Posts Tagged ‘Giffin guitars’

Twas The Night Before Guitarmas…..

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

‘Twas the night before Guitartmas, when all through the house

I was surfing the internet, with my new Magic Mouse;

My Larrivee 000-50 was packed in its case with care,

In hopes that a Schertler David soon would be there;

My inner child not yet all snug in his bed,

Had visions of a G&L ASAT Classic in Candy Apple Red;

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, passed by with a snap,

“Another G&L ASAT?” she asked, “was 3 guitars not your cap?”

When down in the studio there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.

Away to the music room I flew like a flash,

Tore open the doors to check on my stash.

The Amber off my Larrivee RS4 gave such a glow

I searched the room both high and  low,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

A shipping box adorned with a Guitar Adoptions logo, how did it get here?

A chuckle and a smile of delight I then gave,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Dave.

More rapid than eagles his inventory they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Larrivee! now, G&L! now, Flaxwood and Dillion!

On, Fishman! on Blackbird! on, Morgan and Giffin!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now play away! play away! play away all!”

A bundle of guitars he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a rock star just opening his pack.

His guitars — how they twinkled! his amps how merry!

He could be an opener for Guns and Roses, or that Connick named Harry!

He carried a Larrivee P-09 all wrapped in a bow,

And a Larrivee RS4 in Artic white like snow;

Like Hendrix before him played a guitar with teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a Blackbird Super OM with wide body belly,

That shook my feet, when he played it jelly.

He turned up the Reason Bambino Deluxe Combo, and it was heaven

For surely this was an amp that went to eleven;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

He handed over a Larrivee Rosewood Dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the cases; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, before he was gone,

“Happy Christmas to all, and ROCK ON.”

Wishing You and Yours the very best of holidays – Guitar Adoptions


How to Choose an Electric Guitar

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

With so many options out there, choosing the right electric guitar can be overwhelming. The good news is that Guitar Adoptions offers electrics for any sound, style, and budget. Plus, we have the expertise to help you find what you are looking for. We sell only top quality brands like G&L, Larrivee, Flaxwood, Delilah, Michael Tuttle and Giffin.

First, take a minute to think about what you are looking for. Do you want a loud, crunchy rock guitar or a cleaner sound for blues and jazz? How about a classic look or a more modern extreme vibe? Do you need a fast slim neck or something beefier to hold onto? Once you’ve got your wish list, focus on the three main characteristics of any electric: Sound, Feel, and Looks. Let’s start with the sound, which is probably why you’re buying the guitar to begin with.

Sound

The materials used on electric guitars, and the quality of construction affect tone as much as anything else. The woods used for guitar necks and bodies, such as mahogany, maple, alder, and spruce each have their own tonal qualities. Larrivee, known the world over for their acoustics, uses only the best mahogany and maple on the superb Larrivee RS-4 electric guitars. Electric guitars can be classified into three basic body types, each with its own distinct sound characteristics.

Larrivee RS-4

Larrivee RS-4

• Solid-body electric guitars, the most popular style, are made of wood or composites. Fender Strats, Telecasters, and the Gibson Les Paul are all solid body guitars. Solid-body guitars work well for most styles of music, especially rock, country, and blues.

• Semi-hollow body electric guitars look like their solid cousins but have a hollow cavity. This creates a more acoustic sound while letting the guitar maintain an amplified electric tone. An example is the G&L ASAT Classic Semi-Hollow series, which is modeled after the Telecaster shape but has better pickups and build quality.

• Hollow-body electric guitars provide even more of an acoustic sound and are very popular in the jazz scene due to their open, warm tone. The Giffin Standard Hollowbody comes in a comfortable size and plays like a dream. Plus you can custom order options on these wonderful hand-built guitars.

Not all electric guitars are made of solid wood. Flaxwood guitars, like the Flaxwood Laine, are made of an injection molded wood composite. This allows a Flaxwood to sound vintage right out of the box with more sustain and dynamic range.

Flaxwood Laine

Flaxwood Laine

If the materials and build quality make up the guitar’s “chassis”, then pickups are the engine behind the sound. They normally come in two flavors:

• Single-coil pickups have a bright, clear, thin tone and are popular for blues, jazz and rock. Many guitarists swear by their pure sound and wide range of tonal options. The very popular G&L ASAT Classic comes with two Magnetic Field Design single-coil pickups that are a step above competitor’s offerings. These pickups give the guitar its trademark bark and warmth.

• Humbucker pickups are double-wound to eliminate noise interference (hence the name “humbucker”). They produce a “fat”, solid tone and are preferred by those who play with lots of distortion or like a warmer tone. To mix things up, the G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy combines a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker in the neck position and a MFD single-coil at the bridge, offering an expanse of sound options and enhanced versatility.

Feel

A guitar with a great feel, or playability, is like a fitted glove. The feel is centered on the neck profile and width. There are many profiles, such as a “C”-shape, “V”-shape, or oval, so try out a few. A thicker shape may work well if you have long fingers. Also, the setup of a guitar is crucial. Determine what action (string height) feels best. G&L guitars are unique because they are setup on a Plek machine. The advanced Plek process actually scans the neck to determine optimum setup and guarantees maximum playability and intonation.

Looks

Face it, you want a guitar that not only sounds great, but looks good too. The shape of an electric guitar doesn’t impact the sound as much as the body style, so choose a shape that appeals to you. Plus, most any pickup configuration can be found on any body style, so you will be able to find the look you want and the sound to go along with it. The possibilities are limitless. You can choose from the elegant, classic lines of a G&L Legacy or go for the more radical look of a Flaxwood Rautia. It’s all up to you!

G&L Legacy in Old School Sunburst

G&L Legacy in Old School Sunburst

Go Custom!

If you want to be in complete control of the sound, feel, and look of your guitar, go the custom build route. You can select from many options to build your perfect guitar. Guitar Adoptions is proud to offer custom electric guitars by G&L, Michael Tuttle and Delilah Guitars. We’ll work with you to create your own masterpiece and have it built just for you!

Now you have what it takes to put the whole package together. Give Guitar Adoptions a call today. We would love to answer your questions and guide you towards your next dream guitar!