“Nice guitar, too bad you’re a communist”

 

Joan Baez’s 1880 Martin guitar… a luthier wrote in reversed hand-written pencil the above mentioned message.

Tools of the trade - Don McLean’s Martin 000-28 (1929)

 

Don McLean and the 1929 000-28.

On all of his early 70's albums and for his live work, Don McLean played a 1929 000-28. It remains one of the greatest guitars I have ever heard. He actually had a1928 as well, but the '29 was the standout. Martin made 48 in 1928 and 82 in 1929. Like all the 000's of this period, they were long scale and braced for steel. Most had no pickguard but many of them sport a later one. In late 1929 Martin offered a pickguard as optional. The guitar in photo 1 is a 1929 with original pickguard. Photo 2 shows him onstage with the guitar. If you want to hear him at his height with the guitar in question, the album to get is "Solo",  Photo 3, from 1973. Here, the guitar is superbly recorded and the sound will blow you away. There is also an old film recorded in Ireland, in which he is playing the guitar. Link below. I have also given a link For Homeless Brother from the "Solo" album as a teaser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n_vqwRCI34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwmxywuopVY

Monk 💫

 

Thelonious Monk by Martel Chapman

💫

RIP for Lady Marianne Faithfull 💔

 

Kaspar Tieffenbrucker (1514/1571) - the father of modern violin making 💫

 

Gaspar Duiffoprugcar (1514–1571): The Father of Modern Violin Making

Gaspar Duiffoprugcar, also known as Kaspar Tieffenbrucker, was a luthier of German origin who worked in France during the 16th century. He is often credited with laying the foundation for modern violin-making. Although his contributions are surrounded by some myths and uncertainties, Duiffoprugcar remains a significant figure in the history of stringed instrument construction.

BIOGRAPHY

Born: 1514, Füssen, Bavaria, Germany.

His surname, Duiffoprugcar, is a French adaptation of his original German name, Tieffenbrucker.

The Tieffenbrucker family was renowned for their expertise in making lutes, viols, and other stringed instruments.

He moved to Lyon, France, where he gained prominence as a luthier.

He is believed to have worked on refining the design of bowed string instruments, particularly violins.

His instruments were highly regarded for their craftsmanship and sound quality.

Death: 1571, Lyon, France.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO INSTRUMENT MAKING

Violin Making: Duiffoprugcar is often credited as one of the pioneers of the modern violin.

While it is debated whether he invented the violin or simply improved its design, his instruments likely played a role in transitioning from the viol to the violin family as we know it today.

His violins were reputed for their rich tonal quality and innovative construction.

Lutes and Viols: Apart from violins, Duiffoprugcar also crafted high-quality lutes and viols, which were the most popular stringed instruments of the Renaissance period.

Aesthetic Innovations:His instruments were known for their elaborate decoration, often featuring intricate carvings, inlays, and designs inspired by Renaissance art.

Some of his works included personalized coats of arms, floral patterns, and portraits.

LEGACY AND HISTORICAL CONTROVERSIES

Historical Debate: Some scholars argue that Duiffoprugcar’s association with the invention of the violin is more myth than fact. The violin's development is believed to have occurred over time, influenced by several luthiers across Europe, including Andrea Amati of Cremona, who is often considered the father of the modern violin.

Artistic Recognition: Duiffoprugcar’s name became legendary in the 19th century when French luthier Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume created a series of violins falsely attributed to Duiffoprugcar. These instruments, known as "Duiffoprugcar violins," featured ornate Renaissance-style decoration, perpetuating his legacy as a master luthier.

Influence on Future Luthiers: Regardless of the myths, Duiffoprugcar remains an important figure in the history of stringed instruments. His craftsmanship inspired subsequent generations of violin makers, and his name is associated with the artistic and technical evolution of the violin.

SIGNIFICANCE

Gaspar Duiffoprugcar symbolizes the transitional period in stringed instrument making, blending the traditions of medieval craftsmanship with the innovations of the Renaissance. While his exact role in the development of the violin remains debated, his reputation as a master craftsman endures, representing the artistry and ingenuity of early lutherie.

When a picture is able to change your life 💫

 

Exactly what happened to me with this precious pix from back cover of Ralph Towner’s Solo Concert on ECM: I learned more - as a recordist - from this picture than from any book about recording techniques 💫💎🙏💫 - the Neumann USM-69 and U67s became my dream rig for acoustic guitar recordings which I’ve been using for 40+ years, now 💎

Holger Czukay and Studio fuer Elektronische Musik, Köln

 

Look at those Telefunken T9 and M5 and the impressive tape-looping layout 💫

Joan Baez and her ‘29 Martin 0-45 💫

 

Opposed to the onanistic, over/ever-worried approach about vintage guitars - always in a vault, humidity-controlled - Joanie was simply enjoying the moment 💫

The 1929 0-45 and Joanie on the beach 🏖️ 

Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert & Vera Brandes, the 18 years old impresario who changed the music 💫

 

The movie about the making of Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert 💫

https://variety.com/2025/film/global/vera-brandes-keith-jarrett-berlinale-1236278501/

Vera Brandes, today 💫

Tonelux JC37 tube microphone 💫

 

The Tonelux JC37 is the product of an endeavor by legendary engineer/producer, Joe Chiccarelli to create a present-day production microphone having the utility and singular sonic characteristics of the Sony C37a mics, manufactured in mid 20thcentury.

Retaining the base elements of the original design – a vacuum tube buffered 37mm single diaphragm transducer with transformer output, the JC37 foregoes selectors for pattern, frequency response, output impedance and level of the original in favor of a cleaner signal path.

As with the mic stand mount, a three meter cable is integrated into the body of the mic and connects to a Tonelux Universal Microphone Power Supply that is capable of powering two microphones as a stereo setup. Consideration to this is reflected in the carrying case, which holds two microphones along with the PSU.

In order to provide today’s recording engineer with the sonic attributes of the original design, extraordinary care was taken to determine each contributing element in the signal path, as well as physical construction such as the head grill, etc. Listening tests throughout have been conducted at the legendary Sunset Sound Studios with access to their collection of C37a mics.

The JC37, presently in manufacture is the first in the line of Tonelux branded mics – along with a solid state BC37 currently in development.

Specifications

Type: Side address vacuum tube condenser microphone

Pickup pattern: Cardioid

Frequency response: 30Hz – 20kHz

Output sensitivity: 2mV/Pa

Signal to noise: 68dB

Output impedance: 200 ohm

Max SPL: 140dB

Tube Type: JAN-GE5654W

His excellency knows 😉

 

Don Van Vliet on paper

 

Big Bill Broonzy

 

A seldom seen autograph of a blues legend 💫

The Köln Concert. 50 years today. 💫

 

Happy birthday to a masterpiece 💎

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Keith Jarrett's legendary

*Köln Concert*, an album celebrated for its emotional depth and artistic brilliance. Originally recorded live on January 24, 1975, at the Cologne Opera House in West Germany, the performance was captured by ECM Records engineer Martin Wieland using a pair of **Neumann U 67 vacuum-tube powered condenser microphones** and a **Telefunken M-5 portable tape machine.** .

💫💎💫

Coming soon 💫

 

List of content:

The definitive JR’s collection 💫

Jeff’s 💎 at Christie’s

 

Jeff Beck’s heavily modified 1954 black Les Paul just sold at auction for $1,047,000 USD.

Tools of the trade - Neil Young’s Old Black 💫

 

I already wrote about this guitar, but here are some more infos not to be missed.

Old Black is the name given to the main electric guitar used by rock musician Neil Young. Most of Young's electric guitar parts were recorded on "Old Black," though some were played on Gretsch White Falcons or on an orange Gretsch Chet Atkins. Young acquired Old Black in 1969 through a trade with one-time Buffalo Springfield collaborator Jim Messina, who received one of Young's orange Gretsch guitars (Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins) in exchange.

Appearance and customization.....

Old Black is a 1953 (or possibly a 1952, age unknown ) Gibson Les Paul Goldtop painted black. It has been customized quite considerably. After the guitar had been left at a guitar repair store, the original bridge pickup was replaced by a Gretsch Dynasonic single-coil pickup. Eventually a humbucker pickup from a Gibson Firebird guitar replaced the Dynasonic. The neck pickup has always been the original P-90 pickup, but it is covered by a hand fitted aluminum P-90 cover. The guitar was roughly resprayed to jet black, and received a new Tune-o-matic bridge (not available when the guitar was produced) and a B-7 model Bigsby vibrato tailpiece. It would presumably also have had a white plastic pickguard at some point, as was standard on 1953 Goldtops. Old Black is notable for its metal hardware, including an aluminum backing plates. The pick guard is chrome-on-brass/bronze. The tuners have been replaced with Schaller M-6 tuning keys, and the rest of the hardware is mostly nickel-plated. The headstock displays a partially painted-over mother-of-pearl inlay, sometimes referred to as a "wheat stack", rather than the typical "Les Paul Model" silk screened logo, along with single-ply binding around the headstock, although it has fallen off.

Condition.....

Old Black has seen considerable wear and tear, with most of the black paint removed from the mahogany neck. A white maple type binding extends down the back of the guitar neck but it has been pulled off from the body, resulting in the removal of a jagged strip of body wood down the back. An additional round aluminum access plate is present on the back of Old Black, approximately underneath the bridge, the purpose of which is unknown, but possibly for the mini toggle switch before the Bigsby vibrato arm was fitted.

Other modifications.....

Old Black has also been customized with a small toggle switch in the front of the guitar, between original pickup volume and tone adjustment knobs. This switch is not a coil tap, as would commonly be assumed, but rather is a switch that allows Young to bypass the potentiometers and capacitors and send his sound directly to his amplifier (a late-1950s Fender Deluxe).

Additional modifications from the original factory condition include the addition of a Firebird pickup installed in the bridge position (not just a covered P-90 as once thought), a metal truss rod plate, and a screw-fender washer combination replacing the standard strap knobs. Old Black has rarely been seen without Neil Young's famous peace symbol and dove guitar strap, which has also seen modifications over the years—most notably, its attachment to a Levy's wide guitar strap.

Most of Young's electric guitar parts have been recorded on Old Black (with the notable exception of The Ditch Trilogy) though some were played on Gretsch White Falcons and Nashvilles, as well as Fender Telecasters, a Gibson Flying V and other, newer Goldtops.

My kinda house

 

Dorie Jackson - Stupid Says Run (2025)

 

DNA isn’t water 💫

Former VdGG sax man David Jackson appears on his daughter Dorie Jackson's brand new solo album, 'Stupid Says Run', which is out now through Talking Elephant Records.

A wonderful album mixing rock, folk and prog with some orchestral backing (courtesy of her bandmates in Kaprekar's Constant). Storytelling narrative is evident throughout as topics as diverse as insomnia, folklore, myths and legends sit happily alongside tales of historical endeavours, cover-ups, dirty dealing and even the Boer War. David appears throughout adding flutes, horns, and whistles. 

"The Daylight Gate," a haunting, quite beautiful song from the album, is included in the comments below.

Order here! https://www.talkingelephant.co.uk/product/stupid-says-run/

My kinda house

 

Moebius 💫

 

Guitar-dueting in a dystopian future 💫

“When one door closes, a gate opens”

 

The above anonymous sentence, so full of optimism, seems to faithfully accompany myself from my youth: have several examples which I won’t quote to don’t annoy you…

In my future plans for my new studio, the mighty Elodis TGE horn-subwoofers with their imposing size and weight will be possibly sold to a younger/stronger owner able to handle its 280 kg so to enjoy their 35Hz +/- 0,5 db and 109 db/w/m sensitivity.

As it’s quite evident, the reason for such a radical change is mostly logistical (the weight and bulkiness), not a sonic choice… but, maybe the hidden reason is also deeper than this: I love exploring and experimenting and the previous “Gotorama” was a bespoke, “closed “ project.

*********

Slam! (The door closes)

Scrieeeeck!! (The gate opens)

🫣

45 kg worth, each 😳

Will use two Goto SG146LD bass-drivers in a straight horn, one per-side: sure I’ll not reach 35 Hz, BUT… I’ll get an amazing clarity and speed which I so much appreciated years ago in Köln at my pal Rheinard Huttenberg’s place. Have a look here, folks.

… and life goes on with new adventures and experiences…

All fun!

RIP for David Lynch

 

‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole’

🌸