DownBeat July 2002 [antikvár]

on^i^^beatcomThinking of buying musical equipment?Ili^KSAMSince 1924,1^^when Sam opened his first music^ store in Brooklyi New Yofl(, musicians have come to rely onth4[ $amA^hfai foe thegr; biggest % selection, best service and guaranteed lowest prices! /f's 2001 and we're still rockin'!Call us at 1-800-4-SAMASH or shop online 24 hrs / 7 days @www.samash.comCall now for a FREEFull-Color Catalog!The Nation's Largest Selection at the Nation's Guaranteed Lowest Prices!Musicians, we at Down Beat underslancl. Really, we do. We may spend our days pulling logc'tlier lliis magazine, but playing music is a piirl of our lives as well. And with the music comes the gearsometimes lots of it!and tlie relationships wilh our axes.Like the guitarists in Dan Ouelletle's highly entertaining story "Me And My Guitar" {Page 68)the main feature in our special "Guitars In Focus" section this issuewe have developed special bonds wilh our instruments.DAVE ZAWORSKI, Associate Editor: I have a fixation for gear. In fact, it's so much like an addiction that I'm currently looking to sell some of my guitars and amplifiers to finance the purchase of other guitars and amplifiers. (Please contact me at [email protected] if you're interested.) The dining room of my condo has become a de facto music room stocked with nine guitars, four bass guitars, three amps, three keyboards, effects, percussion, three accordions and a kora. Do all of them get played? No. Do I have room for more? Not really. Will I keep buying them? Yes. Call me the poster child for a Gearanon program, but when it comes to musical equipment, there's never enough.RITCHE DERANEY, Advertising Account Manager: My main axes right now are my Gibson Johnny Smith and Gibson L-4 CES. I go back and forth between those two. But I have a total of 12 guitars. They're all out and on stands. It's better for the guitars that they breathe. But more importantíy. I have them out so I can play them. 1 play out three to five nights a week and study with Billy Bauer. The only time the guitars are in a case is when they go to and from the gig. They're loo pretty to cover up. And amps. I use an AER amp, but I have four old Fenders, two Ampegs, Marshalls and Boogies.The guitars are like my children. I go lo my guitar lech every two weeks for my arch tops. My guitar came witli me on my honeymoon. My wife knows Uial lliis is a priority.FRANK ALKYER. Editorial Director: I sometimes feel like a shelter for homeless instruments. I've got a greal Kawai digitalkeyboard, drums and percussion of all shapes and sizes, and two accordions. One of them was given to me by a former Down Beat employee. It's well over 50 years old, with white mother-of-pearl inlay and silver art deco lettering that says "Elaine" down the side. Now that's class.But, my favorite instrument is this old, smacked-around Sigma guitar. I bought it before I had any sort of money. Now, I can't part with it. I reaily wanted a Martin, but simply couldn't afford one. So I scrimped and saved and bought the Sigma, which Martin produced for the lower-end market It soimds great It plays great!My wife thinks that I'd prefer to watch TV cradling that guitar rather than her. That's not exacdy true, but if she had frets on her neck, the choice would be easier.JASON KORANSKY, Editor: Over the past year, I have witnessed a sad scenario: the slow death of my trumpet. First, the soldering between the lead pipe and the bell came undone (and out came the duct tape lo fix it). Then the lead-pipe spit valve fell off (scotch tape this time), followed by the third-valve spit valve (ditto on the fix). Finally, it appears that a hole is ready to form in the second valve casing due to excessive wear.This was a great instrument For the past 15 years, my silver Blessmg trumpet with the medium-large bore has been my conduit for expression in orchestras, jazz bands, funk groups, solo, marching bands, school bands and in the woodshed. It has opened up doors and been one of my best friends. But the glory days are done. I could get it fixed, but for the cost it's almost beyond repair. I simply need a new horn.It's falling apart due to neglect. 1 frequently say. unfortunately, that I play increasingly less. Perhaps a new horn \vill change this trend, bul my Blessing cairies sentimental value. U'lling go of someone you love can be so liiird to do.db