List of great Canadian Guitar Makers/luthiers

August 5, 2010 by Chris

I just thought that I’d make a list of Canadian Guitar Makers or Luthiers. I feel that we, as a guitar playing community, should be aware of who and where these mast craftsmen/women are and most importantly support them! So here is a small list of them that I am aware of.

Toronto Area
http://www.manzer.com/guitars/ Linda Mazner
http://wrenguitarworks.com David Wren (made 3 for Bruce Cockburn)
http://furanguitars.com Furan Guitars Edgar Munch
http://williamlaskin.com/index.php William Laskin

B.C.

http://robertandersonguitars.com/Home.html Robert Anderson
http://richguitars.com/index.html Rich Pielou
http://wrayguitars.ca Wray Guitars

Manitoba

http://mcconnellguitars.com/ Jordan McConnell

Quebec

http://www.saumierguitars.com/english/ Marc Saumier

I know that there are tons of other guitar Luthiers out there that I have obviously missed. If you know of any, please tell and I’d love to check them out and place them in this post!

Chord Inversion site

August 2, 2010 by Chris

I just came across this site called Chordinversion.com that provides you with inversions of chords to compliment the main one that you are playing in a certain song or just for jammin’.

It’s very simple to use and gives you a general overview on how to play your favorite chord in a very unique position on your fretboard. It will make your favorite chord or song a little more exciting trust me.

While figuring out cover songs or working on chord progressions, I’ve always tried playing chords that are normally played at the top of the guitar (or first position) in different locations of the fretboard. These new chord breaths new life into the chord or song. The new chords that I am searching for are known as inversions.

First, I take apart the chord that I am using one note at a time. I then try to figure out where else can I play this one single note at a time in the old chord, in another position. I take that one note and find it an active above it and remember where it is on the fretboard. I then repeat this process to all the other notes in that chord. This is the easiest way to find out another way or inversion to play this chord that I want to use.

Doing so I am finding not only a different way to play the chord but also discovering a more colourful way to play it. I am always striving to find a chord that sounds a little bit more distinctive then the original one. Some of the newer inversions of chords that I have found over the years have produced either more warmer, or sonically different tone to them with overtones that can bring some new perspective to an old chord/song.

Most listeners will be aware of this change. The song that you will be performing will sound the same but you are creating a different way of digesting a song. This new inversion of a familiar chord in a song will make them sit back and take notice of how you play a certain song. It almost forces them to become more aware of what you are playing in front of them while your playing live at a show or just in front of friends.

I’m sure that there are tons of other sites out there more graphic or appealing then Chordinversion.com. If you know of any can you put your two cents worth in here to help others find the best site to meet their chord inversion needs?

Keep on Jammin’

The O-Port for acoustic guitars

July 30, 2010 by Chris

The O-Port for acoustic guitar seems like a interesting product to take a look at. The end result of this item is to enhance and sharpen the sound of ones’ acoustic guitar. The other neat improvement that come with using an O-Port is that it helps conquer feedback when performing live through a PA.

To understand how you can install this accessory on your guitar check out the video below. I found the way he uses the capo to keep the strings in place while taking the strings off is a neat little trick.

I first saw this thing in the July issue of Acoustic Guitar. At first I was skeptical. It comes in 2 sizes and comes in 2 colours, black or ivory. Most of the reviews that I’ve seen online about the O-Port states that it does enhance and adds clarity to your top end as well as the harmonic/sonic tones. The mids of your guitar seem to be brought to the forefront of your sound which I tend to focus on a lot when gigging through a PA.

The only drawback, which I found mentioned only once in my search for product reviews, is how the O-Port affects the bottom/bass end. It appears that it dampens the bass end sound that is created from the top or front of your guitar. See some, but not all, of your bottom levels comes from the vibrations that are created top of a acoustic guitar. The other way is from the sound bouncing around the insides of your guitar that comes out of your sound hole or port.

Sometimes too much bass from the guitar brings on more feedback in weird sized rooms through a PA. Considering that this device is attached directly to the top of your guitar, it makes sense that it would stop the top from vibrating.

This invention would fit into my Larrivee perfectly. The pickups that I use would not be affected at all. If your acoustic guitar uses a side mounted system like a Fishmen Ellipse Blend or something like a L.R. Baggs M1 SERIES – PASSIVE PICKUP, then this one is not for you!

I have to say that I’ve never used or seen the O-Port in action. The effects from this accessory appear to be interesting enough that I entered a contest to win one. If I win one, fingers crossed here, then I’ll tell you all what I think about it! So …

Keep on Jammin’

I’ve heard of Prog Rock but not Frog Rock

July 25, 2010 by Chris

I love discovering new bands that play distinctive forms of music but I just have to wonder what this Frog Rock bands plays?

Any idea’s out there folks? Come on Chris Noto, take a crack at this one! $10 bucks says that you don’t have these guys in your MASSIVE musical collection?

Ok if you do have these guys in your collection Chris, then my question for you is does Counterpoint play any of their tunes? I’d love to hear one of them at your next show.

Keep on Froggin’

Whole Lotta Love going on here

July 17, 2010 by Chris

It Might Get Loud sets the bar for music documentaries.

Director Davis Guggenheim gets together rock guitar gods Jimmy Page, the Edge and Jack White for, in the words of Jimmy Page, a little chat and then something else happens!

The boys just happen to have all their instruments of honour off to the side and then it happens … Jimmy starts playing this little song called Whole Lotta Love. I don’t know if this was planned but this is the first song that is played with all three sitting together, PERFECT I say!

The other guys just melt when he begins playing. The Edge stands up to get a much closer look at how Jimmy does it (holy shit, I sure would) and it looks like Jack starts to smile and shake inside with excitement! He is trying his best not to totally freak out, check it out. This is the best part of the show!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suGVO5t96wI&feature=related

If you haven’t see it then search for it online or go out and buy it, I guarantee you’ll love it. I did. I remember when it first came out I thought that the concept was ideal. Having three generations of guitarists in one movie talking about whatever they want to can’t be all that bad. I didn’t think that they’d actually play but I couldn’t of been more wrong.

Keep on Jammin’

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