A Few Years On

It’s magical to hear from clients who have been playing these guitars for a few years. I sometimes feel overwhelmed with gratitude having been able to walk this path in life, connecting with kind, thoughtful, amazing people from around the globe. I deeply appreciate your letters and notes…

Hi Rick,

I just wanted to say hello send a quick note in appreciation of the wonderful instrument you made for me four years ago.  

I have quite a sizable guitar collection, and as I was going through the inventory in search of a downsize, I evaluated all my «babies» and compared them side by side.  I play a lot of different styles all from classic finger style, fusion, prog-rock, ballads, C&W, R&B.  I don’t use a pick, thus the instruments pick-up sensitivity and capacity of modulating sound frequency is important to me.

The Goshawk is a Chameleon. There is virtually no sound drop-off in coil splitting. The tone knob is extremely versatile. And the volume knob is really a gain knob instead of increasing overall volume (that would not be desirable) it just adds more grit. I love that balance point just before it breaks up. I want the tooth to come out, but with a bit of delicious pain first. 

The bird you made stands out in the crowd, and as I played through the bunch of pretty high end guitars made by some of the best luthiers on the planet, I plugged the Goshawk back in time and time again, just to find that it could replicate and surpass pretty much any other guitar, it be a tele, a strat, a whatever.  Adding on superb ergonomics and playability, I am pretty sure this ranks as one of the most desirable guitars on the planet from a player’s perspective. And it made me think, what will I do if anything happens to it?

You’re a living Picasso Luthier, Rick.

I can picture my self in old age, hair and muscles all gone, skin dry and wrinkled, just sitting in the still of the night, noodling on my Goshawk. This bird is not going anywhere without me.

All the best to you and kind regards,

Carl (Norway)

From the snowy forests of Norway to the lush soils of Hawaii — speaking of: Dave Anderson sent me a care package recently including some locally grown single source estate coffee from Kauai. I am enjoying a cup now, which explains why autocorrect is getting a morning workout. Dave also filmed this pretty spectacular review demo of his American Girl Goshawk…

Hey Rick,

I just did this video demo’ing American Girl. Please tell me what you think and if you dislike anything about it I’ll yank it in a Jersey second. The video realm is totally new turf for me, so don’t hold back.

I’m finally getting around to finished wiring of studio things as time allows, then I intend to post some “super-sonic” demos in full audio bandwith, using studio guys that’ll hopefully knock some socks off.

I hope you’re doing well. I LOVE American Girl. Thanks again Paisano!

Aloha,

Dave (Hawaii)

VIDEO: Dave Anderson reviews and demos his “American Girl” Goshawk.

White Pearl Skele

PHOTOS: White Pearl Skele™ is a perfect blend of semi-hollowbody warmth with single coil spank. Classic tones with a completely modern twist. Details on this beautiful instrument include: carbon fiber, mother of pearl, alder, aircraft grade birch. Polished stainless steel frets in state-of-the-art Richlite fretboard. Quartersawn torrefied flame maple neck w/tilt back headstock and luthier’s joint. Advantage™ neck profile including Fretboard Flare™ geometry. Bare Knuckle custom pickups with 10-way switching. Patented & patent pending Pisces™ tremolo precision machined from stainless steel and aircraft aluminum.
VIDEO: Gabriel Levi combines some sweet overdrive with his vocal phrasing on the new patented & patents pending Pisces™ tremolo. Lovely semi-hollowbody tones emerge.
VIDEO: Killick Hinds plays White Pearl Skele™ clean fingerstyle. Warm deep bass notes balanced perfectly with clear treble sweetness.

Killick is channeling broad influences even in this short piece. I hear shades of Jackson Pollock, Brian Eno, and David Lynch in a mesmerizing blend of creativity and spontaneity. Hats off to this moment of brilliance! (@ShinMadero via YouTube)

Gabriel Levi Plays Sketch

VIDEO: Gabriel Levi plays Sketch™ 7-string guitar September 13, 2023. He was kind enough to share his thoughts afterword. Don Barnes filmed the session. Audio: DI re-amped via Fractal Audio FM9. It was wonderful to add Gabriel’s beautiful playing to the register of incredible musicians who have played Sketch over the years.

Gabe!! That guitar is magic and you’re just the right magician! (Chris Buono)

Fabio Mittino | Live+

VIDEO: “Kanashimi” from Fabio Mittino’s latest album: Simple Music for Difficult People, Vol. 4.
VIDEO: “Karakuri” featuring Stealth Acoustic 6-string guitar.

Fabio Mittino continues to record and produce music with exceptional production values and attention to detail. This is an extraordinary achievement for an independent artist creating in an ultra-specific solo electric guitar instrumental niche. Managing writing, recording, touring, travel, video production, and record label responsibilities is a massive project.

Fabio, thank you for all that you do — we see you — we appreciate you!

I love the testimonial (below) from Ahmad Jamal. Increasingly over the past several years, my personal listening time is deeply immersed in jazz recordings from the 1950’s and 1960’s. That was such an astonishing period of musical achievement. The improvisational skill of those musicians is difficult for us to fully comprehend today, because we live in an era where artistic output is shaped primarily in post-production, during the editing process. There was a decade or so when virtuosic playing enmeshed with spontaneous composition, often performed and recorded live: one take, first pass.

Ahmad Jamal was a master in that genre, and I am sad to learn of his passing earlier this year. As the cosmic winds scatter our ashes, may your fingers eternally tickle the celestial ivories, my friend.

PROMO: Catch Fabio Mittino live Sunday, June 25, 2023 at Kennedy Martin Stelle Farmstead, Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

Henry Kaiser Plays Sea Monster

VIDEO: Henry Kaiser Quarterly #1 performance for 2023. Watch from the beginning for some delicious Zappa, or dive directly into “Sea Monster Blues” (solo guitar) beginning at 10:44 — featuring Henry playing Sea Monster amidst a backdrop of Crevalle jack and Bigeye trevally. No fish were harmed in the making of this video.

I really love what Henry Kaiser is doing.

Bringing together friends and featured artists to pre-record a quarterly concert. Players are together in person, or contributing from wherever they may be in the world at the moment. Visual artists adding their skills as well, including Henry’s partner Brandy Gale. Check out her work…synesthete art!

There is such joy of life infusing this entire venture. You can feel the energy of friends reconnecting.

WHAT A GREAT GUITAR
evaluating its functionality just as a “strat” it is an EXCEEDINGLY great strat.  So solid sonically and great for all genres of strat-expressions.

BUT THIS PISCES TREMOLO knocks it out of the park and onto one of the Moons of Mars.
SUPER ULTRA-TERRIFIC
as soon as I finish mastering today
I will have lots of playing time for it and video shoot time
and I will be back with much more feedback (both written and electro-acoustic)

THANK YOU SO MUCH for sending it over (Henry Kaiser)

Deeply grateful to Henry for his friendship and his willingness to invest time exploring Sea Monster. Henry, thank you for all of your video work. Also, thank you Killick and Chris Buono for introducing us. More adventures to follow…