Okay, here we go again. Tenors tenors tenors..... Selmer Balanced Action, Buescher Aristocrat, Conn New Wonder and Conn 10M

Ugh. This has gotta stop. Writing always helps me process. So that's what I'll do with my time tonight.

Pictured from left to right:

1921 Conn New Wonder
1938 Buescher Aristocrat
1943 Conn 10M
1937 Selmer Balanced Action:

I'll talk about them in that order.

Conn New Wonder. I played one of these exclusively for about a decade. So I always like to have one around even if it's not terribly useful to me. It's kind of my standard. Out of the 4 it's the most fun to play, and well, the oldest sounding tenor I have. It's quite spread. If I go from the 10M to this horn the New Wonder sounds 'tinny'. But that's merely a perception. Once my ears get used to it, this is a big and full sounding horn. It responds well, very fast, and of course fills the room nicely without stepping on anyones toes. That's what I like about these old New Wonders. Listen to an old Billie Holiday recording with Lester Young blowing behind her. His sound fills the record yet somehow never gets in her way. It's plain haunting. I've done this with one of these, my old 1928 model and another 1921 horn I had years ago. Intonation is quite good on these old Conns. Surprisingly good for a near 100 year old horn. I do find the high end goes sharp a bit so I tend to play with a loose embouchure. But certainly easier than other horns I've played costing much more.

Conn made a lot of these horns so they are easily available.

Sound wise I find these to be plain beautiful. They don't fall apart when pushed, they just get bigger. This horn has small flat metal resonators. The guy who overhauled it wanted to mimic the Conn Reso-pads. Good thing to do in my opinion. Better than getting actual reso-pads. Just get something with the same style resonators. Not that it makes much difference in the end. More on this opinion later.

What's not to love?

This wouldn't be my first choice for studio work if I'm playing with someone else. I use an Otto Link Early Babbit Super Tonemaster #7 and a simple Rico orange box #3. I did a session this summer in Vermont with this horn and it actually did great. The other musicians loved the tone I got. So really, any of these four horns I can make work, but I'd rather use any of the other 3 for that. I've done some free sessions with this horn and find it blends quite well. I actually love the sound with flute and trumpet. Room filling but never gets in the way. So why the studio work comment? It really does have this old world sound. It's very personal to me. I loved and struggled with one of these for years. My own music I was 90% happy. Other peoples music I was 40% happy. Subjective? Of course. Your experience may be totally different.

Next, 1937 Buescher Aristocrat:

These were my next obsession. I had 2 this year that I sold and it didn't take long for me to regret it. I just got this one from JW Sax in Massachusetts. It's a killer. The neck isn't original, it's from an Elkhart Band Instrument company horn from an unknown time. I had a terrible looking Aristocrat with the same neck for a while. I feel these necks are even punchier then the original, as it these horns need more guts! This one is set up with those Noyek "waffle" resonators. The kind some horn techs like to promote. Some say it "distorts" the sound, some say it brightens the sound. Bullshit. This is the darkest Aristocrat I've owned by far. My brightest had Selmer Nylon resonators. 

I love these horns. They're smooth like velvet and out of the lot, this is by far the warmest. But it's also the nastiest when pushed. The lacquer on this horn is original. Very nice to look at even though this horn has been through some battle zones. 

These have by far my favorite engraving. And looks matter. But more importantly, I feel a bit more special playing on one cause, well, so few people play these. Ike Quebec, and Sonny Rollins played a Big B version with the same size bell. Wayne Shorter played a 30's Bundy like this. 

Intonation is great. The second best of the lot. It can go a bit sharp upstairs but it's not nearly as wild as the New Wonder. These horns cut as well. I don't find it as room filling as the New Wonder, but it's not what I consider 'laser like' focus as you see others say so often. The high end is wider that my 10M and I  love that. The low end is like that 'iron fist in a velvet glove' thing. People look at the bell and say "focused" or "compact, but I wonder how many folks have played these. You can't just lok at the bell, it's the whole picture: neck, tone hole size, bore. This is a true large bore sax. I played a Rampone recently and felt it had a kinship. Like that Rampone I find these have a big ass sound and I like the resistance. I find these to be the most flexible tonally. I can mimic a flute, bassoon, human voice or a disgusting blues saxophonist on a dime. 

I've gotten more compliments from players and non players alike on this model than any other. The first time I A/B'd one of these it looked funny with that smallish bell flare. My friend and I put it up against his 2 SML tenors, his Mk6 and a 1948 10M I had and another New Wonder. The Buescher just sat in the room better then the SML and Conn horns. It seemed louder than even the giant bell SML! The only horn that out-projected it was my friends admittedly not great 1957 Mk6. That horn was louder, but the Buescher sounded better to our ears.

So I'll keep this one around. The New Wonder is my old standard, then I played one of these for about 6 years and, well, it's my new standard. 

I used it on a gig last night after I got it in the mail 3 hours before. Felt like coming home to a sweet potato pie and good coffee.

Next, my trusty 1943 Conn 10M:

 

I was obsessed over these horns for years. A guy who worked next door to me bought one for $200 back in about 1999 and I tried to buy it off him. He never did anything with it, poor horn is probably still in it's case. A good horn is just a tool after all, and should be in service.

That's all this is: just a damned good horn. The tone doesn't compel me nearly as much as my Buescher, but when I need a solid, in tune, big sounding reliable tenor with the best action of the lot (yes, I think these have the best key work ever made. It's almost too fast!) then I grab this one. I had a King Zephyr once on a soul session I did. I also had a '41 10M in the car that I was taking back to my tech after he overhauled it but didn't chem clean it. The horn had some old Jazzers years of cigarette smoke in it and I gagged when trying to play it! I did play one line on it and the guy producing the session had me re-do everything on the 10M. I suffered! The Zephyr went bye bye. 

This one is set up with nylon resonators. Plenty of cut and top end for me. It's not as complex or compelling of a sound, but has a big dark fundamental. I have a rubber Warburton piece I used that really spices this horn up for me. It spreads the sound out nicely, better than my faithful Otto Link. 

I don't feel as connected to this horn as I do the other 2. It's almost like it's so good that I don't care about it as much. Not unusual for me, I have a classical guitar that is worth $10k-$20k and a student model worth $1k. I spend more time on the student model and I just love that guitar. But I won't be selling the expensive one anytime soon as it is heavenly. I'd just feel more bummed if I sold my beloved student one. 

I play sax stuff on this horn. When I need a sax I reach for this. The first 2 I play me. On my guitars I love to play classical on that expensive one, I play classical and everything else on my cheaper one. I play me......

And the one that most of you clicked on to see, my Selmer Balanced Action:

Always wanted one. I had this overhauled by Kim Bock at KB Sax. He did an amazing job. I had him put those brass reusable Resotech resonators in it. I'm 6 months into it now and here are my impressions:

It really has a lovely voice. The high end is the best of all of these and there is a richness to the bell keys that I've never found better. I like the key work but I like the 10M better honestly. 

Ultimately I always sound like me no matter what. But funny enough, the 10M and this horn have such a similar color to the sound. They are really close when I play them. The New Wonder and Aristocrat venture into different sonic territories but this sounds like a great saxophone. If I wanted to be a jazz player this would be the horn no doubt. Followed by the 10M.

This horn has taught me a bit about my favorite Selmer players. It requires me to play so differently just to get what I want from it. For starters:

Intonation.... It's the trickiest of the lot. I've read over and over the bell keys are sharp on these, that the bell or bow was too short, but that is a part of the sound. It sounds the most modern of the lot for sure, I played a Yanagisawa T4, my friends Grassi, and some newer Selmers and yes, the inspiration starts here. Very voluptuous low end, rich and vocal like throughout. But with regards to intonation here's my experience on this horn:

Put a digital tuner to it and I find the bell keys spot on! Play a scale on up to the top at moderate volume and it stays together. But push the thing and, well, the bell keys are still spot on and the rest of the horn goes flat!

This is not to say the horn is flawed. I've asked friends who love these and I've experimented as well. I need a firm embouchure when playing my high notes, not loose like my American horns. As my friend Lathan says: firm yet supple.

With attention, work (lots of work) I can do it. It's a matter of do I want to work hard or just enjoy myself at this point (I turned 50 this summer!). I did 2 sessions this summer on the Selmer and realized how much work I'd need to do just to get it right. They weren't that fun for me. I don't like fighting my gear. Life is too short. 

Live I think this horn probably cuts the best. I get it. There is a reason why they have such a loyal following. This may actually be the loudest horn I've ever owned. And while I don't like the Mk6 feel myself, these are unbeatable. Well, maybe the Super Balanced beats them in the feel department. 

Then there is the money part. This horn cost more dough than the other 3 combined and that was pre-overhaul! Fortunately Kim and I did a work trade on the overhaul, I revived a Selmer Varitone amp and re-wired the matching Mk6 horn for him. 

I do like this horn, but I think I like the money more than the horn. When it was in his shop a fine player tried it and fell in love with it. So maybe it needs to go to that person who knows how to work it. This is the horn I grab last cause I don't have as much fun with the thing. On the other hand, give me more time with it and maybe it'll change me for the better? I can see that.

Nah, eff it. Give me the cash!

So there you have it. There are so many great options out there. I do hope any readers find this article fun and useful. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section. 

-J

So how does plating affect the sound of my saxophone?

Ok. Rather than use this bit of blog to come to any conclusions, I'll just share my own experience with it all. It's a point people seem to obsess over so maybe this will be helpful to those on this journey.

I started playing saxophone about 21 years ago. My first horn was an old Holton Collegiate. Since then I've owned way too many horns, never settling or becoming too attached to any of them. But the one model I've had the most experience with is the famous Conn Chu Berry from the 1920's. There were 2 that lasted the longest, one was a silver New Wonder series one from 1921, the other was a 1928 model in bare brass and for about a year I had a gold plated portrait model from 1928 that was about 25 numbers away from my brass one.

The bare brass model I played for about 9 years. I don't regret selling it, I do miss my 1921 model, that was a great horn.

So for the sake of not confusing this I'll focus on these 3, or really the 1928 models cause they had the same bore, neck etc. The early ones were different.

So my main tenor, the brass 1928 model I fought a lot. It was rather spread and had a kind of dry sound. I did all manner of experiments on it, reading SOTW more than practicing and at the end of the day it simply wasn't the right horn for me.

One of those experiments was to nickel plate the neck. Something like 5 platings. I had this done for a whopping $35 at Anderson plating. The idea was to give it more 'focus' through adding weight and 'cold it up' a bit by using nickel. When I was researching this I asked a lot of folks, Sarge at Worldwide Sax was one of them. He was generous with his emailing back and forth. He said the only plating that makes an even minor difference is nickel. And he stressed minor.....

So I got it back. It looked nice, mirror like. I had my tech cork it and pad it up and wow! We both heard the difference. More focus, a bit darker and colder. Yes!! Success!!

6 months later I was still trying to solve the same problem. I've come to determine the actual problem is most likely not accepting my own sound.

So one day I tried out a gold plated, super fancy King alto from the 20's. The sound was bright, wild, fantastic, aggressive! So I got this in my head that gold is the answer to my problems. I ordered a gold plated Chu from about 1926 from Saxquest. Dull as dishwater...... I played a few more, meh.....
I even played another King alto in gold from the 20's. Nothing like that fancy one.

It's nuts to not notice that a King is a very different horn than a Conn.

I found a gold portrait Chu that was close to mine. I bought it from Theo Wanne. Horn was a beast. It behaved close to my own. Both were very spread. I recall selling it only cause I was broke and I could get a lot for it. But overall I found I simply liked my bare brass one better. I think I changed mouthpieces around this time.

So like I said, I'm not here to draw any conclusions. I would like to add this. There is the element of the brain which can see what it wants to see, or hear what it wants to hear. The incident with my tech and I being swayed by my new shiny neck is just that.

Example: I bought a 10M from a friend 3 years ago. An ugly re-lacquered 1936 model. I hated the way it looked but loved the sound. The lacquer to my eyes was that horrible looking 70's Yamaha bright color. It bothered me. Had to play with my eyes closed. Till one day it sat next to a 70's Yanagisawa which has that cheap looking yellow lacquer. My ugly 10M took on this honey hue and became beautiful in an instant. I could not for the life of me see how I saw it before, the color was nice on my eyes. I don't know what that's about except my perception had shifted entirely.

Perception or truth #2.....

I've owned a number of silver Chu tenors from different eras, including my 1921 model. I found something harsh about the tone no matter what. They didn't stick around. They lacked the warmth I need. Hence, the bit about "colding up" my tone by nickel plating the neck. I figured the combination of bare brass with a silver or nickel neck would balance the whole matter out. It didn't......

The 1921 model had about half the silver gone and that was a favorite. So that must be why right? No silver left???

Last year at KB Sax I tried 2 of his tenor madness horns. An employee pointed out his favorite which was a silver one. I found it harsh, cold. I tried the bare brass one and found it warmer. I didn't really care for either. I did try one of his necks on the bare brass one and said "now we're making music!!!"

Yet, one of the warmest tenors I've played was a silver Balanced Action. I have played a Silver Martin that was just sweet and warm.

So is this just my perception? Or is there any truth to it? I like the way silver looks and, my alto and soprano (Buescher and Martin) are silver. I can't seem to beat them at all. They are warm, dark, beautiful sounding instruments.


I do know this. This part of the journey ended for me a while ago. When I switch brands of reeds or a mouthpiece the sound dramatically shifts. I either get what I want or not. Play on this brand or that and in a few weeks I sound like I usually do with maybe a slight improvement probably due to practice and a different reed. Rather than chase plating theory or whatever, the things that I look for in a horn is how do I connect to it? I need a bit of resistance (the 1921 had that, the 1928 ones were simply too free blowing for me, that was the problem all along!). How well does it work in a recording situation? A live no microphone situation? How does it sound through a PA? How good of a tool is it for me to achieve my goals? Do I have fun playing it or does it feel too serious? Do I want to practice on this horn or not? If not, why? Can I have faith that there is a better horn out there for me if it's a drag? If I'm not working on my ideas and distracting myself with plating questions, why am I doing this?

I find all of those questions more valid than 'how does the plating affect the sound?'

I'm not here to say it simply doesn't. I am saying I've had so many opinions get into my head that have gone deep in there, enough to keep me distracted and confused. Weights, plating, big brass strap hooks, gizmos and gadgets. I think they are fun to try, but if I have any conclusions it's this: try it today and tell me how you feel after a year. Is it making your playing life easier? Or are you still struggling with the same thing?

JB

Narrowing it down finally! Selmer Balanced Action, Conn Chu Berry, Buescher Aristocrat

This came into my life the other day. Something I've always wanted since I tried one at Roberto's in 2005....

1939 Selmer Balanced Action tenor. It's a re-lacquered one of course and needs work but plays up and down great as-is. Good enough to use on a gig. I'll be getting it overhauled soon. May have the lacquer stripped, may leave it as is.

It's a wonderful tenor, everything I could have hoped for.

So I have 3 tenors, really 4 but 2 are the same make and model. I'm narrowing it down to 2 I intend to keep.

Please forgive the lack of photos in this post. I've "upgraded" my Macbook Pro and now nothing works as it once did. I have no idea how to access my photos right now on this. Another, well, I don't swear here but.... @^*(# you Apple! You SUCK!!!!

I'll just do my best to make up for the lack of pictures with better writing.


Ok, back to tenors.

I started on a Holton and quickly switched to Martin but always wanted a Conn so..... that's where I wound up and stayed for about 15 years. I owned several, 10M, 30M, settled on a 1928 Chu Berry for 9 years. That was a love / hate relationship for years. The fellow who owns it sounds great on it and loves the thing. It's replaced his (Yamaha? Yanagisawa?) as his main horn.

That horn taught me a lot. I learned about plating (I had the neck nickel plated 5x for more focus, the result, I had a silver neck.......looked prettier!) I tried different necks, had the strap hook moved (Mexi Conn neck plus lower strap hook was my favorite combo, felt way better, more modern if you will) but the main thing I learned was it's much easier to destroy my own ideas by the relentless pursuit of equipment than by practicing and putting myself out there. Seriously, if you need to try every different neck, mouthpiece, strap hook, gizmo, gadget, you may have a commitment problem, not a horn problem.

The horn itself, I've heard a recording of myself with the original neck and a Morgan Excalibur piece I bought at Junkdude and it sounded terrific. I needed no other combo, just needed to sit still and create!

But then I tried a Balanced Action and said "Oh I get it. This thing is just that good." Trouble is, those are expensive, any Selmer is expensive if it's made in France!

So about 5 years later I bought a Buescher Aristocrat from my friend Peter. Over the next few years I eventually switched entirely and sold my trusty Chu. Why did I do that? A friend told me the Aristocrat would take me to the next place. Challenge me in the right ways. The Chu may be limiting me. Eventually I found this to be true (for me!). The Aristocrat just had more I could do with it. Such a complex, beautiful, at times nasty sound. It can be an angel or a filthy devil.

It felt like a logical step evolution wise. I sold that one but regretted it and got another which I still have. Actually I have 2, a mint 1935 model and my trusty ugly 1937 model.

So I'm in a similar place. The Balanced Action feels simply like the next logical step in the evolution of my equipment.....

So what do I like and not like about these 3 horns? I do have a Conn Transitional Chu from 1930 that I'm selling.

The Conn first.....



The Conn has the most interesting tone I feel. It's the biggest. I don't think the high end suffers one bit like some folks find. It's got a big sound from bottom to top. It's the darkest but certainly cuts well. What don't I like about it? The obvious.... the key work. And not to mention while playing it on it's own I'm in love with that sound, I quickly realized that after not playing on a Conn for the last 5 years I'd need to get in the corner and do my long tones for a year just to get used to it. I'd need to do some key mods to get used to that again too. It's a commitment thing. Right now, I just want to take it easy and not work so hard! Oh, I could get used to the keys but I just don't want to.

So it should go to someone who will enjoy it.

The Buescher Aristocrat:

My main axe now for a while. When I started playing these I didn't really like them. I just noticed though, even though the sound doesn't "feel" as big as the Conn when you play it, they have a way of putting out sound that cuts and fills a room. I spent an afternoon at Peters house trying his Mk6 from 1957, my 10M, his Chu, my Chu, a couple SML horns and his Grassi (great horn!). Other than the Mk6 and the Grassi, the Buescher kinda buried the rest. It's weird cause you look at it and it's un-impressive with that skinny little bell flare. I liked the tone quality better than all that was mentioned here too. Rich, complex, good cut. I started recording with it and that's where it hit home. It just recorded better for me than my Chu. My intonation on the Chu was good, the Bueshcer is just dead on. It's better in that department than the Conn or Selmer.

The key work I like as well. It feels natural. But the first one I sold cause I needed the dough and I was more used to the more impressive Chu.

The series one Buescher Aristocrat may be one of the best kept secrets of the horn world. No, it's not 'laser beam focused' or 'compact' or 'better for classical'. The tone is wide in the right way and disgusting when pushed. I had a King for a minute and was huge sounding but the Buescher beat that horn to death in the end. And the Buescher has a lovely flexibility that is tough to beat.

Tone wise? Oh I know I just said the Conn is probably the best, but that's subjective. I actually think the Buescher has the most interesting voice. Fine spot between the Conn and a Selmer just like they say. And as soon as I started playing it live, other horn players started asking me what it was and telling me I never sounded better. It's funny cause the 2 most sought after horns are Selmer and Conn. I ain't gonna lie here as I'm just as susceptible to pack mentality as anyone sometimes. I didn't want to give up the Conn partly cause who plays a Buescher??? Plenty of famous Conn and Selmer players, with good reason, but jazz players on a Buescher? Ike Quebec, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter when he played that Bundy with Miles Davis. Oh, Maxwell Davis playing R&B too! That's all I got!

The Buescher doesn't feel limiting. Conns for me do. So do Kings, and some other horns. Psychological? Maybe. It's my brain, my choice yo!


So about my Selmer.

I've been trying out a bunch. I played a Super Balanced Action that got my attention but the price was $8750! Other than the best key work ever made, ultimately I felt the tone was not unlike my Buescher, it just cut differently. Not a difficult jump to make. And I love that low Bb on a Selmer. It's bigger on the American horns, and bigger on say a Buffet or SML, but there is this soft quality to that low Bb that kills me on a Selmer. Hard to describe in words, I just haven't gotten it like that on any other horn.

My Balanced has that. It got me right away. I can't say I like the tone more than the Buescher, but what I do like better is the immediacy of the response. There is this punchiness that gets me right away. It has a more modern sound to it than my Buescher, but not so modern like a modern horn. Still has this bit of spread I really dig. It's a big sound but not so big that I don't feel weird in an intimate setting. I can get that on my Conn too. But this horn just is easier.

It's the most 'compact' of the 3. When pushed it holds together nicely. And it's LOUD.

I was worried about the intonation after reading again and again "the bell keys were sharp" from other players better than I. Not the case with this at all. They are dead on. I struggled for about an hour with the top end going sharp but found the sweet tuning spot and now it plays in tune as well as any good horn for me.

It's easy to make the jump as the tone on my Aristocrat isn't so far away from this Selmer. Both are very warm, I'd say the Selmer is friendlier though. And certainly, the key work is tops. My favorite feel. I think in the name of progress they messed that up. I have not met a Mk6 that I dig the feel on. The Balanced Action and Super Balanced just feel more fun to me. Not machine like.

In other word the Selmer doesn't feel limiting either, like I can play anything I want. It's just easier than any other horn I've played.


So those are my 3 favorite horns. I'll be keeping my Aristocrat and the Selmer. They compliment each other in a good way and neither confuses me like the Conn does now. The Selmer feels simply like the next logical step. Something to grow with.  And, I've always wanted one. I'm not getting any younger! Gotta enjoy the rest of my stay here as best as I can!

-J

Tatay #2! Cheap classical guitars.

Just got this one in the mail, another Tatay no. 13.

Outside of the cosmetics it is nothing at all like my #1. Completely different sound. A remarkably nice sound for sure, lots of bass. I set it up with LaBella hard tension strings. My other one ha medium hard. I think those suit these guitars a bit better.

I read one Tatay fan say the tone color is "Orange". That's the color that comes to mind on this one.

My other one, I have no idea of the era it was built in. I believe it to be much older. This one has a slimmer more comfortable neck whereas my #1 us bigger and I'd say while it's comfortable it's more 'crude'. But that being said, everything about the construction of this guitar is more 'crude'!

My #1 sports some nice rosewood back and sides (I don't know if it's Brazilian, it's definitely rosewood) whereas this one is Mahogany.

This is now my throw it in the gig bag and schlep it to lessons guitar. I like it. Still more inspiring to me than any guitar made now in a similar price bracket. My Favilla is going to a friend, glad to send it to him.

There is little information about this brand, would love to know more. Supposedly the earlier ones were luthier built. My #1 feels and appears to have a lot more attention dedicated to making it. This one seems not too different than other factory made Spanish guitars I've played. Better than many of them but definitely not a "serious" guitar.

Still, worth every penny I paid for it. It does sound quite nice and projects the way I like it to!

-J

One of my favorite things....Tatay Classical Guitar. And a story.

When I was a teenager I studied with an interesting teacher named Bruce. He was largely a classical player, made his living performing and giving lessons. Around my house my mom always had a couple nylon string guitars. A battered Silvertone that was wrecked by some renters who put steel strings on it (I found it neglected in the basement 4 years ago and glued it back together, hence starting my new path). and she had a beautiful Giannini made in Brazil that we bought at Music and Arts Center in Catonsville. She played a few folk songs and a wrote some as well, taught me my basic chords. I think she and my dad knew something about the importance of learning classical, maybe it was intuition or just their generation.

I just wanted to rock. I wanted electric. I wanted a Stratocaster. I wanted to skip all that.

My mom taught me my first chords. My dad showed me how to change the strings. In a panic I started the day before high school as I sucked at everything else. How was I going to fit in? I liked Jimi. Rock stars were cool.

So I advanced quickly. My dad bought my first Stratocaster, an awful late 70's model, at Bills Music house in Catonsville. His words: "I'll do this, but you need to show me results or you gotta pay me back in a year." I didn't need prompting, but I'll say this. That was probably the best thing he ever did for me. A great lesson in accountability. So grateful for that moment. I worked my ass off. And $389 in 1983 was way more than a 15 year old can afford cutting grass!

I loved Jimi, Keith, Clapton, but I always had a thing for nylon strings. We had a couple Carlos Montoya records on the shelf, along with Getz/Gilberto. And I had a deep secret admiration for the kids in the school orchestra program. I was always a bit envious of them. Secretly envious. So I was glad to have studied with Bruce.

But there was a couple things off about it. He started me on Bach's Bouree and Gavotte. I can certainly play those now but at the time, these were over my head. In hindsight I was one who could have benefitted from a method book. Just exercises and scales and patterns and easier songs. I wasn't the type to rise to the challenge partly cause other things came so easily to me. So I gave up. Bruce worked with me on improvisation, Indian classical scales and other things. Understand, this was a teacher who sent people to Juliard. I simply felt I wasn't 'good enough' even though I enjoyed so much else he had to share. I am grateful to him, he was a great fellow and very cool teacher. I had my youthful impatience and arrogance to contend with as well. I may not have accepted the direction a stricter classical regimen would have offered anyway. But, I now see the importance of it. That foundational stuff.

On top of that, I knew a good instrument when I played one. 6 months after getting my '79 Stratocaster I tried a '66 and immediately knew that for another $165 I would have a far superior instrument. That thing sang, mine coughed!! Price $550 (custom color Lake Placid Blue!!). I paid $389. Ugh. Dad wasn't interested in a brat who needed an upgrade! And I wasn't really a brat so I didn't whine about it. Best to love what you got and I did just that!

Bruce had a house full of classical and Flamenco guitars. I played a few. Prices started around $2k! I had a Yamaha that I bought from him for $75. It was decent... but, next to a Ramirez of Dauphin, pure sadness.

Nice classical for $2k+ or real Stratocaster for around $500. I went that direction.

Yup, my choice. Not pointing fingers here. And it was a good choice. I made a lot of people happy with all that sound.

So fast forward too many years and I recover my mothers beat ass Silvertone, glue it back together and record some tracks with it. Cheap, plywood, nylon string guitar. Really crappy. And I fell in love again. My electrics sit on the wall and I'd pick that thing up daily.

Last year a friend was visiting and we went into Main Drag music in Williamsburg and I upgraded to a 40's made Favilla. Again, not a great guitar but better than that Yamaha. I went to Sam Ash and bought the Carcassi Method For Guitar book and have been practicing daily out of it. I have no agenda, I don't aspire to be a concert guitarist at the age of 50 here, I just enjoy playing it so much and it's showing up in my own music in ways I didn't think would happen. My days off I'm up to 4+ hours.

So I needed to get something better. I've been working hard and wanted to treat myself. I played an incredible Ramirez from about 1903. Over $10K!!!! If cost were no object I'd own that guitar. It's stunning and has such a beautiful sound. But my rule is if I'm making a big purchase from my fun money account, I need to have double that in there. I don't have that and would rather work towards a house!

I'm good at finding interesting guitars that make me happy. I wanted something old, made in Spain, had to have Brazilian rosewood back and sides, and a nice sound and playability. I came across this Vincente Tatay........

It was hard to find any information on these about price. Lots of forum confusion. I did find a later New York produced one for $2k on a website that only has high end classical guitars (that one is beautiful!) and Retrofret had one listed for $3200 that sold for an unknown offer. I know that shop, great place and they usually get close to their asking price.

Neither guitar looked like this. And most Tatay guitars sell for considerably less. I mean, we're talking $100-$300!

Early ones are supposedly luthier produced, later they built a large factory and made a ton of instruments. This one was $1200. I didn't feel great about that price but decided to take a gamble. It fit what I was looking for: all solid wood including beautiful rosewood back and sides, ancient, the owner liked it quite a bit. Projection is good he says. The label we couldn't find....

So, I decided to go for it. Yes, I probably overpaid, I just found another similar one for a whopping $295! Bought that one as well.......Different label inside, probably later but same beautiful cosmetics.

Once I restrung it and set it up to my liking I found that I absolutely love this guitar. It's very warm, nice deep bass and clear highs. No, it's not as refined as that beautiful Ramirez but, I did get to play them side by side and found myself not feeling that wanting feeling on the Tatay. It's worth every penny of my hard earned $1200 to me. Plus it has that unusual "who made it" thing I like. Best part is, I do not want to put it down. When I need to go out on a date, go to earn a pile of money....I get bummed cause I just want to keep playing, keep improving, keep enjoying the sound. The only bug about this guitar was the intonation, but I fixed that and now I never want to put it down!

So if you are looking for a really good instrument that isn't worth it's weight in gold, do consider trying one of these out. It's important to have a guitar you love. It keeps the energy going forward.

Next step, find another instructor to help me get to the next level. I'm ready, more humble, more patient, and doing it for no other reason that the joy of playing. I like this chapter the best....


More photos:

Oh yes, Rosette is quite beautiful on this model. Has pearl and nice wood, much like the Ramirez I tried. I do like a beautiful instrument:

-JB

How did you get so good?

I love this question....how did you get so good?

I get asked this by my kid students all the time. "How do you do that? How did you get good at that?"

I do my best to let them know it's an exercise in persistence, appreciating the little bit you did learn already and all that good stuff.

I've been in a real woodshed period. Lots of hours practicing classical guitar, lots of hour practicing my saxophone. The fruits are starting to show and it feels good. I feel good. I don't yet know what it's for or why I do this, but have just surrendered to it and accepted the mystery. I'm having this weird temporary experience called life bookended by 2 great mysteries. I could haven been a soldier, fireman, wall street guy, engineer, father, but chose to make music and dedicate my time to this activity that brings me almost no money but a lot of joy.

So I was recently at a party with my parents. The host and his friend had a little jam session and they played some classics. I had my guitar in the car so I went and grabbed it to sit in. Some of the folks were astounded. One guy was near tears talking to me. I was moved by that. I didn't know it was possible.

He asked me how I got to this place......

It sounds bitter but it's not. I looked around and thought "well, other than my 5 year old niece and the 2 teenagers here, I'm the only person in this room who has probably never been married and who doesn't have a family...."

I didn't say this out loud, but the thought naturally popped into my head.

This has been a lonely existence. I'm quite sane but accept that I'm not easy to be around either. There is always melodies in my head, things I'm working out musically, solving this seemingly unending puzzle. 90% of my days I'm quite okay being alone. I'm defensive of my time. The minute I'm sharing too much of my time I lose the sanity part.

One friend said something about the 'sacrifice Jef made' or something like that. It's no sacrifice. It's just my life. It's that simple. When the music is good it's all worth it. Being this age and on my own, and it's quite possible I may remain alone, I've accepted this, I best make the most of this creation. Maybe this is my child? These sounds, the few records I've been a part of. I mean, why not?

So it's not to say that all artist are difficult and are just good at being lonely creatures. I'm open to any possibility to share this life. My feelings about the whole matter can change as soon as I click publish. And certainly it's worked out for others. And I still have a long way to go before I can call myself a good musician. And I'm digging this journey. Maybe I'll someday get that good.

JB

On faith, patience and progress.

This summer, Gospel of Mars hit the 5 year mark. Five years.... how did that happen? We have our first LP coming out soon, something I knew would happen but had little idea of when.

We could have done it sooner, but really, everything happens in it's own perfect time, in it's own perfect way. And there have been plenty of setbacks with this LP. For some reason I don't feel the leat bit frustrated. It's at the pressing plant and I have no control over anything. I don't know when it will be in our hands, I just know that it will be in our hands.

There was a point in my life not long ago where everything seemed to be in a rush. I would be playing in 4 different projects, my heart may have been in one of the 4, the rest were things that 'may become successful' or projects that I felt weirdly obligated to do. I was stretched thin and not particularly happy. Everything was urgent. Life was urgent. And whatever music I had my heart in I allowed to suffer. I had little faith in it.

Then I hit bottom.

I learned to say no. It forced me to be honest. The bottom sucks but if you let it, it's the greatest teacher.

If we forced ourselves to make a record 4 years ago, it wouldn't have been very good as we weren't very good. We have a tendency to create material that is too challenging for us to play well. It takes time and persistence.

Now there isn't a sense of urgency any longer. Which is Ironic. I have 30 less years of time ahead of me than I did 30 years ago when I played my first gig. Everything was urgent. Maybe cause I'm in no hurry to die? Or maybe cause I'm just enjoying the ride, getting better on my instruments, and enjoying the company of my friends and fellow bandmates and the honor it is to create with them. These things are more important to me now. The progress is the success.

My faith is stillness is unshakeable now. Sit still, show up and do the work. Simple formula. All the good things that have happened to us happened in ways that weren't expected. We didn't shop our record at all, we just got in front of the right folks to put it out. They have faith in us. That happened at the right time, we already had the recording in the can. We still struggle getting gigs outside of 2 spots that we love, and really, do we need more places? We've built a bit of community by playing at Troost 17 times now. When it's time for us to step it up, it will happen naturally in it's own way.

I think the old me was just ego.....always forcing it's will. That's the model in our society that we're given over and over again. The forceful egomaniac gets the success. Maybe that's true, and maybe it's true that it doesn't last and doesn't make anyone happy.

And what if you're a natural introvert like I am? I can't think of a more dishonest way of life than to try to fit in with the extrovert. There is no success in dishonesty. And most days I'm now happy. Glad to serve our music and audience. Grateful that the music we make is honest and not trying to 'make it'. Happy to let the music we make take us where we are needed to go. On it's own perfect time and it's own perfect way.

JB