[ahdui]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I will give you a bit of a trick for a new guitar to sound better. Set it up in front of one of your stereo speakers. Then when you are not playing it have the stereo play music. The vibration of the music will resonate the wood in the guitar and help to "break it in". The music does not have to be loud and this works best of acoustic guitars with solid tops.

Wow, something new I learn today

Shall try it on my guitar which i left aside for a couple of years.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exit Pupil /img/forum/go_quote.gif many consider John Williams to be the preeminent classical guitarist of our time. check him out playing Asturias on a Greg Smallman

I know Williams only plays on Smallman's now. I wonder when he first did. Julian Bream is still around, and no matter how old he gets, he continues to have dexterous fingers! Anyway, their duets are still my favorite classical guitar albums. I know Bream has been playing on Hausers for ages. Still, the well known luthiers do each bring a specific timbre to the instrument. A German style classical guitar is going to sound different then a Spanish.

Williams is such a proponent of Smallman, that he has donated his guitars to schools before.

But one never gets tired of listening to the masters of guitar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ksr...elated&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbW4r...elated&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BElCt...elated&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPaYe...elated&search=

 

[Sherwood]

Oh, wonderful links all of you. That Isaac Albeniz is just spectacular.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif That Isaac Albeniz is just spectacular.

I like Bream's the best....tried to find a link for it, and this is what poped up (it's on Rhapsody BTW). Doesn't sound nearly as good as the CD I have....but you can hear how different it can sound with each particular artist.

http://play.rhapsody.com/julianbream...eyendaasturias

 

[pne]

also the romantic factor of it. why do classic cars kept in good condition cost more? Same deal with the old les pauls and strats.

 

[Davesrose]

youtube can be so addictive!

Well I found another Bream/Williams duet that I think is a great example of how guitars with different timbre can have wonderful harmonies. Bream's seems higher in pitch then Williams...good thing they're different guitars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYpdU...elated&search=

 

[Exit Pupil]

for those interested -

i found this little blurb about williams playing a smallman for the first time...not sure of its accuracy
.......
John Williams (the guitarist) was about to give a concert for BBC in downtown London. It was a noon concert with live FM broadcast. Williams was going to play his Fleta. An "unknown" luthier approached him with a guitar in his hand and said in an Australian accent:

-"Maestro Williams, I build guitars. I would like you to try mine".
Williams reached out to grab the guitar and, while standing, played a couple of fast arpeggios on the guitar and said...
-"Good. I will play it right now!"

Williams got on stage and played the concert with the Smallman guitar. He still plays Smallman to this day.

.......
here is an interview with williams himself about the smallman among other things.
http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?storyCode=10778

 

[amphead]

Lots of good info here!
Don't forget that as an instrument gets older, there are usually fewer of them, for a particular model and year. Rarity, condition and desirability, is what makes the price go up!