|
 |
|
Welcome to Gryphon Stringed Instruments
|
 Huber Banjos Steve Huber's banjos have been in our sights for several years, ever since our pal John Kael, who worked here for years, came back from IBMA with one. Now we have two new Hubers (Bershire and Lancaster models) in stock, and they're certainly impressive.
if you're serious about playing 5-string banjo, you should check these out. Steve Huber is one of the new generation of instrument builders who is rarely content with the parts that are already available, and rather than try to get someone else to build things the way he feels it should be done he just does it himself.
It's no secret that lots of people build nice Gibson-style banjo necks, and that 1930s-style rims and flathead tone rings and resonators are also widely available. After all, banjos are like Fender guitars in that they're made of interchangeable parts that can be bolted together in lots of combinations. But Steve Huber does it the hard way, and rather than order parts and build necks and then put banjos together, Steve makes virtually every part "in house" and designs everything to work together. He even makes his own one-piece armrests (no soldered joint to fall apart) does his own nickel and gold plating. As both a machinist and top-ranked bluegrass banjo player, Steve Huber is in a unique position to judge both the mechanical and musical qualities of what he's making. And, since he has owned and played an original Gibson flathead 5- string for years, and has measured and tested many others, he knows when the banjo he's put together works as a complete instrument, and not just as a bunch of parts that fit nicely together and look impressive.
Huber banjos will probably look familiar to you, but on closer inspection you'll notice that all of the aesthetic niceties are unique to Huber. Sure, the headstock on our Lancaster model looks like a classic "double-cut" headstock, but the Huber shape is subtly different. The same is true of the inlays on our Berkshire model, which has the same overall visual effect of the well-known and often-copied "hearts & flowers" pattern, but every piece on the Huber is different from the old style. The result, at least to our eyes, is far more pleasing than an outright copy.
We're pleased to now be one of a small band of Huber banjo retailers. These banjos are not cheap, but when you consider the extra effort that goes into each part, as well as into each completed banjo, we think you'll agree that the final result is well worth the price. |
 Just like John and George Which John & George? Lennon & Harrison!
If you are a Beatles fan, you are already familiar with the sound of this instrument. This is a 1961 Gibson J-160E just like the J-160E Gibsons John and George played on "Rubber Soul," "Beatles For Sale" and everything else from that period. If you like all of that acoustic Beatles music you will love this guitar! From your first strum you will feel like one of the fab four playing this hauntingly familiar instrument. Click on the picture to see more pictures of the guitar. Swing by the shop to check it out. Derek really likes this guitar, it is a dream instrument for any Beatles fan. |
 Fast, as in Swift We were impressed with the Pat Donohue OM-30DB we had in here a few weeks ago. We had guitar #3 of the series, one of the very first batch of seven made. "Oh you are lucky to get this," our C.F. Martin sales rep told us. And we were lucky. He also said "There won't be any more of these Pat Donohues available for a while." We made sure we had another on order and tried to put on a brave face.
We are thrilled to report our sales rep was wrong! A new Pat Donohue OM-30DB has arrived already! This one is number eleven of the series. What a nice guitar this is! It is an OM shape with a deep body and Martin style 30 decoration. The deep body gives the guitar a really rich, sonerous tone. As Derek says, "This is a great fingerpicking guitar." It's also a good strumming guitar, I played a G chord on it and, Yowza, what a chord.
It is quite likely you didn't get a chance to see the first Pat Donohue OM-30DB. It wasn't here for more than a few days before one of the folks who checks our site regularly came in, played it and went home a very happy fellow. It is possible this guitar will pass through our shop as quickly as the last Donohue. So don't miss out, the Pat Donohue OM-30DB just might be the cat's meow of a guitar for you.
|
 Big Amplification in a Little, Tiny Way Good Golly! We have had such tremendous response with Carr amps in the last year. If you are one of the uninitiated, Carr Amps are hand-built tube amplifiers that are made in North Carolina. Steve Carr has done a tremendous job designing one of the best-sounding and coolest-looking amps in the world. At NAMM he was showing off his latest design: The Raleigh.
With this amp, Steve is filling out his product line with a highly desirable small amp. The Ralegh is a 3-watt amp
that uses a 10" Eminence "Lil Buddy" hemp cone. In the circuitry there are two 12ax7 tubes and an EL-84 tube compliment.
It is a tiny thing only 16 inches wide, 12-1/2 inches tall and 8-1/4"
deep, but it has more tone than some amps twice it's size. These amps list for $1350. Ours will be arriving sometime in early August, keep an eye out
! In Other News...
The R Taylor instrument we bought at NAMM has arrived. Wow, what a guitar!
Swing by and check this one out while it is here. Somebody is going to go home very happy with this instrument!
|
|
Let's face it. You can't buy every guitar you find interesting and there are some guitars you really woudn't want in the first place. But it is great knowing somebody had the idea, much less followed through to build them.
There were Pharoah guitars, Dragon guitars, a guitar that actually shot a rocket... though they only pointed to it and talked about it, I was pressing for a demonstration.
There were, of course, a few guitars with over-the-top inlay... Care to drop $100G on a new Martin? But there was one guitar we just couldn't pass on. Actually we did pass on it, twice. But it kept calling: "Richard... Richard... call Frank and then buy me..." So Richard called Frank. Apparently the guitar has been mystically calling through the ether to Frank as well for agreement was quickly reached.
 The guitar is a themed guitar with one-of-a-kind inlays on the headstock and fretboard. The pick guard material was custom made just for this instrument and even the castings for the tuner buttons are unique. In fact many of the details on this Martin would not look right on any other guitar. It even has a special case! What is this guitar, this wondrous instrument like none other? This is the very same guitar that your's truly, the web geek, neglected to take pictures of at NAMM. Fortunatly Martin has a picture they will let us use. The Guitar is the Click and Clack Car Talk Special Edition Guitar by C. F. Martin. If you are a fan of Car Talk on NPR this just might be the guitar for you. If you want to see how customized a guitar can get, come on in and check this one out when it arrives. Go ahead, click on the thumbnail to see a large version of the headstock.
 The last instrument revealed
here today falls under the category "you know they are going to buy this someplace..." Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with the Helmet Guitar. Complete with face mask and self-contained amplifier/speaker, this instrument is exactly what the ultimate football fan needs when doing the wave.
|
 NAMMed Again!
The spring passed quickly and once again it was time for the Summer NAMM show. This year it was held in Nashville, TN. We do this for you. The airport lines, the cancelled flights and missed connections. All so we can come across the great deals and one-of-a-kind instruments that can be found only through these wing-dings.
As the jet lag wears off and we recover from the icy air conditioning and the deep-fried pork jowls, we'll tell a little each day about some of the way-cool and really fun stuff we found in Nashville.
 For instance, we went to the display room for Taylor Guitars early. Bob Taylor was there and Richard hob-nobbed with him for a while. Bob brought out some really beautiful R Taylor instruments for us to see. If you are not aware of R Taylor Guitars, these are different from the regular guitars offered by Taylor. The R Taylor instruments are made of exotic woods in a separate shop on the Taylor campus. There are only five luthiers that build these instruments, the best of the best that Bob Taylor can find.
These guitars were hidden in a dark corner of the Taylor room. Bob Taylor brought the instruments out one at a time to show us. Boy were they beautiful guitars! I took a picture of Bob Taylor about to pull one of The treasured instruments from its case.
Of the six guitars that were brought to the show, we chose only one. It is a Style One with a venetian cutaway. The top is "sinker" redwood the sides and back are of Macassar ebony. It has a rich, detailed sound; the best of the bunch we were considering. That is the guitar Richard is playing in the top picture.
 This last picture is Richard trying out one of the instruments we didn't buy... It, too, is a beautiful instrument but it wasn't the one we wanted to take home. The R.Taylor guitar we purchased should be arriving here at Gryphon by the end of the week, I hope you get a chance to see and play it. The last sinker redwood instrument that was here at Gryphon went quickly.
|
 Schools out. Time to Start Learning Something Important!
And Gryphon has the evening group classes that'll learn ya real good! These are all ten-week classes so let these classes be your gateway to having fun all summer long!
Carol McComb has 4 different classes every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening starting at 5:00 PM. That's a total of 12 classes to choose from! Classes are for all skill levels from "Which end of the guitar do I strum?" to "Songwriter's Circle" and "Harmony Singing by Ear." There is something for everyone. Classes begin June 16th, 17th and 18th. Contact Carol at 650-529-9166 or email her at carol@carolmccomb.com to sign up.
If you have a hankering to do a little jamming in the realm of Bluegrass Music, Jack Tuttle has two different level-three Bluegrass classes. One is Wednesdays from 8:00 pm to 9:15 begining June 18th. The other class takes place Thursdays from 8:00 pm to 9:15 beginning June 19th. To check on availablility and to sign up contact Jack by emailing him at jack@jacktuttle.com or by calling him directly (650) 320-8733.
|
 The Kamaka Has Landed!
After many months of pacing the floor, we are happy to announce our latest batch of Kamaka Ukuleles has arrived! We tore open the shipping container like Dickensian street urchins at a pie eating contest. Ah, such treasures were inside; golden ukuleles made of Koa by Hawaii's most reknown manufacturer and they're all ours... Well, at least for the moment. Soon enough, Kamaka fanciers will visit us and one by one, these lovely ukes will be gleefully adopted into new homes.
If you have been one of those folk pining for a Kamaka during our drought hurry and stop by. We have pictures of almost all of the models available in our ukulele section on the left! |
»
The Gryphon Mercantile!
New Items...
-Fretboard Journal Issue #7 |
Apparel
Books & Instruction
Tools
and Gadgets
|
 |
| |
|
Frank has done it again!
 He saw a need for a new tool and invented one to perform the task. When you are working on any guitar with a pickup, you eventually will have to tighten the nut that holds the jack in place. This is not a difficult thing to do provided you have access to the back of the jack. You almost always do, provided you don't mind removing pickguards or back plates. Frank's new tool allows you to hold and tighten the nut from the front of the jack. Imagine how much time that saves! It uses an eccentric knurled cam to grip and hold the jack securely. How does he do it?
You can purchase one and see a big picture here |
|
|
Perry Bechtel Specials Update |
|
The Man With 1000 fingers.
Perry Bechtel did not have 1000 fingers, though he was known as that because he played so fast. Perry Bechtel is also known as the guy who convinced CF Martin Guitars to build their first 14-fret guitar. It is this specific instrument that we resurrected with our Perry Bechtel Special.
For more about these exact reproductions of Martin’s very first 14 fret guitar, go to: www.perrybechtel.com.
|
 |
|
|
|
