F RONT OF HOUSE
GAYLA DRAKE PAUL
Have No Fear, It’s All Gear
In my olfactory opinion, there’s no scent I’m particularly excited about this issue, our
sweeter or more viscerally engaging than annual acoustic issue, because my lifelong
sawdust with a faint harmonic of nitrocellu- relentless pursuit has been of the acoustic
lose. Nothing sets my pulse racing faster than variety. It started when I was three years old:
a good French polishing. All kidding aside, my folks let me stay up late to watch the
guitars become extensions of a player’s body. Smothers Brothers one night, and I saw a guy
They’re extra appendages that our minds with a guitar—it very well could have been
can use to communicate things that there are Tommy Smothers himself, or Mason Williams,
simply no words for. Maybe that’s why we get or Glen Campbell, I honestly can’t remember.
so attached to them, and our lust for more But I do remember the crux of that moment,
and different guitars can become almost seeing that glorious shining object in some-
frighteningly intense. Bottom line: acoustic body’s hands and knowing from the depth
or electric, tone is tone, and gear is gear… of my heart that my future lay thataway. Dad
lovely, sweet-smelling, shiny gear. came home a few days later with a ukulele
for me, but that didn’t satisfy my need for
For those of you who are scratching your heads steel. As soon as my big brother got his
thinking, Who are you and what are you doing spanking new Gibson J- 45, I was sneaking it
here?, I’m PG’s new Managing Editor. I’ve been from his room, laying it flat on the couch and
writing freelance for PG since 2007, but came wrapping my tiny hands around it, trying to
on board full time in March, and it’s been a play along with records from John Hartford
blast. Having the otherwise unmarketable skill to Loggins and Messina. Besides Big Bird,
set of “guitar player who can write,” it’s a piece Bert and Ernie, there was Doc and Merle—
of luck I sometimes feel I barely deserve. and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
We got an interesting variety of guitars to
review: one from a famous acoustic builder who
has recently started making stunning electrics,
two beauties from two old friends, and one
from the other side of the planet with almost
otherworldly tone. We’re even taking a look at
an acoustic bass guitar, a first in these pages.
As you turn the pages
this month, you’ll find
something of a love
song to acoustic guitars.
You’ll meet five artists
who devote their lives
to making guitars even
more stunning through
the arts of inlay and
marquetry; you’ll meet
Linda Manzer, who has
created some of the
most famous guitars
in the golden era of
lutherie; and you’ll go
with us on a fact-finding
mission to the new fron-
tiers of acoustic tone,
to discover the sonic
opportunities that await
those who aren’t afraid
to try guitars made of
woods they’ve never
heard of and possibly
can’t pronounce. We
also scored some time
with the Ambassador of
Bluegrass, Ricky Skaggs,
and the ever-astounding
Peppino D’Agostino.
Another cause for excitement is getting to
introduce you to some new friends. Jane
Miller joins us this month as a jazz guitar columnist with “The Jazz Box.” She’s been on
the faculty of the guitar program at Berklee
College in Boston for 15 years, and is currently
gigging and recording with her trio, the Jane
Miller Group. We’re excited to welcome her
on board with her first column, “A Bargain
Chord.” Pat Smith has already been generating some buzz for us on premierguitar.com
with his video reviews, in large part because
you are as blown away by his stunning chops
as we are (not to mention his talent for inventing words: transistoriness, anyone?). He’s also
an incredibly knowledgeable fellow regarding
virtually all things guitar, and we’re pleased to
add him to our column rotation with “Eclectic
Guitar.” This month he’s introducing some of
the tricks that made Lenny Breau such a legend. He kindly helped with some of the heavy
lifting for this issue, too, including our seven-deep Soundhole Pickup Roundup.
Check out premierguitar.com for some more
acoustic and electric goodies in June and
July as well, including PG’s exclusive look
at Santa Cruz’s new 1934 D, made from 80
year-old Brazilian rosewood.
Be sure to grab your favorite beverage because
we’ve prepared a feast to whet your acoustic
appetite like never before—and the last thing
we want is for you to dehydrate from drooling.
Gayla Drake Paul
Managing Editor
gayla@premierguitar.com
877.704.4327
