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Post by ianlp59 on Feb 11, 2024 12:00:11 GMT
Oddly, I have never been able to bond with Lowden guitars. I've played a few but they did nothing whatsoever for me. However, each to his/her own I guess...
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Dec 21, 2023 22:23:26 GMT
I can't get any more guitars because all my guitar stands are full. Peter The completely obvious solution to the dilemma is to start by acquiring a new guitar stand. After that, a world full of possibilities unfolds... That, is my approach, at least. Cheers, Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Nov 23, 2023 9:18:40 GMT
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Post by ianlp59 on Nov 22, 2023 11:26:58 GMT
Our good friend Terry Oliver collected the Martin C conversion guitar from Replay Acoustics last year on Martin's behalf. He brought it with him a on a visit to our then Flat in Winchester at Wharf Mill. So I got to play it. It's fantastic. The Brazilian rosewood is of exemplary quality, perfectly quartersawn and straight grained, virtually impossible to find wood like that now.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Nov 21, 2023 9:44:22 GMT
I'll add my two pennies worth here. It should be borne in mind that Tom Sands is very familiar with my playing style and built my "The Tree" guitar with that in mind. I am, obviously, extremely happy with the result.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Nov 10, 2023 12:07:02 GMT
I learnt blues harp as a kid from a book "Blues Harp" by Tony "Little Sun" Glover. Well worth trying to get hold of...
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Sept 12, 2023 12:41:22 GMT
Very enjoyable. I've starting working on Martin's composition Billy Waters. It's not technically difficult but it is tricky to get the nuanced feeling of the piece right and depends a lot on tone control. In case anyone is interested the tune is in CGCGCD tuning.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Apr 20, 2023 17:11:43 GMT
I've always been a "floater". Anchoring can restrict movement and introduce tension, as has already been mentioned. Also, anchoring makes moving your right hand either closer to or further from the bridge in order to introduce tonal differences more challenging.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Feb 28, 2023 19:23:08 GMT
Without. It's best to choose your own pickup system that suits what you want to do. My best (so far) combination is Highlander (sadly no longer made) and K&K pure mini routed out through a stereo cable into a stereo capable pre-amp which allows you to blend to two signals to the sound you want.
Of course, if you never play through any kind of amplification system then "without" is the obvious default position.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Oct 29, 2022 13:50:34 GMT
Very cool looking guitar - love it !
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Oct 27, 2022 17:52:22 GMT
I've checked out some other C2 conversions. Earlier C2's, think early 1930's, had a slightly longer scale length so, upon conversion to a flat top guitar, they effectively become OM's. This guitar hails from 1936 and has a shorter scale length which is why it has become a 000, in this case a 000-42.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Oct 27, 2022 17:09:18 GMT
I am fortunate enough to have a number of high end instruments and have played others that I don't own which I would categorise similarly. Just very recently I got play this : C2 Conversion. An amazing instrument that make its class known to the player immediately. Wonderful sound; rich, compulsive and beautifully balanced with that unmistakable vintage vibe. The Brazilian back and sides are a sight to behold, some of the very best Brazilian ever from an era when such quality timber was still available, perfectly quartersawn, straight as an arrow and tight grained. The Adirondack top, inlayed to style 42, is fantastic with that characteristic wide grain of master grade Adirondack. TJ Thompson, who performed the conversion, is probably the most famous Martin repair man in the world with a reputation to match. In short a total killer guitar ! Unfortunately it's not mine though it does now belong to someone I know, so I guess I'll get to play it again at some point. Cheers, Ian T'd never heard of a C-2 Conversion... until now. It's actually quite interesting. It sounds like some have new necks and some don't The backward pitch of the arch top neck angle requires a significant "forward" reset of the neck (opposite the direction of most neck resets) after the flat top is installed in order to have the proper flat top angle. What this effectively does is to move the entire fretboard slightly forward on the face of the guitar, resulting in a neck joint that meets the body between the 13th and 14th fret as opposed to dead on the 14th. This also moves the soundhole down slightly and the bridge as well. As a result some would choose to completely replace the neck but I prefer to retain the neck and accept the slightly adjusted fret/body junction as it has no impact on function and is not cosmetically objectionable.I've lifted the above from the Unofficial Martin Guitar ForumThis one has the afore-mentioned neck join between the 13th and 14th fret. The fretboard was re-fretted as well as having new marker inlays. Cheers, Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Oct 27, 2022 9:20:17 GMT
I am fortunate enough to have a number of high end instruments and have played others that I don't own which I would categorise similarly. Just very recently I got play this : C2 Conversion. An amazing instrument that make its class known to the player immediately. Wonderful sound; rich, compulsive and beautifully balanced with that unmistakable vintage vibe. The Brazilian back and sides are a sight to behold, some of the very best Brazilian ever from an era when such quality timber was still available, perfectly quartersawn, straight as an arrow and tight grained. The Adirondack top, inlayed to style 42, is fantastic with that characteristic wide grain of master grade Adirondack. TJ Thompson, who performed the conversion, is probably the most famous Martin repair man in the world with a reputation to match. In short a total killer guitar ! Unfortunately it's not mine though it does now belong to someone I know, so I guess I'll get to play it again at some point. Cheers, Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Sept 12, 2022 9:16:10 GMT
Fantastic rendition. Great singing, great playing. Incidentally the tuning here is DGDGCD.
Cheers,
Ian
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Post by ianlp59 on Feb 28, 2022 19:21:31 GMT
The only sensible answer to all of this is to get a banjo out. Condemned man's last request - can I tune my banjo...
Cheers,
Ian
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