010 - Have You heard these Pre-War Guitars?

Acoustic Tuesday presented by http://tonysacousticchallenge.com

This special Halloween Acoustic Tuesday is infused with items all "acoustic" that are scary good. Let's dive into this terrifyingly terrific list, shall we? 

Santa Cruz Guitars has always amazed me in their build quality, fit, finish, and most importantly... tone. I was able to get my hands on one of their Brad Paisley models based on their pre-war dreadnought model. The guitar has a really cool story behind it so please check out the review to get that and see the new review format which features a bit more playing throughout. I also want to make mention that they are using their own parabolic tension strings which rather than being gauge specific, they are tension specific. In fact, I loved the feel of them so much I contacted Santa Cruz to get some sets for my other guitars... I will report on how I liked them and how they sound in a future Acoustic Tuesday. 

https://youtu.be/xVCeW695z-4

http://www.santacruzguitar.com/instruments/brad-paisley-signature-model-guitar/

http://www.santacruzguitar.com/scgc-strings/

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/hands-on-santa-cruz-parabolic-tension-guitar-strings/

Music holds a magical power. To each and every #guitargeek it means something unique. Music manages to cut through and touch you right in your soul... it has a magical healing power. There happens to be an organization that is harnessing this power of music and helping out veterans here in the US. The program is called Guitars For Vets or G4V and it helps supply guitar lessons and guitars to veterans suffering from PTS. This non-profit organization is not in all 50 states yet, but it is growing and making differences in lives every single day. To hear some of the testimonials is humbling and inspiring all at the same time. I encourage you to check out their site and if you can donate, and if you can't that's ok just spread the word as much as you can as these people are truly changing lives and the world for the better... all through the power of music.  

https://youtu.be/w6hL5RU85tw (News segment)

https://youtu.be/AfkVpzCOBug (Individual Story) 1:47

http://www.guitars4vets.org/

What I'm listening to this week: Love Letter For Fire by Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop. This album is one that I got some time ago but never threw it on the turntable until recently. It was released in April 2016 and man oh man am I glad to have revisited it. Harmonies run rampant throughout the album, and the blend of their voices is heavenly. While listening to this album at TAC Studios, Noah mentioned that he really dug the "out of the box" song structure, which I guess I have to agree with him here, I dig it as well. If you happen to love harmonies, crafty songwriting, and subtle acoustic infused instrumentation this is an album that you will no doubt enjoy. 

http://amzn.to/2zBrMd3

https://youtu.be/nD4df5tJqvc

A pre-war guitar fresh from the shop... with that new guitar smell? As acoustic #guitargeek legend has it, being able to play the all-hallowed and super rare pre-war guitar is about as common as seeing Bigfoot playing a G run in between sipping some fine bourbon. If you are ever lucky enough to play a pre-war instrument (often referred to as an instrument from the golden age) it will forever be a point of comparison for every guitar you play from that point on. In short, pre-war guitars are downright amazing and their price tags reflect that... But what if you could get that pre-war sound and feel for a decent price? Enter, the Pre-War Guitar Co. Both Wes Lambe and Ben Maschal understand the magic that vintage instruments contain, and they build guitars based on the greats. They reference classic examples of pre-war Gibsons and Martins during their build process and the results are absolutely outstanding. I have only heard samples and seen pictures, but from what I have seen and heard, my jaw is on the floor. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these to put through its paces. Please if you ever get to play one of these make sure to let me know and I will do the same. 

https://www.pre-warguitars.com/

https://www.pre-warguitars.com/about-the-builders/

https://www.facebook.com/prewarguitars/videos/623161331209886/

 

That's another Acoustic Tuesday in the books, I hope this list helps keep the #guitargeek momentum going and of course highlights some things that allow you to live your best #acousticlife.  

Cheers and Happy Halloween!