial Northeast U.S. ter- Add old-school roots rocker Dave In describing her interest in doing When you’re playing some guitars, if they ritory has been assumed by our Edmunds to the list of T5 lovers. He just sound too pretty, you can’t get what you the doc, Pickard said she was expecting Sales Department’s longest-tenured took delivery of his second — one is for want out of them when you’re playing that luxury tour buses and five-star hotels, and staffer, Regional Sales Manager Rick use in London, the other for New York kind of music.” was surprised to find Glenn touring in a — and e-mailed us a thank-you. “I can’t The Baby obviously is special to Dion. “I used motorhome and bedding down at Fagan. really find the words to describe how accidentally left it in Italy and had to pay roadside campgrounds. Still, “it was worth pleased I am with her — perfect finger- $435 to get it back [via] Federal Express,” it to be able to tour with my musical hero DENA DOWN UNDER board dimensions, sounds unbelievable, he laughs. “That’s more and to be able to capture Glenn on film,” Diane Magagna will get valu- classy looking, and very easy to play. than the case she says. able help with the foreign market Absolutely perfect for Atkins/ In addition to its “video verité” com- from International Sales Assistant Travis fingerpickin’ style — ponents, Glenn Tilbrook: One for the Dena Hickman, whom Senior Sales and I have two! Once again, Road boasts exclusive live (acoustic) VP Sandell credits with having thanks for the best guitar performances of such Squeeze hits as carried a significant portion of the Top (L-R): Mick Richardson from Acoustic I’ve ever played.” “Tempted”, “Black Coffee in Bed”, “Take international-sales load over the past Some might be sur- Me I’m Yours”, “Up the Junction”, and Centre and “Canada” John Schoenenborn of year or so. Electric Factory, South Melbourne, Australia; prised that Rock & Roll “Hourglass”, as well as Tilbrook’s “In addition to handling the inter- Above: John Schoenenborn at the annual Hall of Famer Dion has solo material. The film AMAC show. Photos by Dena Hickman Wolff nal operations for the International released a new acoustic provides an intimate blues CD, but Bronx in look at what it’s like Department here, Dena has attended sev- Blue is more a return to his to be an established eral trade shows in the U.S., Germany, and trade show, a sort of Australian NAMM. roots than a departure. Born artist in today’s Australia, and has visited dealers in sev- Most Aussie dealers attend the event, and Dion DiMucci in the Bronx in musical climate, eral foreign countries,” Sandell said. “She’s many were drawn to the Electric Factory the late ’30s, the always-evolving and has gotten done an exemplary job and will continue booth, which was configured to simulate a artist would have hits spanning rave reviews on with all her export duties and responsi- nightclub, complete with bar. several decades — from the teen doo- the film festival bilities, reporting directly to Diane.” “All the dealers I met at the show wop of “I Wonder Why” and “A Teenager circuit. VH1 Classic Last September, Hickman traveled to were impressed with our lineup of Fall in Love”, to such early-’60s solo classics is set to world pre- Australia for a visit with our distribu- LTDs, especially the 814ce-L10,” Hickman as “The Wanderer” and “Runaround Sue”, miere the film to coin- tor, Electric Factory, whose headquarters reported. “And there was lots of praise for to his elegiac 1968 folk-pop hit single, cide with the January are in the Melbourne suburb of Preston, the T5.” “Abraham, Martin, and John”. If the blues DVD release. Victoria. On arrival, she was the guest Although the flight from Southern wouldn’t seem a likely next step in that For her part, Pickard at a welcoming party, and the next day California to Australia is more than 15 progression, it’s entirely natural to the is seeking sponsorship for her own Dion. RV trek around America to promote the she was shepherded to Taylor dealers in hours — said to be the longest continuous “This music is part of my very fab- film, and is hoping to publish a compan- Melbourne and Sydney. route in the world — Dena said she felt ric,” he recently told Austin-based writer Top: Dion’s Bronx in Blue; Above right: ion book to the movie. To view trailers “Their stores are a lot like ours,” right at home in Australia and is looking Dan Forte in an exclusive for Wood&Steel. Poster for the new Glenn Tilbrook from the film and for more information, Hickman said on her return. “Most of forward to her next visit. ■ DVD One for the Road “There was no rock and roll when I was visit glennmovie.com or glenntilbrook. them had acoustic rooms, and one incred- a kid. I grew up on Jimmy Reed, Howlin’ com. ■ ible store — the Bass and Acoustic Center

2 7 mud-bug blues in an instant. Nothing else of guitars I have ever played. She also cally? Are you working on your next CD has the agility of this true 21st-century has the most gorgeous curves I’ve ever or any other projects that are close to caressed in my life. Since I received my masterpiece. COREY your heart? Letters I feel that you built this guitar just for T5-C1, I’ve undergone a transformation CH: Well, I’m supposed to be working on me. I want to assure you all that I will play continued from page 2 and changed my way of thinking. a record with Scott Billington and Irma and write only beautiful music on my new HARRIS didn’t work out. I was a guitarist bored by I play through a Peavey acoustic amp continued from page 13 Thomas in Lafayette, Louisiana. I’m not best friend. Then I will be buried with my what was in my arsenal of instruments, and find the “sweet spot” to be everywhere know the roots of American music — we sure what songs they wanna do, but I’ve Red Edgeburst T5, so that when I get to still just a guitarist after 40-plus years of on this guitar. Then I chuck it up to the have to — but we also have to speak to heard that it’s gonna be less of an R&B Heaven, I’ll be able to play live. playing. Then I heard of your T5. barn for a run with the Mesa Boogie where we are now, and we have to do it in thing, no horn section, more of a folk kind The T5 is the most wonderfully manu- Dual Rectifier with a 4X cabinet. This Charles F. Jewell a way that’s real and that’s talking about of thing. We’ll see where they’re going factured, clearest-sounding “grand piano” guitar can go from squeaky-angel clean to Deering, New Hampshire something. That’s what I try to do — I try with that. Other than that, I’m always just to know what’s up with history, but I ain’t trying to think of songs that I can put out, Drop us a line online! Send your e-mails to [email protected] living in history, I ain’t living in the past. and a lot of the stuff I’ve been writing is W&S: Do you find it depressing or offen- like reggae and African-style. The next sive that the most popular “blues” artists record should be more along the lines of out there today are kids like Jonny Lang Daily Bread. It’s always hard to tell what and Kenny Wayne Shepherd? the chicken is gonna look like before the it maintains the feel of a Taylor acoustic, CH: Well, there you go. For me, coming egg hatches. the T5 is a logical step for acoustic players up how I did and with what I knew the W&S: One last question: who are some Sessions blues to be, I can’t put them in the blues continued from page 11 who want that electric sound. of your favorite contemporary artists out By the way, I learned to play these riffs on Lightnin’ Hopkins once said that many category even though they play blues there today? acoustic guitar, but recently I’ve been trying people know how to play guitar, but they music. It’s just not the same thing. Record CH: I really like Don Byron, the clarinet the same blues ideas on the T5. Because of don’t “feel it in their heart.” My brother companies are happy to market it as the player. He’s somebody who just does what the slinky action and the raw sustain from Happy Traum took lessons from Brownie Ta k e a t h u m b p i c k i n g same thing and people will buy the line he wants. It’s funny, people are always that it is the same thing if they don’t know each of the pickup positions, the T5 can help McGhee in the 1960s, and Brownie was l e s s o n w i t h asking if a white guy can play the blues, any better. I’m not gonna say they’re not and Don Byron learned all this Klezmer you sound more like a Chicago blues player fond of saying, “The blues is a feeling.” Artie Traum online at than a country-blues guitarist. And because Regarding this lesson, your assignment any good, but I’m not gonna put them in music and presented it, and people got is always to look for the emotion inside taylorguitars.com the same realm as Buddy Guy. all hostile and up-in-arms. That proved what you are playing. Many people try to / s e e - h e a r / W&S: I think the blues of white guys a point — as a black man, he can’t just play the blues. Good musicians feel what like Johnny Winter or Eric Clapton is valid go out for the love of his clarinet and Example 4 it’s all about. ■ because they’re playing and singing from perform Jewish music without someone Lightnin’ Hopkins Riff in A: the same universal root of emotion as having to say something about it, whereas their forebears. They sound like them- people like Eric Clapton — who I like selves, as opposed to merely parroting — can be accepted playing blues. There’s black phrasing, inflection, and vernacular. a double standard. CH: I think it all depends on how they W&S: I’m Jewish, and I tell you that it sound, where they’re coming from with it. goes beyond skin color — you won’t be As listeners, we make our own decisions. accepted playing Klezzie in some quarters W&S: I interviewed R.L. Burnside short- without a yarmulke on your head! So who ly before he died, and he said the blues will else are you into these days? never die. My fear as a fan is that it might CH: I really like the guitarist Ernest be doing just that. How many real blues Ranglin, he’s great. I like [West African musicians are left out there? musicians] Lobi Traoré and Djelimady CH: I think there are more than what we Tounkara — he’s one of my favorite gui- see. Blues didn’t come from a cool place or tarists. And I really like Damien Marley’s a popular place, it came from places that new record. I liked his last record, too. were marginalized and pushed under the I think it’s really cool. With a name like rug, that no one wanted to talk about, and that, being [the late] Bob Marley’s son, I think it’ll still kind of be like that. I don’t you know there are certain expectations think blues will ever die, but it ain’t gonna and some baggage that come with it — be the same. Times progress and things you know, “What do I do? How do I top always have to change. Right now, we’re in this?” But he took things in a new direc- a time of evaluation, looking back to see tion. It’s almost like a street hip-hop thing, what we’ve done and kind of putting it all but it’s still reggae, you know? I think back together in different ways. that’s very cool. ■ To me, that’s what hip-hop is, it’s like a For more information about Corey Harris, collage. You say what you’re going through visit: coreyharrismusic.com and put a rhyme over it, and that could be anything: it could be “I got this much money and I’m a ‘player’,” or it could be “I’m suffering and I’m oppressed.” It could be anything you make it. W&S: Where are you headed now, musi-

2 8 WINTER 2006

almanacFor information updated daily, including individual clinicians’ concert listings, and to register for the E/vent E-mail Reminder Program, visit the Taylor website online calendar at taylorguitars.com/ calendar. To hear sound clips of the clinicians’ recordings, go to taylorguitars.com/artists/clinicians. Select clinicians’ CDs are now available through TaylorWare.

ARTIE TRAUM on three songs were in-demand Taylor special guest bassist Jerome Harris (AB1) and drum- was fellow Taylor mer Pheeroan akLaff. According to a clinician Wendy mini-report Harris filed with us in early Waldman, all the September, “Artie sounded superb on his way from Los 30th Anniversary Limited Edition XXX- Angeles. Wendy Wendy Waldman and Kenny Edwards at a benefit concert in Los Angeles. Photo by Jaynee Thorne MC and T5, with the K4 Equalizer also and Artie have employed.” Engineering the sessions was been writing some material together, and in October WENDY yet is alive and well in us should Tom Mark, whose credits include Carla they conducted a few special Taylor “duo workshops” in WALDMAN we choose to use our talents. Bley, Tony Levin, and Jack DeJohnette. Minnesota and Wisconsin. It’s up to us, and she helped ACOUSTIC JAZZ GUITAR Other projects that have kept Artie Roaring Stream Records In new-product news, Homespun Tapes has just bring it out in me. P.S. She also P. O. Box 413 jumping include writing several new released Easy Steps to Blues Guitar Jamming, featuring the has a great respect for rhythm Bearsville, NY 12409 songs and a few guitar instrumentals, Brothers Traum teaching everything you’ll need guitar, and proved it with her Order online at: www.artietraum. com or call continuing his Artist-In-Residence series to play at a jam session. The DVD is available on abilities. I’ve been to all of the toll-free: (888) 731-4237 (U.S. only) with the State University of New York at Artie’s website, artietraum.com. See Artie’s workshops, and she was far and E-mail: [email protected] Ulster, and putting together his annual “Sessions” article in this issue. Management: Jeff Heiman above the best! Regards from (253) 761-1542 Happy and Seattle, Washington.” E-mail: [email protected] Artie Traum W o r k s h o p s Website: www.artietraum.com W o r k s h o p s Solstice Greensburg, Concert at Pennsylvania San Antonio, Texas Artie Traum spent a chunk of the Vittone’s Music Center SEEDS AND ORPHANS Sam Ash the Kleinart/ (Independent) early fall doing guitar-for-hire work on Monday, February 27, Tuesday, February 9, 7 p.m. James Gallery 7 p.m. Wendy Waldman (210) 530-9777 an album of country cover tunes for in Woodstock, (724) 837-0877 P.O. Box 261815 Japanese singer-songwriter Dorothy Encino, California 91426-1815 New York. Lancaster, E-mail: [email protected] Cowfield at Dreamland Studios in New This year, the Pennsylvania To order CD, visit York’s Catskills region. Joining Artie Traums’ very Prodigy Music www.wendywaldman.com DAN CRARY Tuesday, February 28, 7 p.m. (717) 295-0620 In November, Wendy Waldman headed to the Northwest to per- form at a festival/conference in Seattle and to participate in a songwriters’ seminar in Portland. Of course, we jumped at the oppor- tunity to schedule workshops for her at some of our very favorite dealers, who are long-time sup- porters of the Taylor Workshop RENAISSANCE OF THE Program. Wendy reported that all STEEL STRING GUITAR the events went great, and soon Thunderation Music To order, visit: thereafter we received this e-mail www.thunderation.com from happy workshop attendee Website: www.dancrary.com Gary Benson: Artist Representation: Above: Artie Traum at Sandy Beesley, Thunderation Appalachian Bluegrass “I went to see Wendy Waldman’s Music, (760) 726-8380, E-mail: sbee- Shoppe in Baltimore, Maryland. songwriting workshop at A-Sharp [email protected] Photo by Nick Fleckenstein. Left Music in Renton, Washington, Plans are already in place for (L-R): Pheeroan akLaff, Jerome and she was fabulous! She has a Dan Crary, along with fellow Harris, Dorothy Cowfield, and Men of Steel bandmates Beppe Artie Traum at a recording session humorous yet straightforward way at Dreamland Studios in New of teaching us how songwriting Gambetta, Don Ross, and Tony York. Photo by Tom Mark transcends so many musical styles, McManus, to do some serious

2 9 WAYNE JOHNSON One Guitar we’re looking forward to the results. Wayne Solid Air Records also will be recording a tune on his To order CD, visit www.acousticmusicresource.com Nylon Series Taylor for the next Solid Air almanac or call (800) 649-4745; Records compilation CD, which will pay Also available through tribute to “de lovely” Cole Porter. (Wayne www.amazon.com Wayne’s website: shared in a Grammy win for the label’s www.waynejohnsononline.com Pink Guitar, featuring the best of Henry Questions or comments may be Mancini interpreted by an impressive line-up e-mailed to: [email protected] of acoustic guitarists.) had plenty of time on the road In late March, Wayne will be heading to the with the axes, discussing and Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states on a Taylor showcasing their attributes in workshop tour, but initial plans were just With his first year as a Taylor detail at every Taylor workshop, starting to come together as this issue went to clinician successfully under his belt, and playing them at both his press, so check the website for dates as we get Wayne Johnson has been hard at own concerts and at Manhattan closer. One stop will be for a special “Guitar work writing material for his next Transfer gigs. Lovers Weekend” at the Weathervane Inn, a CD, which will showcase his Taylor Still, some quality studio time charming bed-and-breakfast in the Berkshires NS74ce and his T5. Wayne has is in the very near future, and of Western Massachusetts. Proprietors Jeffrey and Maxine Lome first contacted us last year about co-sponsoring a fun weekend concept for guitar players, and we sent Artie Traum to give it a test run. Everyone had a great time, so we’re going to do it again, this time with Wayne the weekend of March 31-April 2. Activities include a master class with Dan Crary in a recent promotional shot. Photo by Cohen & Parks Wayne, plenty of time to sit around and play guitar with other guests, and an open-mic touring during the first half of 2006. along the way; we’ll keep you posted. evening concert. Visit weathervaneinn.com The group kicked off the new year with In April, Dan will be heading out to for more details. appearances at the Celtic Connections Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, and we’ll W o r k s h o p s Festival in Glasgow, Scotland (January 13- be scheduling another workshop or two 15), and in May the guys will play some to go along with that trip, so be sure to Sterling, Virginia Melodee Music gigs in Italy (Genoa and Rivoli) before check Dan’s page on the Taylor website for (part of all-day Acoustifest ‘06) crossing the Atlantic to embark on a two- updated information. Sunday, March 26, Time TBA week Canadian tour. That covers every- (703) 450-4667 W o r k s h o p s one’s home country except for Dan (Beppe Edwardsville, Illinois is Italian, Don is Canadian, and Tony is L-R: Jim Steilberg (Steilberg String Instruments, the Scotsman), so we’re hoping there will Mojo Music Tuesday, April 4, 7:30 p.m. Louisville, Kentucky), and Wayne Johnson following be some U.S. dates in the mix somewhere (618) 655-1600 Wayne’s October workshop at the store. Photo by Mick Sullivan

BEPPE In November, Beppe sion. As always, a huge “thank out audiences in Buenos Aires, GAMBETTA Gambetta embarked on an you” to Thomas Supper at Mendoza, and Rosario. almost month-long solo tour Meinl for his help in organiz- W o r k s h o p s throughout Germany, during ing the workshops, and also for which he had the opportunity playing host to Beppe’s fellow Ottawa, Ontario Lauzon Music Centre to do a number of Taylor work- Taylor clinicians, Mike Keneally Monday, February 20, 7 p.m. shops. Beppe (who is Austrian on and Bryan Beller, just a month (613) 725-1116 his mother’s side and fluent in earlier on their Taylor tour Burlington, Vermont German) commented that, “The (see Supper’s journal entry in Advance Music Center Tuesday, February 21, 7 p.m. appreciation for Taylor guitars in WorldView, this issue). (802) 863-8652 Germany is really vast, and the Beppe returned from New Haven, Connecticut dimension and quality of the Germany for a brief break G Guitars BLU DI GENOVA shops are extremely high.” before packing his bags for Wednesday, February 22, 7 p.m. Gadfly Records Beppe’s favorite stops were Argentina, where he performed (203) 786-4734 To order, visit: BTM Guitars in Nuremberg, the music of the Italian immi- Wakefield, Rhode Island www.gadflyrecords.com Wakefield Music Co. U.S. Management: Music World in Augsburg (where grants, which he’s studied for Thursday, February 23, 7 p.m. Trish Galfano, TG2Artists the showcase stage and the PA many years and documented so (401) 783-5390 Tel/Fax: 919-967-8655 Email: [email protected] system made the workshop seem beautifully in his CDs, Traversata Wilmington, Delaware European Management: more like a rock concert!), and and Serenata. Beppe was accom- Accent Music (Kirkwood Hwy. location) SL Promotion the Folkladen in Munich, where panied by his wife Federica Tel/Fax: +39-010-246-8537 Tuesday, February 28, 7 p.m. Beppe’s e-mail: [email protected] more than 100 people filled every Calvino who played guitar and (302) 999-9939 Beppe’s website: nook and cranny of the shop. performed traditional dances, Louisville, Kentucky www.beppegambetta.com That workshop ended with an and Maurizio Geri on guitar and Steilberg String Instruments impromptu bluegrass jam ses- Tuesday, March 7, 7:30 p.m. Beppe Gambetta at Sweetwater Sound in Fort Wayne, Indiana. vocals. The trio played to sold- (502) 491-2337 Photo by Garry Harshbarger 3 0 PAT KIRTLEY through Colorado, New Mexico, thing else for a night. and the Southeast, includ- Just before the tours, we sent Pat ing Virginia, North and South a T5 to add to his arsenal, and he almanac Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. filed this report: “The new T5 has During parts of the trip, he was been extremely well received and joined by Taylor’s new Regional I love playing it. Mine is a custom, Sales Manager for the Southeast, in the ‘Black Burst’ finish, and Aaron Dablow. Pat reported that it turns heads wherever I go. While it was a pleasure to have Aaron at it comes across great on stage, my the workshops, and the attendees favorite experience is just playing had plenty of questions about it unplugged, for practice or for Taylor products for him. fun. Its acoustic side is very sat- CONTRAST The guys were concerned isfying, and that’s something that (with Pauly Zarb) about the viability of the work- cannot be said for electric guitars MainString Music, P.O. Box 135, Bardstown, KY, 40004 shops in hurricane-weary south- in general. It responds acoustically E-mail: [email protected] ern Florida, but every event went like an old archtop, but it plays like To order, send $15 plus $2 shipping, very well, with good attendance checks or money orders drawn on a a new Taylor — what a combo!” U.S. bank; Other titles available at: and lots of interest from both W o r k s h o p s www.acousticmusicresource.com dealers and players. Pat later For instructional videos, visit www.guitarvideos.com commented that the overall feel- Glendale, Arizona Sam Ash or call (973) 729-5544 ing from the attendees was that Wednesday, February 15, 7 p.m. L-R: Rob Hay, owner of the Music Loft in Wilmington, North Carolina, Taylor Regional Sales Manager Aaron Dablow they very much appreciated a and Pat Kirtley. Photo by Joyce Kirtley. (602) 863-7746 Last fall, Pat Kirtley had chance to enjoy some music and a great Taylor workshop tour to take their minds off of every- CHRIS PROCTOR monia. After “floating on a sea the few extra pounds he of antibiotics for the first week,” brought back from Italia. Chris began to feel much better. MIKE W o r k s h o p s “I think that boatloads of Chianti KENEALLY Classico Riserva made the crucial Boise, Idaho difference,” he reported. Old Boise Guitar Company Saturday, February 11, 10 a.m. Back home, Chris has been (208) 344-7600 auditioning local studios to find Cedaredge, Colorado just the right spot to start record- Starr’s Guitars ing his next CD, which will be a Monday, February 27, 7 p.m. (970) 856-2331 return to the all-original-music Santa Fe, New Mexico THE CHRIS PROCTOR approach of his first six CDs. He The Candyman COLLECTION also will record an old Stephen Wednesday, March 1, 7 p.m. Sugarhouse Records Foster tune with fellow clinician (505) 983-5906 P.O. Box 520301 THE UNIVERSE Salt Lake City, UT 84152-0301 Artie Traum for another future Arvada, Colorado Old Town Pickin’ Parlor WILL PROVIDE E-mail: [email protected] project, and he’s been testing Friday, March 3, 7:30 p.m. Mike Keneally and the To order CD, send $18 some new strings for Elixir in his (303) 421-2304 Metropole Orkest (checks drawn on a U.S. bank; Favored Nations includes postage and handling) to spare time. That, and working off To order CDs, the address above, or order at: visit: www.moosemart.com www.chrisproctor.com Mike's website: Also avalilable through www.keneally.com Acoustic Music Resource Contact & management: (800) 649-4745 Scott Chatfield www. acousticmusicresource.com (760) 753-7111 [email protected] Chris Proctor and his lovely wife Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller at the Flora Theatre in Delft, Holland. Tomi embarked on a very memo- In the Summer ’05 Photo by Scott Chatfield rable Italian vacation in October “Almanac”, we mentioned that (see Chris’s “Ultimate Venice Mike Keneally had taken to the spanning Mike’s career.) mium CD/DVD set are still being Tourist” photo for proof). The trip road with bassboy extraordinaire If you were not able to catch one worked out, but they hope- included lots of sightseeing, great Bryan Beller, guitarist of the shows, fear not — Guitar fully will include an entertaining food and wine (natch), a nice Rick Musallam, and drummer Therapy Live, a lovingly-crafted band-commentary track, as visit with fellow clinician Beppe Joe Travers, for a very special CD/DVD package made from well as footage from the MKB’s Gambetta and his wife, Federica, Mike Keneally Band “Guitar digital multi-track recordings of Los Angeles show at the Baked a couple of concerts, and one fan- Therapy Tour”. According to several of the performances, is Potato, which was mixed in stereo tastico Taylor workshop in Milan the guys, each performance was now available for pre-order from and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound in conjunction with our distribu- “magical,” and Mike and Bryan Keneally.com. The first 3,000 cop- and makes you feel as though tor, Backline. opened every show with an all- ies of this Special Edition pack- you’re sitting in the front row. But the adventure-to-remem- acoustic, all-Taylor set, which was age will be hand-numbered and A Standard Edition of Guitar ber started out on a scary really cool. (Mike’s T5 was shown autographed by Mike, and delivery Therapy Live also will be released, note: just a few days before the off in grand style throughout the is expected in the first quarter of probably in March, but wouldn’t Chris Proctor Proctors were to depart for Italy, in Venice, Italy. band’s set list, which included 2006. you rather have the super-cool Chris learned that he had pneu- Photo by Tomi Ossana many new renditions of songs Various features of this pre- one? Order yours today.

3 1 S e a s o n a l T i p s guitar. Although Bob originally almanac was scheduled to be on the tour Cutline for just the first week, he decided to extend his trip and stayed for DOYLE DYKES mances/appearances. According the whole tour! to Doyle, the 2005 tour was “the Another highlight for best ever,” largely because he attendees was hearing Haley had two very special travel com- Dykes perform a couple of tunes panions along this time — his (backed by dad, of course) from amazingly talented daughter, her brand-new debut CD, The “Miss Haley”, and our amazingly Mystery of Her. Be sure to check talented Bob Taylor. it out at haleymusic.net, and The goal of this trip was to look for an upcoming review in effectively introduce the T5 to the Wood&Steel. Congratulations, UK market; to accomplish that Haley! goal, Doyle, Bob, Haley and Sound CHAMELEON Tech’s Robert Wilson traveled W o r k s h o p s Howling Wood Records (a division of Doyle Dykes 2,000 miles across England and Riverside, California Productions) Scotland. Doyle reported seeing Wild West Guitars To order CD, call Echotunes many familiar faces along the Saturday, February 4, 12 p.m. (800) 927-9848 or (951) 369-7888 visit www.echotunes.com way, and each workshop was well Gilroy, California Doyle’s website: attended by enthusiastic Taylor www.doyledykes.com (presented by Gilroy Guitar E-mail: [email protected] fans. Gallery) Join the Doyle Dykes Forum at: Every night, Bob would get New Hope Community Church Monday, February 6, 7 p.m. http://www.doyledykesforum.com onstage and tell the story of To subscribe to Doyle’s e-mail (408) 847-6350 list, send a blank e-mail to: Taylor Guitars and the develop- Springdale, Ohio [email protected] ment of the T5. Then, Bob and Sam Ash Doyle would demo the different Monday, February 27, 7 p.m. (513) 671-4500 It has become a Taylor tradi- capabilities of the new axe, wow- tion that every fall our UK dis- ing the crowds with the diverse tributor, Sound Technology, hosts sounds all coming from the same Doyle Dykes for a couple Left: Doyle Dykes and daughter Haley at of whirlwind Lauzon Music Centre weeks of in Ottawa, Ontario. workshops, Photo by Ken Lauzon. concerts, and Below: Haley and Doyle at Illustration by Tom Voss Stonehenge in England. other perfor- Photo by Bob Taylor

ow that brilliantly colored leaves have accessories compartment of your Taylor guitar, given way to bare trees in some parts of you can print one out from our website (www. Nthe country, and the nights have grown taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/guitar_humidifier. colder almost everywhere, many of us will be pdf). Or, call our Customer Service department playing our guitars in the warmth of our homes. at 619-258-6957 extension 212, and we will be Remember that if you live in “cold country” and happy to send you a printout. use an indoor heater, the relative humidity in your As always, unless you have a humidity-con- house will drop to a point that’s hazardous to the trolled music room, you should store your guitar health of solid-wood guitars. in its case when you are not playing it. Although Purchase a Dampit or other soundhole humidi- it’s very beautiful, your guitar is not a decoration. fier from your local music store and be ready Even a few days of exposure to low humidity to use it if your guitar shows signs of drying could dry the woods enough to cause damage. (i.e. “buzzing” strings, lowering action, fret ends NOTE: To learn from the master about keep- feeling sharp, etc.). A refreshing little drink — ing your guitar properly humidified (including administered via a soundhole humidifier — will the use of Dampits), check out Bob Taylor in the restore the guitar’s moisture content. video “Understanding Humidity”, now viewable If a Taylor “Tech-Sheet” on the specific use of on our website. a soundhole humidifier was not enclosed in the

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