Eastwood Artists – MyRareGuitars.com

Adrian Belew Interview: Lessons in Hard-Working

Ivan Eastwood — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 16:09:10 +0000

Ahead of an European tour to celebrate the life and work of David Bowie, we had a little chat with Lodger and Sound + Vision guitarist Adrian Belew – a guitar legend in his own right.

If you know anything about music and great guitarists, you’ll know that Adrian Belew is one of the most original and talented names to have come out from the 70’s. After graduating from the “Frank Zappa school of rock”, Belew became known for his work in David Bowie’s Lodger, as well as a long stint in King Crimson and many other hits and collaborations.

Adrian Belew fronted prog-legends King Crimson for many years

Back in the 70’s, Adrian Belew was a pioneer in creating his own unique palette of sounds with the latest FX pedals of the time – something that now, in our “Strymon-era” of plentiful choices of fx pedals, has become the norm, but which back them was far less common. In fact, listen to tracks such as Bowie’s “Boys Keep Swinging” or “Red Sails” and you’ll notice not just how important was Belew’s playing to Bowie’s music – but also how modern and original it still sounds.

Today, even after a long career that also included work with Laurie Anderson, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails and many others, the multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer (and singer!) Belew still keeps busy – and ahead of the pack – having developed new mobile apps: “FLUX by belew” and “FLUX:FX, the multi-effect audio processor app.”

He also caught our attention recently when he posted pics of his Eastwood Spectrum 5 Pro on his Facebook page, alongside some interesting info about surf-music in Japan.

Adrian Belew’s Spectrum 5

He wrote:

“In the fifties Hawaiian guitar music was all the rage in Japan. The earliest Japanese guitars were based on the Hawaiian guitar. But soon this transferred easily into the surf music craze and Japanese guitar makers followed with a huge assortment of twangy guitars perfect suited for surf music. Many Japanese guitarists were keen to emulate my friends The Ventures, who to this day are a huge draw in japan.“Eventually I narrowed my search to three models: the Guyatone LG350T, the Teisco Spectrum 5, and Guyatone Sharp 5 (named after a popular japanese surf band). Unfortunately all 3 models are pretty rare and expensive.

Then I found out my friend Mike Robinson, founder of Eastwood Guitars, was in fact making a reissue of the Spectrum 5. I asked Eastwood to send one for me to try.

The one pictured here was made in Korea and I must say the workmanship is stunning… beautiful metallic blue sparkle finish, a springy trem which holds tune well, and an array of plastic buttons allowing for all types of twang. The guitar also features a split pickup arrangement which can be used in stereo. There is a dedicated stereo output. Stereo or not, there are multiple pickup configurations in and out of phase which are drenched in surf. The neck is a bit wide but easy to adjust to. Oh, and one more plus: it has a rhino horn!!”

You can read the full post & see more pics here.

Belew (who also had one of the earliest Coronado models from Eastwood) is about to embark on a new European tour of Celebrating David Bowie, a project that reunites Bowie bandmates including not just Belew, but Earl Slick and Mike Garson. Of course, for those shows, you can expect him to bring his trademark Parker Fly!

Adrian Belew and his Parker Fly

Here’s our quick chat with Belew – who’s a live testament that besides talent, a lot of hard-work goes a long way to help establishing a great guitarist, as his eclectic CV proves.

HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN PLAYING THE GUITAR? WHO INSPIRED/ INFLUENCED YOU?

I could hear songs in my head as though I was listening to a record. so I needed a way to work them out. I taught myself how to play guitar over a two month period when I was sick at home and could not attend school. I was 16. my main inspiration at the time was the British Invasion. Beatles, Kinks, etc.

HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH FRANK ZAPPA – SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS HARD WORK!

We rehearsed 5 days a week for 3 months before we ever played for an audience. I learned 5 hours of difficult zappa material. but to me personally Frank was very open and generous. I think he enjoyed being my mentor.

OF COURSE – WORKING WITH BOWIE MUST HAVE BEEN A CAREER HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF THAT TIME?

The entire Sound and Vision tour in 1990 which lasted 1 whole year and went to 27 countries was a life-changing experience. My favorite memories are doing simple things with David, like visiting museums or eating dinner together. He was such an interesting and curious person.

WHAT ABOUT KING CRIMSON – HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE PLAYING WITH THE BAND FOR SO LONG?

One of the greatest (and sometime worst) experiences of my life. I learned so much and loved the people involved. It was a creative hotbed for song writing and experimentation and one of the best live bands in the world.

HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR FX-HEAVY STYLE? YOU MUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FIRST GUITARISTS TO EXPERIMENT WITH LOTS OF EFFECTS IN THE 70s/EARLY 80s FOR SURE? TODAY, MOST GUITARISTS PROBABLY USE MORE EFFECTS THAN YOU DID BACK THEN… (Note: Adrian’s Lodger-era setup was MXR Dynacomp compressor, an ADA Flanger, EHX Echo Flanger, EHX Big Muff run through an MXR 10-band eq, EHX Graphic Fuzz, and a Roland DC-30 Analog Delay.)

Most often I use no more than two effects to make the sounds I create. I didn’t set out to utilize effects so much but they just kept inventing amazing things and giving them to me! I am very inspired by technology which allows me to do something new.

DO YOU THINK TOO MUCH EFFECTS CAN GET IN THE WAY OF CREATIVITY OR MUSICALITY? HOW DO YOU BALANCE USING FX WITH, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT’S ACTUALLY BEST/NECESSARY FOR THE SONG? JOE BONAMASSA RECENTLY SLAMMED GUITARISTS WHO USE LOTS OF FX – BUT YOU PROBABLY KNOW BETTER THAN MOST THAT FX ARE NOT A BAD THING PER SE…

I respect the purist attitude but for me the fun begins with an interesting sound or technique. It’s all one big paintbox and if you’re diligent and creative I think you should use everything available to make your music. Why not? But it is important to play acoustic instruments as well to ground yourself, so I write most of my stuff on an acoutic guitar and I play acoustic drums on my records, and so on. There’s a sweet-spot balance between analog and digital that I’m always aiming for.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARKER GUITAR – IT’S YOUR “TRADEMARK” GUITAR, ISN’T IT? YOU EVEN HAD A SIGNATURE MODEL! WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THAT GUITAR?

If you’re lucky, one day you’ll pick up a guitar that seems perfectly made for you, a guitar that thrills you to play it, a guitar that actually makes you play better. For me that happened with the Parker Fly. I have probably 50 guitars and a great appreciation for their wildly different characteristics. Anything to inspire myself, but the Parker is eons ahead of the others in so many ways. Let’s start with: it stays perfectly in tune.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE AMPS, FX AND GUITARS RIGHT NOW?

I have a variety of amps I’ve collected over the years, just like guitars, but I only use them in the studio, not live. The fx box I use most often is the Axe-FX with a Keeley compressor at the front end. I have just started learning about off-brand guitars and that currently interests me. They made some unique stuff in Italy and Japan in the sixties.

The Fractal Audio Axe-FX

WILL YOU DO MORE BOWIE-RELATED GIGS AFTER NEW YEAR’S ‘CELEBRATING DAVID BOWIE’ CONCERTS?

If there are more to do I will most likely do whatever my schedule allows. I’m the busiest I have ever been these days with 2 bands touring the world, and writing and recording new solo music. That’s the way I like it.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

The next big step for me is launching our new band called Gizmodrome which features Stewart Copeland, Mark King, Vittorio Cosma, and myself. We just made a record I really love. now it’s time play it for you!

AND JUST TO FINISH: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO GUITARISTS WHO WISH TO HAVE SUCH A PRODUCTIVE & VARIED CAREER AS YOURS? IT’S BEEN QUITE A TRIP SO FAR!

Here are some ingredients that helped me: passion for music, a workaholic nature, an open mind, and the ability to work well with all kinds of people. Being a nice person doesn’t hurt nor does being inquisitive. But in the end it all comes down to hard work. Work hard.

David Bowie with Adrian Belew

Find Out More:

Adrian Belew on Facebook

Celebrating David Bowie concerts

Adrian Belew Interview: Lessons in Hard-Working from MyRareGuitars.com

Tenor Guitar: Top 5 Reasons Why Every Guitarist Needs One

Ivan Eastwood — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 15:37:14 +0000

Have you ever though about getting yourself a tenor guitar? Perhaps not! But lots of guitarists are discovering the joys of playing this 4-string model – and you could be next! Find out why…

What is a tenor guitar? A brief introduction…

A tenor guitar is a 4-string guitar, generally with a suitably narrower neck than the usual acoustic or electric guitars we’re all used to, which have 6-strings of course.

Even though tenors have been around since the 1920’s, they’ve been pretty much a niche instrument limited mostly to jazz as an alternative to the traditional 4-string banjo, and only relatively recently have they started being used by a new wave of folk musicians, such as Seth Lakeman.

Seth Lakeman and his tenor guitar. He recently also started to use a Warren Ellis Tenor 2P.

But in the last few years, it’s true to say that tenor guitars have been enjoying a revival, and thanks to a wider range of musicians from different styles playing the instrument, such as Warren Ellis from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and now even indie rockers are discovering the joys of the tenor guitars – in no small amount thanks to the Eastwood Warren Ellis range of electric tenor guitars.

However, besides being until recently not that widely available, there’s still a sense that most guitarists simply don’t know what tenor guitars are for – so why bother playing one! Well, if you were wondering if you should get a tenor guitar, then read on! And if buying one never crossed your mind before, then you definitely need to read this!

1) Tenor guitar vs. Ukulele?

Hey, we don’t want to diss the ukes! Ukes are great fun to play – but because they are almost toy-like, their use can be very limited. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – on the contrary, people love ukuleles because they sound and look the way they do, after all!

But even though they are very different instruments, there are similarities, too, and it’s no wonder many uke players also end up turning to tenor guitars when they fancy… something else.

Both have 4-strings, and you can play a tenor guitar using a standard ukulele tuning, too! So if you want to make the transition from ukulele to something that can sound bigger and which can more easily fit into a plugged-in band context, but without having to learn new chords, then a tenor guitar is the perfect instrument.

Tenor guitars, however, are much more versatile, and can be tuned in many different ways and still sound good. Also, if you choose an electric tenor guitar you can totally rock out through amps and effects in a band, just like a normal guitar… you can do a lot more with it, basically.

2) Tenor guitars are great for beginners

Like the ukelele, tenor guitars can be suitable for those learning to play a stringed instrument, because they can be easier to play than a 6-string acoustic! After all, like the humble ukulele, tenors also only have 4 strings, as we’ve just mentioned!

Whether you’re not comfortable with the close proximity of the six string son a regular guitar, or simply can’t come to grips with the more complex chord shapes of a 6-string guitar, the tenor might prove to be just what you need. We’ve heard of many people who simply couldn’t get around playing guitar well enough, and who are now happy tenor guitar players.

You know the old cliché that some people choose to play bass because they only have 4 strings and therefore are easier to learn? Well… with a tenor you CAN do the same, and rock out on an actual guitar that just happens to have less strings than usual.

Which leads us to…

3) Sometimes you really don’t need 6 strings…

Warren Ellis Signature tenor…only 4-strings, but sometimes that’s all you need!

As any Keith Richards fan will know, you don’t always need 6 strings… and, in fact, you may not even need 5! With the Warren Ellis Tenor guitars, for instance, you can easily consider them like a simpler electric guitar, which just happens to have 4 strings! That’s right – you can, for instance, tune a tenor guitar to EADG, the standard 6-string tuning minus the top two strings, or DGBE like standard guitar tuning minus the bottom 2 strings.

Which means – playing a tenor guitar doesn’t really require learning new chords… unless you want to!

4) Tenor guitars can inspire experienced 6-string players, too!

One of the great things about tenor guitars is that when you start playing one, and start experimenting with different tunings than you’d normally use on your standard guitar, it really feels special – like a whole new world opening in front of you, easily.

That may sound a bit too dramatic, but it’s true – whatever style you play, you may feel inspired by the different sounds you’ll get from the alternate tunings you use on a tenor guitar. Even though the tenor guitar was introduced in the 1920’s as a jazz instrument, it doesn’t mean it’s limited to this – especially when it comes to electric tenor guitars.

Anyone playing indie, psych or even metal, will find that the tenor guitar can be very inspiring – and make you play things you wouldn’t come up with on a standard 6-string guitar – because of the different tunings, and even because of the limitations imposed by less strings. Sometimes, less is indeed more…

5) Warren Ellis shows tenors can rock!

And if you needed any more convincing, look no further than Warren Ellis himself! The multi-talented artist who collaborated with Nick Cave in various musical projects (The Bad Seeds, Grinderman, various soundtracks) is without a doubt one of the main reasons a whole new kind of tenor players is emerging – thanks to the Eastwood Warren Ellis signature range.

Music is above all about being creative. It’s no coincidence such a versatile and productive musician such as Warren Ellis plays so many different instruments – but it’s not even about how well you play it. Grab something new, experiment and create your own sound and style. You can do it with a cheap kazoo, or with an expensive synth… but if you’re a guitarist, there’s no doubt that a tenor guitar is a pretty good start!

Tenor Guitar: Top 5 Reasons Why Every Guitarist Needs One from MyRareGuitars.com

Eric Clapton’s Collaborator Doyle Bramhall II Opens Up

Ivan Eastwood — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:57:30 +0000

Eastwood Guitars interviewed Doyle Bramhall II in London, where the guitarist / singer / producer was supporting Eric Clapton at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as headlining his own gig elsewhere.

After years working with top names such as Eric Clapton, Roger Waters and Sheryl Crow, as well as innumerable studio sessions for other musical legends, Doyle is currently re-launching himself as a solo artist, promoting his latest album, the excellent ‘Rich Man’.

Few people have worked for so long with Eric Clapton, and Doyle Bramhall II is one of them. So, how did he become such an important part of Clapton’s band for so long? Doyle says:

“I’ve always liked making music with other people, I love collaboration, I love playing off other people, because I get inspired by what other people do, too. I like throwing ideas back and forth, I love improvisation… so I’ve always felt like I’m a counter-puncher, so when I hear something I immediately play something to counter that, like a counter melody or a counter rhythm. And I think that’s why I actually had a career with Eric [Clapton] for that long, because I countered everything that he did, and sort of accented what he did.”

Of working with Roger Waters, Doyle explained:

“I think all the experiences are meaningful to me. But playing with Clapton is very different than with Roger Waters, and playing with Sheryl Crow is different than that. With Eric you play the songs he wants to play and it’s his music, but he still wants you to be yourself. With Roger it was similar, he still wanted me to play like me, even though I had parts I was stuck to. But for instance, in ‘Mother’ I wouldn’t think of going away from that solo because its melody is as part of the song as the rest of the song. With Roger it was a much more structured experience.”

In the interview, Doyle talks about growing up u a very musical family in Texas, how he became a guitarist, and much more.

READ FULL INTERVIEW

Eric Clapton’s Collaborator Doyle Bramhall II Opens Up from MyRareGuitars.com

The Top 7 Guitars with Bigsby… As Played by Famous Guitarists

Ivan Eastwood — Tue, 30 May 2017 13:29:17 +0000

The Bigsby vibrato may not be to everyone’s tastes – but we think it looks really good on all kinds of guitars. Here’s our list of Top 7 guitars with Bigsby, as played by famous guitarists. Which one is your favourite?

There’s just something so cool about a Bigsby vibrato, doesn’t it? Well, not everyone will agree with this, but they look sturdy and go well with most kinds of guitars – unlike Fender-style vibratos (also wrongly known as tremolo arms).

Two different Bigsby vibratos

Nothing wrong with Fender vibratos – especially the Jazzmaster / Jaguar ones, of course, as any My Bloody Valentine fan will agree. “Floating tremolos” can be fantastic. But can you image a Les Paul with a Fender trem? Exactly – sometimes, only a Bigsby will do!

Besides, Bigsby vibratos were designed so they can be easily retro fitted to most types of guitars – so pretty much anyone with a hardtail guitar can easily modify it with a Bigsby, whereas if you wanted to fit a Fender-style trem, for instance, it’d be more complicated. (Check Bigsby for sale here)

If you still have any doubts about it, here’s our pick of Top 7 very different guitars with Bigsby vibrato, as played by famous guitarists. Post a comment to let us know which one is your favourite, or whether we forgot a guitar that should be here!

7) Airline 3P: PJ Harvey, Ripley Johnson, G. Love, Jeff Wootton

PJ Harvey and her Airline 3p

Polly Jean Harvey is not just an amazing singer and gifted songwriter – she’s got a great taste in guitars, too! After playing Gretsch, Gibson Firebird and Fender Telecaster and Jazzmaster, she chose a (vintage) Airline 3P with Bigsby.

Airline 59 3P DLX

Since then, we’ve seen many more guitarists choosing this model. Users of Eastwood’s Airline 59 3P DLX include Ripley from Wooden Schjips / Moon Duo (who now plays his signature 3P), G. Love (who’s also got his own signature guitar), and Jeff Wootton of Gorillaz.

Whereas some people might thing an Airline 2P looks “too Jack White”, the 3P with Bigsby is even more versatile and ideal for guitarists who want to experiment.

6) 1959 Les Paul Standard, the “Keefburst”: Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor

Keith Richards and his 1959 Les Paul

Some of us (maybe most!) might say that a Les Paul is better with its traditional hardtail bridge, but we perhaps wouldn’t even be talking about Les Paul guitars if not for this model – the legendary Keefburst. Why? Well, for the simple reason Keef was the first notable player to play a sunburst Les Paul. He used it on the Rolling Stones’ first US tour and extensively on TV shows and recordings, such as “The Last Time”.

A Keefburst-style Les Paul with Bigsby

And more – Keef’s Les Paul might’ve inspired Jimmy Page to get his own sunburst Les Paul, too! As a session musician, Page used Keith’s LP on a version of the Stones’ “Heart Of Stone”. And that’s not the end of it: Eric Clapton is said to have borrowed it for a while circa Fresh Cream, and Mick Taylor also played it.

5) Epiphone Casino w/ Bigsby: George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Johnny Marr

George Harrison and his Epiphone Casino

What can we say? Both George Harrison and Paul McCartney had Epiphone Casinos equipped with Bigsby. They used it on tracks such as “Drive My Car”, “Taxman”, on lots of the “Sgt. Pepper” album, and during the Beatles last tour, which included legendary gigs such as Candlestick Park.

Johnny Marr’s Casino, today – minus trem…

Even though both Keith Richards and Brian Jones also played Casinos, it was The Beatles who truly introduced the model to a wider audience. Which also included an young Johnny Marr – who bought a Bigsby-equipped Casino because of the Fab Four, and used it on one of The Smiths’ best songs, “How Soon Is Now?” (Check Johnny Marr website for more).

Epiphone Casino with Bigsby, still available from Epiphone

The list of Casino with Bigsby users also includes Thom York from Radiohead, The Edge from U2 and Gary Clark Jr.

4) Harmony H78: Dan Auerbach, Anton Newcombe

Dan Auerbach and his H78 with Bigsby

Make no mistake – Gibson/Epiphone semis are great, but if they are guilty of one thing, is that over the years they’ve become a bit generic. Sounds hard to believe, but so many players still get them all mixed-up: 335, 345, 355, Riviera, Sheraton, Casino…

With the H78 there’s no mistake! No other semi-acoustic looks like it. The current Airline H78 is a fitting tribute to the original H78, as used by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Anton Newcombe and Matt Hollywood from Brian Jonestown Massacre. Many players who’ve tried both models will testify that the new H78 is even better than the original!

Betterthan the original? The Airline H78, a truly unique semi-acoustic…

3) Supro Dual Tone: David Bowie

David Bowie and his Supro Dual Tone

A fact not always acknowledged by many fans is that David Bowie had a great taste in guitars, as discussed on our dedicated article about Bowie’s guitars. So his choice of instrument for his final tour, in 2003, couldn’t be better: a Supro Dual Tone with Bigsby – a stunning guitar! That was the first time many people saw a Dual Tone, but in fact this vintage classic featured on some of the most influential recordings from the 1950’s… after all, Link Wray used it in classic tracks such as “Rumble”.

An original Dual Tone will set you back thousands of bucks, but fortunately, Eastwood’s Airline Twin Tone DLX can give you a taste of the original:

The Airline Twin Tone DLX… as close as it gets to a Supro!

2) Gretsch Triple Jet: Jack White

Jack White and his Gretsch Triple Jet in copper finish

The Gretsch Triple Jet in copper finish is perhaps Jack White’s most iconic guitar, after the red Airline. After years with The White Stripes, White had to really choose a striking new guitar to help setting his new project The Racounteurs apart… and besides an Airline Town & Country (as featured on the ‘Steady As She Goes’ video) he opted for the Triple Jet, which was actually his main axe, live.

Jack White’s Gretsch Triple Jet in copper

A wise choice, too. His customised Triple Jet in copper was a stunning guitar which got many guitarists wondering if they could find one just like it. Sadly, the answer was “no”…

For more about Jack White’s guitars, read our previous blog, A Brief History Of jack White’s Guitar Collection.

1) Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty: Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page and his Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty

What’s so special about this Les Paul? Besides being a gorgeous instrument, this is the instrument that helped to establish Page’s name: pre-Led Zeppelin, this was the guitar he used on several studio sessions for other artists. He also used it in the early days of Led Zeppelin, but then lost – only to be found more than 40 years later!

Jimmy Page and the Black Beauty

So… we think the Black Beauty with Bigsby deserves the #1 spot: a gorgeous guitar, owned by one of the greatest guitarists ever in legendary recording sessions and gigs, and considered lost for many decades – but miraculously found years later. How cool is that?

Les Paul Black Beauty with Bigsby

The Top 7 Guitars with Bigsby… As Played by Famous Guitarists from MyRareGuitars.com

Warren Ellis Tenor Custom Special Order – Now Shipping

Mike Robinson — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:55:49 +0000

Warren Ellis Tenor – Metallic Margarita. ONLY 6 OF THESE ARE AVAILABLE. FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED – SOLD OUT

Warren Ellis Tenor – Metallic Margarita

SPECIFICATIONS:

Body: Solid Alder
Colours: Metallic Margarita
Pickups: Dual Mini Humbuckers
Switching: Individual on-off
Controls: 1 Volume, 1 Tone
Bridge: Fully adjustable Tele-Style bridge

Neck: Maple, Bolt-on
Finger Board: Maple, Dot Markers
Scale Length: 23″
Width at the Nut: 1 5/16″
Hardware: Kluson Style Nickel/Chrome
Strings: D’Addario .32, .22, .14, .10

Case: Extra
Unique Features: Warren Ellis Signature Design
Suggested Retail: $749.00 US

Here are the photos:

What does it sound like?

Warren Ellis Tenor Custom Special Order – Now Shipping from MyRareGuitars.com

NEW Airline Jupiter PRO – Dallas Green Signature Model

Mike Robinson — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:49:32 +0000

We have a limited number of the new Airline Jupiter Pro – Dallas Green Signature Model coming in early June 2013. We are taking PRE-ORDERS now. (adjustment to shipping will be billed week of shipping). This model features dual Airline Argyle pickups, three way flipper switch, two volume, two tone controls and a unique “blend” control that pans between the two pickups when the flipper is in the center position. The blend control ranges from hi-tone bridge pickup to neck pickup with the tone rolled off. Very versatile! Also check out the standard Jupiter PRO.

only $999 (case included). $49 Shipping to North America, $149 to UK and Europe. $189 Australia, Japan, etc. $285 South America.

Body:	Hollow-body, Maple Top, Back, Mahogany Sides
Neck:	Bound Maple, SET neck
Fingerboard:	Rosewood, Block Markers
Scale Length:	25 1/2″
Width at Nut:	1 5/8″
Pickups:	Dual Airline Argyle
Switching:	3-Way Flipper
Controls:	2 Volume, 2 Tone, 1 Blend
Bridge:	Tone Pros Tun-O-Matic
Hardware:	Gotoh style Chrome
Strings:	#10-42 DaDarrio
Case:	Deluxe Case INCLUDED
Unique Features:	Dallas Green Signature Logo, Honeyburst Finish

NEW Airline Jupiter PRO – Dallas Green Signature Model from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (April 2012)

Mike Robinson — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:38:59 +0000

1. Sami Yaffa – Classic 4 Bass

Sami Yaffa with the Eastwood Classic 4 Bass Guitar

2. Rev Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Airline MAP

Rev Peyton (Big Damn Band) with the Airline Map Guitar

3. The Trouble with Monkeys – Michael Molenda – Airline ’59 Coronado

That’s right folks, when Editor in Cheif of Guitar Player Magazine decides to review a guitar, he really DOES take it for a test drive!

4. Beyond Veronica – Nessie Doss – Classic 4 Bass

Nessie Doss (Beyond Veronica) with the Eastwood Classic 4 Bass

5. Dennys Iuras – Brazil – Eastwood Mandocaster

Dennys Iuras (Brazil) with the Eastwood Mandocaster

6. Adrian Quesada of Grupo Fantasma – Airline MAP

Adrian Quesada (Grupo Fantasma) with the Airline Map Electric Guitar

7. Kepi Ghoulie / Dog Party – Airline 2P and Eastwood Rocket Bass

8. Devin Hoff – Sidejack BASS VI

Devin Hoff with the Eastwood Sidejack Bass VI Guitar

9. Tippi – Eastwood Stormbird

10. Jimmy Vivino – Conan Show – Airline Tuxedo

Jimmy Vivino (Basic Cable Band on Conan O'Brien's show) with the Airline Tuxedo Guitar

11. Silver Seas – Lex Price – Airline MAP Bass

Lex Price (Silver Seas) with the Airline Map Bass Guitar

12. Rob McNelley – Airline H44 STD

Rob McNelley with the Airline H44 STD Electric Guitar

13. Miles Holmwood – Stereos – Airline 2P

Miles Holmwood (Stereos) with the Airline 2P Electric Guitar

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (April 2012) from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (January 2012)

Mike Robinson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:36:04 +0000

1) Tom Hamilton – Aerosmith – Airline MAP Bass

2) G. Love and Special Sauce – Custom Airline 3P ’59

G Love - Custom Airline 3P '59 Guitar

3) Miss Alex White – White Mystery Band – Classic 6

Miss Alex White (White Mystery Band) - Eastwood Classic 6 Guitar

4) Jay Codina – Blue Tattoo – Classic 6 Lefty

Jay Codina (Blue Tattoo) - Eastwood Classic 6 Lefty Guitar

5) Casey Crescenzo – The Dear Hunter – Coronado ’59 Custom

Casey Crescenzo (The Dear Hunter) - Coronado '59 Custom Guitar

6) Bill Nelson – Airline MAP

Bill Nelson with his Airline Map Guitar

7) Ripley Johnson – The Wooden Shjips – Airline 3P DLX

Ripley Johnson (The Wooden Shjips) - Airline 3P DLX Guitar

8) Tara Elliott and the Red Velvets – Airline 2P

Tara Elliot (The Red Velvets) - Airline 2P Guitar

9) Simonne Jones – Airline ’59 1P

Simonne Jones - Airline '59 1P Guitar

10) Milos Angelov – Matthew Good – Classic 4 Bass

Milos Angelov (Matthew Good) - Eastwood Classic 4 Bass

11) Abraham Millett – Third Eye Blind – Classic 4 Bass

Abraham Millett (Third Eye Blind) - Eastwood Classic 4 Bass

12) Creepoid – Classic 6

Creepoid - Eastwood Classic 6 Guitar

13) Rico – FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS – Airline Town & Country

Rico (Forever The Sickest Kids) - Airline Town & Country Guitar

In Studio with Obie O’Brien – Classic 4 Bass

Obie O'Brien in studio with his Eastwood Classic 4 Bass

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (January 2012) from MyRareGuitars.com

Mason Stoops Demos The Airline Folkstar Resonator Guitar

Mike Robinson — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:16:43 +0000

Hey everyone, here is Mason Stoops from California. Mason has been a customer of My Rare Guitars since we first met at NAMM in 2005. He is a talented player and we are very proud to have him helping out with some guitar demos. Good thing we have them in stock at www.myrareguitars.com, because after you watch this video, you’ll want one!

Only $699. Order before October 31 and get a FREE hardshell case!

Airline Folkstar Resonator Guitar

Mason Stoops Demos The Airline Folkstar Resonator Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (September 2011)

Mike Robinson — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:22:56 +0000

1) Solomon Hicks – Eastwood Doral

Solomon Hicks

2) Dallon Weekes (Panic at the Disco) – Classic 4 Bass

Dallon Weekes (Panic at the Disco)

3) Dum Dum Girls

Dum Dum Girls

4) Will Kimbrough – Emmy Lou Harris – Mandocaster

Will Kimbrough (Guitarist for Emmy Lou Harris)

5) John Varvatos Bowery Store (NYC)

John Varvatos Window Display (on Bowery in NYC)

6) Irina Yalkowsky – Guitarist for Nicole Atkins – Airline Town & Country

Irina Yalkowsky (Guitarist for Nicole Atkins)

7) Tiny Al – Eels – Ailrine Bass

Tiny Al (EELS)

8) Calexico Art Exhibit – Tucson, AZ – Airline 3P DLX

Calexico Art Exhibit (Tucson, AZ)

9) Zoe (Mexico) – Sergio Acosta with Airline MAP

Sergio Acosta (Zoe)

10) Jody Porter – Fountains of Wayne – Airline ’59 Coronado DLX

Jody Porter (Fountains of Wayne)

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (September 2011) from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (August 2011)

Mike Robinson — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:00:39 +0000

1) Mr. Uzaki Ryudo – Airline 2P Guitar (Red)

Mr. Uzaki Ryudo with his Airline 2P Guitar (Red)

2) Peter Silberman from The Antlers – Airline Town & Country Guitar

Peter Silberman from The Antlers with his Airline Town & Country Guitar

3) EELS – Sunburst Airline Bass

4) Voodoo Zombie’s Lu Cifer – Joey Leone Superfast (photo credit: Fotos: Ignacio Orrego G. – Fotorock):

Voodoo Zombie's Lu Cifer with his Joey Leone Superfast Guitar

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (August 2011) from MyRareGuitars.com

Album Review: Blackie & the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens

Mike Robinson — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:00:51 +0000

Album Cover: 'Kings and Queens' by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens

What do you get when you take one of best bands to ever come out of Canada and make a record with an all-star cast of singers? Perhaps the best album of the year, that’s what.

Kings & Queens pairs the band with some of their favorite female singers and friends – and some of the biggest names in roots, blues and jazz – Roseanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Pam Tillis, Serena Ryder, Lucinda Williams, Cassandra Wilson, Amy Helm, Janiva Magness, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Sam Phillips, Sara Watkins, Exene Cervenka, Patti Scialfa and Holly Cole. Grammy- and Juno-winning producer Colin Linden (Bruce Cockburn, Tom Wilson, Stephen Fearing, Colin James) took the helm for the new album, and the new recordings have taken the Kings from Nashville to Toronto to New York City to New Orleans, Los Angeles, Woodstock and back again. As the band explains, “No destination is too far for love….”

“Three years in the making, it’s a varied, inspired, and often moving collection that’s never forced or predictable. Hopefully it will provide much deserved American exposure for this talented but thus far under-the-(US) radar male threesome. ****” – American Songwriter

“Kings and Queens is the type of album you can’t help but want to hear. The band decided to try to wrangle a list of female singers they would love to sing with, and hot damn, is that list fantastic.” – Hero Hill

Here are some of the promo photos for the album:

Tom Wilson, guitarist (photo by Brian O'Brien)

Colin Linden, guitarist (photo by Brian O'Brien)

Album Review: Blackie & the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens from MyRareGuitars.com

AIRLINE ’59 Town & Country Guitar: Struttin’ About Town

Mike Robinson — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 09:30:36 +0000

The new ’59 Custom version of this model is being seen all over town these days. Check out this new video from Wendell Ferguson, and pay close attention to the SCTV bit at the end. =)

Includes AIRLINE Deluxe hardshell case. STD model $999, DLX BIGSBY model $1149. FREE SHIPPING THIS MONTH.

Airline '59 Town & Country DLX Guitar (Vintage Cream)

Airline ’59 Town & Country STD:

Airline ’59 Town & Country DLX:

Last month the new Blondie video “Mother” feature Chris Stein playing the same model, for those who missed it, here you go again:

AIRLINE ’59 Town & Country Guitar: Struttin’ About Town from MyRareGuitars.com

The Demi Show Shred Clip On An Eastwood GP Guitar

Mike Robinson — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 09:00:20 +0000

Last month I was alerted to someone shredding on an AIRLINE MAP Guitar. Although cool, it just seemed weird to me. Beautiful, but weird. After a few days I noticed I was putting my shoes on the wrong feet, driving on the wrong side of the road, and leaving the toilet seat up. Something was wrong. So I contacted Demi Barbito and asked him to clear my mind by shredding on one of the few models I felt shred-worthy in the Eastwood lineup – the Eastwood GP. He obliged, now all seems right again:

If you missed the first one on the AIRLINE MAP, here it is. But be warned, you’ll have to watch the Eastwood GP video again before operating heavy equipment:

Please drop a line to Demi and say hello, he is a pure talent, here is another example:

The Demi Show Shred Clip On An Eastwood GP Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Joey Leone Superfast Guitar from Eastwood Guitars

Mike Robinson — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:00:21 +0000

Why is the New Joey Leone SuperFast The Best Semi-Hollow Guitar Ever Built?

Eastwood Guitars and Joey Leone wanted to improve the already sucessful Joey Leone Model, they wanted it to be more responsive and resonant. We decided to think outside the (usual guitar) box and use Alder wood as the centerblock instead of rock maple. This lightened the guitar and made the resonance of the strings more consistant throughout the guitar. We also used a two piece pancake laminate process to make the alder centerblock as stable as maple but with half the weight. We even used paduka wood for the tailpiece insert to add a bit of weight (ballast) to the trapeze tailpiece. This combined with the already popular longer scale length (25 1/2″) adds a livelieness to the scale behind the bridge. All Leone models have the 2mm additional wideness of the neck which allows your fingers to stretch out a bit and not be cramped together, aiding in finger fatigue and ease of fretting. All you need to do is play this guitar acoustically to actually feel the difference. We made the SuperFast with two (coil tapped) pickups instead of three to also lighten the guitar and make the top more responsive. But the best part, in an effort to get this guitar in your hands faster, Eastwood has lowered the price on the Joey Leone SuperFast, because we believe that our customers will, see, hear, and feel the difference.

Eastwood Joey Leone Superfast Electric Guitar (Black)

“It’s super light, super responsive, super versatile, super affordable, and its SuperFast.”

Includes hardshell case.

Trapeze Tail
PAYPAL $999

BiGSBY Tail
PAYPAL $1249

Check out this jam with Joey featuring Rick Redington on a Mandocaster:

Joey Leone Superfast:

Eastwood Joey Leone Superfast Electric Guitar (Black)

Joey Leone Superfast Guitar from Eastwood Guitars from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (June 2011)

Mike Robinson — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:30:29 +0000

Chris Stein with BLONDIE – Airline ’59 Town & Country

John Fogerty gives away his AIRLINE Coronado to a fan in Buenos Aires

Hugo on Letterman – Airline TUXEDO

G.Love and Special Sauce – Airline ’59 3P

G Love (from G Love & Special Sauce) with his Airline '59 3P Guitar

Mike Robinson with Adrian Belew at NAMM

Mike Robinson & Adrian Belew at NAMM 2011

Steve Stevens in the studio with his Airline Coronado

Panic at the Disco – Classic 4

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (June 2011) from MyRareGuitars.com

Hollerado: ‘Got To Lose’ Music Video

Mike Robinson — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:00:49 +0000

Music Video: 'Got to Lose' by Hollerado

Check out the new video from Hollerado produced by Greg Jardin. Amazingly it was done in one take, with one camera. Watch it a few times and you will get a sense of how difficult it is to pull this off. As an added bonus, the AIRLINE guitars and straps look awesome!

Hollerado: ‘Got To Lose’ Music Video from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (May 2011)

Mike Robinson — Sun, 01 May 2011 14:00:47 +0000

PJ Harvey on Conan

WIRE on Jimmy Fallon

Panic at the Disco on Conan

Steve Earl on Letterman (Eleanor Whitmore on Tenor)

Mike Robinson taping Guitar Pics for Treasure HDTV

Eastwood Celebrity Sightings (May 2011) from MyRareGuitars.com

Black Lips Tour Dates 2011 & SXSW Mosh Pit

Mike Robinson — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:59:26 +0000

Cole from the Black Lips with his Airline Town & Country guitar

Black Lips are out on tour this month (link to tour dates) and I hooked up with them yesterday in Toronto during their sound check. Cole is using an AIRLINE Twin Tone as well as a ’59 Town & Country. Go check them out in your city! If you’ve ever wondered what it is like up front during one of their shows, check out this clip from SXSW:

Black Lips Tour Dates 2011:

03-16-18 Austin, TX – SXSW
04-06 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
04-07 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
04-08 Washington, DC – Black Cat
04-09 Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero
04-12 New York, NY – Webster Hall
04-13 Pawtucket, RI – The Met
04-14 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
04-15 Montreal, Quebec – Le National
04-16 Toronto, Ontario – Phoenix Concert Theater
04-17 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
04-19 Columbus, OH – Outland Live
04-20 Newport, KY – Southgate House
04-21 St. Louis, MO – The Firebird
04-22 Chicago, IL – Logan Square Auditorium
04-23 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
04-25 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
04-26 Kansas City, MO – The Beaumont Club
04-27 Dallas, TX – The Loft
04-28 Austin, TX – Emo’s
04-29 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s
04-30 Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon
05-06 Barcelona, Spain – Bikini
05-07 Santiago de Compostela, Spain – Sala Capitol
05-08 Madrid, Spain – Sala Heineken
05-09 Montpelier, France – Rockstore
05-11 Strasbourg, France – La Laterie
05-12 Hamburg, Germany – Grunspan
05-13 Berlin, Germany – Festsaal Kreuzberg
05-14 Munich, Germany – Garage Fest
05-16 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Trouw Amsterdam
05-17 Paris, France – 104
05-18 Brussels, Belgium – Les Nuits Botanique
05-19 London, England – The Garage
05-20 Liverpool, England – Sound City Festival
05-21 Cheshire, England – Friends of Mine Festival
05-22 Leeds, England – Brudenell Social Club
05-24 Glasgow, Scotland – Stereo
05-25 Dublin, Ireland – The Button Factory
05-26 Cork, Ireland – Cypress Avenue
05-27 Galway, Ireland – Roisin Dubh
05-31 Zurich, Switzerland – Exil
06-01 Vevey, Switzerland – Rocking Chair
06-02 Vienna, Austria – Flex
06-09 San Diego, CA – The Casbah
06-10 Santa Barbara, CA – Velvet Jones
06-11-12 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
06-14 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
06-15 Vancouver, British Columbia – Commodore Ballroom
06-16 Seattle, WA – Neumos
06-17 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House
06-18 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
06-19 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
06-21 Tucson, AZ – Plush
06-22 Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
06-23 Costa Mesa, CA – The Detroit Bar
06-24 Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box
06-25 Pomona, CA – The Glass House

Black Lips Tour Dates 2011 & SXSW Mosh Pit from MyRareGuitars.com

RIP Melvin Sparks

Mike Robinson — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:00:26 +0000

We were very saddened to hear about the loss of a true guitar legend. Melvin Sparks will be missed. RIP, Melvin.

Legendary Guitarist: Melvin Sparks

For more information about Melvin and his awesome guitar playing:

Jambands.com – Melvin Sparks: 1946-2011
JazzWax – [story]
Jazz901 – [story]
Melvin Sparks on Wikipedia
Melvin Sparks on MySpace
MelvinSparks.com

Melvin Sparks’ funeral (Janaza) service will be this Thursday, 10:00 am at Lee Woods Funeral Home 23E 2nd St Mt Vernon, NY (914) 699-1199 between 2nd and 3rd Avenues

RIP Melvin Sparks from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood & Airline Celebrity Sightings (December 2010)

Mike Robinson — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 13:00:01 +0000

Over the past few months we’ve had many Eastwood and Airline celebrity sightings, so I thought I’d share a few to bring you up to date. Here’s the quick list:

ALEXISONFIRE / City & Colours’ Dallas Green with his AIRLINE 2P Sunburst
Mexican Wrestling legend VAMPIRO with his Eastwood MACH TWO (formerly known as J.R. Elite)
DEFTONES Chino Moreno with his Joey Leone Signature
Randy Bachman with his AIRLINE TUXEDO.
BLACK LIPS Cole Alexander with his AIRLINE Twin Tone
MYSTERY WHITE BAND Alex White with her CLASSIC 6
The LEGENDARY Melvin Sparks with his EASTWOOD Doral
EPIC RUINS Sam Anderson with his white Eastwood Stormbird Guitar

And now for some pics:

ALEXISONFIRE / City & Colours’ Dallas Green with his Airline 2P Sunburst
ALEXISONFIRE / City & Colours: Dallas Green with this Airline 2P Sunburst
Mexican Wrestling legend Vampiro with his Eastwood Mach Two (formerly known as J.R. Elite)
Vampiro with his Eastwood Mach Two Guitar
Deftones Chino Moreno with his Joey Leone Signature
Deftones: Chino Moreno with his Eastwood Joey Leone Signature Guitar
Randy Bachman with his Airline Tuxedo. Randy is working with Eastwood on developing a new Tuxedo model called the Tux Deluxe. Coming this Spring 2011.
Randy Bachman with his Airline Tuxedo Guitar
Black Lips Cole Alexander with his Airline Twin Tone
Black Lips: Cole Alexander with his Airline Twin Tone Guitar
Mystery White Band: Alex White with her Classic 6

Mystery White Band: Alex White with her Eastwood Classic 6 Guitar
The LEGENDARY Melvin Sparks with his Eastwood Doral
Legendary Guitarist: Melvin Sparks with his Eastwood Doral Guitar
EPIC RUINS Sam Anderson with his white Eastwood Stormbird
EPIC RUINS Sam Anderson with his white Eastwood Stormbird Guitar

Eastwood & Airline Celebrity Sightings (December 2010) from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood & Airline Celebrity Sightings

Mike Robinson — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:00:27 +0000

Over the past few months we’ve had many Eastwood and Airline celebrity sightings, so I thought I’d share a few to bring you up to date. Here’s the quick list:

Deerhoof’s Edward Rodriguez (Airline Tuxedo guitar)
Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen (Airline Map Guitar)
Nick Cave (Airline Tuxedo guitar)
Luke Doucet (Airline Map guitar at the Lilith Fair)
Super Satellites’ Christian Olguin (Airline Tuxedo Guitar)
1980 Ovation Breadwinner & Eastwood Breadwinner guitars
Hot Chelle Rae’s Nash Overstreet (Airline Map Guitar)
Amanda Zelina (Custom Airline 2P Guitar in Sahara Blue)
Design Star’s Antonio Ballatore &Timothy Gruse (Airline Map Guitar & Bass)

Deerhoof's Edward Rodriguez (Airline Tuxedo guitar)

Here is Edward Rodriguez from DEERHOOF with his AIRLINE Tuxedo.
Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen (Airline Map Guitar)
Lou Vito, one of Eastwood Gutiars Artist Relations people, snapped this one of Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick with his AIRLINE MAP guitar.
Nick Cave (Airline Tuxedo guitar)
This one is a number of months back, but a nice shot of Nick Cave with his AIRLINE TUXEDO. Nick’s band, GRINDERMAN will be touring this fall. Grinderman’s main instrumentalist – Warren Ellis – has been working with us on releasing the Warren Ellis Signature TENOR guitar, coming next month! Here is a sneak peak photo of the Tenor.
Luke Doucet (Airline Map guitar at the Lilith Fair)

Warren Ellis Signature Tenor guitar from Eastwood Guitars

Here is Luke Doucet using his AIRLINE MAP guitar on tour last month with Lilith Fair.
Super Satellites' Christian Olguin (Airline Tuxedo Guitar)
Another great photo from Lou Vito featuring Christian Olguin from NYC group, Super Satellites with his AIRLINE TUXEDO guitar.
1980 Ovation Breadwinner & Eastwood Breadwinner guitars
Not really a “celebrity” citing, but here is an original Ovation Breadwinner from 1980 pictured next to a new Eastwood Breadwinner. Cool!
Hot Chelle Rae's Nash Overstreet (Airline Map Guitar)
Another summer Warped Tour with Nash Overstreet from Hot Chelle Rae featuring his AIRLINE MAP in Seafoam Green.
Amanda Zelina (Custom Airline 2P Guitar in Sahara Blue)
Amanda Zelina dropped by Eastwood HQ to pickup her custom AIRLINE 2P Sahara Blue.
Design Star's Antonio Ballatore &Timothy Gruse (Airline Map Guitar & Bass)
And who would have guessed? Antonio Ballatore and Timothy Gruse from H+G TV’s popular show, Design Star with their AIRLINE MAP Bass and Guitar. Really? Is there no end to the “I Get It” craze!!?! I guess not…

Eastwood & Airline Celebrity Sightings from MyRareGuitars.com

Throwback Suburbia on West Coast Tour

Mike Robinson — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:35:39 +0000

Portland, Oregon July 2010 – Power-pop rockers Throwback Suburbia are gearing up to bring their brand of classic, hook laden music to the masses and Canadian guitar manufacturer Eastwood Guitars has offered up their support.

Throwback Suburbia have long been endorsees of Eastwood Guitars and now the two have joined forces for the band’s summer tour, hoping to reach fans of both classic melody and stylish guitars.

Throwback Suburbia will play a series of shows up and down the west coast, promoting their self-titled album and the guitars they faithfully depend on. Throwback Suburbia will share their tour experiences with fans by posting daily video entries with ultimate plans for releasing an extended documentary in the coming months.

Come out to one or more of the following shows and mention the catch phrase “I Get It,” to receive free Eastwood swag.

July 23
Old Ironsides – Sacramento, CA

July 24
The Joint – Los Angeles, CA
International Pop Overthrow Festival

July 25
Cat Club – Hollywood, CA

July 27
Zia Records – Las Vegas, NV

July 27
Beauty Bar – Las Vegas, NV

July 28
Beauty Bar – San Diego, CA

July 29
Alex’s Bar – Long Beach, CA

July 30
Thee Parkside – San Francisco, CA

August 5
Oregon Gardens w/ Pat Benetar – Silverton OR

Eric, Mike, Jimi, Paul and Mark
Throwback Suburbia
Web: www.throwbacksuburbia.com
Email: info@throwbacksuburbia.com

Throwback Suburbia: Summer 2010 West Coast Tour

Throwback Suburbia on West Coast Tour from MyRareGuitars.com

Joe Price & Vickie Price at the Eastwood Players Lounge

Mike Robinson — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:29:11 +0000

Joe Price & Vickie Price at the Eastwood Players Lounge

On their way to the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival last week, Joe and Vickie Price dropped in for a visit at the Eastwood Guitars Players Lounge. Joe has been a big fan of Eastwood guitars for some time and wanted to show us his modded Airline Map guitar. Joe explains:

Iowa may not be known as a blues mecca, but from the opening their most recent CD “Hornet’s Nest,” it’s clear that Waterloo native Joe Price is the real deal. He beats his guitar with the kind of power associated with Bukka White, Big Joe Williams, or Mississippi Fred McDowell and sings in a style that is as lowdown as it needs to be without sounding at all affected.

Check out this rehearsal with his band Bailiff:

Joe Price & Vickie Price at the Eastwood Players Lounge from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Guitar Sightings on YouTube in 2009

Mike Robinson — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:00:06 +0000

2009 was a great year for videos of Eastwood Guitars showing up on YouTube. Here are several that I found:

Neko Case on David Letterman featuring Jon Rauhouse on his Eastwood Classic 12:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

John Fogerty playing some killer slide guitar on his Airline Coronado:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

The Decemberists on Late Late Show, Chris Funk with his Eastwood Messenger:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Another cool video featuring the Eastwood Coronado guitar by The Jett Blackk Heart Attack:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Chris Spedding with his Airline Town & Country:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Music Radar demo featuring the Airline RS-II guitar:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

German player Einar Gast with his Airline Town & Country:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Colin Newman of GITHEAD with his Eastwood Breadwinner:

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Liverpool band OWLS with a lefty Eastwood Ichiban:

Eastwood Guitar Sightings on YouTube in 2009 from MyRareGuitars.com

Webcast With Githead Featuring Colin Newman

Mike Robinson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:00:06 +0000

GITHEAD, featuring Colin Newman, will be in Toronto June 30th, and we will broadcast live worldwide. Register for your free Webcast Ticket here. If you are in the Toronto area on June 30th and want to be part of our limited Studio Audience, email me.

Githead (featuring Colin Newman)

Webcast With Githead Featuring Colin Newman from MyRareGuitars.com

Hollerado Guitar Contest

Mike Robinson — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:00:56 +0000

Dave Hogan: Hollerado Guitar Contest Winner

Dave Hogan, CT USA is the winner of the Hollerado guitar contest. CONGRATULATIONS Dave! We gave him the choice of a new one or the one that Hollerado beat up on their tour, Dave chose the new one. The beater will remain in the Eastwood Hall of Shame… Rock ‘n Roll, gotta love it!

Don’t forget to down the Hollerado album for FREE.

Here is a PRIMER, starting back 6 months ago with the DAVE FOLEY incident:

..they take a moment to talk about the residency tour:

..we interview them as the tour winds down, and talk about the contest guitar:

..and now 6 months later, they apologize and are forgiven:

..and play a song for us at the Eastwood Players Lounge:

Eastwood Guitars and rebelSonic are proud to be a part of the craziest tour going… the Hollerado Residency Tour!

Montreal’s fun loving gonzo rockers “HOLLERADO”, are doing an insane 28 day tour in February, covering over 9,500 km, playing one club in seven cities for four weeks straight: Boston to New York to Lacolle to Hamilton to Toronto to Ottawa to Montreal to… Now that’s indie music on steroids!

Menno and the boys are taking the new Eastwood Monolith guitar with them! This guitar features “the biggest pickup on the planet”, the all new three voice Monolith from rebelSonic, and at the end of the tour it could be yours!

And go to www.hollerado.com to download their new album… FREE!

Eastwood Monolith Guitar

Hollerado Band

Hollerado Guitar Contest from MyRareGuitars.com

Live in Toronto (October 2008)

Mike Robinson — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:00:20 +0000

Once again it’s been a busy fall concert schedule here in Toronto. Here is what I’d picked out for the first half of October:

Wed10/01/08 – Nick Cave
Fri10/03/08 – The Wedding Present
Sat 10/04/08 – Alkaline Trio
Sun 10/05/08 – Beck with MGMT
Tue 10/07/08 – Wire
Fri 10/10/08 – The NOTWIST
Sat 10/11/08 – Lucinda Williams
Sun 10/12/08 – Crooked Fingers

Here are some photo’s, videos and comments from a few.

BECK with Jessica Dobson playing her AIRLINE TUXEDO Guitar. If you have never been to a BECK show, do yourself a favor, GO!

Here is BECK again the following Friday night in David Letterman:

My thanks to Jessica for making that AIRLINE Tuxedo look better than it ever has!

MGMT performing their mega cool #1 2008 summertime song TIME TO PRETEND featuring the EASTWOOD WANDRE Guitar.

A certain highlight of the week was WIRE at Lee’s Palace. I recently read a review of their new LP OBJECT 47, being called “music from the year 2038″. Why? Because WIRE has always been 30 years ahead of their time. I must agree, find out for yourself. I did not manage to get any video or photo’s (too much beer, perhaps?) but here is some footage on youtube from an earlier show on the tour – featuring Colin Newman with his AIRLINE MAP Guitar.

And perhaps the best show of the week – even though NO Eastwood or AIRLINE guitars were to be seen – was The Notwist. This is a band that you should see. Five piece, with many more than 5 instruments – 2 guitars, bass, Piano, synth, drums, a variety of synth drums, turntables, vintage LP’s, weird remote controlled percussion digital whateverf!!?@, the list goes on… some of the most exciting music being written today. Make sure to check them out, buy the CD NEON GOLDEN check out this track -ONE WITH THE FREAKS – is #1 in my IPOD for the past 12 months, and played LOUD was a HUGE 3rd encore crowd pleaser at the Lee’s Palace Show. Here is the video (turn it up because the audio is REALLY low):

Live in Toronto (October 2008) from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Guitars Comes to the Aid of Squeeze

Mike Robinson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:07 +0000

Mike Robinson, president of Eastwood Guitars, once again came to the aid of a band in need.

When Squeeze were coming through Toronto this August, Mike talked with the singer/songwriter Chris Difford, and found out that their two Eastwood guitars went missing. So Mike arranged to replace their guitars free of charge.

After the sold out show at Koolhouse, Mike Robinson presented Chris Difford with a beautiful Airline 3P DLX and handed Glenn Tilbrook an Eastwood Wandre DLX. The smiling British song writing duo were elated by his generosity.

Mike Robinson with Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze

“When we found out that an amazing band like Squeeze had been swindled out of their guitars, we just had to put it straight. Talent like Difford and Tilbrook deserves great guitars” stated Robinson.

Eastwood is developing a reputation for coming to the aid of musicians. Last summer when Robyn Hitchcock had his guitar stolen in Montreal, Eastwood open their Georgetown, Ontario showroom to him where he selected his new main guitar, as he calls it his “Slinky Blue Airline Twin Tone”.

About Eastwood Guitars
Canada’s Eastwood Guitars is one of the world’s fastest growing guitar manufactures with over 40 distinctive models shipping around the globe. Eastwood is committed to developing and promoting independent music. To help foster the energy of independent music Eastwood has established the following initiatives: The Eastwood Artist Endorsement Program; The Eastwood Big Pick Program; and Eastwood Radio on www.eastwoodguitars.com.

For information
Grant Ivens
say what! communications
grant@saywhat.com
905-417-9428 x 25
http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/

Eastwood Guitars Comes to the Aid of Squeeze from MyRareGuitars.com

Artist Page at Eastwood Guitars

Mike Robinson — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:00:01 +0000

Thanks to all that have participated in the Artist Page in the past few weeks. We are already up to 120 ARTISTS, and there are hundreds more that have not completed the application. Hey! It’s free promotion for your band…. Get on it. Here is the link.

If you are not an Eastwood Artist yet, here is the link to apply.

Artist Page at Eastwood Guitars from MyRareGuitars.com

Backstage at the R.E.M. Concert

Mike Robinson — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:25 +0000

Sunday June 6th was a fine day here in Toronto. We had the pleasure of spending some time with the guys from R.E.M. prior to their show at the Molson Amphitheatre. As many of you know, Scott McCaughey has been playing an Eastwood Sidejack DLX Guitar for more than half of the songs on this tour (Scott is the long-time sideman for R.E.M.).

In other news, Scott and Peter Buck have teamed up with Steve Wynn and drummer Linda Pitmon to make an entire record of baseball songs. Steve and Linda also dropped by Eastwood headquaters on Monday to say hello. A fine weekend indeed and triple thumbs up to Guitar Tech extraordinaire, Dewitt Burton. Thanks man! Here are some pictures:

1) Hanging out on stage during sound check:

Mike Robinson on stage during the R.E.M. soundcheck

2) Hmmmm… The collection of toy dinosaurs is getting pretty big:

Toy Dinosaurs on the R.E.M. amps

3) Pete and Scott rocking out during the show:

Pete and Scott rocking out during the show

4) R.E.M. with the Eastwood Guitars crew:

Mike Mills, Peter McCracken, Jimmy Lango, Scott McCaughey, (Michael Stipe Background), Mike Robinson, Peter Buck

5) A wee bit of video:

6) Steve and Linda dropped by Eastwood headquaters on Monday to say hello:

Backstage at the R.E.M. Concert from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Sidejack DLX on the Today Show!

Mike Robinson — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:00:07 +0000

A couple of days ago I was ranting about taking my son on a trip to Europe. Good ‘ol Proud Father stuff. Twice in the same week? Yesterday morning on NBC’s TODAY Show R.E.M. did a live broadcast from the streets of New York City. They played their new hit single, Supernatural Superserious – and ripping into the opening guitar riff was long time R.E.M. sideman Scott McCaughey on his Eastwood Sidejack! Did I feel like a proud father? You bet!

I would have never guessed five years ago when we developed the Sidejack that this day would arrive. I’m quite proud indeed. In fact, rumor has it that you’ll get a chance to see it again tonight on the Colbert Report. R.E.M. with an EASTWOOD Guitar on the Colbert Report? Can’t get much better than that… Very Cool. Here is a picture of Pete Buck with Robyn Hitchcock, earlier this year on the west coast – Peter with his AIRLINE 2P DLX and Robyn with his AIRLINE TWIN TONE. Proud father indeed!

R.E.M. plays Eastwood: Pete Buck & Robyn Hitchcock

Eastwood Sidejack DLX on the Today Show! from MyRareGuitars.com

Britta Phillips & Her Eastwood Hi-Flyer Bass Guitar

Mike Robinson — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Here are a couple of photo’s that surfaced this past week of Eastwood Guitars in action. The first is Britta Phillips (Dean & Britta) taking her Eastwood Hi-Flyer Bass Guitar for a spin recently in NYC at Dean’s book release party:

Britta Phillips with her Eastwood Hiflyer Bass (Dean & Britta)

In the meantime, SXSW was in full swing last week while I was in Europe at MUSIKMESSE. There were many EASTWOOD sightings at the festival, including this EASTWOOD SIDEJACK DLX in Greenburst taking stage with REM – Here is a link to the REM slideshow from NPR at SXSW.

I’ll post more MUSIKMESSE shots tomorrow night.

Now back to my Sangria. Cheers,
Mike

Britta Phillips & Her Eastwood Hi-Flyer Bass Guitar from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Guitars Announces Artists Compilation CD (2008)

Mike Robinson — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:00:40 +0000

Eastwood Guitars Announces Artists Compilation CD 2008

Although still in the planning stages, we are working on a new project here for 2008. The Eastwood Artists Compilation CD. We plan to release at least 2 CD’s per year, each featuring 20+ tracks from Artists that use Eastwood Guitars. If interested in having your song included, please send us an email.

Eastwood Guitars Announces Artists Compilation CD (2008) from MyRareGuitars.com

Eastwood Guitar Players & Featured Artists

Mike Robinson — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:00:48 +0000

There are quite a few notable Eastwood guitar players and featured artists these days. We will continue to update the galleries as we get new pictures.

[See image gallery at www.myrareguitars.com]

Eastwood Guitar Players & Featured Artists from MyRareGuitars.com

John Fogerty Band in Toronto (July 2007)

Mike Robinson — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:00:18 +0000

We’ve had a busy summer concert schedule here in Toronto. One of the highlights for Peter McCracken and I was meeting John Fogerty. He is on tour right now across Europe and North America, dropping in for a visit to Toronto 2 weeks ago. Here are some pictures:

Mike Robinson & John Fogerty & Peter McCracken

John Fogerty Band in Toronto (July 2007)

John Fogerty Band in Toronto (July 2007) from MyRareGuitars.com

Joey Leone Signature RBC Eastwood Guitar (Rock, Blues & Country)

Joey Leone — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:00:48 +0000

I have always dreamed of a guitar that would combine the features of my favorite guitars, yet be able to get many sounds from it, all of which would be useable sounds. This guitar would have to be functional, beautiful, easy to play, and affordable – the Joey Leone Signature Model Guitar for Eastwood.

Headstock: Joey Leone RBC Guitar from Eastwood Guitars

Eastwood CEO Mike Robinson and I have been working together for years – improvements on existing designs, new ideas and alike. Mike has always encouraged me to think outside the box, and in turn I have given him many ideas and concepts, some discussed and put aside, but this Signature Moded was a concept we both loved. This guitar was to be a players guitar – one that offered an opportunity for guitar players to have a wide palette of sounds to draw from – yet did not look like a crowded subway car.

OK Joey, “what does this guitar do that is so special?” Here’s where the fun begins…. First I thought about some of my favorite guitar players and the guitars they played. I tend to think of guitars and players in groups, organized by styles and tones. Hmmm? Matt Guitar Murphy played an ES 345, T-Bone Walker played an ES-5 Switchmaster, Mark Knopfler a Strat, Roy Buchanan a Tele, double hmmm? Pickups?A triple hmmmm?

Pickups: Joey Leone RBC Guitar from Eastwood Guitars

I knew I wanted my first design to be a versatile guitar that would be a clean, and clear voiced guitar that could be played at a low volume and still be strong sounding, but also one that would sing and sustain at higher volumes. I wanted the guitar to cut through with a high mid voice that would be there even when mixed at lower volumes. Here’s how I did it!

First I decided to go with a semi-hollow archtop design like a 335, but use P90 pickups. I knew that there were very few if any semi-hollows with P90 pickups. Next I wanted to have the scale length be longer then the standard Gibson, so I created a Fender scale (25 ½ inch) on a Gibson style frame. This would afford the player the opportunity to use heavier gauge strings without the hand fatigue that we incessant pickers tend to experience. Also this would make bending strings more pleasurable.

Flamed Finish: Joey Leone RBC Guitar from Eastwood Guitars

I also asked the builders to make the neck a bit wider (2 mm’s) so the strings would not feel crowded. This is the feel you get when you play an L5 or any high end archtop, again wanting to give the player a really fine guitar for his or her money. I also asked them to make me a one piece mahogany neck; this design in my opinion gives the guitar a more consistent transfer of vibrations throughout the guitar. I have always felt that multi-laminated maple necks were strong and stiff to a fault as the glue joints make the neck dead. I also never liked the idea of guitar builders gluing together piece of wood that did not have consistent grain and or density. Yes, more expensive, but Mike said, “Let’s design the guitar FIRST, and worry about cost SECOND.”

I insisted that this guitar have a book matched flamed maple top and back of similar grain and density for the same reasons mentioned above. I also added flamed maple sides as well for aesthetics mostly. And speaking of aesthetics I also wanted real mother of pearl instead of “pearloid” or some other faux material. Tell me that never drove you crazy, over $3,000 for a guitar and when you friends say, “is that real mother of pearl?” you have to say… ahhh.. kinda…..no!!!

Switches: Joey Leone RBC Guitar from Eastwood Guitars

Now onto the electronics, an aspect of which I am most proud. I went to pickup visionary Kent Armstrong (son of Dan) and told him I wanted P90 pickups that would also be able to get a Strat sound as well as the standard P90 voicing. Through many, many hours of work in Kent’s workshop we came up with a hot P90 pickup with a coil tap that would yield the signature Strat sound. This is not one of those stacked humbuckers that I have always thought to be okay at best, but not having a single coil sound at all. These pickups sound great and they are potted with wax to avoid almost all microphonics. Then, three pickups like T-Bone’s ES-5 with the middle pickup reverse wound to get the humbucking sound when combined with any of the other pickups, this we did – but again through many hours of skull sessions – we made the middle pickup not only a coil tapped single coil but used AlNiCO 5 magnets like on the old 55 Les Paul Custom – but really closer to the McCarty Pickups found on the old L7 “pickups in the pickguard” design. These can be adjusted by simply pushing the pole piece up through the bottom of the pickup with a small screwdriver. This pickup when coil tapped sounds very similar to a Jazzmaster pickup but with a bit more balls. All these custom creations add expense? You bet it does, but when you play this guitar and start to explore the tonal palette, it will blow you away….

What we end up with is a guitar with 27 useable sounds – no throw away “excuse” sounds – with 9 humbucking combinations. All of this is easily accomplished by using the three full size toggles located between the master volume and master tome pots.

You will see some pictures here is this article of the first two prototypes. Production models will be available in April 2007. I’ve asked Mike to do two colors – Natural (pictured here to the left) and an Antique Sunburst (the Cherryburst will not be in production until later next year).

Natural Finish: Joey Leone RBC Guitar from Eastwood Guitars

Now onto some of the other design ideas that went into the RBC model. Medium jumbo frets on a slightly curved fretboard, this will make this guitar an axe blues players as well as shred guys who are used to flat fingerboards feel at home. Add some Grover Imperial Tuners, a tunematic bridge, and trapeze tailpiece to the design of the Joey Leone Signature RBC Model, and you have a guitar designed by a player for players. No B.S.

One more thing my friends, my buddy Mike Robinson at Eastwood Guitars has been behind this guitar from the beginning and will deliver this guitar to you with his usual rock hard, unsurpassed customer service that has helped make Eastwood the up and coming guitar company out there today. This guitar will be of the highest quality and be affordable. No B.S. there either!

Joey Leone Signature RBC Eastwood Guitar (Rock, Blues & Country) from MyRareGuitars.com

New CD: ‘Antidepressant’ from Lloyd Cole

Guest Post — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 13:00:17 +0000

On Antidepressant, English cult singer/songwriter Lloyd Cole’s fourth album for indie label One Little Indian, the suave, smooth tunesmith shucks off his velvet smoking jacket, pops a pill or two, and lets down his pompadour. Though there’s nothing here that strikes a listener quite as immediately and succinctly as Cole’s 1995 bubble-under pop hit Like Lovers Do, a few spins reveal another gem in the crown of this smart, funny, self-deprecating troubadour.

Lloyd Cole with his son, William

Album opener The Young Idealists sets the pace for this record, yawning keyboard riffs and easy acoustic strumming chiming in comfortably alongside needling lines like “… make believe the world was really ours / Still supposing we could make a difference…” Woman In A Bar is a Billy-Joel-meets-Ben-Folds in an Uptown dive kinda ditty, Cole expertly capturing both the undeniable thrill of the mating ritual and the inevitable let-downs inherent in its logical conclusion: “… a few moving parts need to be replaced / My engine starts, but only on Tuesdays”

NYC Sunshine is a pretty, languid slice of afternoon delight nestled amongst these otherwise mostly dim, smoky vignettes, the aural equivalent of finding a bright spot of solar energy splattered all over a shadowy hardwood floor, while I Didn’t See It Coming tumbles in like a lazy lover late to bed, a syrupy, narcotic half-dream that simultaneously recalls the finer solo work of Lou Reed “… you stopped singing along with that rock ‘n roll song on your New York station / I didn’t see it coming “. and the airy, breathable later efforts of his erstwhile bandmate John Cale.

Lloyd Cole: Antidepressant CD

Other standouts here include the bouncy, countrified lope of Everysong, which does a fine job showcasing Cole’s wonderful knack for tossing off easy double-entendres and snappy pop hooks, as evidenced in this line from a character who knows he’s in the song:”So don’t get so excited / He’s not that kind of writer / Chances are we’ll wind up in some Godforsaken cul-de-sac / Not mine / No use to get sad about it, you can’t love everysong ..”. and a drop-dead gorgeous cover of Moby Grape’s I Am Not Willing.

The tone and final message of Antidepressant is best presented in the title cut and album centerpiece, as Lloyd shrugs and lays bare his chemical-laden, scarred ol’ heart with a sloppy, sideways grin: “With my medication I will be fine … I said I’m tryin’ to write my novel / She said, neither am I / By the way, I saw you reading No Depression / You’re doing nothin’, I’ll come over we’ll watch Six Feet Under / And then we’ll maybe get around to your condition …” A smartly understated, delightfully teasing nugget that really does get better with every spin. Highly (sorry) recommended. Check it out at onelittleindian-us.com and note that the record will be out October 10, so mark your calendars.

Post by Brian
PulseTC.com

New CD: ‘Antidepressant’ from Lloyd Cole from MyRareGuitars.com

I’m an Axe Victim: Reconnecting with Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe

Mike Robinson — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 13:00:18 +0000

Twenty Eight years ago in Toronto, CANADA, an 18 yr old music fan slipped backstage, unnoticed by the distracted security people. Up a staircase, down a hall, then back down another staircase. He heard voices coming from the bands dressing room. He quietly stepped inside and said, “Mr. Nelson, will you please autograph my Album?” The memory seems like it was just yesterday. There, standing in front of me was my guitar hero, Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe. He smiled and obliged. I turned to pose with Bill for a picture as my friend prepared to snap it. “What? No film?” My good friend Wally Moss had forgotten to load film in the camera. Go figure. People follow their passions – Wally’s was photography, mine was the electric guitar – and the musicians who made them sing. Bill Nelson remains one of the best.

Bill Nelson, guitarist for Be Bop Deluxe

Here we are 30 years later and after following my passion, I find myself as the president of EASTWOOD Guitars. My enthusiasm for music has not diminished one bit. I still seem to spend more money on CD’s than groceries. I have thousands of LP’s that have not seen a needle in years, due to the fact that I now have thousands of CD’s that for a large part, replicate my LP’s. Of course now that I have my 60G IPOD, the CD’s are getting a rest. Crazy? Perhaps, but I would not give them up for the world. Being surrounded by music and electric guitars, I find myself enjoying life more now than ever. How could it get any better? How about reconnecting with Bill Nelson!

As luck would have it, our paths recently crossed again – this time not through my pursuing an autograph – but through Bill’s on-going interest in Bizarre Guitars. I have followed the career of Bill Nelson since his first release in 1971, Northern Dream (which by the way was the album I had him sign). Most of us were introduced to Bill through the critically acclaimed 70’s band, Be Bop Deluxe. I still play air guitar when listening to riffs from LIVE IN THE AIR AGE, possibly one of the greatest LIVE band recordings from that era.

Bill continued through the next 3 decades with a solo career that amassed a staggering number of releases. I cannot remember a year going by without the purchase of at least one Bill Nelson CD, often two and three. Some of my personal favorites include QUIT DREAMING AND GET ON THE BEAM (1981), CHIMERA (1983), MAP OF DREAMS (1987), AFTER THE SATELLITE SINGS (1996), MAGNIFICNET DREAM PEOPLE (1997) and DEEP DREAM DECODER (1998).

If for some reason you missed the last three decades and are in need of a quick fix, run out and get WHAT NOW, WHAT NEXT?, it is an exceptionally good compilation of the Cocteau Years from 1980-1990. Also pick up SATELLITE SONGS, the perfect companion. More than enough to rekindle the spirit.

I am the proud owner of over 40 CD’s (and a few dozen vinyl LP’s) from Bill Nelson. Thirty years later, now that our paths have crossed again, Bill is the proud owner of an EASTWOOD Saturn ’63. How cool is that!? Imagine the smile on my face when Bill wrote back with the following message:

I’m one of those post-war baby-boomers who were born into the era of rock n’ roll and science-fiction. Like many well-known British musicians of my generation, I attended Art School in the ’60’s and have always had an eye for unusual visual design, whether that be in the realm of cars, clothes or architecture… guitars too. Especially guitars!

I remember standing outside local music store windows as a 12 year old, blown away by the exotic, futuristic designs of many ’50’s and ’60’s guitar manufacturers such as Fenton Weill, Wandre, Hopf, Guyatone and Teisco. These were not the big name, glamorous makes that famous stars played, but they were, for me and my budding young musician friends, even more other-worldly, more electric than the expensive mainstream brands. Their visual appeal went way beyond practical considerations and strayed into the realm of pure fantasy. They were aesthetically ‘out there’, super-modern, ultra-baroque. They embodied the essential, electrical essence of rock n’ roll.

Unfortunately, they were not the most player-friendly instruments in the world, often being manufactured cheaply, despite the avant-garde nature of their visual appeal. Nevertheless, 40 odd years later, these vintage designs have become rare and coveted instruments, (‘though sadly more suited towards the wealthy collector’s cabinet than the recording studio or stage.)

Hats off to Eastwood Guitars for their visionary mission to re-issue some of these rare designs yet keep the guitarists of the 21st Century in mind. Eastwood guitars look just like the original instruments, but with the added bonus of superior build quality, modern playability and a vibey, characterful tonality. These guitars go beyond retro-futurist nostalgia to expand any contemporary guitarist’s tonal palette. And separate you from the herd.

Magically, my Saturn 63 reminds me of just how I felt standing outside that music shop back in the late ’50’s, and confirms just why I fell in love with electric guitars in the first place, all those years ago.

Somehow makes it all worthwhile, don’t it? Well, if you are a regular reader of this newsletter, you know what I’ve been up to lately, but what about Bill Nelson? Quite a lot actually.

In the past 30 years, Bill has released close to 50 CD’s, many of which are double, triple and even quad disk sets. You wonder when he finds time to sleep! He has also worked on film, television and video scores, directed a variety of videos, toured as part of Heroes De Lumiere with his brother Ian, worked with Roger Eno, Gary Numan, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Harold Budd, Flock of Seagulls, John Cooper-Clarke, David Sylvian, Laraaji and Kate St. John under the Channel Light Vessel name and performed as part of the Japanese group Culturemix. Phenomenally busy, driven by his muse and an active imagination, Nelson continues to delight and confound.

No signs of slowing, either. Bill tells me he has got two new albums in the pipeline: ‘Neptunes Galaxy’ and ‘Return To Jazz Of Lights’ as well as some rare, previously unreleased Be Bop Deluxe material, all coming out later this year. You can get in line (behind me) to sign up for these releases on his website, Dreamsville (www.billnelson.com). There are plenty of things to do during your visit to Dreamsville – pack a lunch and have fun!

Here is a short list of recent releases from Bill Nelson (all available at DREAMSVILLE):

Gleaming Without Lights (CD)
Getting The Holy Ghost Across (CD)
Return To Jazz Of Lights (CD)
The Alchemical Adventures Of Sailor Bill (CD)
Rosewood Volume 2 (CD)
Rosewood Volume 1 (CD)
Atom Shop (CD)
Crimsworth (CD)
What Now What Next? (2CD)

I’m an Axe Victim: Reconnecting with Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe from MyRareGuitars.com

Bands On Tour with Eastwood Guitars

Mike Robinson — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 13:00:00 +0000

The Gathering (from Holland)

Holland’s The Gathering are in the studio working on their new album this month and sporting a rack full of new Eastwood Guitars. Also, fellow Torontonians Stars, Broken Social Scene and Metric are wrapping up their tours this month featuring their new Eastwood Airline Guitars, as is Maximo Park with Eastwood Airline and Ichiban guitars. Get out there and support live music!

Bands On Tour with Eastwood Guitars from MyRareGuitars.com

Toronto Band Metric On Tour This Month

Mike Robinson — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 13:00:21 +0000

Fellow Torontonians Metric are on the move this month. The tour kicked off with back to back SOLD OUT shows in Toronto this past week. It was a treat to see Jimmy and Josh ripping up the stage with their new Eastwood AIRLINE guitars.

Metric is on tour now!

Tour Dates:

09/28/05 Toronto ON The Phoenix Concert Theatre (all ages – retail info soldout)
09/29/05 Toronto ON The Phoenix Concert Theatre (all ages – retail info soldout)
09/30/05 Ottawa ON Capitol Music Theatre (all ages – retail info)
10/1/05 Montreal ON Club Soda (all ages – soldout)
10/2/05 Boston MA Paradise Rock Club
10/3/05 Providence RI Century Lounge
10/5/05 New York NY Bowery Ballroom
10/6/05 Brooklyn NY Southpaw
10/7/05 Philadelphia PA First Unitarian Church
10/8/05 Washington DC 9:30 Club
10/10/05 Carrboro NC Cat’s Cradle
10/11/05 Atlanta GA The Loft
10/12/05 Birmingham AL Zydeco
10/13/05 Nashville TN Exit/In
10/14/05 Cincinnati OH Top Cats
10/15/05 Cleveland Heights OHGrog Shop
10/17/05 Detroit MI Magic Stick
10/18/05 Chicago IL Empty Bottle
10/19/05 St. Louis MO Creepy Crawl
10/20/05 Lawrence KS The Bottleneck
10/21/05 Omaha NE Sokol Underground
10/22/05 Minneapolis MN Ascot Room @ The Quest
10/23/05 Winnipeg MB Ramada Conference Centre (all ages – retail info)
10/24/05 Saskatoon SK Louis Pub / Univ of Saskatchewan (all ages – retail info)
10/25/05 Edmonton Starlite (all ages – retail info)
10/26/05 Calgary AB MacEwan Hall / Univ of Calgary (all ages – retail info)
10/27/05 Edmonton AB Starlite (all ages – retail info soldout)
10/28/05 Edmonton AB Starlite (18+ soldout)
10/30/05 Vancouver BC The Commodore (afternoon show – all ages – retail info)
10/30/05 Vancouver BC The Commodore (evening – 19+ – retail info)
11/1/05 Seattle WA Crocodile Cafe
11/2/05 Portland OR Doug Fir Lounge
11/3/05 San Francisco CA Slims
11/4/05 Los Angeles CA El Rey Theatre
11/5/05 San Diego CA The Casbah
11/7/05 Tempe AZ Big Fish Pub
11/8/05 Tucson AZ Plush
11/10/05 Austin TX The Parish
11/11/05 Dallas TX Gypsy Tea Room
11/12/05 Houston TX Meridian
11/15/05 Fort Lauderdale FL Culture Room
11/16/05 Tampa FL The Orpheum
11/17/05 Orlando FL The Social
11/18/05 Miami FL Club Revolver
11/25/05 FRANCE Nantes Olympic
11/26/05 FRANCE Angouleme La Nef
11/28/05 FRANCE Paris Trabendo
11/29/05 FRANCE Rennes La Cite
11/30/05 FRANCE Strasbourg Laiterie
12/1/05 FRANCE Evreux Abordage
12/3/05 FRANCE Winterthour Gaswerk

Metric CD

Toronto Band Metric On Tour This Month from MyRareGuitars.com