Fazio's e-Newsletter Full Articles & Expert Advice: September 2010
Stringin' on a Star
The brand of strings that we guitarists use is probably one of the most argued points of view. Some players will constantly try different brands and switch between phosphor bronze and 80/20 and coated and non-coated just to see what it does to their tone and feel, while some use the same string for years not realizing what they could be missing.
I am one of those guys who keeps a little notebook in most of my guitar cases and I write down when I change strings, what brand and gauge I used, what I noticed about them when I first put them on, how many hours I've put on them, and what my reaction is at the end of their life. Over the years, I've found strings that I just flat-out hate and some that I love when I first put them on only to lose my love affair after an hour or two. I'll try not get into the ones I hate and I'll try to focus only on what I want a string to give me and how I want them to sound.
Over the 10+ years here at Fazios I have been in charge of the string department and have tried out countless brands and types. I constantly get in samples of the various "latest and greatest breakthrough" in guitar string technology. Most of them wind up in the "no thank you" pile while every once in a while we run across something that is a total winner.
About 4 or 5 years ago, I was at a trade show and met a really nice guy named Curt Mangan. Curt had started a small string company with a focus on using only high grade U.S. made materials to build his strings. He previously was in charge of the string division for a major manufacturer for about20 years; so his experience is probably a tad greater than most of the guys out there. I liked his attitude, character, and personality right off the bat, but more importantly, could he make a good string? Well, since he was just getting the company started, he gave me samples of just about everything he made. Acoustic, electric, mandolin, nylon, and even bass strings. When I got back to the store, I handed them out to some of the guys and even a few of our customers. The reaction was great but I quickly realized that at our old location we just didn't have any room to add an additional line of strings. When we moved into our new location we immediately called Curt and started carrying the entire line of acoustic, electric, mandolin, bass, and even banjo.
The response has been overwhelming. About a year ago, Curt came out with a coated acoustic string. I sort of scared him a little when I sent him an email entitled "mixed response on new coated strings". It wasn't till he read a little way into the email that his fears were quelled. This was a line that was a culmination of two customer comments. One said he really liked the strings and the other said he liked them better than anything else he's ever used. I just thought it was funny. Here were two totally different players who really experimented with strings through the years and have totally different styles, yet their experience was identical.
What I expect from a string is really pretty simple. I want longevity (I despise changing strings), great feel, consistent intonation from set to set, and great tone. Is that really too much to ask? With the exception of trying out various new strings, I have personally been using the Curt Mangans on every guitar, whether it be acoustic or electric and even on my pedal steel and dobro. It has become our best selling string brand here at the shop and the choice of most of the employees too.
I have been very impressed with the consistency and great tone, and have even noticed (and thankfully have had other people corroborate this on their own instruments) a volume increase on the acoustic instruments I've put them on. If you have never started experimenting with strings, I really recommend that you do. You never know how good your guitar can sound unless you start trying out different things. Who knows, maybe the Mangans won't be your cup of tea, but then again, maybe they will. Stop in and try out a few sets and see if you don't notice a pleasant change to what you are using currently. Now I realize that if you are one of those players who love the sound of really dead sounding strings, please do not try these. I will be happy to recommend a different brand to you. But if you like a rich and clear sound then you owe it to yourself to give them a shot.
Check the "Unkowns"
It used to be that the guitar manufacturing industry was made up of just a few well-known companies. We find today that the climate has changed with tons of new brands and innovations. You'll now find many of the 'bigger' brand names selling in a number of outlets such as chain stores, internet sites and even department stores. Many smaller brands tend to be often overlooked, but you will find that many of them offer big value with great features.
Here at Fazio's we search constantly for the products that have great value and are off the "main stream" radar. Brands such as Eastwood, Rivera, Godin, Buddah, Rowan, Hofner, Vintage, Richmond and Stagg offer great alternatives to the same old gear. Let's take for instance the Godin guitar brand. This company offers guitars starting at under $400.00, and they even offer instruments that provide 3 distinct voices on one guitar. Magnetic, acoustic and GK synth outputs provide a number of tonal variations out of one guitar. Best of all Godin guitars are all built right here in North America. Next take a look at Rivera amps, not only do these guys build quality American made tube amps but they offer tonal versatility from Metal to Country to Jazz to good old Rock N' Roll all out of one amp!
Paul Rivera has always been very focused on quality and is always pushing the envelope trying to improve on earlier ideas and manufacturing processes. For example, consider the Venus series of Class "A" amplifiers. Paul was not satisfied with the tube life that many Class "A" amps provide. So, he developed new ways of dispersing heat along with other new innovations to improve the reliability of his Class "A" amps. Many times you will find smaller companies are willing to take more chances, this is great for a customer searching for great value and the newest and coolest innovations. If you keep an open eye and ear you can really find some awesome gear.
Make Music This Season
Summertime is just about over. For many, this means back to school. For most, this means back to a more structured schedule. Why not make music education a priority when planning for this Fall and Winter? If you are looking for the right musical fit for you, allow me to offer some suggestions….
A number of beginner classes for kids and adults alike are scheduled to begin in early October. For example, six week sessions of Guitar Basics for Kids, Kids Ukulele Workshop, Guitar 101(adults), Mandolin 101(adults), and Ukulele 101 (adults) all begin during the first week of October. Full schedules for these classes can be seen here.
Rockers between the ages of 9 and 17 can take part in the Fazio's Rock Academy After-School program (DATES: MON. SEPT. 13-SAT. NOV. 20, 2010/TIMES: VARIED…students will be placed into one of the following weekly rehearsal times according to skill level and schedule availability: Monday @ 5 PM, Tuesdays @ 5 PM, Thursdays @ 5 PM, Fridays @ 5 PM, Saturdays @ 1 PM, Saturdays @ 3 PM FEE: $299 for one band placement/$199 for each additional band placement. Prices include a songbook used in weekly rehearsals and a Fazio's Rock Academy T-Shirt. If the student already has the songbook, tuition is reduced to $269). The FRA After-School program is open to guitarists, bassists, vocalists, keyboardists, and drummers. Prior to the start of the 10-week session, students come to Fazio's for an instrumental evaluation with one of our instructors. This provides us with an idea of the skill level of each student and aids in the formation of bands before the start of rehearsals. Over the course of ten weeks, students engage in rehearsals and songwriting. The session culminates in a real rock show on Saturday November 13. There is definitely no substitute for the experience of playing in a band and the students have a blast while learning a great deal in a short period of time! More information on the Fazio's Rock Academy program can be found here.
October 2010 marks the beginning of Fazio's Acoustic and Electric Jams (occurring on Monday and Thursday evenings respectively). Prior to each Monday or Thursday night jam, the jam leader will select two songs that will be the focus for the upcoming jam. The song titles will be posted on the Fazio's web site and the chord charts and lyrics will be posted on Chordie.com. Each jam will be devoted to learning, arranging, and perfecting the songs for the instrumentation on hand. Styles covered in the Monday Acoustic Jam will include acoustic renderings of classic rock, blues, jazz, and folk songs (instrumentals and vocal songs) while the Thursday Electric Jam will feature electric renderings of classic rock, blues, jazz, funk, and fusion songs (instrumentals and vocal songs). Attend when you can.....the Monday and Thursday jam schedule is ongoing and each week is free-standing. This is also a cost-effective way to play music with other people as the price to attend each Acoustic or Electric Jam is just $12. Players are welcome to try their first jam for free!
In addition to the great happenings mentioned above, Fazio's always features a great schedule of live events featuring visiting artists, instrument builders, and more. September and October 2010 features visits by Craig Thatcher (Sept. 08-Martin Guitars Workshop), Taylor Guitars (Oct. 09), and Richard Gilewitz (Oct. 11 Guitar Concert and Seminar). Visit our events page for full details, click here.
Finally, I can't say enough about our private lesson program. We employ some of the finest guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, and violin instructors in the St. Louis area. Whether you are a total beginner on any of these instruments or a very experienced player, you can benefit greatly from working with one of our outstanding private instructors. If you'd like to get on the lesson schedule, please feel free to contact me via email, or by phone (636-227-3573).
I'll Take Mom and Pop Any Day
Shopping, browsing, or just plain loitering in a music store is all part of being a musician. It's the proverbial "Right-of-passage" for all guitarist, bassists, drummers, keyboardist, singers, and anyone else who aspires to create music. Shopping on line is great for certain products like books and Cd's, but nothing can replace physically testing out the guitar, amp, or keyboard before you actually buy it. This, in my humble opinion, is especially true for purchasing guitars. I say this because a guitar, or any instrument for that matter, is such a personal investment. Nothing beats having many options on hand to shop and compare. There's no better feeling for me than to walk into a music store and see hundreds of guitars hanging about.
One thing I've discovered over the years is that all music stores are not a like. As in all aspects of life, there are good ones and there are bad ones. I do my best to avoid the bad ones at all costs. Since a musical instrument is such a personal investment, I like having a salesperson who actually cares about my needs first. I hate dealing with a salesperson who's number one priority is to look cool. I don't care how "hip" the salesperson might think he or she is, I want someone who knows a lot about what they are selling.
I want someone who takes the time to truthfully answer questions I have about the item I want to buy. I don't need a bunch of "jive' and "attitude". When I'm approached by a clerk with "jive"and"attitude" it tells me that down deep he or she is insecure and probably doesn't know a thing about what they are trying to sell. I exit that store ASAP! I also hate loud piped-in music when I'm trying to buy something. I can't even think straight when that's going on in a store . When I hear loud piped-in music I really exit that store ASAP!! In my 30 + years of traveling around the world playing music and hanging out at different music stores, it has been my experience that the privately owned music stores are Far Superior to any chain operated "Music Center" or "Guitar World"store.
Privately owned stores such as Fazio's Frets and Friends actually care about their reputation and put the customer first. And I'm not writing this article because I work for Fazios and I'm not trying to butter-up Mike and Catherine; I REALLY mean it! I've had these opinions about music stores long before I even heard of Fazio's. Most of the serious musicians I know won't even set foot in a chain operated, commission driven "Music Center". They will always seek out Mom and Pop...
Change Your Strings!
Many moons ago I purchased an electric guitar just before I left for college. It played great when I acquired it and I was happy with it. Within a few months, however, I became very unhappy with the sound it was giving me; it just didn't sound or play the same. I tried everything I could think of to remedy the problem; adjusting my amp settings, making sure my cables weren't bad and so forth. In a last ditch effort I bought a new set of strings to put on it. Lo and behold, it magically played and sounded like it did when I purchased it. Who knew that changing strings could make such a difference?
Strings, those commonly overlooked and abused necessities, are more important than most people think. Old strings can kill the beloved tone and playability of an instrument. New strings always revitalize and rejuvenate any instrument's sound and action.
Another fact is that different brands and gauges of strings will make your instrument play differently and sound different. I am always on the lookout for the next great new string, pick, etc…. I love trying new strings to see how they sound and react on my instruments; some make it sound worse; others bring out the sweetness we all desire our instruments to have. Don't be afraid to try different strings to see how your instrument will react.
For my ukuleles I have tried pretty much any string I can get my hands on – Martin, GHS, D'Addario, Aquila and others. I have found that each string is different on my ukes. My current personal choice is the Aquila ukulele strings; while they cost a bit more I find they have the sound I prefer and they last longer than some of the other choices.
If you haven't changed your strings in a while, do it; you will be glad you did. As I stated at the beginning of the article, "I used to have a guitar I didn't like, and then I changed strings."
What Is That Old Guitar Worth?
The vintage guitar market continued on a nearly unbelievable upward arc for quite a few years. Fine, old guitars by Martin, Gibson, and Fender commanded prices that could be viewed as stratospheric. It was a case of supply and demand; there were only so many pre-war D-28s for example, and many buyers interested in acquiring one. Less celebrated guitars by Kay, Harmony, Tiesco, etc rode the value train on the coattails of the thoroughbreds. The vintage guitar market has undergone a correction, as many commodities have. It will most likely come back, because it is still a case of a finite number of vintage guitars available. When prices will recover to previous levels is a subject for debate.
Any reader of a newspaper or driver on the highway has seen the ads for “We Buy Old Guitars” and like Scrooge McDuck, has had the $ signs flash in his or her eyeballs. While it is possible to strike gold in the old guitar case in Grandma's attic, it is a very rare occurrence. Even a very fine guitar, like the pre-war D-28 previously mentioned, will most likely require extensive repairs to get it playable. Cracks in the body, fret wear, neck resets, loose braces and pulled bridges are just a few of the common conditions that arise in old guitars, even those that have had better-than-average care. Obviously, those guitars that have been beat up all their years will be that much more difficult and expensive to resuscitate. Some of the old, second-tier American guitars like Kay and Harmony can be made to be serviceable instruments and have a degree of “mojo” that new offshore guitars just can't touch. These old Kays, Harmonys and the like are very hit-and-miss, however. Sometimes these factories made some very good instruments, but often the “improved” model of the same guitar (that was introduced the next year) fell flat on its face.
Another factor that influences the value of an old instrument is its story. If it was a relative's instrument, then the value to you is increased over the general market value. How can you ascribe a monetary value to making music on the same instrument that a relative used in a previous day? The simple truth is you can't.
To sum this article up: Just because a guitar is old does not make it valuable. Tastes change. The guitar has undergone a change in stature from its days as the rhythm section in a dance band. Undeniably fine guitars by Gibson, Fender, Martin and Gretsch will most likely require some sort of repairs to become playable, from very minor to $1000 plus. Less consistent guitars like Kay, Harmony and Tiesco are not necessarily valuable because they are old. Some of these guitars were bad experiments in commerce! On the other hand, some of these el cheapos can be made serviceable and retain their value.
At Fazio's, we have a dedicated staff than can help you chart the best path for bringing a guitar back to life. If it does not make sense to spend money on an old guitar, we will tell you so. We can figure out cost-effective repairs that will not exceed the value of a guitar. We can also take on a sensitive restoration that will preserve and enhance the value of an old, cherished guitar.
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