4 Amigos guitar show! What's it about?

I attended the 4 amigos guitar show extravaganza this past weekend (July 14&15 2012) in San Mateo, California. I had a great time but let me share a few tips that might help you enjoy the event even more.

1. Bring a good camera.
2. Use the flash - I didn't and some of my photo's are blurred!
3. Bring cash.
4. Decide what you want to look at before going - Otherwise it's like grocery shopping when you are hungry where you buy everything on impulse....
5. Leave kid's under 11 home. Knock something over - You've bought it pal!
6. Be courteous to everyone and you'll get the same respect.
7. Spend money!!

If you haven't been to a guitar show before you might not know what to expect. You will see vintage expensive stuff.

$68,000.00

...and you will see inexpensive unique stuff!

not $68000.00

But you will see a lot of equipment. At this show in particular, I found that there was a LOT of guitars but not much in the way of effects, amplifiers, or low cost impulse items. There was mostly big ticket guitars with the average price on guitars at the show being about $3000.00.  There was a fair amount of acoustic vintage guitars but as you may or may not know - These acoustic guitars are usually Martin Guitars and due to the nature of the manufacturing, i.e., set neck, you better know about acoustic guitars because that expensive vintage Martin might just need a little work and that can be very expensive.

This is a 1940 Martin D 18 with nice big holes on the top - $10K

The bridge has been removed and replaced - not the best example of workmanship! 

My point is that you need to know what you are doing when you go to these shows. You can get a great deal but you can be taken caveat emptor is the term.

Still, there was tons of nice guitars looking for a new home. I wanted them all!

Original 1962 Fender Stratocaster in Lake Placid blue guitar and neck on the right and slab board 1960 on the left! Drool!

You can see the back side of the 1962 neck here!

Another picture of the Lake Placid Blue Fender Stratocaster - Rare!!

Red Mustang original $1100, Surf Mustang Refi $999. A new set of Fender Guitars!

Reverse headstock Gibson Firebird III $7500.00 - Cherry condition!

There was something for everyone. The crowd was light - I'd estimate there was about 150 people there on a average and this was on the last day of the event. Vintage guitar Magazines were given away, there was a small concession stand for basic mastication needs and the toilets were clean - got to love it!

I

I have my eye on this purty thang!

Masterbuilt Esquire at Guitar showcase!

Some of Steve Millers guitars!

Surf's up _ Mosrite guitars!

There was at least one Amplifier manufacturer there showing off custom amps, modified amps, kits and stuff! King Amplification was there in full strength and proudly showing their stuff. You can see in the background of the photograph above that Roland/Boss had an awesome both showing off the latest digital guitar stuff - I could spend an hour just at that booth alone!

If you have a quality instrument and you know the actual appraised value of said instrument, you can take it to these shows and offer it for a trade. You will need to check it in upon arrival then get out there and test your brinkmanship!

Next time I'll allow myself more time, bring a better camera, use my flash, take zoom photos, and buy another cool guitar.

I'll write more. The format for this blog doesn't allow me to post the photo's as I'd like. Look for updates as I took more than one hundred photos!

Awesome posters - Terrible photo!

Oh, matching colors!!!

Red tables and Blue - !

Couple of nice tweed Fender amps!

Just like shoes for the ladies, we need a guitar for each situation!

Guitar Showcase for San Jose had a lot of nice guitars on hand!

Honey, where is the checkbook?

Don't drink and photograph! This is what no flash will yield - Blurred!

I had no idea what to expect as this was my first guitar show. In hindsight, I wish there was more vendors there selling pedals, stompboxes, guitar parts, straps (El Dorado straps was there and had a great booth). I was pleased to find SilcaSound handblown Glass slides proprietor there at the show. This slide is my coolest find at the show! Chris Davidson helped me pick out a slide that fit me and I was so enamored with the slide feel that I bought two!! I'll review those slides in a separate article. I simply wish there was more vendors there selling parts but I know the challenges facing small businesses so I will not dwell on my wishes but highlight the fact that I had a great time. If you are a guitarsnob, player, professional or hobbiest. You must attend a guitar show. Bring money and a smile. It's a lot of fun and there is a lot to see!

Collings 290 with Redd Volkaert

This Collings guitar is a monster player as it has the chime of the P90 pickups (Jason Lollar) and the scale of a Les Paul. However, it plays with the spank reminiscent of the Fender Telecaster.

Redd is a great player!

What you don't see is the backside of the guitar. The backside is carved in such a manner that facilities ergonomic playing. Those strident days of explaining the bruises on your side are over as this guitar won't make you look or feel like you lost a bar fight to Marine's on shore leave.

The marriage between the Collings craftmanship,  Lollars superb pickups, and a decent amp might just keep you in the shed for hours!

Polls - What You like or want....

So it seems polls and voting don't seem to be that popular or it could be that my topics aren't of interest. Regardless, I am going to post the poll results here and start some new polls.

By posting this data I can save the information. Evidently this data is super valuable especially since a record shattering number of people voted!

What is your favorite 4th of July Song?

Jimi Hendrix Star Spangled Banner	4 (57%)
Steve Miller - Living in the USA	1 (14%)
Night Ranger - You can still rock in the America	0 (0%)
Martina Mcbride - Independence Day	0 (0%)
Don Mclean - American Pie	0 (0%)
Bruce Sprinstein - Born in the USA	0 (0%)
Woodie Guthrie - This land is your land	1 (14%)
John Cougar Mellencamp - R.O.C.K. in the USA	1 (14%)
Others??? Add comments!	0 (0%)

Votes so far: 7 

What is your favorite brand of guitar?

Fender	5 (33%)
Gibson	6 (40%)
Paul Reed Smith	3 (20%)
Gretsch	2 (13%)
EVH	1 (6%)
other	4 (26%)

Votes so far: 15 

What is your favorite brand of strings for guitar?

D'Addario Strings   5 (50%)   Dean Markley   1 (10%)   D.R.   0 (0%) Ernie Ball   2 (20%)   Fender   1 (10%)   GHS   1 (10%)   Gibson   1 (10%)   Martin   1 (10%)   Pyramid   1 (10%)   Rotosound   1 (10%)   Optima   0 (0%) Thomastick-Infeld   1 (10%)   Other!   0 (0%) Votes so far: 10

R.I.P Jon Lord of Deep Purple

During my elementary school years I used to listen to my pocket radio at night before I would go to sleep. The pocket radio was cool because it the AM and FM band wave capability and I was easily impressed. My favorite channel was one of the pop channels that one of my buddies suggested and the sound was very cool albeit it had static because it was an AM station. I would listen for my favorite Beatles songs, Creedance Clear water Revival and for some reason - Most of the time I heard "Midnight at the oasis," by Maria Muldower. Nevertheless, one night I heard a song that would forever solidify my love of  classical music inspired rock and roll; I heard the song called "Smoke on the Water," by Deep Purple.

Jon Lord

Besides the heavy three chord progression that just about everybody on this planet can hum, there was an inspired organ solo. The man that played that Smoke on the Water organ solo was Jon Lord. Few keyboardist or piano players have played such memorable solo lines. Jon co-wrote most of the Deep Purple material. I am a sucker for songs that tell a story (narrative ballad) and smoke on the water tells a story and had a memorable chord progression accompanied by tasty riffs from all the musicians.

There are songs out there that Jon Lord played on that most people recognize but didn't know that Jon was on the Kink's track - "You really got me," was one such track. Jon Lord had an immense discography that outline a brilliant multifaceted career.



Jon Lord succumbed ultimately to complications from pancreatic cancer. If you never got to see Deep Purple then this sad event should motivate you to get out and see your favorite band when you have the opportunity. If not, stay home and practice your musical instrument!

RIP Jon Lord

Playing Guitar Professionally with Audley Freed

Gibson Guitar Corporation produced a nice series featuring Audley Freed speaking about playing guitar for a living. He offers a down to earth synopsis of what it is like to earn a living in this esoteric field that is a virtual minefield of dangers and also a career that could also fulfill dreams.

This 6 part series is worth watching if you might like to work in the entertainment industry as a musician.

Part 1 - Introduction


Part 2 - Tone: P90 pickups vs Humbuckers etc...


Part 3 - Amps: Dynamics, placement, ear monitors, wireless guitar, effects


Part 4 - Guitar selection due to tone requirements: fingers vs pick etc...


Part 5 - Riffs and attitude - pentatonic scale with b(flat)5.


Part 6 - Learning others likes and making them your own. Conceptualizing riffs from your repertoire.


Check out Audley Freed who has played with The Cry of Love, The Black Crows, Gov't Mule, New Earth Mud, Joe Perry, Dixie Chicks, Peter Frampton, Gold Mountain Rebels, and Trigger Hippy

Jimmy Page still has it!

One year ago today, Jimmy Page's website was born on 07-14-11, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Surrounded by lovely ladies, it appears that Sir Page is indeed a player. Jimmy Page is a busy man who's got an immense library of Led Zeppelin concert tape and film to edit and produce. Ever the perfectionist, he pours over volumes of audio and video to ensure that only the best material is delivered to the public. But during Sir Page's recess from his professional commitments - he likes to have fun!

Being surrounded by lovely ladies is certainly a far better experience than reaping the adulation of drooling guitar nuts!

Listen to The one that got away - By Jimmy Page at sound cloud.

We are all still waiting for the reunion tour to happen. Wishful thinking that they would at least visit a few continents and a few large cities in the United States.

Even though there is little chance that the guy's will reunite  - I'll persist. Do it! Below is a picture of Jimmy Page with a Fender Telecaster and a Martin Acoustic guitar. The picture is of the Guitar world cover from 1986. Amazing how everything from guitars to communication technology has evolved. In 1986 there wasn't a "world wide web," and digital cameras were simply something I learned about in college that were rumored to replace traditional film. A common question today might be - what is film other than thin, opaque, transparent coating....? Evolve or become extinct!

Wanda Jackson - The Queen of Rock

Shut up and listen. There's a riot going on and there ain't nothing you can do but run! Fix your hair, grab your money and get out for some rockabilly fun!



There is a woman that has been kicking ass for years. We, the collective of pathetic media minions have missed the bus. If you think all ya'll know what is happening and you don't know about Wanda Jackson then forgetaboutit. Loosa!



Get schooled and if she is in your town - Go and see the band and Wanda. The band is tight as nun's fist clinching a switch and Wanda is the real deal. Just too bad that we had to suffer the 70's, 80's, 90's, and the first decade of Y2K ignoring this Rockabilly dynasty. Elvis knew that Wanda had talent that could overshadow his own, in fact, she is one of the only artists that intimidated him. Indeed, he had a crush on Wanda and it's plain to see why as she is beautiful today even though time in usually unforgiving.



Comb your hair and get out.

"Elvis at one time was madly in love with Wanda Jackson. Marty Robbins, whom I interviewed in the 1960s for WINA Radio at University Hall in Charlottesville, told me: "Elvis told me the only girl that intimidated him because of her beauty, talent and class was Wanda Jackson. He said the only two records he wore out from repeated use were her versions of "Right or Wrong" and "Making Believe." I never fogot that interview with Marty, especially his surprisng comment regarding Wanda Jackson." Rich Haney