NGD!! Epiphone Les Paul Deluxe in Sparkle Blue with Mini Humbuckers

From 2000 in a very rare Sparkle Blue (close to LPB). Made in Korea. It was missing it's original pickguard but I'm having one made now. Thinking of changing the plastics to black and knobs to black top hats. We'll see. Maybe it looks better, more "retro" with the cream all over. hmmm. Got it for a song at $249 at my local Guitar Center. The the guys up there wanted it and said we had to set up custody arrangements for them to play it from time to time. I don't think they wanted to sell it to me as the Manager had it in his office! But they know me pretty well up there. It's probably the weirdest looking guitar I've ever bought but DAMN it plays well and those Mini Hums are great!

Favorite Products: Bolo Pick

Bolo Pick

I love to have a pick on me wherever I go, especially MY picks, what feels comfortable to me. I avoided buying the others that I've seen about, usually made from leather or faux leather. And bulky too!

Bolo Pick is nice and compact, lays flat on my keys and therefore more comfortable in my pocket, and holds three to four picks, depending on thickness. I've had mine since October 2010 and it seems to be holding up to daily usage.

They come in several versions: multi-pick keychain, several versions of a single pick necklace, & carabiner multi-pick keychain.

I found mine at Conway Music, downtown on Oak St., the only place that sells them in the entire state of Arkansas. I've been back twice now to purchase more to give away as xmas gifts and to other guitarists that I think will appreciate them.

Another website design project finished! Well, almost...

Tecumseh Cabinet Company, located in Missouri, is owned by our friend Tim Corbin. In exchange for some new built-ins at our home, we've been working together to get this site produced.

He's extremely happy with the look and results. We still have a few pages to fill in but it's close and as I tell all clients, websites are evolutionary, not revolutionary!

Tim has been in business 17 + years and makes some amazing cabinets and furniture using solid wood, superior finishes, and expert installation.

The Ever-Changing Wish List

There is a long list of lustful items but the prices are just too far from my reach....ever!

Hamer Newport Vintage Natural with Bigsby
I saw this one while in Hot Springs at Ronnie’s Guitar Shop. It is super lightweight and has Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90s, Bigsby Vibrato, and just feels and sounds great! $2200 :(

Hamer Newport Vintage Natural, Spruce Top, Mahogany Hollow Body

Guido's Hot Springs Music Company

I finally had the chance to get by this well recommended place yestereday! WOW! I had to stop after walking in the door and take this picture (above). And that's just the front room!

This place is chock full of vintage and used instruments from every maker you can think of. They also have basses, amps, an amp tech and guitar tech on board!

I had a blast meeting their amp tech, J.D. Black, who after I mentioned my name, knew my Grandmother Maudie Burnett. She gave him his first job in electronics in 1972 at her TV & Appliance shop Southern TV & Electronics. I used to play there in the basement in houses she made out of refrigerator boxes for us. She was a wonderful and strong woman that was and always will be an inspiration to me. Turns out he remembered her well for the same reasons as well! He's also a pretty good guitarist too!

Rodney Herrell is nice guy and also an excellent player and very knowledgeable about guitars and tech. I could easily recommend taking your equipment here. I know it's nice to know I have more options.

My friend, Marshall Dunn, Guitar Tech at Guitar Center here in Little Rock is the one who recommended that I stop in. I both hate him and thank him now! :)  It's not good to know there is such a treasure trove of cool to someone like me that has serious gear lust!

I'm looking forward to getting around there again and see what they have in stock next time, but be prepared, there are no price tags on anything in the shop! Pricing is all off the top of the owner's head. That said, I will say that the prices I inquired about sounded very fair for the quality and vintage of the equipment. I'm sure that cash is king, so bring it to deal. With my inevitable taste, I'll have to see about layaway!