Welcome to this week’s episode of Acoustic Tuesday where I share my guitar geek list of gear, artists, and resources to keep you inspired to live your absolute BEST acoustic life!
As always, you can catch the show at 10am every Tuesday in these four places:
- Acoustic Life YouTube channel
- We Play Every Day Facebook Community
- Get show notes emailed directly to your inbox.
- Listen to audio only below or in iTunes
Featured in This Episode…
#4 Five Reasons Why A Metronome Can Actually Be Fun
I don’t want you to freak out about this learning and playing tip. Don’t turn the show-off and run away. I want to show you how you can have fun with a metronome. I’ll share with you five reasons why it can be fun, and in the learning tip link you’ll learn three steps in using a metronome to make it fun!
See this Learning and Playing Tip
#3 What’s On the Turntable This Week?
This week’s featured acoustic artist is a duo, Robert Bowlin and Wil Maring. This duo comes recommended to us by Acoustic Tuesday listener Jon B. of Makanda, IL. Jon says, “Robert and Wil are local artists, and though their websites kind of fade away after 2009, they are still in Southern IL and still playing together. I am fortunate to see them at a friends 4th of July party every year where they play for a dozen or so people. In 1978 Robert took second place in Winfield at the National Flat Pick Championship in the flat pick division and in 79 he won the fingerpick title at Winfield……Oh, and Robert’s guitarsenal will make you drool. Last 4th of July he brought his 1935 D28 Herringbone.”
See this Acoustic Artist Review
#2 GHS Fingerboard Care Kit Review
I put this through its paces, so I could share my experience with it. It was super easy to use. This tiny care kit is so convenient and it very guitar and travel-friendly. I used it on a dobro that I had, I hadn’t cleaned it in three years or so. Check out the video to see the dramatic impact this care kit had on my fretboard! I am tickled with this product, I think it’s a fantastic kit.
See this Product Review
#1 Daddario Humitrak System Review
The Humiditrak is a small blue tooth unit that sits in your guitar case (with clip or velcro) and it gauges your temperature and humidity, and communicates to an app on your phone! You can set it up to send alerts to your phone if your guitar is in any sort of danger. I am floored. It has made me realize that I should get one of these for all of my guitars.
See this Product Review
Noah, instead of trying to run in the snow in winter you should try skate skiing (cross country skiing). It get’s those endorphins going and is a lot of fun. — Scott in Whitefish
Noah, I appreciate all that you do for a smooth-running weekly show. One suggestion I have is to lower the volume for the trivia theme once Tony starts. Often his dulcet tones are masked and the quiz details lost. Thanks.
I agree.
Tony, originally a percussionist I suggest using a foot percussion piece as an alternative to a metronome. I use a Farmer Foot Drum Downbeat: https://www.footdrums.com/sets/
I find it really helps me keep in the groove plus adds a better sound than anything on your phone.
But I am a little curious about your example. What is that G scale you were using?
#smallwin Working with the great people at Preston Thompson to design my next guitar! Probably another Parlor 2 either an Eastern Indian Adi top or Myrtlewood B&S and Adi top. More soon!
Tony, FYI Bluetooth has a standard range of 90 feet. Now in most cases from my experience from designing this stuff it’s more like 30-45 feet.
Thanks again as always Gordon in Cincinnati.
Please review the Blueridge Historic series line of guitars. I’ve been playing for roughly 50 years and have owned too many guitars to count (actually I just cant remember them all). For the last 30 yrs I’ve been mostly playing Yairi and Taylor models but 6 yrs ago while visiting Nashville for the first time I noticed several of the local musicians playing Blueridge guitars> I have to admit that being from the northeast I had never heard of Blueridge but after hearing so many stellar musicians playing them I had to check them out. I should mention that at that time I had put aside about $3,500 with the intent of buying a Martin, while visiting a local music store that specialized in higher end guitars I stumbled across a Blueridge BR180-A. after a couple of hours going back and forth between the Martin of my dreams and the Blueridge, I left the store with a new Blueridge and $2,400 left over in my pocket, 7 yrs later I still haven’t even considered replacing it.
Last year I was in the market for a smaller guitar and in my quest I purchased first an Alverez auditorium size, a Breedlove auditorium and a Taylor Koa mini all of witch I returned finding that they didn’t sound that good acoustically. They all were great plugged in but I’m not one that wants to “plug in” every time I pick up a guitar. I found a Blueridge 000 on reverb for $200 less that the Koa mini and it is exceptional sounding unplugged but also has a fishman system factory installed when I need it.
The reason I ask you to review these guitars is because I’m sure there a re many guitar geeks out there who aspire to own a guitar that sound like a Martin or Taylor but just don’t have the financial resources at hand to justify spending three or four thousand dollars an a hobby. $1,000 dollars isn’t cheap but it might be the best bang for your buck in today’s inflated guitar market. I trust in your ability to judge the value in these guitars and and pass along an honest review that could make many guitar geeks beam with joy.
Sincerely,
Norm LaClair
Vernon, NY
I was just at the Hall of Fame last week and immediately knew the answer was L-05 due to my visit.. place was amazing!
#smallwin I’m a kid’s guitar teacher ( and TAC member) from Sydney Australia and we’ve started on barre chords. I recently purchased a guitar pick punch and made some cool picks out of some old plastic cards with Disney characters on them. So… I made a game for my students out of Tony’s barre chord exercise (YouTube 11 Sept 2017) and the first to get all 6 strings sounding clear got first choice of my custom made picks! They absolutely loved it and one by one started to master the exercise. I was able to give away all 6 picks and they went home very happy with themselves. Thanks for a great exercise Tony and a tip for anyone who teaches kids! (Posted a picture of the kids and their pics in Play Every Day Facebook group).