~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Acoustic Guitar Wire

From Acoustic Guitar Magazine
www.acousticguitar.com

February 2004 Issue 25

This issue is sponsored by Acoustic Pro Musician
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Welcome to the Acoustic Guitar Wire
2. Acoustic Pro Musician
3. Garrison G-50-CE Giveaway
4. Acoustic Guitar Sails Again!
5. New at Acoustic Guitar Central
6. Win a Rosa Passos-Ron Carter CD
7. News and Notes
8. Pinpointing Tone
9. On the Web: Folkalley.com and TVFolk.net
10. Highlights from Upcoming Issues of Acoustic Guitar
11. Try a FREE Issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine
12. Great Books from String Letter Publishing
13. Win a Free CD!
14. Waiting for the Electrician
15. AG Wire Archives
16. Contact and Unsubscribe Info

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WELCOME TO THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR WIRE NO. 25

As Merle Haggard sang, "If we make it through December we'll
be fine." Well, we've made it through January too, and the
editors of Acoustic Guitar magazine are happy to bring you
the latest acoustic music news, special offers, giveaways,
helpful tips, and information about new releases from String
Letter Publishing in this edition of AG Wire.

This newsletter is best viewed in 10-point Courier. Our
hyperlinks are formatted to be "hot" in most email programs.
If your software doesn't support click-through linking from
email, just cut and paste the URLs into your Web browser.
Please note: some email programs have problems reading URLs
that wrap onto a second line. You may have to cut and paste
the wrapped portion of the URL into your Web browser in
order for the URL to work properly.

If you have received a forwarded copy of this newsletter and
would like to subscribe, fill out our online form:
http://www.acousticguitar.com/agwire/entry.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACOUSTIC PRO MUSICIAN

Dear Fellow Guitar Player,
At Acoustic Pro Musician, you will find guitars by well-
known luthiers such as Goodall, Collings, Ryan, Petros,
Tobias and others. Danny will also work with you on your own
custom guitar. Owning a hand-made custom guitar is the
ultimate in satisfaction. Handmade is not out of your reach.
New instruments are coming in at all times so, check our
website or call Danny often.All guitars come with custom
cases, $200 of guitar accessories, and free shipping.
Playing for an audience of One,Danny Brevard
Acoustic Pro Musician
Corporate Office:(800)658-1167
dbrevard@lcc.net
http://www.acousticpromusician.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ENTER TO WIN A GARRISON G-50-CE GUITAR

One lucky grand prize winner will become the proud owner of
the flagship of the Garrison guitar line, the G-50-CE, with
solid spruce top, East Indian rosewood back and sides, and
mahogany neck, plus hardshell case, Planet Waves Humidity
Control Sensor, Fishman Prefix electronics, Buzz Feiten
Tuning System, and more--a total retail value of more than
$1,499.00.

Second prize is a similarly equipped Garrison G-35-CE in a
prize package worth over $1,139.00.

To enter the contest and see the grand prize package, go to
http://www.acousticguitar.com/giveaway2/ag133garrison/ag133_
garrisongive.html

To meet some of our previous giveaway winners, go to
http://acousticguitar.com/giveaway2/winners/index.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACOUSTIC GUITAR SAILS AGAIN!

The second annual Acoustic Guitar Cruise is on. Join
publisher David A. Lusterman, editor Scott Nygaard,
fingerstyle ace Peppino D'Agostino, Taylor Guitars founder
Bob Taylor, guitar wizard Happy Traum, singer-songwriter
Wendy Waldman, and scores of your peers on the luxurious
Holland America Line's ms Zuiderdam as it sails the eastern
Caribbean, Oct. 23-30. Find out more at
http://www.acousticguitarcruise.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW AT ACOUSTIC GUITAR CENTRAL
http://www.acousticguitar.com

Check out all the authentic Acoustic Guitar apparel
(including sweatshirts, T-shirts in several styles, and
caps) and accessories (travel tumblers, duffle bags, and
more) at the Acoustic Guitar Online Store. We're still
offering a free designer key chain/bottle opener with any
$30 purchase. Fingertip shopping at
http://www.acousticguitaronlinestore.com

Learn the basics of Irish song accompaniment from Danny
Carnahan as he guides you through his arrangement of the
traditional "Rosemary Fair," a Private Lesson from the March
issue of Acoustic Guitar. Find it online at
http://acousticguitar.com/lessons/Irish_Accomp/1.shtml
Find lots more great lessons at
http://www.acousticguitar.com/lessons/lessons.shtml

The March issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine arrived on
newsstands February 3. Read these excerpts online now:

-- John Mayer talks to Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers about his pop
success, his beginnings as a blues-rock shredder, and the
power of sophisticated chord structures.

-- Reviews of new CDs by the Celtic band Danu, swing
revivalists Pearl Django, Brazilian guitarist Romero
Lubambo's Trio Da Paz, singer-songwriter Kate Campbell, jazz
guitarist Fred Fried, and more.

The March issue also includes Teja Gerken's survey of new
developments in "Archtop Architecture"; David Hamburger's
interview with British guitar virtuoso Martin Simpson;
profiles of avant-garde guitarist Elliott Sharp, singer-
songwriter Noe Venable, and country singer Shelby Lynne;
performance tips; amplifier reviews; four pieces of music to
learn and play; and lots more.
http://www.acousticguitar.com

Acoustic Guitar magazine subscribers, now you can take care
of all your subscription needs online. Our website has been
upgraded to include easy access to your personal account.
You can pay your bill, renew, give a gift, and change your
address all online. And of course, new subscribers can sign
up online, too. Save yourself time and hassle by coming on
over to http://www.acousticguitar.com/Subs/index.html

Get more every month when you subscribe to Acoustic Guitar
magazine. Get a FREE preview issue today.
https://subscribe.pcspublink.com/subscribeFormGeneric.asp?tr
ack=JG073B&pub=GUIT&term=12
or call toll-free (800) 827-6837.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TALK IT UP AND WIN THE NEW CD BY ROSA PASSOS AND RON CARTER!

You can always find lively, opinionated, and informative
discussion about guitars, players, and acoustic music at
Guitar Talk, home of the online discussion forums at
Acoustic Guitar Central. Chat about Gear, Players, Playing
Guitar, and more, and check up on and post your own events
in the Gigs, Workshops, and Gatherings forum.

And when you register to participate, you automatically get
a chance to win 'Entre Amigos,' the new Chesky Records CD by
legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter and Brazilian singer Rosa
Passos.

Get the details when you sign up today at
http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEWS AND NOTES

Guitarists John Stowell, Russell Malone, and Jerry Hahn
share the bill with Slide Hampton,Paquito D'Rivera, Jane
Monheit, and others at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival,
February 25-28,at the University of Idaho, Moscow. Get
details at
http://www.jazz.uidaho.edu

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has released Night
Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1970,
a two-CD set of classic and rare tracks by such artists as
Etta James, Joe Tex, Arthur Alexander, the Prisonaires, and
Kid King’s Combo. The release complements the museum’s Night
Train to Nashville exhibit, which opens in March.
http://www.halloffame.org

As spring rolls around, if you find yourself in the vicinity
of Paris--Texas, that is, check out the Red River Valley
Bluegrass Club's Spring Break in Paris Bluegrass Festival,
March 19-20, featuring the James King Band, Lost Highway,
and others.
http://www.redrivervalley.iwebland.com

The nuts and bolts of planning and developing your music
career--from recording demos and maximizing touring to
sussing out industry politics and corporate labyrinths--is
covered by former Rykodisc president George Howard in his
new book 'Getting Signed! An Insider's Guide to the
Recording Industry' (Berklee Press).
http://www.berkleepress.com

Wondering what that 1951 Gretsch Constellation is worth?
Look it up in the eighth edition of the 'Blue Book of
Acoustic Guitars' (Blue Book Publications) The 592-page
resource, which includes manufacturer and luthier contact
information, is also available on CD-ROM.
http://www.bluebookinc.com

For more news and events, check out our online listings:
http://www.acousticguitar.com/issues/ag135/happs135.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PINPOINTING TONE

AG reader Alan Deeter of Atlanta, Georgia wonders about
advertised claims that bridge pins can improve a guitar's
tone. Luthier Charlie Hoffman offers this explanation:

The impact of bridge pins on the tone of a guitar is a
complex and (moderately) controversial question. Many
elements go into creating tone. Most builders believe that
the top--and all of its myriad elements, including the wood,
thickness, design, and sizing of the bracing, bridge, and
saddle--is the most important part of the guitar for tone
production. Since the bridge pins are part of the top, they
do have some, probably minor, impact on tone. How does this
work? The bridge pin is located at the point where the
energy of the string is transferred to the top. What the pin
should do, ideally, is impede that transfer of energy as
little as possible. So it seems logical that, within limits,
a harder, denser material such as bone or ivory will
transmit the energy better than a soft, malleable material
such as plastic. The real question should be, how will this
affect your guitar's tone? The only way to find out is by
testing. Put on a new set of strings and your present pins.
Play the guitar for a few minutes. Then try a different kind
of pins, perhaps ebony or bone, something that will not
break the bank. If you do notice an improvement in tone, you
might then try one of the really fancy pins such as fossil
ivory. Bottom line: trust your own ear.

Get more tips, advice, and answers to questions about
guitars, gear, and history by visiting the Q&A section at
http://www.acousticguitar.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ON THE WEB

Kent State University's radio station, WKSU, has launched
Folk Alley, streaming traditional and contemporary folk
music 24 hours a day. The site also includes host/station
announcer Jim Blum's weblog, music news updates, reviews,
and a listener feedback forum.
http://www.folkalley.com

An Internet connection and a Quicktime player are all you
need to catch up on the latest videos of northern European
folk music--333 and growing, including groups like Väsen and
Värttinä--at TVFolk.net.
http://www.tvfolk.net

Get more every month when you subscribe to Acoustic Guitar.
Get a FREE preview issue today!
https://subscribe.pcspublink.com/subscribeFormGeneric.asp?tr
ack=JG073B&pub=GUIT&term=12
or call toll-free (800) 827-6837.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HIGHLIGHTS FROM UPCOMING ISSUES OF ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE

Our April issue, which hits newsstands March 9, will
include:

-- A cover-story interview with Rickie Lee Jones.

-- A look at digital modeling and new developments in the
technology of amplifying acoustic guitars.

-- Our annual guide to summer guitar workshops and camps.

-- Profiles of fado star Mariza, country singer-songwriter
Darrel Scott, and luthier William Cumpiano.

-- Lessons in fiddle tune flatpicking and banjo-style
fingerstyle playing.

In the May issue we interview blues artist Corey Harris and
singer-songwriters Jonatha Brooke and Sarah MacLachlan;
Michael John Simmons tells the story of Taylor guitars; and
we profile avant-garde jazz and rock guitarist Nels Cline,
and gypsy jazz stylist Joscho Stephan.

Don't miss out on any of these great features! Subscribe to
Acoustic Guitar today. Sign up online and get a FREE preview
issue
https://subscribe.pcspublink.com/subscribeFormGeneric.asp?tr
ack=JG073B&pub=GUIT&term=12
or call toll-free (800) 827-6837.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUBSCRIBE TO ACOUSTIC GUITAR

Would you like to preview a complimentary issue of Acoustic
Guitar? To send for your FREE TRIAL ISSUE, just click the
link below. If you like it and decide to continue, pay just
$29.95 for 12 issues and save 50% off the cover price. If
for any reason you decide not to continue, simply write
"Cancel" on the invoice and owe nothing. The FREE TRIAL
ISSUE is yours to keep, no matter what.

Get a FREE preview issue today!
https://subscribe.pcspublink.com/subscribeFormGeneric.asp?tr
ack=JG073B&pub=GUIT&term=12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOW AVAILABLE FROM STRING LETTER PUBLISHING

The String Letter Publishing online store now offers books
and videos by and about musicians featured in AG. New titles
include Lyle Lovett's 'Pontiac,' 'Rory Block Teaches
Classics of Country Blues Guitar,' and 'Best of Dave
Matthews Band for Easy Guitar.' Peruse these selections and
more at
http://www.stringletter.com/index.asp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WIN A FREE CD!

Humor us--and win! We're giving away a free CD of acoustic
guitar music to the contributor of the best music joke or
gig story each month. To enter, simply send your favorite
music joke or anecdote about a gig from hell to
mailto:jokes@stringletter.com. Be sure to include a mailing
address in case you win. We'll award a new prize with each
edition.

This month's winner is Tony Rairden of Louisville, Kentucky,
who put a wry spin on an old joke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WAITING FOR THE ELECTRICIAN

Q: How many luthiers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Just one, but you have to wait at least six months to a
year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AG WIRE ARCHIVES

Back issues of the AG Wire are available online at:
http://www.acousticguitar.com/wire_archive/index.shtml

To subscribe to the AG Wire, go to
http://www.acousticguitar.com/wire_archive/index.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Send news, comments, and requests:
mailto:agwire@stringletter.com
Copyright (c) 2003 String Letter Publishing. All Rights
Reserved. You are welcome to forward this email to your
friends. Other reproduction in whole or in part in any form
or medium without express written permission of String
Letter Publishing is prohibited. Acoustic Guitar Wire and
the respective logos are trademarks of String Letter
Publishing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~