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| Blue Note Vintage Instruments - The Musical Note | date # / issue # | ||
| BLUE NOTE VINTAGE MUSIC LAUNCHES WEBSITE
A Hello from Steve Welcome to www.bluenoteguitars.com. When I started the adventure of creating a website I was a babe in the website woods, but with the help of my webmaster, Eric, at 48hourdesign, I believe I have found my way to a site that will help me share vintage instruments with you. I have been involved in collecting vintage guitars and other instruments for 35 years. I first opened a small store when I moved to Roanoke, Virginia in 1994. What began as a few guitars grew to quite a personal collection and into a business. There have been so many changes in this industry over the years. How many of you remember Gary Burnette’s first guitar show at American University? It was very interesting to see how many other guitar lovers were out there. We quickly set up our table and began to search out some of the other treasures at that first show. Like most folks there, we had no real idea how far this interest in vintage guitars would take any of us. Today the interest is world wide and I believe the reasons for collecting have changed as well. I read somewhere that we all have a need to collect something. Although most people never finish collecting whatever is their interest, the reason seems to be some need to be complete. I guess we would all be complete if we found that pre-war Martin. In the meantime, the search continues. Personally, my need to collect probably is deeply rooted in my childhood when my mother gave away my baseball cards,how about you? I recall looking at some fine old instruments at that first guitar show at American University in Washington D.C. and thinking the prices were too high. Little did I or most folks there have any real idea how the prices would increase over the years. I suppose there are no guarantees for prices, but what is maintaining its value better right now – your stock portfolio or your vintage guitars ? I rest my case. The interest is still there, as well. The last weekend in February Gary Burnette and Bee-3 Music, held its Spartanburg S.C. guitar show. The weather did not cooperate beginning with cold rain and ending with a Sunday night snow storm while exhibitors attempted to drive home. But while we were there, we saw a long line of folks waiting to get in to enjoy a day wandering through aisles of great guitars. I particularly enjoyed seeing the fathers and sons walking through with the father sharing info about some of the guitars he had. Yes, the economy brought in some sellers but it also brought in buyers. The exhibitors had a wide range of instruments on display but I am attracted to the tables that specialize in vintage only. They are getting harder to find but they hold so much history and so important to today’s music industry. If you have not been to a guitar show, watch for one near you, it is a great way to spend a day or a weekend. To my fellow exhibitors, I hope everyone had a safe trip home and I will see you soon. When I opened my store in my current location, the building had a bar in it remaining from its exciting past. While remodeling it was easier to leave it in place and build around it. As a result, I have become a firm believer that there is some psychological magic in planting one’s elbows on a bar. Most any day I will have a customer in who watches me work on repairs and shares with me their love of guitars or of a special guitar. We have all heard the stories about the Christmas guitar they wish they had back or the family guitar that they believe is an old Gibson from the 1930’s. Behind these memories are some great stories which I enjoy as I work. Interestingly, I find other customers who are learning to play the guitar for the first time. In some cases they never had the chance when they were younger or due to some hand injury they are looking for a way to restore mobility. Guitars are great healers in many ways. I suppose the other favorite customer I get is a young person coming in with a parent. They know they want to play, they just are not sure where to start. Sometimes a new guitar is not in the budget but they do want the look and the sound. I do enjoy helping these folks. Whether they buy from me or go elsewhere, I like to feel after I have worked with them they have a better idea of what they should buy. I have told so many that if you buy a poorly playing guitar, no matter the price, the student will never be able to get the sound they want and will give up. Additionally, the guitar needs to fit their hand. Too often, young people are not as welcome as they should be in music stores, I know for good reason in some cases, but I feel lucky to get to speak with them early on in their interest and to let them try out a few to find the right fit. After so many years, now they come back to see me and I love how they can play. I suppose I have an advantage being in a small town where I can take time with a customer. The goal of this first newsletter is to give you a little insight into me and why I enjoy vintage guitars and let you know what you can expect to find at www.bluenoteguitars.com. I will endeavor to bring you fine old stringed instruments to view, great looking vintage electrics, a few newer models that have the potential to be tomorrow’s classics, weird little collectibles, and a few Dogs of Day. We set up the Dogs of Day category with two goals in mind. I have a few fixer uppers and I know some of you would like to have a piece on which you can practice your repair skills; and, I know many of you have a pet who is as close to you as our little dog, Saki, is to us. We thought it would be fun if you would like to send us a picture of your dog, cat, ferret, snake, or whatever sharing your love of musical instruments. We will pick out a new picture periodically and place it on our site just for fun. You can send your picture to saki@bluenoteguitars.com. With each newsletter I will include a bit of history and a tech tip. If you have a tech question that you would like to see covered send it to steve@bluenoteguitars.com and I will try to help you. Until my next newsletter, have a great month and keep on strumming. Explore our site |
In this issue: LATEST NEWS A great gentleman to deal with, a man of his word. The guitar arrived in good condition and was packed very well.
The guitar was just as described. It arrived faster than I thought it would. Thanks so much.
You fixed a guitar for my friend a few years back. He told me not to take my guitar any where but here. He was right!
I am playing everyday. The guitar arrived in great condition. I look forward to dealing with you in the future.
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Humidification and temperature changes can have a negative impact on your guitars. It is important to avoid leaving your guitar in very dry environments. Too often our homes can become too dry in the winter months with heating systems that do not monitor humidity levels. Consider buying a monitor to measure humidity levels and try to keep the humidity in the 50% to 55% level in the room where you keep your guitars. The moisture in the wood is vital. Without it the wood dries out too much, it can shrink, seams can open, binding can move, and suddenly you are killing a fine instrument. Unfortunately, this happens slowly and sometimes you will not realize it until you need a repair. A side benefit of improved humidity – your sinuses may feel better. The abrupt temperature change can have adverse consequences on the finish on your guitar. In the winter, if you travel with your guitar, when you arrive, allow it to stay in its case and adjust to the room temperature before you open the case and attempt to tune it or play. In the summer, just as you do not leave babies or pets in your car, try to avoid leaving your guitar in the summer heat of the car as well. If you are traveling, keep it in the trunk or undercover to avoid direct sun. Occasionally, I receive a guitar for repair that was placed in the attic for safe keeping with dire consequences. Of course, these tips apply to all stringed instruments. |
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| HISTORICAL QUOTES ”For the guitar is the most unpredictible and least reliable musical instrument in existence-and also the sweetest, the warmest, the most delicate, whose melancholic voice awakes in our soul exquisite reveries.” Andres Segovia ”He was all through the Delta back then, and I used to love to hear him play the guitar. He had that bottleneck thing, and he could make the guitar real whiny>” Muddy Waters, speaking about Son House ”This Machine Kills Fascists.” Written on Woody Guthrie’s guitar ”You could go out and eat and come back and the note would still be sounding. It didn’t sound like a banjo or a mandolin, but like a guitar, an electric guitar. That was the sound I was after.” Les Paul
”I don’t have a love affair with a guitar, I don’t polish it after every performance: I play the (blank) thing. ” Pete Townsend of The Who |
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