Recently updated
One cease-and-desist order later, Trump’s knock-off Les Pauls are off the market.
Gibson sues
Good news: “Trump Guitars hit with cease and desist from Gibson over use of Les Paul body shape” (Guitar World ).
These guitars are those guitars
Chinese knockoffs. Quelle tromperie!
Yamandu Costa, coming to New Jersey
On June 8, 2024, Yamandu Costa will perform at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. He’s the greatest guitarist I’ve ever heard.
Yamandu Costa plays
“Silent Night.”
Costa, Guerriero, and Sued
Yamandu Costa, Brazilian guitar; Luís Guerreiro, Portuguese guitar; Martín Sued, bandoneon. July 3, 2021.
Going to church
At some point during this service I noticed an illustration on my guitar that I’d never noticed before, down by the tailpiece: a cityscape of tall buildings with stylized windows — something that you might see in a Nancy cityscape.
Yamandu Costa in Illinois
Yamandu’s range of expression on the guitar (the seven-string Brazilian guitar) is, to my ears, unparalleled.
Two kinds of people
Bruce Springsteen explains why he cannot agree to an interview about the Fender Stratocaster.
Elizabeth Cotten in the news
She’s being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence.
Dream chords
I was showing my friend Rob Zseleczky a beautiful set of chord changes: the chorus of “California Girls.” It’s a simple pattern up and down the neck of the guitar. I like the first chord for each vocal line as a major seventh. It’s not that way in the original. I don’t care.
Hi and Lois watch
It must be a cartooning joke: four fingers on the characters, so five strings on the guitar.
Yes, Michael, there was an Alfred
For anyone who learned to play guitar by way of Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method: yes, there was an Alfred. But it’s complicated.
Hi and Lois watch
Today’s Hi and Lois marks, to my knowledge, the second time a resonator guitar has appeared in the strip.
Hi and Lois watch
it’s weird and wonderful to see resonator guitars in today’s Hi and Lois.
Nick Walusko (1960–2019)
Nick Walusko, aka Nicky Wonder, cofounder of the Wondermints and longtime guitarist with Brian Wilson, has died at the age of fifty-nine. Too soon. Too soon.
Otis Rush (1935–2018)
“All the old musicianers and music philosophers are going: their time has come.”
RZ, i.m.
Lines from Shelley and a guitar. For my friend Rob Zseleczky.
B. B. King (1925–2015)
“It really feels like the end of something.”
Johnny Winter (1944–2014)
A great guitarist.
Jim Hall (1930–2013)
A great guitarist.
Bob Brozman (1959–2013)
The best friend the National guitar ever had.
Doc Watson (1923–2012)
This man was a giant — though it feels superfluous to say so.
Tone balls
The bits of stuff that accumulate in guitars.
Joe Negri on All Things Considered
Mr. Rogers' guitarist has a new CD
Herb Ellis (1921–2010)
A fine guitarist
Lawrence Lucie (1907–2009)
"In show business it doesn’t always pay to tell your real age."
Les Paul (1915–2009)
"A guitar is a great bartender, a great psychiatrist, a great mistress."
Of guitar and zippers
From "Struts and Frets," by Burkhard Bilger, on luthier Ken Parker and guitar design: One afternoon this winter, I watched a man named Tom ...