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You may have heard of No Island Media before. They are responsible for a fantastic range of documentaries on guitars and guitar history, as well as many other projects. They have just announced the release of the Complete Collection Edition of "The Search for the Perfect Guitar Tone". Just read the quote below:
THE COMPLETE COLLECTION of the landmark series The Search for the Perfect Guitar Tone includes all twelve 30-minute episodes of the series.
The Complete Collection also includes the extended cut versions of the Peavey, PRS and Gibson Montana episodes, plus enough guitar-related content to provide 14 hours of content.
* Hartley Peavey
* Paul Reed Smith
* Kelly Butler (First Act)
* Robert Godin
* Bob Taylor
* James Brown ( tube amplifcation engineer : Kustom)
* Ren Ferguson (Montana Gibson Custom Shop)
* McGregor Gaines and Don Young
(National Reso-Phonic)
* Matt McPherson
* Ralph Novak
* Stuart Spector
* Michael Robinson (Founder, Eastwood Guitars)
* Ben Fargen (tube amplifcation engineer - Fargen Amplification).
If you aren't salivating on yourself then you have no right in calling yourself a guitarist. Shame on you.
But seriously, this is a must own collection, and I'm saving my pennies until I can get it. It's out in a few weeks so you should all start saving. To get you in the mood I found some teaser trailers from the 14 hour collection. Paul Reed Smith is pretty much my personal favourite guitar designer, and the Custom 24 is my dream guitar, so here is a video of the man himself showing you exactly what it can do and why it is such a great guitar.
By the way, this is the first clip I've embedded from MetaCafe. They have a very cool functin that tracks the last five blogs to use one og the videos. Great way to find more sites worth visiting.
My search for strange guitars continues: This time we have the Pikasso II (yes this is the sequel). Designed for Pat Methany, who else really, this monster is one scary beast. From the manufacturers website www.manzer.com:
Four necks. Two sound holes. Two access doors; one on the upper player's side and one at the tail block. ( based on a panel door design by the brilliant -Abraham Wechter)
The "WEDGE" TM1984 is a special feature I designed specifically for this instrument. The body is tapered so that the side closest to the player is thinner than the side that rests on the players knee, thus leaning the top back towards the player for a more aerial view. This is also more comfortable under the player's arm. This feature is available as an option on all my flattop guitars.
This instrument was outfitted with a complete state of the art piezo pickup system. (Designed and installed by Mark Herbert, Boston) This included a hexaphonic pickup on the 6 string section that allowed Metheny to access his Syclavier computer system thus triggering any sound including sampled sounds. (Saxophone sampling can be heard on the song "Mob Job")Two mounting holes on the treble side (knee side) so that the guitar can be mounted on internal brass insets attaching to a stand, leaving hands free for playing or viewing.
Brass side bridges made by guitar maker and machinist Bruce West.
This instrument took 2 years to build (approximately 1000 hours), and when the 42 strings are strung up to high tension, the Pikasso is under approximately 1000 lbs pressure. It weighs 6.7 kg or 14 3/4 lbs.
I found a short video of the man himself playing it.
As much as I think this man is an absolute self righteous, self absorbed, pompous ass..... you have to give him credit for his playing. This video shows why.
Is it just me or does he look remarkably like Russell Crowe in this clip at times.
The Premier Hotel located at Nine Ways in Newcastle has Sunday afternoon blues each week, and I have been trying to make an effort to get there as much as possible. This week was an introduction to a musical style I pretty much knew nothing about and never thought I would enjoy.
Zydeco.
Part blues, part swing, part ska and part Cajun party, it was a great afternoon. The band was Psycho Zydeco, and they were very entertaining indeed. Part of the signature sound of Zydeco is the piano accordian and the frottoir (washboard). I find it hard to believe that I was listening to a band that was driven by a washboard, but there I was, bopping away thinking I need to do some washing. In fact I'm listening to their latest album "Get On Board" right now and have developed a dopey grin. Maybe the music is fun, maybe it makes you blissfully stupid. I don't know. But all I know is it is making me happy.
The Premier Hotel located at Nine Ways in Newcastle has Sunday afternoon blues each week, and I have been trying to make an effort to get there as much as possible. This week was an introduction to a musical style I pretty much knew nothing about and never thought I would enjoy.
