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kalalau_hiker
New
Username: kalalau_hiker

Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2008
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 1:42 pm:   Edit Post

Hi
My name is Bob and I am a guitaraholic!
I am copying most of this from an intro I wrote for the Gear Page ... so - I'm not nuts and write this much all the time. I noticed this forum when I was looking at an Aria on ebay (which I bought) and my googling for info led me here.

Currently suffering from “single and trying every guitar I can before getting married again” syndrome.

My personal music story (this is copied from Gear Page..I can’t keep writing it over!)

My music addiction is my dad’s fault, so I am innocent here! He conducted the LA Philharmonic and Japan National Symphony back in the late 40’s and in the 50’s … and exposed us to music and great musicians from all over the world. He gave us a VERY open mind and natural inquisitiveness about the wonder and joys of music of all cultures. I love music from all cultures and have been lucky to meet and play with musicians from all over the world, attempting to learn what I could and find the essence of each. We grew up in Rockland County N.Y in the 60’s … the birthplace of fusion .. Larry Coryell lived there during his 65 – 71 groundbreaking years, as did John McLaughlin briefly …it was an amazing era as Larry, John, Miles and all the great players that came out from him were making extremely adventurous, innovative, envelope pushing hard core music … before the LA crowd dumbed it down to .. how does Scott Henderson say it … oh yeah …that “LA- hot tub-moosed up-happy jazz fuzak Fing SH*T!”. LOL … The local scene when I was a teenager was a string of artist and music collectives (John Cage and Merce Cunningham lived at one at Gate Hill coop) where there were extremely talented local legend guys like Danny Toan (anyone here know Danny? ) jamming w an endless stream of early jazz rock (we did NOT call it fusion) monsters from NYC. Our local sound was Jimi - Miles – Coryell – McLaughlin - Beck - Stevie Wonder– Sly – J Brown – Cream - Traffic – and the rest of the blooze rock kitchen sink. Hard Rock/ Jazz Blues/Psychedelic Funk Fusion.

After years 1967 – 70 as an avid music lover practically living at the Filmore East, fake IDing my way into Steve Paul’s Scene to see some great classic rock guitar god jams, and jazz clubs like Slugs, I finally started playing in 1970 and learnt backwards, due to having to fit in as a beginner with guys way over my head by layin down foundation for sprawling riff jams with local guys doing experimental fusion of all kinds …so backwards from Coryell and McLaughlin, endless hours on scales and how to improv modally …then Hendrix and Jeff Beck, then finally learnt from my original rock guys I loved like Clapton, Peter Green, Mike Bloomfield, Stevie Winwood, Harvey Mandel, Cipolina and Gary Duncan, etc then got into the early psychedelic jazz chromaticisms of Pat Martino, then Benson, Wes, Atilla Zoller, finally went back to straight blues with Buddy Guy, Albert King, Earl Hooker …Captian Beefheart … and a slew of others. Took a while to learn to play songs after so much endless noodle and modal jams! Two of my favorite influences were the flamenco work of Chick Corea and Jan Hammer’s lyrical funk rock, early Bill Connors, Afro Jazz of Coltrane/Sanders/Weston/Ibrahim et all. I also love Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Spanish, Japanese ethnic music among many others. My mind /emotion construct is sort of a multi ethnic dumping grounds! I don’t believe in limits. LOL !

Moved to Boston in 1972 and played in a wide variety of blues, hard rock, soul and jazz settings. Lots of Hendrix, straight up blues, funk and Chick Corea oriented Flamenco fusion.
After getting discouraged with the unhealthy musician lifestyle, which clashed with my health oriented lifestyle, walked from some good gigs….took a break from pro playing in later 1973 for a long period of travel and spiritual self inquiry that was very rewarding … but never wanted to go pro again. Played for a while in some electronic & ethnic experimental, and flamenco improv settings … dropped it again for about 10 years …Ended up in the Philadelphia area – got intothe corporate computer world for a living …which bored me back into playing again! Play mainly home and with local friends, but have regained my love of guitars and guitar music. Latest goal is to get computerized so I can record and share ideas and recordings with friends I’ve met around the internet world.

Some of my fav recent players are Scott Henderson, Mike Landau, Ronnie Earl, Shawn Lane (the Indian stuff more than the shred rock), Guthrie Govan, Micheal Brook, Steve Tibbetts, Strunz and Farah, and of course .. still waiting for that solo album by Winged Eel Fingerling! LOL



Guitars - I’ll try to post some porn soon .. need to take some family pix. I love talking guitars – so am listing more to instigate conversation. I am Not one of those Banker/Lawyer collectors that only talks to other Banker/Lawyer collectors (I have seen that on TGP.. very sad). I do plan on unloading many of these .. they have simply piled up as I have a girlfriend who doesn’t care … UNTIL we get married. LOL

#1 – no contest ….1964 Fender Strat – bought in 73. endless mojo! Ref retted by master builder John Zeidler w SLIGHT re radius – plays like butter and sounds AMAZING!

I am STILL kicking my own arse for letting go my 1961 Gibson ES 345, 1964 Les Paul Special, and mid sixties Les Paul (SG shaped – like the one Cipollina had)

recent collection post 2003 :
VINTAGE 1982 MOONSTONE VULCAN DELUXE = FOR SALE
Driskill Diablo
Gorodnitski Master Cremona
Buscarino Custom T type 3 P90
Aria Pro II RS-850 model rev-Sound Series * PRE ALEMBIC ELECTRONICS!
Ovation Breadwinner (ergo Klein precursor)

PRS Santana II w McNaught Hawaiian Ice top
PRS Custom 24 1995 custom order purple quilt
PRS EG Bolt w Fralins

Koll handmade Steinberger style w Duncans

Brubaker post fire red quilt
Brubaker pre fire purple quilt

Vigier Shawn Lane sig (plan on switching out pups to some better for coil splitting


4 Melancons are some of my MOST “go to” players!
Melancon Koa Custom w Fralins
Melancon Custom P90
Melancon Custom P90 amber quilt chambered w Piezzo
Melancon Start HH-S-HH I intend to switch pups out for non Dimarzio .. perhaps WCR

Heritage 586 arch top jazzer
D’Angelica Excel (Japanese)

Hamer Custom Artist 3 P90
Hamer Custom Artist HH

Fender Jeff Beck Strat..SOLD
Fender MIM Splattercaster

Gibson Explorer Pro
Carvin California Carved Top Burled Walnut
Carvin California Carved Top Joe Walsh…SOLD
Carvin Koa DC127
Carvin 12 string

Reverend USA Sling shot 3 P90
Reverend USA Avenger Lava Swirl HH

Unusual improv gutars:
Viellette 12 string Baritone
Godin Glissentar 11 string fretless faux oud guitar
Fender Strat w Eyb sitar bridge (better than Jerry Jones electric sitar, can do full on chords, but no sympathetic strings)
Jerry Jones electric coral sitar
Ibanez Mike Mushok Baritone
Fernandes Ravelle Fretless w Sustainer

Fernandes AFR80 sustainer (strat type) – KILLER guitar for the $$
Fernandes Ravell Limited Edition Blue Quilt

Taylor acoustic
Alvarez acoustic

Dean Hardtails : Amber burst; Exotic Animal burst; Redwood, Purple Quilt (FOR SALE)
Dean Cadillacs : USA 80’s; varitone Ultima; Select (Gibson Explorer pups)
Dean Vs : Time Capsule V rio grande pups; 80’s Baby Blue Burst, V Select; V DOA purple burst.
Dean EVO Premiums - green quilt, amber quilt, tobacco burst ..one sold
Dean Palomino surf green 3 P90 arch top – GREAT axe for the $$

Agile LP with WCR Darkburst pups (AWESOME pups by the way! They SMOKE Duncans)

Warmoth all Koa strat w Gilmore EMG pup system
Warmoth Strat w a great blue quilt
Warmoth Black Limba Strat – FOR SALE
Warmoth LP Special type w Rio Grande P90
Warmot black quilt strat - humbuckers (SOLD)

Dillion PRS copy .. PRS pups
Cort M1200 great PRS copy for the $$
Cort Ls1000 = FOR SALE – great LP type
Cort ? arch top

Steinberger Spirit SOLD
Fender Splattercaster

Might be forgetting a few

Amps : old Fender Super Champ, Princeton Reverb
Yamaha T50C (Soldano)

Effects : mainstays = Ernie ball Volume and amp splitter, Vox Wah, Chandler Stereo Echo, Maxon OD808, Fultone Full Drive II, Fulltone OCD, Maxon Phase , FoxRoxx Captain Coconut (Jimi in a box : Fuzz, Octavia, UniVibe in one), TC Electronics Stereo Chorus/Flanger, Z vex Ooh Wah II, Chandler Stereo Echo. Lexicon Jamm Man , Vortex. A slew more various dist, envelopes, various flangers, etc. Roland Looper.

Nice to be here. Lurked for a while and seems like some great people here. Look forward to getting to know you
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 997
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 4:17 pm:   Edit Post

Bob, that's quite a history and collection. Welcome to the board.
Rich
kalalau_hiker
New
Username: kalalau_hiker

Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2008
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 4:32 pm:   Edit Post

thanks rich
glad to be here

btw

I tried to get some of my blues rock fusion buddies to go see Gato Barbieri at the Vanguard in 19..70 or 71.
they wouldn't go

Gato had Lonnie Liston Smith, Idris Muhammad (I think) and Cecil McBee... and a second young unknown acoustic bass player that FLOORED me and everyone there....he was 19 ... it was Stanley Clarke

I went back and told everyone this was like the fiorst time you saw JIMI!.. they went yeah yeah ...
fast forward 7 years - one of those guys was playin guitar for Gato! LOL

and we ALL loved Stanley!!
artswork99
Senior Member
Username: artswork99

Post Number: 493
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 7:57 pm:   Edit Post

Bob,
Welcome to the forum. Very nice collection and a great story. Can't wait to see those pics. I too was influenced by the same crowd. I believe you'll like an Alembic guitar added to that great list of equipment.
Play them Healthy!
Art
edwin
Advanced Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 359
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, November 03, 2008 - 9:12 pm:   Edit Post

<our>

I am assuming you mean Jeff Beck, but I also assume that Joe Beck came across your horizon, given the other players you mention!

Edwin
Also formerly from Boston
kalalau_hiker
New
Username: kalalau_hiker

Post Number: 10
Registered: 10-2008
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 1:47 pm:   Edit Post

Hi Edwin

yup - I meant Jeff - but FUNNY you should mention...
Joe Beck was a fantastic player and goes widely unrecognized for his early fusion forays by the general fusion audience. I guess he grew up and mellowed out unlike some of us (LOL) and ended up a much more tasteful and restrained player, than the general Gambale / Henderson / Holdsworth type player or fan.

Funny as back in 73 - some guys in Boston told me I sounded like JOE Beck. I had heard his work on the Sabicas flamenco rock LP, but that's all.
then I was played his work on a Dom Um Romao LP and ...WOW...I, AND my buddy Danny Toan... DID sound a LOT like him! He was playing a wah, sort of a understated Larry Coryell type style ( Larry was FULL on competing w McLaughlin at that point and subtlety usually went out the WINDOW>>LOL)

He wa also great in that Sanborn LP!

Sad news that he recently passed on. RIP - he was a gentle soul, good person, as well as a thoughtful and always tasteful improviser... never hogging the spotlight but always adding a LOT.
I have not heard his recent material but did hear that he was playing some great stuff w J Abercrombie, on baritone I think .

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