18 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE JULY 2011

FEATURE MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARY

A few issues ago Tanglewood and Michael Sanden, of Sanden Guitars,

offered one of our readers the chance to win a custom-built guitar from Michael. �e lucky winner was Ian Palmer, and over the next four issues Michael will talk us through the construction of the prize.

The Winner Takes It AllFive years ago Tanglewood approached me and my company, Sanden Guitars, to help them design what was to become their flagship model. �ey wanted a line of guitars that stood out from the rest. When I started to build guitars 30 years ago I wanted to make guitars that were original and not simply

copies of existing designs. I also wanted to build instruments that were contemporary, that would fit the needs of modern musicians. Don’t get me wrong, I like vintage instruments, and I think it is important that we carry on the traditions – but that is not for me. So now, 30 years later, people come to me for my kind of instrument. And that is what I will build for Ian Palmer, the winner of the competition in Acoustic.

The Contact And SpecFirst I wrote an email to Ian congratulating him on his win – to say he was pleased is something of an understatement. From there we jumped straight into choosing the spec for his instrument. To keep things simple for him I sent him a detailed list

of all the options he could choose from. He settled on a TSR-1, but with some custom fittings.

We start with an AAAA Sitka spruce top, which I bought in 1990, really dry and with a lot of ‘silk’. �e back and side will

be East Indian rosewood, a beautiful dark colour and perfect quarter-sawn. �e neck will be sapele mahogany with an ebony fretboard. Ian wanted an ‘open head’ and golden tuners with ebony buttons. �e head will have an ebony veneer on both sides for looks and strength. �e top will have a rosette in sumptuous paua abalone. �e body and the fretboard will also be fitted with a flamed koa binding – this will give the guitar a striking look.

Ian is a fingerstlye player, so he decided on a wider neck, with a 46 mm nut width and a pinless bridge. �e use of such a bridge gives the guitar a more open sound with more attack – perfect for fingerstyle players.

MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARYBUILDING A GUITAR FROM THE GROUND UP: PART ONEBy Michael Sanden

Moulding the sides into shape

“I BREAK DOWN THE PROCESS INTO MANAGEABLE STEPS. IF

YOU’RE GOING TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN YOU HAVE TO DO IT

ONE STEP AFTER ANOTHER!”

Michael Sanden Diary DPS_BC.indd 86 24/05/2011 15:09

FEATURE

JULY 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 19

So now I hope you all can picture the guitar in front of you. And I hope you will find it interesting to follow the building of this instrument in the next four issues. I will divide the coverage like this: this and the next issue I will show the building of the body; the third instalment will concentrate on the neck and fretboard; and the last issue will be the finish and set-up.

The Building StartsBuilding a guitar can be very complicated or very simple. �e way I build guitars, and consequently the approach of my workshop, boils down to a straightforward approach. I break down the building process into manageable steps. After all, if you’re going to climb a mountain you have to do it one step after another!

Although I do a lot of work with regular hand tools, I discovered quite early on in my career that I like using routers. If you make good moulds and jigs, the router will do an excellent job. A few years ago I purchased a CNC machine, thinking this would make the process easier, faster and more accurate. Instead I became very frustrated. I’ve never been one for computers, and using the CNC was more programming than constructing a guitar. So I sold it to a friend who uses it to make the most incredible moulds and jigs for my routers.

Finding the wood for guitars is like searching for lost treasure. �ere’s something about going to sawmills and hand-picking the wood for instruments that I truly love. Over the years I have

found a handful of people I can trust and I know they always have some beautiful pieces for me. Normally the wood is dried when I buy it. But I still let it sit in my workshop for at least three years before I use it.

I always start, with the customer in mind, picking out the wood for his or her instrument and what they want from the final product. �e most important bit is the top – I

like it to be stiff lengthwise and flexible across the grain. Before I glue the halves together I sand them down to approximately 4 mm. �en it is easier to check the grain and if there is any irregularity that I do not want. I glue the half together in a special jig that gives an even precure. For most of the time I let everything I glue sit overnight. I try to prepare all the work on the different pieces during the day and then glue in the late afternoon. �en I let it sit overnight so I do not get the urge to take off the clamps too soon.

Bending the sides is done with water and heat. By first damping the wood and then adding heat the fibre will soften, making it easy to bend the wood. When the wood then cools it will stay in its new shape. Some use a bending iron but I prefer a bending machine, which I built in 1985. It has double-thin plates which I put the sides between,

and with the help of the clamping devices I can bend the sides over the mould. I bend both sides at the same time and it takes about 20–25 minutes. Because there is heat from both plates the wood does not break.

After bending the sides they go into the next mould. Here I cut the sides to length to fit. As you might have seen, the sides have a very special outline before they are bent. My guitars have a radius of 15 feet on the back and to fit this I cut the side into a tapered shape. While the sides now sit in the mould I sand them to exactly the right shape on a special disc sander with a disc that also has a radius of 15 feet. More about this when it is time to glue the braces on the back.

�e rosette around the soundhole is done by routing channels approximately 1,5.2 mm deep. I usually start with a channel for the abalone. I glue the abalone pieces in, let it dry, and then rout out for the black and white lining that goes on each side of the abalone. When everything is dried [overnight] I sand the top to its right thickness, in this case 2.7 mm. �en I rout out for the soundhole. �e top is now ready for the bracing.

Next time I will talk about the glue I use and show how I glue all the bracing with the help of a vacuum. �e body will also get its binding and will be prepared to have the neck fitted.

For more information on Tanglewood guitars please go to www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk. And for my guitars please visit www.sandenguitars.com.

The woods have been selected and cut to size The sides moulded into shape

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18 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE AUGUST 2011

promised to talk about the glue.For ages it has been a custom to

use hide glue in instruments. But eventually as modern techniques improved many luthiers moved to newer glues that require less preparation than the traditional glues. Now as I said in the first article, I like tradition and it is very important to listen and learn from what people have done before us. But I cannot see a reason for using things that have been replaced with something that is better. I know you can get a perfect glue joint with hide glue, but so can I with the more modern glue and crucially a glue joint that holds much better. A common reason for using hide glue has been , that it is easier to take things apart if it is glued with hide glue. �is is perfectly correct. But why should you want to take things apart for repairs if they don’t break and fall apart? Of course every builder has their own opinion about this and that is fine with me. I use a modern glue, an alphtic yellow glue, that dries harder and quicker than regular white glue. I use this for everything exept the inlay, for

which I use epoxy.Another thing I love to use is a

vacuum box. I use it as much as I can. First of all I use it for gluing all the bracing in the guitar. With the vacuum boxes I have made myself I get a very even pressure over the whole top or back when I glue. To be exact I get 1 kilo of pressure per square centimeter. �is helps get a better balance overall in the instrument. I also use it to hold things when I sand on my sander, small blocks that

FEATURE MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARY

need a curve or when we saw on the table saw, and also to hold the guitar body when we sand and scrape the bindings. If I can find a new way of using the vacuum it really makes me happy.

I glue the bracing in different turns, starting with the lowest and thinnest and then the X-bracing and last the bridgeplate, I then use a block of wood that is thicker than the braces so I get good pressure. Another good thing with glueing with a vacuum is that

MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARYBUILDING A GUITAR FROM THE GROUND UP: PART TWOBy Michael Sanden

Choosing wood for a guitar and to then make it fit the customer’s needs can

be a tricky thing. As a builder I need to listen carefully to their requirements: What kind of style does he play? Just with a pick, or does he strum with his hand, does he use fingernails or fingerpicks etc.

�ere is a lot to consider and on top of that you are going to build a guitar that will be the guitar of his life. Over the years, as a builder you learn to listen and hopefully guide the player in the right direction. One guitar cannot do everything, but with some careful consideration you can make one that does pretty much everything.

So when I tell people that 90% of the guitars we build at Sanden Guitars have Sitka spruce tops and East-Indian rosewood back and sides, they might wonder why? With all this nice wood around why not expand your palette? Well, I have tried many different woods and many different combinations, and in the end I have found that for me and the guitars we build and the way we build them, we get the best sound with those two woods. I have also along the way got some amazing wood dealers that I can rely on. �is is very important, especially as the woods we use are getting harder and harder to find. Mahogany is one of those woods and I am going to talk more about that in the next article, when I start to build the neck.

Now back to this guitar. As I finished off in the first article I was just going to glue the bracing and

“THERE IS A LOT TO CONSIDER, AND ON TOP OF THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BUILD A GUITAR THAT WILL BE THE GUITAR OF HIS LIFE”

Back and sides glued, with bracing

Michael Sanden DPS_BC.indd 18 28/06/2011 11:11

it also sucks out the moisture of the glue, making it stick faster. I then leave the guitar to dry out for a day before starting work on the braces.

To get the top and back to fi t 100% to the side and the kerfed linnings, I glue the lining a little proud of the side. I then use a big sanding disc with a 15`radius, which is the same radius as the braces on the back have. � en when I glue everything together the fi t is perfect. To get everything tight with a perfect fi t is very important. � is helps everything to be one unit and makes for a good sound with long sustain. We also make the brace that goes out through the lining a bit thicker than normal. � e bracing goes all the way out to the side, not through it. We route out this and when it is fi nished, we get a very sturdy construction. � e tops vibration goes straight into the side and the sides transfer it down to the back. When we have fi tted both top and back together with the side, we glue everything together at the same time. � is is because we bend the back a little more than normal. Our guitar diff ers about 15-17mm where the neck sits to the end of the body. � is helps to push the sound out of the box, instead of letting it stay and rumble around inside. Because we do this big curve, if we had fi rst glued the back on and then glued the top on we would get a guitar body that would have a bigger top than back. � e back is so strong it ”opens up” the sides. So we glue everything at the same time, then it is much easier to keep control of everything. We use a lot of clamps but we do not overtighten them. We do not want to crush the sides. I wish I could fi nd a way to use the vacuum here. We always let all gluing sit over night.

Next morning we take all the clamps off and route off the extra wood around the

body. � en there is a lot of sanding. One thing that I think is very important with our guitars is the sanding of the top. When we glued and sanded the top before the bracing came on , depending on which model, the tops thickness is 2.9-2.5 mm. � en when the body is glued together I do a gradiated sanding. Because of our bridge we always sand off a little more on the base side. I feel the fl ex with the palm of my hand and have learned when it is just right. We also check that the curve on the top is ok and so the angle where the neck is fi ts is ok.

After that I spray some laquer on the top and back. � is makes the routing cleaner and also when we take off the tape which we have glued the bindings with, it does not pull up any woodfi ber. So when the laquer is dry we route out the channels for the bindings. We only use wood bindings on our guitars. I think it looks much better and doesn’t shrink as the plastic bindings do.

So now the body is fi nished and next time I will show you how we make the neck and fretboard. More information about our guitars go to tanglewoodguitars.co.uk or sandenguitars.com

AUGUST 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 19

FEATURE

The top bracing in place

“The craftsman possessed certain characteristics which marked him off clearly from the rest. Most importantly, he possessed a degree of skill, a combination of manual dexterity and acquired knowledge, which gave him command over his materials and tools and a high degree of control over the quality of the finished product.” Thomas Carlyle

www.avalonguitars.com

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18 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2011

long. Glueing and stacking these together gives the heel. Before I go on building the neck I let it rest for at least three weeks. When I start working on the neck again I always start by planing the fretboard side to compensate for any changes in the wood.

I choose to use a bolted on neck for my guitars, for a few of reasons. First I get a very stable connection between body and neck . Secondly it is easier to fit the neck to the body and third it is easier to do the finish on the instrument when the parts are not glued together. I have used this system for almost 20 years and have had no prolems with it. I have also built quite a few guitars with the more traditional dovetail joint and I cannot hear a difference in sound.

My old barberchairSo now it is time to start doing a lot of routing! I have not talked too much about my workshop during these articles. A big love in my workshop is my old barberchair. Back in the mists of time I used to be a barber, and

I have one old chair left. When I needed a workbench that was heavy, could turn 360 degrees and be able to adjust in height, well then I started to think about my barber chair. I took everything off except the bottom of the chair and rebuilt it for my new needs. Now it has a function on every side of it. On one side I can pump it up and down, on the other side I can clamp the body, for when I fit the neck, the third side has a vise with

FEATURE MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARY

a vacuum plate to hold the body when I route for the bindings or scrape and sand the body. �e fourth side is for routing the tenon on the neck. Inside it, it now also has one of my beloved vacuum pumps. About every five years I tend to modify it in some way. �e tenonWith the help of two drilled guideholes I secure the neck on my barber chair . On the top of

MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARYBUILDING A GUITAR FROM THE GROUND UP: PART 3By Michael Sanden

The body of our guitar has now reached the stage where it needs a protected surface. �e

body has also got a mortise routed for the neck’s tenon. �e whole surface has also been sanded down with 220 grit sandpaper. So now it is time to continue with the neck and the fretboard.

�e Neck. Everybody who plays guitar knows how a ”good” neck should feel. But to get from a raw piece of lumber to a smooth, ergonomic piece of wood is no easy thing. �is isn’t the place to go into the many ways you can make a neck, I will just outline my preferred method, and how I make sure it works for my customers.

When I started to make guitars 30 years ago, Honduran mahogany was available. It was good quaility and not very expensive. Today a lot of that has changed. If it is possible to get hold of Honduras mahogany it most likley isn’t from Honduras. It is probably from Sri Lanka, and I feel the quality is lacking. Nowadays I use sapele mahogany instead. �is wood is a little heavier than the Honduran mahogany ( about 50 gram per neck) but I can live with this. �e trade off is you get longer sustain and I compensate for the loss in volume by thinning the wood a little more. I also get very good quality with pefectly quarter sawn wood. I build my necks in the way a maker of classical guitars would. I start with a 1” thick board and cut the head at a 17 degree angle, then glue the head piece on the back side of the board. I then cut three pieces off the board at the other end, each about 6-9 cm The fretboard with fret slots routed.

“ I ALWAYS HAVE A BACK VENEER ON MY GUITARS. THIS IS FOR STRENGTH AND LOOKS.”

Michael Sanden diary_BC.indd 18 27/07/2011 14:33

the chair is a template for the router to follow. I also make sure that the neck has a two degree offset. �is is because when the neck is ready and fitted to the body it should have a two degree angle to the body. When the tenon is 22 mm deep it is then time to route what I call the shoulders of the heel. To do this I have a hanging router on another workbench. With help of a jig I clamp the neck with vacuum. In two passes I route out the shape of the shoulders.

Now it is time to prepare the surfaces of the head. After measuring out exactly where the breaking angle for the head is and sanded to the line, I glue a 2 mm thick head veneer on the front side. I let this dry and then sand the back side of the head. I have made a simple jig to fit my sanders end roll. I can then adjust the thickness by turning a knob. I sand the thickness to 13 mm.

I always have a back veneer on my guitars. �is is for strength and looks. I wet the veneer and bend it over my bending iron and then glue it in place. �is has to dry over night.

With the help of a ruler and sandpaper I now fit the neck. When the neck sits where I want it to be, I then drill the holes for the bolts and nuts.

�e trussrodAll my guitars have a trussrod. I use a two way trussrod. In the beginning I only used a one way, this could only bring the neck curve back. But for some reason here in the nothern part

of Sweden, during the winter, the necks tend to bend backwards! So I learned the hard way to use a two way trussrod. I route a 6 mm slot for the trussrod to fit in. It goes all the way from the head to the top of the soundhole.

�e fretboardI more or less always use ebony for my fretboards. It is a very heavy and dense wood, and this means it can stand a lot of wear and tear. First I plane the back side flat, then I sand it down to approximately 8 mm. I set it up in my big jig for the table saw (this jig can take four fretboard at a time). Alongside with the jig is a ruler with slots for where I should cut. �is ruler is calculated in a computer and then the slots have been routed out using a CNC machine to get 100% accuracy. I cut one slot and then lift the rod, slide the jig with the fretboards to the next slot and the cut again. When I have 22 slots I am finished. All my guitars have a zero fret, that’s why there is 22

SEPTEMBER 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 19

FEATURE

frets, and I’ll talk more about this in the last article.

Now it is time to make the radius on the fretboard. I have a 12” radius on my fretboards. �is is made with a jig I have done for my sander. I hold the fretboard with vacuum (see picture)

I then cut the contour of the fretboard and sand it to exact numbers. I then sand the

fretboard down using 320 grit paper and finish off with steelwool 0000. I use standard frets for acoustic guitar. I press the frets in place and use white glue in the slots, then when it is time for a refretting I heat up the frets with a soldering iron making the glue melt and this prevents the ebony from splitting.

I glue the fretboard to the neck before I have given the neck its final shape. I do this because it is much easier to ”fell” the shape when everything is there. So I screw the neck on to the body, measure out where the fretboard should be and with the help of a couple of guiding nails I glue the fretboard to the neck. �is has to dry over night.

Next time I will talk about neck shapes and of course the last step to a complete guitar.

If you want to see the finished guitar be sure to come along to �e London Acoustic Guitar Show www.londonacousticguitarshow.comFor more information regarding our guitars please go to www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk and www.sandenguitars.com

Michael Sanden diary_BC.indd 19 27/07/2011 14:33

14 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2011

it was time for the guitar to go into the spray booth. I use a very thin layer of lamination epoxy on the back and sides as filler. I don’t use any on the top. �e filler is wiped on with a sponge and allowed to dry for about 15 minutes, before the excess is wiped off. After a light sanding with 240 paper the guitar is ready for the lacquer base coat. I use a two-part lacquer which dries hard and fast. I used to use a cellulose lacquer but abandoned it after 20 years, as I found it never dried hard enough for my needs. When I changed to polyurethane I had to be careful to not lay it on too thick, about 1/10 of a millimetre suffices.

On East Indian rosewood I put six or seven layers and dry sand after every coat. �en I let it dry out for a couple of days before

FEATURE MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARY

MICHAEL SANDEN CONSTRUCTION DIARYPART 4 – FINISHING TOUCHESBy Michael Sanden

So, we enter the end stages of construction. It’s been a long journey from the

initial choices of wood, but the final prize is in sight.

�is guitar differs somewhat from our usual models of course, and I must say I really like the look and feel of it. Ian, the competition winner, chose a small bodied guitar with a wider neck than our standard, it also features a pinless bridge and flamed koa bindings. When it came to the inlaid ‘T’ on the 12th fret I had to do something a little extra to make this an individual Tanglewood by Sanden guitar. I used a more elaborate design, plus two extra abalone diamonds to match with the rosette.

At the end of the last article The 12th fret marker inlay

“ON EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD I PUT SIX OR SEVEN LAYERS AND DRY SAND AFTER EVERY COAT. THEN LET IT DRY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS”

Michael Sanden Diary DPS v2_BC.indd 18 25/08/2011 21:06

dry sanding with 800 and 1200 paper, then a wet sand with 2000 paper. �en I buff the guitar giving it a full, deep shine. I buff the body and neck separately and then fix the neck on and mark out for the bridge.

I always use rosewood for bridges. I used to us ebony, but after building one guitar with an ebony bridge, I had none left in stock for the next guitar. I used rosewood and hoped for the best. When the two were compared the one with the ebony bridge sounded more boxy, with greater treble. Since then I have never used ebony.

�e shape of the bridge helps me control the bass frequencies, and evens out the bass and mid range, giving a more rounded sound.

The Set UpAfter adjusting the truss rod to make the neck perfectly straight I sand all the frets with a 12” radius metal block and 320 sandpaper. I then crown, sand and polish them all. As I’ve said before all my guitars have a zero fret, and here’s why. It improves intonation. �e string always hits the top of the fret and almost never wears down; I have never changed one zero fret yet after almost 30 years. It is easier to press down the string on the first fret, because the fret is round and if you use bone the end of the bone needs to be sharp to intonate right. It also gives the guitar better balance between open and barre chords. It is much easier and quicker to change a zero fret than to make a new nut and you get exactly the same string height you had before.

I do not understand why not more guitar builders don’t use the zero fret?

So I level all the frets first and then I put in the zero fret. �is leaves it about 2/10 of a mm higher then the rest of the frets. Just enough to make the strings go free.

I then make the ”nut” which is a pice of ebony with slots in just to guide the strings sideways. Making sure the strings bend hard on the zero fret.

�e last steps are routing for the saddle, installing the pickup, the machine heads and final polishing with scratch remover and finaly a see-through pickguard. Oh yes of course the strings. �is guitar will have light phosphor bronze strings 0.12-0.53.

The End ResultI’ve been building guitars for over 30 years, but each time I finish a guitar I’m as excited as if it were my first. It’s such a thrill to hear the guitar for the first time, and knowing that it will only improve with each strum.

By the time you read this we will have exhibited at the London Acoustic Guitar Show, and given this beautiful guitar to Ian. I’d like to take this moment to congratulate Ian and again wish him all the best, and I hope the guitar brings him much pleasure.

To the rest of you I just want to say, keep on reading the Acoustic magazine and watch out for the next competition, it might be you who will win the next time!Michael Sandenwww.sandenguitars.comwww.tanglewoodmasterdesign.comwww.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk

OCTOBER 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 15

FEATURE

“ALL MY GUITARS HAVE A ZERO FRET, AND HERE’S WHY. IT IMPROVES INTONATION... AND GIVES BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN OPEN AND BARRE CHORDS”

Back, sides and neck lacquered and buffed

Note the zero fret - for better intonation

JEFF LARSONHouse Concert

NEW MUSIC

CHARLIE DORECheapskate Lullabyes

ADRIAN LEGGSlow Guitar

A long-standing UK singer-songwriter, Charlie Dore has never achieved the acclaim that she should have done. Noted for ‘Pilot Of The Airwaves’ (a UK radio hit and US number 13 in 1980), her songs have been covered by Tina Turner, George Harrison, Celine Dion and Jimmy Nail. Here, on her seventh album, she switches effortlessly from folk to country and back via lightweight pop, with songs about desire (‘Liontamer’), drink (the singalong ‘A Man Walks Into A Bar’), stepchildren (the cloying ‘Milk Teeth’), debt (the lachrymose title track) and infidelity (the jaunty ‘His Wife’). Well presented with many acoustic instruments in a rich mix, it’s a reasonable effort but lacks a killer punch that could open new doors for Charlie.www.charliedore.comPaul Strange

ISAAC’S AIRCRAFT Two Is A Crowd

Isaac’s Aircraft are a four-piece band from Cambridge. They have previously supported acts such as The Zutons, The Like and Amy Winehouse. This is their debut CD. They decided to record it as a full acoustic album when they realised they couldn’t raise the £20,000 they needed to record it as an electric album. The result is a selection of ten melodic, stripped-down, pop-rock songs, with a raw, live raggedness to their edges. The Isaac’s Aircraft sound is built around a central core of piano and acoustic guitar, with drums and bass adding rhythm and urgency to the faster numbers. If you like the catchy songwriting of the aforementioned Zutons, you will probably like this. www.isaacsaircraft.comGareth L Powell

I’M KINGFISHERArctic

Inspired by the late-19th century endeavours of Dr Fridtjof Nansen, Arctic is a conceptual album about polar expeditions, and the fourth solo album from Swedish indie-folk artist Thomas Denver Jonsson – although it is his first under his new pseudonym, I’m Kingfisher. For an album about polar expeditions, the songs are suitably sparse and chilly, built around Jonsson’s voice and acoustic guitar, and the sound is a mix of deeply rooted folk music and quirky modern synthetic elements, including the odd ambient bird chirp. The lyrics deal with love, loss, shipwrecks and isolation. Standout tracks include the short bluesy instrumental ‘Arctic Fox Too Majestic For The Tundra’, the aching poignancy of ‘The Whale Hunt’, and the lonely but upbeat ‘Nansen’. www.imkingfisher.comGareth L Powell

Be prepared for a lengthy statement from singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist Albert Niland. The Galway-born musician – who has guested with Planxty, Christy Moore and Moving Hearts – has created a two-CD set of his favourite songs that he plays live. Simply recorded with just acoustic guitar and vocal, the 24 numbers include Niland’s take on Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’, Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Ghost Of Tom Joad’ and the standard ‘Autumn Leaves’. Niland’s own material is reasonable, especially the caustic ‘Talking Dirty With The Whores’ and the bewildering ‘Poland In A Three Piece Suit’. Inevitably the 97-minute double album rambles and is patchy, but when it works well – such as a blistering version of Prince’s ‘Sign O’ The Times’ – it’s mighty stuff.www.albertniland.comPaul Strange

With a garish Avalon Ballroom-style sleeve, House Concert is a ten-track live CD, recorded in Oak Park, California, in January 2011. Of the ten tracks, three are new. Studio versions of ‘One Good Lie’, ‘See It Fall’ and ‘Approaching Midnight’ will be included on a forthcoming release, but here we get to hear them previewed in a live setting. The music itself is country-tinged acoustic folk, familiar to fans of Buffalo Springfield or Jackson Browne. Jeff sings lead vocals and plays the acoustic guitar. Hank Linderman and Jeddrah Schmit provide the electric guitar and backing vocals. Standout moments include the opening track, ‘I Don’t Mind The Rain’, and the aforementioned ‘One Good Lie’. www.jefflarson-music.comGareth L Powell

ALBERT NILANDAlbert Niland

SEPTEMBER 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 109

Slow Guitar finds the master of 6-string sonic invention in mellow mood, revisiting and reworking the quieter corners of his richly appointed back catalogue. Apart from four subtly synthesizer-enhanced live tracks, it’s just two hands and one guitar delivering a bunch of old favourites, and few do it better or more engagingly than the Hackney maestro. Legg sustains the hour-plus on offer here by immersing the listener in a warm, soothing bath of gentle Celtic-blues reverie that never lapses into tepid new-age noodling. The amiable, relaxed spirit of Bill Frisell provides a marker for the overall ambience, while the wistful, drifting opener, ‘A Waltz For Derroll’, captures the hazy, shimmering beauty of Joe Zawinul’s ‘In A Silent Way’. A lovely album.www.adrianlegg.comSteve Bennett

AUGUST 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 89

seemed to be that the Hamblin GC was quite unlike any other maple guitar, with bass to die for and sweet trebles that put a broad grin on the faces of the fingerpickers present. �e Baranik Retreaux surprised everyone, both in looks and tone. I’ve never seen back and sides like that before, and when I finally managed to tear my eyes away from the wood and listen to Terry playing it, I was simply stunned by both the volume emanating from such a small instrument and the tone. �e Retreaux may be ‘parlour’ in size, but it’s a whole mansion tonally.

�e proceedings concluded with fascinating talks from Mike and Kent, in which they discussed their development as luthiers, their individual approaches and the distinctive features of their instruments, and the characteristics of different woods and new instruments they are currently developing. Kent will be showcasing a very special instrument (his 100th) at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in California in August, and Mike will be back in the UK for the London Acoustic Guitar Show in September (along with Michi Matsuda and Gerald Sheppard) when, hopefully, he will be unveiling a new model. If the tantalising glimpses he gave us at the TAMCO event are anything to go by, it should be something to look forward to.

�e day closed with dinner at a local

restaurant. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, but I understand that it was a great evening and a pleasant way to end the day. I think the collected opinion of those who attended the day was that it was a great success, and there is considerable enthusiasm for further events of a similar nature. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, and it was only the entirely selfish and quite unreasonable desire of my wife and child to be housed, clothed and fed that prevented me from walking away with half the instruments on show. I understand that Trevor is planning further events in the future, so watch this space, as they say.Richard �omas

“THE BARANIK RETREAUX SURPRISED EVERYONE, BOTH IN LOOKS AND TONE. I’VE NEVER SEEN BACK AND SIDES LIKE THAT BEFORE...I WAS SIMPLY STUNNED BY BOTH THE VOLUME AND THE TONE”

FEATURE

The UnThanksThe Phoenix, Exeter

Consider the Unthanks. They have i�y dress sense, a repertoire of miserable songs about societal injustice and personal loss, and - it must be said - they hit more than their fair share of o� notes. Still, you could say much the same of Bob Dylan and it never did him any harm. And judging by the packed house at the Exeter Phoenix – a considerable distance from the Unthanks home turf - it hasn’t harmed them either. Perhaps

it’s because their appeal lies in an ability to simultaneously conjure two Englands: one that we’re glad no longer exists, and another that we secretly pray still might. On the one hand the Unthanks sing of young women destroyed by life down the Barnsley coal mines; of hapless husbands hauled o� by the press gang never to be seen again; of �shing boats sunk with all hands. On the other hand, they o�er a stage image that is nostalgic and

reassuring; it’s not di�cult to imagine Rachel and Becky tucking up their skirts to work the land and build Spit�res during England’s �nest hour. But that is not to suggest the act is contrived. What you see is what you get – a �ne ten piece band supporting two talented sisters who sing close harmony very well indeed. And if the a capella ‘Better Be A Maid’ sounded monetarily sharp, or Becky’s voice didn’t quite �nd its range on King’s Crimson’s ‘Starless’ it just added to their authenticity and the packed house loved it just the same. This is folk music after all, not Western Dance Swing. There may be pubs up north featuring this kind of material, but when it comes to imaginative arrangements and giving it national appeal, there’s nobody else in the frame.Noel Harvey

Just as we were going to print we received some very exciting news. This issue’s cover star, Pierre Bensusan, has con�rmed his attendance at the London Acoustic Guitar Show this September. Pierre will be performing on the main stage on Saturday, playing some of his favourite songs. Then on Sunday he will lead a master class session. Renowned for his expert �ngerstyle technique and mastery of the DADGAD tuning Pierre is sure to turn in an amazing performance.The London Acoustic Guitar Show takes place on the 10th and 11th of September at the London Olympia. For more information visit www.londonacousticguitarshow.com

GIG OF THE MONTH

JULY 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 17

STOP PRESS! PIERRE BENSUSAN CONFIRMEDFOR LONDON ACOUSTIC GUITAR SHOW

Jackie OatesExeter Phoenix

When Jackie Oates left Rachel Unthank and the Winterset to pursue a solo career, it seemed like a bold, if not risky, venture. Four years later, with three acclaimed albums and a clutch of nominations and awards behind her, Oates has amply justi�ed the move, proving herself to be a discerning collector of rare gems and an imaginative musical arranger into the bargain. Backed by James Budden’s double bass, Mike Cosgrove’s keyboards and Tristan Seume’s

eloquent, subtle guitar work, she heads an ensemble that delivers both range and depth, tackling everything from an intricate Cornish medley to a jaunty take on the Sugarcubes’ ‘Birthday’. Even a set of ebullient instrumentals written by Cosgrove and inspired by Finnish tango (no, really) was delivered with verve and gusto. Inevitably, though, it is Oates’ proclivity for tales of woe and miscellaneous states of wretchedness that crown the act. It is expertly judged – in the hands of a less accomplished performer such songs might come over as unremittingly miserable. But her agile, silvery vocals and sensitive arrangements make �ne work of laying bare life’s vagaries and tragedy without ever stepping into mawkishness. ‘The Lover’s

Ghost’ follows a traditional narrative of the maiden duped by her dead lover’s phantom, with parallels in many a shattered dream. ‘Past Caring’, based on a poem by Henry Lawson, conveys the depths of despair and desolation of an Australian drover’s wife, while ‘Wishfulness Waltz’, written by her brother Jim Moray, poetically describes our deluded clinging to dreams of romantic love in the face of a far grimmer reality. And as if to cushion it all, Oates o�ers a nicely restrained line in wry, tongue-in-cheek, Pam Ayres-style introductions. It might be a little early in her career to start bandying around terms like ‘national treasure’. On the other hand, perhaps a long-term prediction wouldn’t seem entirely out of place.Noel Harvey

GAZ BROOKFIELD UPDATE

GIG OF THE MONTH

MAY 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 15

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Hi, my name is Gaz Brook�eld and I won the Acoustic and Beautiful Days competition last year.  I won a Breedlove 35th Anniversary edition Atlas series guitar, a Tascam home recording machine, and DPA condenser mic.   I also got to play on the Big Top Stage at Beautiful Days. I can honestly say that I’ve never been more nervous before a gig. Fortunately, the nerves left me the moment I started playing, and I had an

absolute blast on stage!  Whilst still buzzing from the gig, Ben Cooper (the Editor) and Tony Owens (of GoTo Guitars) handed me the Breedlove guitar, Tascam Portastudio and the DPA 4099.   The guitar is truly a thing of beauty.  I had a chance to give it a proper airing the day after my Beautiful Days appearance. It didn’t disappoint.  It played amazingly, and the LR Baggs pick up system in gave the best and truest sound

I’ve ever heard an electro acoustic make.  To say that I was pleased to have won this amazing guitar would be the understatement of the century.   Over the next few weeks I began tinkering around with the Tascam and the DPA mic.  Both are fantastic bits of kit!  The Tascam is simple to use and provides clear and crisp recordings.  The DPA 4099 condenser mic can be �tted to almost any acoustic instrument, and it makes them sound great.    Winning the competition has been the best thing to happen to me in my career as a solo artist so far, and I am truly grateful for everything that has happened.   Thank you to Acoustic, Beautiful Days, GoTo Guitars, Breedlove, Tascam, Sound Network and DPA.

 Northern Irish singer Cara Dillon

has been quietly building a solid career on the indie-label folk circuit for the past decade, and this remarkable one-o� concert shows how far her burgeoning musical ability has pushed her

beyond the limits of her native genre. Recorded in September 2009 at Belfast’s prestigious Grand Opera House, it’s e�ectively a hometown gig in front of a devoted local audience, and their palpable sense of goodwill creates the energy and atmosphere in which real musicians �ourish. Dillon’s gorgeous singing voice doesn’t disappoint, and her all-acoustic backing band is tight, supportive and pretty much note-perfect throughout, with the three guitarists (including husband Sam Lakeman) providing depth in mood and colour. The music itself is a mix of traditional Irish and Scottish folk and a sprinkling of newer

pieces, with Dillon performing all the songs from her Radio 2 Folk Album of the Year, Hill Of Thieves. You may recognise the gentle cover versions of ‘She Moved Through The Fair’, ‘The Snows They Melt The Soonest’ and the inevitable closing number, ‘The Parting Glass’, though the audience favourite seems to be the tragically beautiful epitaph to the Troubles, ‘There Were Roses’. It’s a civilised and digni�ed performance that will attract converts from the mainstream, and Dillon’s natural poise and lack of movement enable the viewer to enjoy the music as nature intended without the burden of any super�uous pizzazz. The understated elegance of the occasion is matched by the simple photography and presentation, with no clever camera angles or media trickery to distract the viewer. The DVD packaging is tidy, and there’s a meagre three-part ‘bonus feature’ of the same uninspiring �y-on-the-wall �lm of Dillon and Lakeman on the day of the concert accompanied by three di�erent songs. This is otherwise a good-value package, so watch the concert instead and enjoy the sights and sounds of real live music.www.caradillon.co.ukGraham Hazelwood

 The third of EC’s bene�ts for

his Antigua Crossroads Drug Dependency Clinic, once again he’s called in all his mates and come up with the kind of stellar line-up that only a musician of

his stature can command – ZZ Top, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Je� Beck, Sonny Landreth and BB King, to name but a few, all gave their services free in this 11-hour guitar meltdown. And unlike previous years, the inclusion of Bert Jansch, Stefan Grossman, Keb Mo’ and jazzman Earl Klugh in 2010 saw the acoustic genre well represented. Bert Jansch was �rst up, and if he felt intimidated following the overdrive histrionics of Joe Bonamassa and ZZ Top, certainly he didn’t show it. Dwarfed by the vast stage, his delicately picked emotive version of ‘Blackwaterside’ magically turned the massive arena crowd into one huge

folk club, and it was a delight to see. For their part, Keb Mo’ and Stefan Grossman

come across as something of an unlikely couple. On a beautifully sleazy take of ‘Mississippi Blues’, Keb’s voice and resophonic steel ooze like melting chocolate, but Stefan looks just downright ill at ease and out of touch with Keb’s instinctive feel for the song. The spirited version of ‘Roll ’n’ Tumble’ that follows sees the boys turn up the heat a little, but Stefan’s predictable solo sadly fails to match his partner’s playing. Fortunately, Earl Klugh, who follows, proves just what can be done with nothing but an ampli�ed gut-string Spanish guitar, and his short set backed by a trio is nothing short of sensational.

There’s an underlying chaotic feel to the proceedings, and the reluctance of certain performers to haul ass o� the stage and MC Bill Murray’s sad attempts at comedy can be irritating. But there’s some awesome musicianship on display, it’s all in a great cause, and if there’s any justice, all you readers should grab a copy.Available on RhinoJulian Piper

DVD REVIEW

DVD REVIEW

CARA DILLONLive At The Grand Opera House

ERIC CLAPTONCrossroads Guitar Festival 2010 DVD

Also Acoustic

‘I play a fantastic Gibson acoustic with a cutaway, which they sent me last year. It’s incredible. My style includes pretty much everything –

�ngerpicking and strumming – because I practise a lot. I don’t have any fear when it comes to my acoustic playing because I feel that I have to show myself when I play it. This is the way I write my songs. I write them on a 1954 Martin acoustic, the one I’ve got in my bedroom. I’ve got acoustic guitars in every room of the house, even the kitchen. Since about 2004 the guitar has become my main instrument. I’m known for my bass playing with Deep Purple and as a solo artist, but I’m at one with both and I can hold my own with both instruments, although I’m not gonna be up onstage playing guitar solos or anything. I’m an acoustic guitar player along the lines of John Lennon or Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues – or Dave Matthews, he’s a perfect

example. I can play acoustic guitar all night long, I love it. I also play 12-string and I enjoy playing with alternate tunings: I play drop D and I use DADGAD. I often use David Crosby’s tuning for “Guinevere” – that’s permanently on one of my guitars in the house; it’s an insane tuning. I play acoustic straight, with nothing done to the sound, although when I delve into it next time I’m gonna start using some e�ects. Good acoustic playing is about light and shade: using the right picking and strumming style over the soundhole or back by the bridge. It depends what you’re after. The perfect acoustic player to me is Pete Townshend. I come from that kind of school; I’m not afraid to give it a good old bash!’

Info: www.glennhughes.comwww.bccommunion.comJoel McIver

GLENN HUGHES

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just a little bit of reverb.’Asked the predictable

question (whether his legendary great-uncle was an infl uence), Lulo explains, ‘As a rhythm guitarist, yes, but I never played his stuff as a solo guitar player. When I play Django’s music nowadays I play it in my own style – a mix of swing and Latin with a touch of fl amenco or Spanish stuff . It’s important to me not to copy it, because Django is Django and no one can speak like him, even though we have thousands of Django copyists. I was at a festival once where 10,000 guitar players were all playing Gypsy swing, which was a shock to me because I’d grown up with this stuff .’

Being saddled with a famous surname can be both a help and a hindrance, of course (just ask Jakob Dylan, Ben Taylor or … er … Miley Cyrus), and the mere fact of being a Reinhardt has occasionally caused Lulo some grief. ‘At the beginning people were looking at me and thinking, “What is he doing?” because I was doing totally diff erent stuff from Django,’ he remembers. ‘But across Django’s career he changed his music: he played like John McLaughlin at the end, at the beginning of the 50s. It was totally modern. I try to mix my playing with diff erent cultures. When I play Django’s songs the audience are polite and tell me that it’s good, but it’s not my applause, it’s Django’s. Now people recognise that I’m that long-haired guy who plays his own stuff , but it wasn’t easy at the beginning because people didn’t believe in me. � ey expected me to do the Gypsy stuff , but I was a bit of a rebel and I didn’t want to be just one guitar player among thousands. We already have a lot of amazing Gypsy jazz guitar players – like Bireli Lagrène and the Rosenberg Trio, who are technically amazing – so I don’t have to do it because we have enough people like that who are good players.’

� at said, his famous predecessor has been a solid presence in Lulo’s life since the beginning. As he tells us: ‘I looked at Paco de Lucía a lot and a few of the Brazilian guitar players. But my favourite guitarist has always been Django; when I listen

to Gypsy music I only listen to him. Look at the way he played, with two fi ngers and everything – and he created a whole new style.’

You may have heard the famous tale of Django inadvertently triggering the birth of heavy metal (when Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi injured his fi ngers, the music of the digitally challenged Reinhardt inspired Iommi to tune down and continue playing), and so has Lulo: ‘I’ve heard that story, it’s amazing! You know, the main thing is that Django had his own sound and his own voice. I suppose I began to get mine when I tried to play all the Spanish stuff with a pick. I suppose I really got going eight years ago when I recorded my fi rst album, when I started to compose my own stuff . I’ve done fi ve CDs in eight years now, all with original songs.’

So what’s the secret of good songwriting? He muses: ‘Well, I play every day and I try to fi nd new things. You can do it if you play every day. I’ve listened to many guitar players. I’m like a cook, I steal everything and put it all inside my own style. I had a good chat with a guy from Vienna last week; he’s been following me for 17 years. He said that after all these years I could

switch from playing Balkan and Asian songs to playing like an oud [Middle Eastern lute]. I told him that this was because I listen to so much stuff and I try to do everything. But the most important thing is to have a good band in the background. You’ve got to be good together – that’s the trick, I think. We have so much fun when we go on tour. I give my musicians the foundation and then I just tell them to do what they want.’ He goes on: ‘I have a piano player from Sydney called Scott McKenzie, a violinist called Daniel Weltlinger, who has a Jewish background, and two German musicians on bass and drums. It’s all my own music except one or two songs by Django; that’s very important to me. Some people expect me to play a song by him in the set, depending on where you’re playing and the age of the people in the audience. Sometimes I play some songs by him and sometimes I don’t, but people tell me afterwards that they don’t miss it because my style is also swing, mixed with Latin – fl amenco, bossa and tango. Keeping it fresh is everything to me!’ Joel McIver

Live In Melbourne is out now. Info: www.lulo-reinhardt-project.de

INTERVIEW: LULO REINHARDTFEATURE: HISTORY OF THE GUITAR

acoustic guitars, either through the addition of stand-alone pickups, or the inclusion of built-in pickups and preamp units, with volume, tone and EQ controls. Electro-acoustics are now very much a part of the modern acoustic player’s armoury, and many now play these guitars in preference to previous microphone-amplifi ed set-ups.

� roughout history there have always been those individual luthiers worldwide who set up their own small businesses in which they design and make their own instruments, and carve out their own niche in history. Certainly far more expensive than most mass-produced guitars, many are handcrafted to custom designs required by individual players. Many are superb examples of the highest quality in craftsmanship, and this will always remain a specialist area for the more discerning of players, and long may this be so. Here are some fi ne examples of work on off er from a few such luthiers: a beautiful, museum-quality baroque guitar by Israeli maker Elkayam Boaz; the unique concept of Joe Veillette’s Gryphon High 12-string; and the UK’s own Dave King’s ‘Tree of Life’ classic 6-string. � ere is also a major global market in collecting vintage guitars which has grown over the decades into a solid and sustainable market. Some vintage guitars have been reaching astronomical prices over the past few years, and as far as acoustics are concerned, it doesn’t look like subsiding. Even through global downturns in the fi nancial markets, guitars have performed better on average than stocks and shares. For a great site selling many of the world’s individual luthiers’ guitars have a look at www.dreamguitars.com. It is a well-laid-out site, with both visual and sound samples of the instruments on off er. � e

91

samples are played by Grammy-winning guitarist Al Petteway.

So what will happen in the future? Which brands will be future collectibles? I posed this question to members of our excellent forum … It’s well worth signing up to this, as you will fi nd lots of great and interesting discussions going on every day, and you can add your own thoughts and threads too, plus make new contacts and friends who love the acoustic guitar. Here are some brief opinions from forum members:

‘In my opinion, it will still be the usual suspects. Martin and Gibson could release a shoebox with six elastic bands wrapped around it and sell it for 500 quid. If the shoebox was pre-war, it would sell for thousands.’ Rodders

‘In terms of future vintage classics I concur that the usual suspects will play a major role, possibly also boutique builders like Collings and Santa Cruz too. I suspect output will be a major factor, mainly as more will survive. I would hope that signifi cant UK builders like Lowden will achieve that cherished status; unfortunately the US market seems to have

the defi ning role in what’s hot and what’s not even over here.’ Markthom

‘My guess would be any fairly well-known handmade guitars made by a single luthier – ’cause he/she won’t be around anymore.’ Wild Violet

‘Just look at Jimmy D’Aquisto as an obvious example.’ Steveh

‘I’m going to put Fylde on the list simply because they are outstanding instruments.’ Floatingwave

‘I think it’ll be dictated by whichever musicians go down in history. Jim Olsen’s guitars cost a bomb, partly because of the James Taylor connection, but will people still care about James Taylor in 50–100 years

time? Only time can tell. I think that people will still care about the old blues legends, so names like Stella and National will continue to be big. I don’t see the Martin name subsiding either – the brand has an amazing history and will be trading on that for years to come.’ Gekko

My own feeling is that as long as examples of the amazing array of guitars that have been made over the years survive, and new models, designs and makers keep pushing the boundaries of guitar genres, and guitarists keep playing and experimenting with new styles and techniques, then that will be suffi cient to keep the old ‘stringed thing’ alive and well for future generations to enjoy. I’ve included a few unusual designs that may make you smile!Paul Brett

An historical overviewof thewith Paul Brett

SUZANNE VEGAClose-Up Vol 2, People And Places

FRAN HEALYWreckorder

IAIN THOMSONFields Of Dreams

Known as ‘The Singing Shepherd’, Iain Thomson was born and bred on the Isle of Mull. This, according to his publicist, gives Iain a ‘unique perspective on what surrounds him’. Clearly that perspective hasn’t extended to Iain’s songcraft, which is, at best, adequate, and not helped by laboured lyrics. That’s a shame, because the musicianship and production on the album are often exemplary. A heartfelt project, the album traces Iain’s roots, his move to the mainland, life as a shepherd, then as a lorry driver, and his return to Mull. Good concept, but the poor lyrics constantly mar the album. Plenty of potential, then, but by hook or by crook the singing shepherd needs a decent lyricist.www.iainthomsonband.co.ukPaul Strange

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THEA GILMOREMurphy’s Heart

At only 30, Thea Gilmore has already released 11 albums and can name Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen and Martha Wainwright among her fans – and it’s easy to see why. Skilled in songwriting and musical composition, Gilmore’s latest album, Murphy’s Heart, is a chocolate box full of fl avour, the only difference being that there aren’t any left at the end that no one likes. From the big, choir-style clapping of ‘Love’s The Greatest Instrument’, to the dark, bluesy ‘Teach Me To Be Bad’, to the emotionally painful ‘That’s How The Love Gets In’, Gilmore shows off her talent and versatility, tackling diffi cult and varied subject matter. From beginning to end, thi is a meaty musical journey. www.play.comKate Lewis

It had to come. After more than 13 years with Scottish band Travis (six studio albums – including two UK number ones – and fi ve top 10 singles), it was only natural that lead singer and songwriter Fran Healy would want to do his own thing. And if you’ve followed Travis’s body of work, you’d expect a solo album full of well-crafted indie pop, sincere lyrics and quality musicianship. Fortunately Wreckorder doesn’t disappoint. Considerably lighter than Travis’s last album Healy has clearly enjoyed experimenting with a fresh palette and a more acoustic sound. Best tracks are the anthemic ‘Anything’, the moody ‘Sing Me To Sleep’, the brooding ‘Rocking Chair’ and the catchy ‘Moonshine’. www.franhealy.comPaul Strange

JOHN PRINEIn Person & On Stage

Having learnt his trade at the feet of the legendary Bill Monroe before going on to explore a vast range of roots stylings, Rowan goes back to the bluegrass well for this classy collection of mostly self-penned originals which sound like they’ve been around longer than an Appalachian log cabin front porch. His high lonesome voice is superbly intact, and Rowan’s surrounded himself with heavyweight friends, including Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs and Tim O’Brien, to help deliver a down-home acoustic delight. ‘Catfi sh Blues’ is a dusty gem, while there’s even a Gillian Welch/David Rawlings cameo on the lilting ‘So Good’ which confi dently brings the old-time authenticity bang up to date.www.compassrecords.comSteve Bennett

One of the all-time great singer-songwriters rolls out 14 country-folk classics in the company of stellar Nashville buddies, including Emmylou Harris and the criminally underrated Kane, Welch and Kaplin (on the stirring set closer, ‘Paradise’). Supported by grumbling bass and scratchy second guitar, Prine’s in fi ne form throughout: warm, droll, dry as a desiccated cowboy boot, and clearly having a whale of a time. Josh Ritter sits in on the wistful, world-weary ‘Mexican Home’, while Iris DeMent kicks up a wry and sassy ruckus on ‘In Spite Of Ourselves’. These lovely new versions of old favourites show exactly why this one-time ‘new Bob Dylan’ has grown into a songwriting legend in his own right. www.ohboy.comSteve Bennett

PETER ROWAN BLUEGRASS BANDLegacy

Sensible idea, this. Take your most successful songs from the past three decades and rework them acoustically. And while it’s not an original concept, if you caught volume 1 of Suzanne Vega’s acoustic album series, you’ll know it works well. Solid, dependable and well worth the reworks, there are engaging tales of children, aging femmes fatales, goddesses, queens, neighbourhood girls, unhappy wives, honest men and unsung heroes and soldiers. Often just accompanied by crisp acoustic guitar, Vega’s voice, seasoned by the years, sounds better than ever. It’s all high quality, but ‘Luka’, ‘In Liverpool’ and ‘Tom’s Diner’ are especially impressive. One of the highlights of 2010. www.suzannevega.comPaul Strange

say: ‘Hitler didn’t snub me – it was Franklin D Roosevelt who snubbed me. �e president didn’t even send me a telegram.’ It would seem that anti-black sentiment ran as high as the president of the United States, even though Owens had won four gold medals for his country. In a private conversation with Albert Speer, Hitler later commented: ‘People whose antecedents came from the jungle were primitive.’ And with a shrug he added: ‘�eir physiques were stronger than those of civilised whites, and hence they should be excluded from future games.’ In fact, a few years earlier, in 1933, the German Broadcasting Corporation said it was going to ban jazz from its airwaves, saying it was degenerate, sub-human music written by Jews and performed by blacks. Two years later, in 1935, it implemented this ban and proudly announced: ‘As of today, nigger jazz is finally switched off on German Radio.’ Later, in 1939, Hitler almost managed to ‘switch off’ the entire human race. In 1939, the German Reich’s armed forces invaded Poland, thus heralding the start of World War II. For the next six years, Hitler unleashed the four horsemen of the Apocalypse on the world, and all changed once again.

Despite this, music in all its forms survived. Hitler hated jazz, preferring the intensely Teutonic compositions of Richard Strauss and Wagner, and he strongly identified himself with Beethoven, citing the composer as ‘possessing that heroic German spirit’. Of course, many orchestras were made up of Jewish musicians, who as a race felt the major brunt of Hitler’s hatred. Here’s a list of the requirements under the Nazis’ approved rules for music and art:

•Loyal Nazi members who were talented musicians were guaranteed a job.

•Loyal Nazi members who were not talented musicians were not guaranteed a job.

•Any non-Jewish person who demonstrated a ‘genius’ for music and was a member of the Reichsmusikkammer (Reich Music Chamber) was permitted employment.

Samuel Johnson once said: ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.’ And thus it proved in the �ird Reich’s case.

�e Americans didn’t enter the war until 1941, after the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbour. �en they entered with a vengeance, and proved to be the decisive factor in the defeat of Hitler and Japan. Guitars during this period also suffered, as the vast majority of metal was channelled into the war effort for the making of planes, ships and all kinds of ordnance. �at’s why you see guitars made during the war years containing wooden tailpieces and parts that would normally have been crafted from metal. I dread to think how many fine musical instruments were destroyed during this war, not to mention the many fine musicians who died at the hands of Hitler’s tyranny. However, guitarists like Django Reinhardt, for example, actually benefited from Nazi patronage. I wrote the following earlier, in a profile of the great man’s life: ‘It’s curious how

An historical overviewof thewith Paul Brett

FEATURE: HISTORY OF THE GUITAR

87

fate on the one hand can be a cruel master, yet on the other can be a protective mistress. Unlike thousands of Romany Gypsies, who were butchered in Nazi death camps, Django actually enjoyed the protection of a Luftwaffe officer named Dietrich Schulz-Köhn, who loved Django’s playing and became known not as Doktor Death but as Doktor Jazz.’ It is true to say that not all Germans were Nazis, and not all hated jazz, and due to Dietrich’s protection Django survived the war in occupied France unscathed and ready to continue his career at its cessation.

In 1939, two years prior to America entering the war, a guitarist by the name of Les Paul made his first solid-body electric guitar. He called it affectionately ‘�e Log’. It was one of the first solid-body electrics to appear on the market. Gibson guitars did not express an interest in his idea of a solid-body electric guitar until Fender started producing theirs. In the early 1950s, Gibson designed a guitar taking Paul’s suggestions into account, and gave it to him to try. �is led to a contract between them for a guitar that became known as the ‘Les Paul’ model. �e rest is history! Just about every guitarist since has either played or owned one. Les was also a lover of tinkering and experimenting with all kinds of electronics. It was during one such session in his garage in 1948 that Les recorded a record, later released on the Capitol label, entitled ‘Lover (When You’re Near Me)’. Les played eight different electric guitar parts, some recorded at half speed, which when played back at normal speed would double up in tempo. According to historians: ‘�is was the first time that multi-tracking had been used in a recording. �ese recordings were made not with magnetic tape but with acetate discs. Paul would record a track onto a disk, then record himself playing another part with the first. He built the multi-track recording with overlaid tracks, rather than parallel ones as he did later. By the time he had a result he was satisfied with, he had discarded some 500 recording discs.’ Always the innovator, Les persuaded Ampex to develop two- and three-track tape recorders. �ese machines became the standard for professional recording studios in the1950s/early 1960s. He also paid Ampex to build the first eight-track recorder in the mid 50s. He hosted his own radio and TV shows in the 50s, and what he was achieving was unbelievable across the whole spectrum of musical inventions. I seriously doubt there has been another person who did what he did during their lifetime in the music-related industries. Even today, if you listen to some of his early recordings you can’t help but be amazed by his guitar playing and early tape echo effects. Without Les’s tireless dedication and imaginative input, I doubt very much that the solid-body electric guitar would have enjoyed the popularity it does today. Paul Brett

41

INTERVIEW: LOS LOBOS

in North America. Does Rosas feel proud that his band are at the top of their scene? ‘Yeah, but how about Shakira? Ha ha!’ he chuckles. ‘Maybe she doesn’t play like we do, but she can move her body pretty well. Anyway, I think what we did was unique. We experimented with all these diff erent instruments and what we did had not been done before, at least not in the public eye. We tried to perform the music like the traditional musicians from Mexico, but we’re not complete purists: we’ll mix instruments together to get a certain sound that we want. So in a sense, we’re sort of experimenting.’

Rosas deploys several instruments when playing live, electric as well as acoustic. ‘A lot of them are traditional ones made in Mexico,’ he explains, ‘but I also have a Martin D-28 that I use in the studio every once in a while. I also use Alhambra guitars from Spain, and instruments from a custom shop called Candelas, who make traditional Mexican instruments in Los Angeles. � ese are the guys who used to make guitars for José Feliciano. � ey’re in East LA and they’ve been good friends of ours for many years.’

Finding the exact instrument that Los Lobos need isn’t always easy, he tells us. ‘One of my guitars comes all the way from Venezuela. � ere is something diff erent about the instruments made in

South America – it’s that mojo, man, I don’t know exactly what it is. � ere’s something in the air over there. Maybe it’s the type of machinery they use to cut the wood, or maybe it’s the wood itself. It just has a certain vibe about it that’s diff erent. For example, I use a vihuela, a 5-string instrument that is typically used in the mariachi sound. It’s made by a guy called Morales, who makes fi ne instruments over in Guadalajara, Mexico. � at’s where the mariachi sound was born. Candelas make these traditional instruments in America, of course, but there aren’t a whole lot of these companies – most of them are just mom-and-pop luthier shops. If you want more variety than that, you gotta go to Mexico.’

So where do interested guitarists start if they want to go Latino? ‘� ere are lots of diff erent regions with their own instruments and styles,’ says Rosas, ‘but if you’re a guitarist and you like Tex-Mex music, or norteno as we call it, which is from the north of Mexico, buy a bajo sexto in LA or in Mexico. Monterrey is a good state for those things, or if you want to play a vihuela like the mariachi musicians play, go to East LA.’

Hmm, that’s quite a trip – maybe a quick visit to eBay might be in order fi rst…

Tin Can Trust is out now. Info: www.loslobos.orgJoel McIver

ARRIBA!Those Latino instruments explained in full

VihuelaThe vihuela, which has the same name as an unrelated Spanish string instrument, so don’t confuse them, is the favoured instrument of the mariachis, musical troubadours who move from place to place in Mexico delivering impassioned songs to the populace. It’s a 5-string instrument with a bowl-like back and a deep body for extra volume and range. The third, fourth and � fth strings are tuned an octave higher than the others, so ukulele players will be right at home. Everybody else will fail.

Bajo SextoThis is the giant acoustic bass that used to crop up a lot in lame 80s comedies starring Leslie Nielsen. It’s surprisingly light considering its vast size, and delivers tortilla-shattering volume thanks to its 12 strings arranged in six double courses. There’s a 10-string version too, but even if you can � nd one, you won’t be able to play it without people laughing at you.

Guitarrón The guitarrón mexicano – again, don’t confuse this with the 25-string guitarrón chileno when you’re walking the streets of Guadalajara at night, if you want to live – is another big old acoustic bass. This one is fretless and has both steel and nylon strings; if that doesn’t make it tricky enough to play, you tune it ADGCEA. That’ll keep you focused.

JaranaA mid-sized acoustic guitar with � ve strings, this tasty little instrument is tuned to thirds and often appears as part of an ensemble as its voice is subtle rather than strident.

Requinto JarochoMade in Veracruz, Mexico, this little chap is a 4- or 5-string guitar tuned conventionally and used for single-note melody lines. As it’s also not known for its volume, the requinto usually appears as part of a group playing unison or counterpoint � gures.

CuatroLike a ukelele in that it has four strings and is dismissed by fools as a novelty instrument, the cuatro requires dexterity and restraint to play properly. Handled correctly, its tone cuts through the instrumentation of the Latino ensemble with great sweetness.

Guitarra paella del costa del sol (Stop fooling around – Ed.)

ARRIBA!

33

INTERVIEW: JACKSON BROWNE

I made a choice to do it my way and through my own capabilities. I try not to do things I don’t want to do. I don’t worry about album sales...

society?‘Everybody back then was

pretty smart, but the mindset was new and there’s bound to be a lot of human folly when you try to fashion new approaches to living. It was conceited too. It’s easy to be that way when you’re young because everybody’s beautiful. � ere’s an immortality of youth. I’ve kind of stayed a certain age in my head. As upsetting as it is to happen past my refl ection now and see that I’m getting older,’ he  laughs, ‘I still keep a young mental age.’

Aside from the commercial pressures, being a rock star has got to be one of the most coveted jobs ever conceived. But for Browne, there has

not been much of a struggle between art and commerce as he has always followed his own muse. ‘For me, there’s a rigorous life involved with being a rock star that I’m not really cut out for,’ he laughs. ‘But the best part of it is the autonomy. I never sang well enough or played well enough to be in anyone’s band [he’s kidding, right? TS], so I always did things my own way. And I guess I made a choice to do it my way and through my own capabilities. I try not to do things I don’t want to do. I don’t worry about album sales.’

Besides remaining close with CSN (David, Stephen and Graham attended Jackson’s Albert Hall show this summer

and he attended the CSN show later the same week), Jackson was a dear friend of the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. He’s still a close compatriot of Glenn Frey  keyboardist  Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and plays music with him when time allows. ‘Sometimes I sit in with Benmont,’ he enthuses. ‘One night after the show he said, “� is is better than anything I’ve done on record.” � at’s an incredibly sweet thing to say. It was very spontaneous and magical, and I’m such a fan of Tom’s so that’s debatable. Benmont was playing all this piano with bluegrass players and it was amazing. Somebody threw in a Dylan song, I threw in a Warren Zevon song and it was all so uplifting. � en Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings played. I recommend them because they’re on to something amazing and are such good players. It’s real music played by real people.’    

Besides public acclaim for his musical accomplishments, Jackson reveals that his career has aff orded him an insight into a lot of the issues with which he’s grappled. ‘What brings me the most fulfi lment and makes me still want to do it is that I get to answer the big questions I have, and to answer them in ways that help me understand better. I’ve been fortunate to get paid to do it.’

With the concepts of freedom and justice currently compromised, writing and performing songs which address issues head-on surely must help make sense of a senseless world? ‘Oh yeah. It’s an incredible balm doing this,’ he confers. ‘If I didn’t have a way of describing things to myself I don’t know what I’d do… I always felt very fortunate to have this way of working out the world and what goes on, more or less, to myself and to others too. � ere’s a kind of independence  involved where you can say, “� is is what I believe,” and people have to listen to it to make up their own minds whether they agree or not. It’s all about sharing ideas.’Teri Saccone

society? not been much of a struggle

and he attended the CSN show later the same week), Jackson was a dear friend of the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. He’s still a close compatriot of Glenn Frey  keyboardist  Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and plays music with him when time allows. ‘Sometimes I sit in with Benmont,’ he enthuses. ‘One night after the show he said, “� is is better than anything I’ve done on record.” � at’s an incredibly sweet thing to say. It was very spontaneous and magical, and I’m such a fan of Tom’s so that’s debatable. Benmont was playing all this piano with bluegrass players and it was amazing. Somebody threw in a Dylan song, I threw in a Warren Zevon song and it was all so uplifting. � en Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings played. I recommend them because they’re on to something amazing and are such good players. It’s real music played by real people.’    

his musical accomplishments, Jackson reveals that his career has aff orded him an insight into a lot of the issues with which he’s grappled. ‘What brings me the most fulfi lment and makes me still want to do it is that I get to answer the big questions I have, and

999

fine Guitars A new guitar shop has opened in Abingdon (near Oxford) dedicated to providing handcrafted steel-string acoustic and classical guitars, as well as select brands of electric guitars. According to Meera, the owner of � ne Guitars, it is a place for you if you share a love for all things guitar.

The guitars on o� er will cover the entire range, from a� ordable to mid-priced instruments from brands that include Crafter, Takemine, Tanglewood, Ibanez and Yamaha, with classical instruments by Camps, Prudencio and Hernandez. Top-end handcrafted guitars will include instruments provided by luthiers such as Dave King, Pete Beer, Stephen Eden and Rohan Lowe among others. Guitar makers Chris Gillson and Mike Hobbs are a� liated luthiers to � ne Guitars and will be providing handcrafted and commissioned instruments on special order through the shop. � ne Guitars are located at 24 Stert Street, Abingdon.www.� neguitars.co.uk

ACOUSTIC NEWS

Deering ‘Eagle’ Banjo Soars With New Patent-Pending Tone RingDeering’s new maple Eagle banjo has been � tted with a new tone ring design, constructed from a special brass alloy. The traditional Deering � ange design has also been replaced with a shoe and plate � ange. The changes are designed to o� er the player the most clear, powerful and bright projection – always needed at those raucous bluegrass jams.

The maple wood of the neck and resonator are stained in a rich brown and enhanced with a high-gloss � nish. A striking new engraved inlay pattern designed by Greg Deering dresses the ebony � ngerboard. It is available now exclusively through Deering’s Master Dealers and select premier dealers.

Deering’s Eagle banjo is designed to be versatile so it can � t into all genres of music. It also carries the same adjustability, comfortable neck pro� le and lifetime warranty that is a staple of Deering’s high-quality American-made banjos. You can � nd the authorised Deering Master Dealers at www.deeringbanjos.com

� ne Guitars owner Meera with a selection of guitars including a handcrafted parlour guitar by luthier Dave King.

The Gibson Guitar iPod App #1Top Free App inthe Music Category Gibson Guitar released Gibson Guitar App and has witnessed an unprecedented response to its release. With well over 360,000 downloads in the � rst few days the app now sits at the top of the free music apps. The app is free to download to any iPod touch or iPhone through Apple’s App Store. Celebrity users include : Sammy Hagar, Luis Fonsi, and Chad Kroeger.

The app includes a chromatic tuner that tracks notes as you play them, a standard metronome which allows you to choose a speci� c tempo, or it can be set by tapping the screen three times which allows you to get the tempo of a track easily. Also included are links to tuition videos, new product announcements, endorsee news.www.gibson.com

9

Freshman Competition Winner

Historic Grammy Win For Sharon Isbin

Acoustic is delighted to announce the winner of the Freshman FA400GAC: Stephen Swo� er. Here’s what Stephen had to say about the guitar:

“My wife has a wicked sense of humour so you can imagine what I thought when she told me that Acoustic Magazine had rung to say I had won a grand’s worth of guitar. However, it was true and what a

beauty she is (the guitar as well as my wife). The � nish and tone woods used are superb. I am a member of folk band Mitres Well who are about to record our next album so this Freshman FA400GAC with its Schertler system will be used in the studio. I’ve tried it through my Marshall acoustic amp and it sounds SWEEEET!”

Express Music Open New BranchOpened in late 2009, the Coventry branch of Express Music welcomes you with a huge array of musical equipment, and over 2,500ft2 of acoustic instruments, including a Martin room and other household names, such as Washburn, Yamaha, and a full range of Taylor and Takamine models.

For any readers who regularly shopped at the previous shop, TMC (also known as Musical Exchanges), there is a vast improvement in presentation and level of stock. This new, comfortable environment is intended to help all players, beginner or

pro, and assist you in choosing the right instrument that suits your needs. It has a homely environment, with comfortable sofas and armchairs, presenting a relaxed, lounge atmosphere.

As well as the usual big names the store accommodates the lesser-known boutique brands, including K Yairi, Peerless and Baden. They also have a very good selection of nylon-string guitars (brands include Perez and Raimundo), as well as various folk instruments. Express Music also have stores in Solihull. www.expressmusicstore.co.uk

ACOUSTIC NEWS

08-12 News_BC.indd 9 26/02/2010 19:1808-13 News.indd 9 25/03/2010 09:41

ACOUSTIC NEWS

Pierre Bensusan Announces May UK TourAcoustic’s very own Pierre Bensusan will be returning to the UK this May to perform a series of shows in preparation for the release of his 11th studio album. The forthcoming shows will see the introduction of new material, giving fans a sneak preview as to the direction Pierre has taken with his new album which is due to be released in October.

The tour promises to remind UK fans why Bensusan is recognised throughout the world as one of the foremost innovators and composers of acoustic music.

Schertler Unveil New Guitar And Banjo Sensor Swiss manufacturer Schertler have revealed a new sensor for use on acoustic guitars. LYDiA is the result of over ten years research and development by Schertler in the � eld of undersaddle systems. Based on the company’s ‘air chamber’ technology, LYDiA uses an ultra-linear condenser microphone with solid diaphragm and integrated electronic settings. LYDiA is available in di� erent versions for steel-/nylon-string guitars, for on-board installation (on the shoulder of the instrument) or with external preampli� er. The technology is also compatible with previous Schertler undersaddle systems.

The company also unveiled a new sensor for banjo, based on their DYN technology. The electro-dynamic transducer is designed to give a natural reproduction of the banjo’s complex sound characteristics.www.schertler.com

ICMP Launches New Degree ProgrammeThe Institute of Contemporary Music Performance has announced a new full-time degree programme, the ICMP two-year Foundation Degree in Creative Musicianship for guitar, bass, drums and vocals. This announcement also heralds the beginning of a new working relationship between the ICMP and Middlesex University, who are validating this new degree.

The degree will focus on developing each individual musician’s unique ‘creative voice’. It will be delivered at the ICMP facilities in London and key attributes include:

Developing musical creativity– Challenging musicians to develop industry standard performance skills– Entrepreneurship and business skills, helping graduates exploit their creative ability– Teaching transferable skills that prepare students for the real world, including self- management, career planning, marketing, promotion, social networking and interpersonal skills– Opportunities to undertake industry work experience

For details on how to apply for a place, or for further information on other courses or events at the ICMP, go to www.icmp.co.uk.

Wednesday 19th The Half Moon, Putney, LondonFriday 21st Acoustic Festival of Great Britain, UttoxeterSaturday 22nd Haverhill Arts Centre, Su� olkSunday 23rd The Prince Albert, Brighton

08-13 News.indd 9 23/04/2010 12:22

ACOUSTIC NEWS

Colour Coordinated Ukulelesand Freshman Gig BagsA Brace Of New Fresh Funky Products

GreenwichSummer SessionsOld Royal Naval College, Greenwich 21st to 23rdand 25th July 2010 Some of the leading names from across the music world are set to descend on Greenwich’s spectacular Old Royal Naval College from 21st to 25th July (excluding Saturday 24th) to celebrate the history of London’s most visited tourist attraction – Greenwich. Four stunning open-air music events, themed around Greenwich’s unique history and staged in a world-class venue, will help to celebrate Greenwich’s role as a host borough for London 2012 as the two-year countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Games begins. Greenwich Summer Sessions is the brainchild of local promoter and creative producer Peter Conway, and will be a highlight of The Greenwich Festivals launched in June by Greenwich Council. Highlights include Seth Lakeman, the Levellers, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Jools Holland.www.ticketmaster.co.uk/greenwichsummersessions

John Hornby SkewesThe Guitar HangerNo doubt about it, guitars take up a lot of � oor space. Floor stands display your guitar nicely, but if you’ve three or four axes then they can quickly gobble up available space in any room, and crowding them together is almost inviting a nasty ding as you pick one up. The Guitar Hanger aims to � x that problem.

The Guitar Hanger allows you to store your guitar anywhere with a clothes rail, and a non-mechanical locking yoke holds it securely in place. Hanging it in the wardrobe allows for quick access while keeping it safe. The swivelling yoke � ts most guitars and you can hang the guitar facing left or right.

The Guitar Hanger is priced at £18.99 RRP inc. VAT www.jhs.co.uk

Stargazer by Freshman is the new introductory level ukulele range featuring geared machine heads and matching colour coded bag. They are available in natural, blue, pink, red and yellow, retailing at£24.95 each. Freshman have also announced their new gig bag. The DLX is

a heavy duty bag with 30mm of padding, multiple accessory pockets, with heavy duty rucksack style straps and carry handle. Available to � t dreadnought, 12 string, folk body, grand auditorium and classical, no matter what model, the new DLX Bag will provide the protection in style. £44.95 each.

08-13 News_BC.indd 9 21/05/2010 11:15

ACOUSTIC NEWS

11

“With the costs of commissioning a high end acoustic guitar, we’ve been �nding that more and more customers are keen to visit the workshop to see what goes on behind the scenes.” says Patrick. “However, it is not always possible to dedicate the time to give everyone the full tour when the order book is screaming at you!”.

After discussion with some of his top UK retailers, including Walter Mann, of Nottingham based Dave Mann Music (who has been instrumental in the plan and the �rst to sign up) the idea evolved. The aim is to get select groups of potential customers along to Oswestry, so that they could not only see the whole PJE process but could also be involved in choosing the wood, inlays and hardware for the creation of their instruments.

There is no charge for the tour and lunch is included, but places are limited and you will need register to get a ticket. Speak to

your local Patrick James Eggle dealer for details and check out www.eggle.co.uk. Tours booked so far include Dave Mann Music (4th October, tel 0115 941 7955), Guitar Junction and Promenade Music with dates and further tours to be announced shortly.

G7th Endorses Richard Capener

Patrick James Eggle Shows You The Magic Behind The Man

Acoustic solo guitarist and recent Acoustic interviewee Richard Capener has struck endorsements with G7th capos and Newtone Strings. Nick Campling, the inventor of the G7th capo, says, ‘Richard is an impressive and innovative guitarist and he writes great music. We’re delighted to have him on board endorsing us.’

Richard was searching for strings that would withstand the abuse of several radical retunings during live performances to promote his album, River. Newtone Strings provided the answer. ‘We’ve made

Richard a custom set of our Master Class series of round-cored strings, tailoring the core and wrapping gauges to suit his low tunings,’ explains Newtone’s founder, Malcolm Newton.

‘These strings shimmer and feel like lighter strings but with the punch and sturdiness of heavier ones,’ says Richard. ‘And the G7th performance capo is simply a work of art – it’ll be a design classic.’www.richardcapener.comwww.g7th.com www.newtonestrings.com

08-11 News.indd 11 21/06/2010 11:21Jackson Browne interview_BC.indd 39 22/07/2010 17:04Los Lobos interview_BC.indd 37 17/08/2010 10:31History of Guitar_BC.indd 87 27/09/2010 11:13CD Reviews2_BC.indd 95 21/10/2010 17:23History of Guitar.indd 87 25/11/2010 14:02

The Heart Of ’HardtRecommended albums by Django and Lulo to check out, swingers:Paris 1945 (Django, 1945)At Club St Germain (Django, 1951)The Classic Early Recordings(Django, 5-CD box, 2000)Project No 1 (Lulo, 2002)Project No 2 (Lulo, 2004)Best Of (Lulo as part of I Gitanos, 2008)

SWING LOW

“DJANGO HAD HIS OWN SOUND AND HIS OWN VOICE. I SUPPOSE I BEGAN TO GET MINE WHEN I TRIED TO PLAY ALL THE SPANISH STUFF WITH A PICK”

AC50.28-29_Lulo Reinhardt_BC.indd 29 10/01/2011 15:20

MARCH 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 17

ALSO ACOUSTIC

17 Also Acoustic_BC.indd 16 04/02/2011 14:55

DVD REVIEWS

15 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE APRIL 2011

DVD L_BC.indd 85 08/03/2011 15:17

GIG n Jazz_BC.indd 16 28/03/2011 16:10

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Gig of Month and Bensus BC.indd 16 27/05/2011 10:16Meet The Luthiers DPS_BC.indd 81 27/06/2011 16:26CDs_BC.indd 105 29/07/2011 10:26Michael Sanden Diary DPS v2_BC.indd 19 25/08/2011 21:06