Fred_C Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 PBS broadcast a Tribute to Ray Charles concert from the White House last night. It was a very good concert with several excellent performers including Brittany Howard (lead singer for Alabama Shakes), Usher, Demi Lovato (surprisingly soulful vocalist) and others with whom I was not familiar. There was a 17 piece orchestra that "killed it" and three incredibly good backup singers, one of whom sang a duet on Night and Day that brought the house down. She was incredibly good (not to mention gorgeous). The guitarist was playing a single cutaway, thinline archtop. Try as I might, I could not get a close enough look at the headstock to determine the make, but it had a metal "finial" in the center, similar to some D'Angelico and Peerless models (as well as others, I suppose). He played rhythm guitar all evening except for a quick solo intro to one tune. I think the high point of the night was President Obama singing the lead on the "call and response" section of What'd I Say. He looked like he was having a great time! While the concert was excellent, it was somehow musically unsatisfying. I think this was due to the fact that ain't nobody can measure up to the great "Brother Ray". When rehearsing, he would often say, "I'm gonna' make it do what it do, baby". Yes, he did. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Demi Lovato is a powerful singer. I have heard enough of her songs to state that. In the course of my job, I hear and often see a lot of pop music, mostly well-known classics but lately more new music. Earlier this year I saw the `We are the World` video-many times. Master Ray`s performance got me every time. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I saw some clips of the White House tribute and it looked like everyone was having a great time with some great music. The House was rocking! Just last week I went to a great little local concert called "The Ray Charles Project". Two solid hours of Ray Charles music and it was just flat great. Not up to the White House standards but good enough for me and it only cost $25 bucks a seat. I have always loved Ray and his music. He did it his way! No one can replace him but I'm glad his music lives on and I really appreciate those that can do it justice! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEHpicker Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I watch the Blues Brothers movie just for the music store segment. That whole scene was great! SEHpicker The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it." George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I watch the Blues Brothers movie just for the music store segment. That whole scene was great! Agreed! Just last week I went to a great little local concert called "The Ray Charles Project". Two solid hours of Ray Charles music and it was just flat great. What a great idea! We need more of such shows. The guitarist was playing a single cutaway, thinline archtop. Try as I might, I could not get a close enough look at the headstock to determine the make, but it had a metal "finial" in the center, similar to some D'Angelico and Peerless models (as well as others, I suppose). He played rhythm guitar all evening except for a quick solo intro to one tune. I'm pretty sure that it's a D'Angelico, possibly a New Yorker; whether it's an original, actual 'real' D'Angelico, or one of those manufactured under license to use the marque and associated trademarked features, designs, and cosmetics, I don't know. (I would expect the former, a well cared for original made by John D'Angelico himself.) Looks and sounds pretty sharp either way! While the concert was excellent, it was somehow musically unsatisfying. I think this was due to the fact that ain't nobody can measure up to the great "Brother Ray". When rehearsing, he would often say, "I'm gonna' make it do what it do, baby". Yes, he did. I know whatcha mean. Over the years, it was easy to almost kinda take Ray for granted- he was always there, and always so soulful and a perfectly driving force, always nailed it. Whether his keyboard playing or his singing, his timing, feel, and phrasing were incredible. Veering a little sideways, topically- one of the singers in a band I was in for a while wanted to do a cover of "I Don't Need No Doctor" (Ashford, Simpson, & Armstead), which Ray Charles first recorded and had a bit of a hit with in '66. I was excited about the chance to do a proper cover of Charles' version; we had someone who wanted to play keyboards for the band- hey, can ya learn the piano-parts? Check. Hey, can you (the 'other' guitar player) play upstrokes of the chords on the '2' and the '4'? Check. Other singer who won't be singing on this one- you play trumpet, right? Can ya learn the 'soprano' line of the horn-section parts, and I'll play harmonized double-stops with a little dual-octave-fuzz simulating the saxes underneath ya? Check. Bass? Drums? Ya onboard? Cool. Not once was anyone else ready enough to even try those things in a run-through at any ensuing band-practices; I hadn't thought that these were particularly daunting tasks... I was rather disappointed, to say the least. So the last time I asked about it and got excuses, when the drummer was foolin' around playing a sort of a Reggae/Dub kinda sorta thing, I called the tune and crankily launched into a sort of a Reggae/Dub version on my part, overdriven neck-pickup work complete with heavy-handed Dub-approved echo and reverb. It worked and worked well, if I say so myself. I'm no longer in that band, but that version of "I Don't Need No Doctor" will ever remain a part of my repertoire, and when I get my own band together I intend to play it often. Anyway, Bless Ray Charles and his memory; thanks for his contributions. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 BUGGER! Didn't notice it listed on the PBS station in my region, but I might have just missed seeing it on the cable "guide". Hope there's some kind of repeat down the road. Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 @Caev, Damn, you're good. I looked up a D'A New Yorker online and you may be correct. I recognized the Headstock inlay as identical. However, I'm not absolutely certain it was a New Yorker. It appeared to be no more than 1.5 inches deep. A D'A for sure, but I'm not certain it was a New Yorker. Did you see the concert, Caev? If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 @Caev, Damn, you're good. I looked up a D'A New Yorker online and you may be correct. I recognized the Headstock inlay as identical. However, I'm not absolutely certain it was a New Yorker. It appeared to be no more than 1.5 inches deep. A D'A for sure, but I'm not certain it was a New Yorker. Did you see the concert, Caev? Only parts so far, when I didn't have a lot of time, from a YouTube video. It sure does seem pretty good, from what I saw and heard. I was largely guessing about its possibly being a New Yorker; I thought it looked pretty flashy and fancied-up. That's gotta be a D'Angelico, though. The headstock and the pickguard sure look like it. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 @Caev, Damn, you're good. I looked up a D'A New Yorker online and you may be correct. I recognized the Headstock inlay as identical. However, I'm not absolutely certain it was a New Yorker. It appeared to be no more than 1.5 inches deep. A D'A for sure, but I'm not certain it was a New Yorker. Did you see the concert, Caev? Only parts so far, when I didn't have a lot of time, from a YouTube video. It sure does seem pretty good, from what I saw and heard. I was largely guessing about its possibly being a New Yorker; I thought it looked pretty flashy and fancied-up. That's gotta be a D'Angelico, though. The headstock and the pickguard sure look like it. Agreed. A D'A for sure. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 He`s tearin it up with a Gibson here, but Phil Upchurch was a D`Angelico endorsee: [video:youtube] Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 He`s tearin it up with a Gibson here, but Phil Upchurch was a D`Angelico endorsee: [video:youtube] Skip, Really enjoyed the YT video. Man, I love that deep hollow body sound. I think I've mentioned that all three of my electrics are hollow bodies, although I've opted for the 16" by 2.5" rather than the 17" by 3" body in the interest of comfort. Question: Was that Phil Upchurch on guitar at the White House Ray Charles concert? If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Hi Fred I have not seen the video yet, things are very busy at present. I`ll do my best to check it out, hopefully there`s none of that `not viewable in your area` crap. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 He`s tearin it up with a Gibson here, but Phil Upchurch was a D`Angelico endorsee: [video:youtube] Skip, Really enjoyed the YT video. Man, I love that deep hollow body sound. I think I've mentioned that all three of my electrics are hollow bodies, although I've opted for the 16" by 2.5" rather than the 17" by 3" body in the interest of comfort. Question: Was that Phil Upchurch on guitar at the White House Ray Charles concert? Man, I love that kind of a guitar and those kinda of tones, too. I will have to get some sort of big ol' humbuckered Jazz Box for myself one day. Years ago, I wanted to buy a sweet used Gibson ES-165 "Herb Ellis" that I REALLY liked; it had medium or heavy Thomastik-Infeld flat-wound strings on it, and really played and sounded fantastic. But when I went back to the store with cash in hand, it was gone... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Actually, looking on the D'A website, the New Yorker's headstock DO look sotra "Gibson-ish", rather than the one we're more used to(with that little "bite" out of the top middle). A photo or clip from that evening might help some. Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Actually, looking on the D'A website, the New Yorker's headstock DO look sotra "Gibson-ish", rather than the one we're more used to(with that little "bite" out of the top middle). A photo or clip from that evening might help some. Whitefang The guitar that he was using for that concert has a headstock with a scrolly opening and a "finial" in it, AND a 'stair-step' pickguard, just like many a vintage D'Angelico- and by just like, I mean that they are specifically John D'Angelico designs. Just which D'angelico model it is and when it was made is another matter, but it is surely a D'Angelico- or a close copy. I doubt the latter. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 @Caev: Agreed. IMO it is certainly a D'Angelico. Although I was unable to read the name on the headstock, I immediately recalled the inlay on the headstock which was identical to the real New Yorker along with the "scrollwork" and finial. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 @Caev: Agreed. IMO it is certainly a D'Angelico. Although I was unable to read the name on the headstock, I immediately recalled the inlay on the headstock which was identical to the real New Yorker along with the "scrollwork" and finial. It was that pickguard that clinched it for me... I'm such a guitar geek. Images of D'Angelicos, among other guitars, were burned into my brain when I read Tom Wheeler's The Guitar Book as a High Schooler... And we know that was not long after the Age when dinosaurs had propellers and aeroplanes ruled the Earth... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 FUNNY! If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d halfnote Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqWJO9mKoZQ [video:youtube] [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_wdqevG0oc ,,,but enough with the teasers, here's the show... hit the timeline & use the L / R curosr keys to move back & forth for highlights http://www.pbs.org/video/2365678181/ d=halfnote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 [quote=Fred_C Skip, Really enjoyed the YT video. Man, I love that deep hollow body sound. I think I've mentioned that all three of my electrics are hollow bodies, although I've opted for the 16" by 2.5" rather than the 17" by 3" body in the interest of comfort. Question: Was that Phil Upchurch on guitar at the White House Ray Charles concert? Man, I love that kind of a guitar and those kinda of tones, too. I will have to get some sort of big ol' humbuckered Jazz Box for myself one day. Years ago, I wanted to buy a sweet used Gibson ES-165 "Herb Ellis" that I REALLY liked; it had medium or heavy Thomastik-Infeld flat-wound strings on it, and really played and sounded fantastic. But when I went back to the store with cash in hand, it was gone... @Caev, When you decide to pursue a hollow body archtop in earnest, let me recommend the Peerless Monarch at $1395. All solid maple with outstanding build quality. It is available in both a 17" and 16" configuration with a choice of floating or fixed humbucker on the 17" model (the 16" is only available with a fixed humbucker (which I own). If you want to spend upwards of $2000-2500, the Imperial is a great guitar. They also have other models in this price For a complete listing of available Peerless archtops visit www.guitarsnjazz.com Highly recommended and IMO an incredible value. I love my Monarch 16. Also note the similarity in headstock design between the Peerless and D'Angelico. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Caev, When you decide to pursue a hollow body archtop in earnest, let me recommend the Peerless Monarch at $1395. All solid maple with outstanding build quality. It is available in both a 17" and 16" configuration with a choice of floating or fixed humbucker on the 17" model (the 16" is only available with a fixed humbucker (which I own). If you want to spend upwards of $2000-2500, the Imperial is a great guitar. They also have other models in this price For a complete listing of available Peerless archtops visit www.guitarsnjazz.com Highly recommended and IMO an incredible value. I love my Monarch 16. Also note the similarity in headstock design between the Peerless and D'Angelico. They do look to be sweet guitars! Definitely up for consideration when I can spend for a guitar. Please let me know your observations and comparisons between floating humbuckers and fixed ones- I have very little experience with the floating ones; I'm not sure which I'd prefer, so far I don't think I'd mind a fixed humbucker... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Please let me know your observations and comparisons between floating humbuckers and fixed ones- I have very little experience with the floating ones; I'm not sure which I'd prefer, so far I don't think I'd mind a fixed humbucker... I can tell you there is most definitely a big difference, in that the floating pickup model is really an acoustic instrument & resonates like one. The whole body feels more alive since the top vibrates freely without the dampening of a half pound of magnets clamped to the surface. I have an Epiphone Broadway & an Epiphone Emperor Regent, which are the same instrument other than the Broadway has two humbuckers screwed to the top & the Emperor has a single floating minihumbucker. The Emperor is twice as loud acoustically, & not surprisingly feeds back more readily. The upside is that the Broadway, having more mass on the top, sustains longer & has a wider range of electric tones. The bottom line for me is that I really need both types in my arsenal; one more like an amplified acoustic, the other more decidedly electric with very useable acoustic overtones. Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Please let me know your observations and comparisons between floating humbuckers and fixed ones- I have very little experience with the floating ones; I'm not sure which I'd prefer, so far I don't think I'd mind a fixed humbucker... I can tell you there is most definitely a big difference, in that the floating pickup model is really an acoustic instrument & resonates like one. The whole body feels more alive since the top vibrates freely without the dampening of a half pound of magnets clamped to the surface. I have an Epiphone Broadway & an Epiphone Emperor Regent, which are the same instrument other than the Broadway has two humbuckers screwed to the top & the Emperor has a single floating minihumbucker. The Emperor is twice as loud acoustically, & not surprisingly feeds back more readily. The upside is that the Broadway, having more mass on the top, sustains longer & has a wider range of electric tones. The bottom line for me is that I really need both types in my arsenal; one more like an amplified acoustic, the other more decidedly electric with very useable acoustic overtones. That's pretty much what I expected, but it's good to confer with other players more experienced with these, such as yourself and Fred. Overall, I'm thinking that a hollow-body carved/arched-top with one top-mounted, fixed humbucker at the neck-position would suit me best for what I'd want from it; possibly also with a Tune-o-Matic style bridge, as well, but I'm not completely adverse to a wooden bridge- the beauty part being that either could be used on the same guitar. Although a touch of enriching harmonic-overtones from just a little acoustic-feedback here and there might be really nice, and I'd presume that such an axe with a floating-pickup might supply that, in the words of the ancient philosophers, "more betterer". OK, back to Ray Charles and that tribute concert! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 Hi Caev, I think that Scott's excellent and insightful comment covers it all and I concur wholeheartedly with his observations. In truth, I've only played one "floater" in my lifetime. I thought you might find the video below helpful and instructive: Regards to you and Scott. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Well, all y'all were going on about the axe being a D'Angelico "New Yorker", and all I mentioned was that the NEWER models have headstocks that look more "Gibson-like" and NO "finial". Perhaps the guitarist in question was using an earlier model. Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Well, all y'all were going on about the axe being a D'Angelico "New Yorker", and all I mentioned was that the NEWER models have headstocks that look more "Gibson-like" and NO "finial". Perhaps the guitarist in question was using an earlier model. Whitefang And then I veered sideways and took the whole thread over the rail... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 It's OK Caevan, that's what guitar players do. No matter what beautiful music is being played, we zero in on the axe LOL! I'm sure Brother Ray forgives you and is getting a big chuckle out of this... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 Well, all y'all were going on about the axe being a D'Angelico "New Yorker", and all I mentioned was that the NEWER models have headstocks that look more "Gibson-like" and NO "finial". Perhaps the guitarist in question was using an earlier model. Whitefang And then I veered sideways and took the whole thread over the rail... Facts are facts. There is only one model in the current D'Angelico line that does not have the scrollwork and finial headstock. http://dangelicoguitars.com/guitars If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Well, all y'all were going on about the axe being a D'Angelico "New Yorker", and all I mentioned was that the NEWER models have headstocks that look more "Gibson-like" and NO "finial". Perhaps the guitarist in question was using an earlier model. Whitefang And then I veered sideways and took the whole thread over the rail... Facts are facts. There is only one model in the current D'Angelico line that does not have the scrollwork and finial headstock. http://dangelicoguitars.com/guitars Yeah. And THAT appears to BE the NEW YORKER! Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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