The First Quality Music Blog

Welcome back to another Vault Friday! Each Friday I’ll venture into the Vault with one of our instrument specialists to showcase some of the cool stuff we’ve got hidden away in there.

This week Murrell is playing the Martin HD-28, one of the best known Guitars in the world. The HD-28 features east indian rosewood back and sides with a sitka spruce top and is adorned with Herringbone purfling. This guitar’s signature stylings hide a powerful sound with Martin’s X-braced interior. The HD-28 is a staple of Bluegrass music and this is one of the best we’ve had through our doors.

You can learn more about the Martin HD-28 here or by giving Murrell a call at (800) 635-2021 Ext. 7156

Tags: east indian rosewood, HD-28, herringbone, Martin, Murrell Thixton, sitka spruce, spruce top, Vault Fridays

Love the tone and sound of D’Addario’s famous XL Electric Guitar strings, but wish they would last longer? At Winter NAMM, D’Addario offered an answer: the new EXP 110, 115, 120, 125 and 140 strings. D’Addario is so confident in the lasting ability of these strings that they are including a free extra 1st string – the string most susceptible to breakage. No need to replace the entire set should you break a string!

D’Addario EXPs deliver the most natural-sounding, longest-lasting coated strings available. Through our advanced EXP Coated Technology, we have perfected the art and science of coated string-making to deliver extended play strings that sound identical to our world famous XLs. Plus, we’ve dramatically improved the corrosion resistance, longevity and durability of plain steel strings through an exclusive compound tin-plating process. Finally…coated electric strings that deliver longer life, completely natural tone and the feel of uncoated strings. You won’t believe they are coated!

You can learn more about the D’Addario at http://daddario.com, and be sure to check out our entire selection of D’Addario EXP strings!

Tags: d addario, durability, electric guitar strings, electric strings, EXP110, EXP115, EXP120, longevity, winter namm, xl

Every now and then, we receive a “letter of endorsement” from a Sullivan owner that overwhelms our hearts with joy, and affirms the sense of pride and enjoyment we get in making our own line of high-quality banjos. We’d like to share this one from Mark, serving our Country in Kabul Afghanistan, with you.

Greetings from Kabul Afghanistan!

Just to let you know that Bluegrass is alive and well on the other side of the world – and in the midst of the Taliban! I am getting great service from my Sullivan banjo. It has been across the globe three times all in baggage compartments of foreign airlines. It went with me to Kuwait (2008)(in 140 degree heat!), crossed by air over the Persian gulf, over Iran and down to Kabul (10,000 feet). Then it survived the unload by Afghani handlers and its still going strong! In fact tonight we were just finishing a rehearsal and whooooooosh! BANG! “Hit the Bunkers!” We had a rocket attack. So you can say my Sullivan has been baptized by hostile fire.

I have enclosed some shots from performances we’ve done here in Kabul (church and on New Years) (note all the Mongol soldiers we had there celebrating with us). We (Four Horsemen) have been invited by the MWR department (Morale Welfare and Recreation) to provide two more performances in February here on post and across town. Note the hat I’m wearing in the shots.

Best wishes!
-Mark

Mark asked us to let everyone know that if they just happen to be in town, they are having an open jam every Monday night in downtown Kabul. In Mark’s own words: “Second floor Ciano’s building, Camp Eggers, downtown Kabul right across the street from Karzai’s house“.

Thanks for the note, Mark, and we’re glad you are enjoying your Sullivan Banjo!

Tags: Afghanistan, Army, Bluegrass, Four Horsemen, Iran, Jam, Kabul, karzai, Kuwait, letter of endorsement, Mark, Mongol, Morale Welfare and Recreation, MWR, Persian Gulf, Sullivan, Sullivan Banjos

From all of us here at First Quality Music, we hope you have a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. We’ll be open part of the day New Years Day, so feel free to drop by and visit. JC and Company will be taking the day off, though, so we’ll resume Vault Fridays next week.

See you in 2010!

-Your friends at First Quality Music

Tags: 2010, New Years Day

Welcome back to another Vault Friday! Each Friday I’ll venture into the Vault with one of our instrument specialists to showcase some of the cool stuff we’ve got hidden away in there.

This week we’re showcasing JC’s favorite guitar: the Taylor 35th Anniversary Armrest Cocobola. Like the other 35th Anniversary model’s we’ve featured, there are only 35 of this guitar in existence. It is unique in that, combined with some of the most beautiful cocobola we’ve seen, it features an edge bevel on the bass side of the guitar (AKA The “Armrest”). Inspired by luthier Grit Laskin, this treatment offers players the “coolest, most complex binding treatment you cna get on an acoustic”, as Bob Taylor describes it. This guitar has a Sitka spruce top with CV bracing, an abalone rosette, Gotoh tuners, and the Taylor Expression Electronics package. Check out the video below, or come in to take a look at this beautiful guitar!

You can learn more about the Taylor 35th Anniversary Armrest Cocobola Guitar here or by giving JC a call at (800) 635-2021 Ext. 7124

Tags: 35th Anniversary, abalone rosette, Acoustic Guitar, Armrest, Binding, Bob Taylor, Cocobola, cv bracing, Ebony, Expression, gotoh tuners, grand symphony, grit laskin, GS, JC Gay, sitka spruce, Taylor, Taylor 35th Anniversary Models, Taylor Guitar

Welcome back to another Vault Friday! Each Friday I’ll venture into the Vault with one of our instrument specialists to showcase some of the cool stuff we’ve got hidden away in there.

This week we’ll be looking at something a little unique: The Composite Acoustics Legacy Performer. This guitar is made completely out of carbon fiber, meaning that there is no wood on the Instrument. This frees you from dealing with neck bend and humidity: You could theoretically play this guitar in a rainstorm and remain in tune! (Your electronics package, however, may argue). This is the same stuff that next generation racing bikes and yachts are made out of, making your instrument practically impervious to the wear and tear of touring. This particular model is packed with a Fishman Prefix Premium Blend electronics package, making it perfect for the musician who wants their Guitar to perform on demand.

You can learn more about the Composite Acoustics Legacy Performer Guitar here or by giving JC a call at (800) 635-2021 Ext. 7124

Tags: Acoustic Guitar, Carbon Fiber, Composite Acoustics, fishman, fishman prefix, humidity, JC Gay, Legacy, Performer, Prefix Premium Blend, Vault Fridays

Welcome back to another Vault Friday! Each Friday I’ll venture into the Vault with one of our instrument specialists to showcase some of the cool stuff we’ve got hidden away in there.

We’ve got Corey back this week with another awesome Electric, the Music Man 25th Anniversary. This guitar has plenty of bells and whistles to achieve whatever sound your looking for. New for 2009, this guitar is a celebration of 25 years of music with Ernie Ball and Music Man.It features a lightweight body, dramatic styling, and an amazing set of electronics. It sports two Di Marzio humbucking pickups with ten distinct sounds, utilizing a 5-way lever pickup selector and series/parallel toggle switch. Visually, this guitar is a real beauty with a basswood chambered body, mahogany tone block, and a bound premium maple top.

You can learn more about the Music Man 25th Anniversary Electric Guitar here or by giving Corey a call at (800) 635-2021 Ext. 7142

Tags: 25th anniversary, black friday, corey greco, Di Marzio, electronics, Ernie Ball, humbucker, humbucking pickups, lightweight body, mahogany tone block, Music Man, parallel, pickup, Quilted Maple, series, Vault Fridays

Welcome back to another Vault Friday! Each Friday I’ll venture into the Vault with one of our instrument specialists to showcase some of the cool stuff we’ve got hidden away in there.

This week we’re featuring an Electric Guitar, the Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop SG Standard. I was finally able to get Corey on camera to feature one of these – look forward to more from our Electric department in the future! This guitar features the standard SG setup, with two “burstbuckers” custom Humbucker pickups and an all-mahogany neck and body. This guitar exemplifies the sound of classic rock – check out the video below to hear it!

You can learn more about the Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop SG by giving Corey a call at (800) 635-2021 Ext. 7142

Tags: burstbucker, corey greco, Custom Shop, gibson les paul, gibson les paul custom, humbucker, les paul, mahogany, sg, standard, Vault Fridays

Welcome back to another Vault Friday! Each Friday I’ll venture into the Vault with one of our instrument specialists to showcase some of the cool stuff we’ve got hidden away in there.

We’ve got another Taylor this week: The Taylor GS6 Acoustic Guitar with the Taylor Expression electronics package. This guitar features beautiful curly maple back and sides, with a solid sitka spruce top. Keeping in line with the GS5 we showcased last week, it has a light sunburst  that really makes it pop visually. This guitar sounds great, with the balanced tone that Taylor is known for – check out the video below to hear it yourself!

Give JC a call at (800) 635-2021 Ext. 7124, or click here for more information!

Tags: Acoustic Guitar, curly maple, electronics package, Expression, grand symphony, GS, GS6, JC Gay, sitka spruce, sunburst, Taylor, Vault Fridays

The Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, a local group known for their high-energy performances of classic bluegrass tunes, stopped by today before heading out on a tour of the surrounding states. They were absent their fiddler, but they grabbed some instruments off the walls and agreed to play for us.

You can learn more about the Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, and check out their schedule of performances, at http://www.whiskeybentvalley.com

Tags: Bluegrass, boil that cabbage down, boil the cabbage down, Boil them cabbage down, high energy, Johnny Whippermule, Leroy Jones, Mason Dixon, old joe clark, old-time, WBVB, Whiskey Bent Valley Boys