The First Quality Music Blog- Jeff Sullivan

Storefront Congregation on WHAS Great Day Live

Jeff Sullivan — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:52:54 +0000

Many times when you call in for ordering, with requests or questions the voice you hear answering the phone is that of our very own Murrell Thixton. Murrell is the banjo player for the group Storefront Congregation, a four piece band from Louisville, Ky that performs bluegrass and acoustic music. This weekend they will join Kyle Ramey, Kati Penn and Newtown, and 9 time IBMA fiddler of the year Michael Cleveland in a concert to benefit 3 local charities The Salvation Army, The Center for Women and Families, andThe Home of the Innocents. If you’d like details on how you can attend you can find more information about the concert here.

This video clip promoting the upcoming event is from a broadcast of Great Day Live a local morning show on our ABC affiliate WHAS television. We’re proud of Murrell and his group for their support of these most worthy charities.

We hope you enjoy the clip, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Fretmentor’s 3rd Annual Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin and Fiddle Workshop

Jeff Sullivan — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:14:17 +0000

Good Friend and creator of Fretmentor.com Dave Jakubiak is hosting it’s 3rd annual Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin & Fiddle workshop in Sunny Lake Worth, (Palm Beach County) Flordia. David had scheduled the workshop for January 28th and 29th 2012 to let all of us suffering from the winter blues to meet up in Flordia for some warm weather and some wonderful instruction. David is featuring Alan Munde, Byron Berline, and Jim Hurst… you can’t get much better than that. For more information on this event make sure and check out Fretmentor.com or you can email David directly at david@fretmentor.com

First Quality Music helps sponsor the 2nd Annual Jens and Uwe Kruger Banjo and Guitar Workshop

Jeff Sullivan — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:28:36 +0000

www.fretmentor.com Presents the 2nd Annual Jens and Uwe Kruger Banjo and Guiatr Workshop on March 26-27, 2011.

Palm Beach County – Lake Worth, Flordia

Banjo and guitar students, from beginner through advanced, will welcome this second annual event in Southeast Florida. In addition to some wonderful class instruction from Jens and Uwe, these two professionals are sure to impress attendees with their diverse style of banjo and guitar. 　 For registration details go to www.fretmentor.com (News & Events), via email at david (insert @ symbol) fretmentor.com

Celebrate the Holidays … Acoustic Holiday Christmas Collection

Jeff Sullivan — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:28:47 +0000

Celebrate the Holidays

with Fretmentor.com

Hello Everyone –

Yes … Happy Holidays. It is not too soon to begin practicing for those holiday parties.

Our friend David Jakubiak at www.fretmentor.com has recently released Fretmentor’s Acoustic Holiday – 12 Songs of Christmas for Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin and Fiddle. This music collection is one of kind, since it provides entire standardized arrangements of Christmas tunes for all acoustic instruments, which is ideal for individuals and bands alike.

Fretmentor’s Acoustic Holiday Christmas Collection has taken a year and a half to complete. It consists of both standard musical notation and tablature for 12 Christmas tunes. These songs especially are written for acoustic instruments but can of course be played by other instruments as well. You can view the list of 12 songs by going to the fretmentor library or clicking on this link to the fretmentor library:

http://www.fretmentor.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=19&func=select&id=6

All songs are now in the new Tef format and can be played in computer generated midi format. With the free Tabledit Tef viewer, you will be able to hear the tabs and standard musical notation exactly as it is written. You can even slow the tempo of each song to play along with it as you are learning. All chords are provided for you to also play the rhythm along with the lead. In addition, lyrics to each song are provided.

The entire collection of songs is $35.00 (additional $1.00 charge if paying by paypal). That is approximately $2.91 per song. You can pay by personal check or Paypal. Once authorized, you can download each song to your computer. Instructions on how to download the Free Tef view program will also be provided. In addition, any updates (including video or instructional audio files) that may be provided in the future will be accessible to you as well. Please contact Fretmentor via email for further ordering instructions.

We at First Quality Music and http://www.fretmentor.com/ wish you all in advance, a happy holiday and happy picking.

For additional information or ordering instructions, feel free to contact:

David Jakubiak

www.fretmentor.com

email: david@ fretmentor.com

“Pick Inn” Bluegrass Anonymous Sponsors Bluegrass Show / Jam

Jeff Sullivan — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:19:17 +0000

First Quality Music is a proud supporter of “Pick Inn”

Bluegrass Anonymous along with the Holiday Inn located at Hurstbourne and I-64 will be hosting a Bluegrass Show and Jam on November 28th beginning at 4pm. Cover charge for the show will be either a small donation or a new toy. Proceeds to benefit The Center for Women and Families, The Home of the Innocents and the Salvation Army. Performances and times are as follows…

4pm: James White and Deer Creek, featuring Kyle Ramey

5pm: Cast Iron Airplane

6pm: Fresh Cut Grass

7pm: Hog Operation

There will be raffles, vendors and food and drinks so bring your families and your instruments for some jammin’ and help out these most worthy charities.

Gibson Distressed Master Model on consignment s/n D70314

Jeff Sullivan — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:19:41 +0000

Just reciently aquired for consignment a great condition Distressed Gibson Master Model. Serial # D73014 signed by Danny Roberts of Gibson and dated July 26, 2005. This mandolin is being sold for financial reasons and priced to sell quickly. In February 2009 this mandolin was sent to the Gibson Factory in Nashville for a new setup. Work preformed: Plane and refret neck leaving off the last 7 frets, installed pearl nut, complete set up. This mandolin is also being listed on the Mandolin Cafe. For information contact: Jeff Sullivan @ 877-293-0506 or email @ JSullivan@fqms.com

Sale price $ 13,699.00 plus shipping and insurance.

New Tone Ring from First Quality Music

Jeff Sullivan — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:05:06 +0000

Everyone knows banjos just sound better when they have a tone ring installed. The only drawback is the weight, right at three pounds. First Quality is proud to introduce a direct replacement flathead tone ring made entirely from wood. These tone rings are made on the same machines as the regular rings and they are have all the same features. You can get a ring with a long or short skirt and with or without 20 holes. The one pictured was custom ordered out of factory floor maple and a Brazilian rosewood top. Call for more information. 800.635.2021

First Quality Music helps sponsor “Jens & Uwe Kruger’s Banjo and Guitar Workshop”

Jeff Sullivan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:14:20 +0000

JENS & UWE KRUGER’S BANJO & GUITAR WORKSHOP – Lake Worth, Florida April 9-10th 2010

Time is fast approaching for what will be a wonderful banjo and guitar event in Southeast Florida. Jens and Uwe Kruger, in conjunction with Fretmentor.com are conducting there first of what may become an annual “Jens & Uwe Banjo & Guitar Workshop”.

David Jakubiak, an instructor, writer for Banjo Newsletter, and the founder of Fretmentor.com is coordinating this weekend event. You can see the details by going directly to his website and viewing the online form and registration process.

As if banjo and guitar instruction by Jens and Uwe were not enough, David has secured many exceptional sponsors who have donated items to be raffled. We at First Quality Music have donated a Sullivan Bluegrass Jam banjo. This will be the grand prize for one lucky attendee.

The Jens & Uwe Kruger Banjo & Guitar Workshop will be held on April 9-10 in Lake Worth, Florida. On Sunday April 11th, the Kruger Brothers will be performing a concert in Palm Beach. Fretmentor.com has reserved a block of tickets for those who desire to attend the Sunday concert. Tickets for the concert are only $10 each.

We look forward to seeing our friend and customers at this wonderful event. Good luck to the attendee who wins our grand prize.

First Quality Music to Air on Kentucky Afield TV show

Jeff Sullivan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:29:21 +0000

First Quality Music has started a new division within our company called Derby City Game Calls. We have a lot of friends in the hunting industry that have encouraged us to make game calls with our instrument grade wood. With the technology to make instruments it just made sence to give it a try. After months of research and development and working right along with some top notch hunters we have developed a line of game calls that just sound wonderful and we believe will do the job. Kentucky’s own Tim Farmer who host the ever popular TV show Kentucky Afield got wind that a Kentucky company that has made banjos for 38 years is now also making game calls, so needless to say he had to check us out. We welcomed Tim in to First Quality Music and before we got started talking turkey calls we got him to play a little Bluegrass Music with the guys here at First Quality. Murrell Thixton, JC Gay and one of our very good friends Cody Pearman play along side Tim Farmer on Upright Bass playing the song Cumberland Gap.

We also Got Tim during his visit to sign our Wall of Fame.

During his visit here at First Quality Music we showed him around and when the Music Store closed we began to show him how we make Turkey Calls. Jim Dawson of Derby City Game Calls spoke with Tim as we filmed a segment for the upcoming episode on Kentucky Afield.

As we finished up our segent for Kentucky Afield, Brent Stoner of Derby City Game Calls talks with Tim going over different options and the basics of how we use our instrument building technology to produce wonderful sounding Turkey Calls.

Make sure to check us out on Saturday September the 19th at 8:30 pm Eastern time on KET Channel 13 on Insight Cable.

FQMS featured as one of America’s Best Guitar Shops

Jeff Sullivan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:48:51 +0000

We’re featured on Gibson Lifestyle’s “America’s Best Guitar Shops” this week as they make their way across the US highlighting independent music stores. You can check out their entire line of Blog’s at the Gibson Lifestyle Homepage: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/lifestyle/

Thanks Gibson! We’re pretty fond of you, too.