Colorado Guitar Expo

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Tadpui
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Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

I caught wind of the Colorado Guitar Expo via a random Facebook ad, and I just had to go. It was a funny little event, held in a Lutheran high school gymnasium in Parker, which is about half way between where I live and where I work. Even though it was a pretty small affair, I actually had a really good time. There were maybe 2 dozen booths from local luthiers, shops, bands, and other sellers.

Upon paying the $5 entry fee, we were given tickets that allowed us a spin on the prize wheel. My wife got a D'Addario t-shirt (that I'll totally wear) and I got some sort of lotion/hand cleanser "for guitarists".

I chatted it up with every booth there. There were some cool vintage instruments from shops, some cool custom builds, and one guy that was just selling off his late father's collection. Oh, and there was a booth entirely of PRS guitars that Greg would have adored. They had the solid one, the hollow one, the really fat hollow one, and the other electric one. You know, all the PRS.

My favorite booth was a guy that had all sorts of famous vintage pedals. He had an actual vintage Mu-Tron. He had them all set up and plugged in to a Blues Jr, along with the DIY clone kits that he was selling. I played through several of them, and I have to say it was cool to play through an old Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, and a '60s Maestro Fuzz. I'd never heard of a Super Fuzz before, but it won my heart so I bought his kit to build one. Of course, I picked the most complex (and expensive) kit he sells! So I'm gonna bust out the soldering iron this week and see if I can get this thing together and working.

So all in all, for $5 entry, a $20 t-shirt, and a $55 fuzz clone kit, it was a good day. And I met reps from several local shops, so the next time I have money burning a hole in my pocket, I'll have no shortage of places to turn cash into gear :)
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SweetDan
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by SweetDan »

Sounds cool. Wish I'd heard about it, but I rarely frequent FB. Maybe next year...
awesome youtube comment of the day
Lol it's still less satanic than whatever rituals Katie Perry and Taylor Swift do in their performances. ๐Ÿ˜‚
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SweetDan
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by SweetDan »

Tadpui wrote: โ†‘Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:45 pm My favorite booth was a guy that had all sorts of famous vintage pedals. He had an actual vintage Mu-Tron. He had them all set up and plugged in to a Blues Jr, along with the DIY clone kits that he was selling. I played through several of them, and I have to say it was cool to play through an old Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, and a '60s Maestro Fuzz. I'd never heard of a Super Fuzz before, but it won my heart so I bought his kit to build one. Of course, I picked the most complex (and expensive) kit he sells! So I'm gonna bust out the soldering iron this week and see if I can get this thing together and working.
Does the guy have a website or do online sales of his kits?
awesome youtube comment of the day
Lol it's still less satanic than whatever rituals Katie Perry and Taylor Swift do in their performances. ๐Ÿ˜‚
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Tadpui
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

He does, indeed! It took me a few tries to find it, but its here: http://www.retrotone.com
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Greg_L
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Greg_L »

Awesome! Sounds like a cool little event....except for the PRS part.
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Tadpui
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

Greg_L wrote: โ†‘Sun Jun 25, 2017 1:16 am Awesome! Sounds like a cool little event....except for the PRS part.
LOL yeah, I immediately thought of you when I saw that booth :D
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Greg_L
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Greg_L »

Tadpui wrote: โ†‘Sun Jun 25, 2017 3:31 am

LOL yeah, I immediately thought of you when I saw that booth :D
Lol. I mean really, I know they're very good guitars and usually have stunning finishes....but can they be any more corny? I don't think it's just me, but I see a PRS and I think A) Creed/Alterbridge tribute band, or B) rich lawyer weekend blues rocker. :lollers2:

I know they're just guitars and I'm a snobby punk rock elitist, but to me there's just nothing cool about a PRS. Zero cool factor.
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Tadpui
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

I think they're good-looking and sounding guitars, too. But they're not quite my personal taste either. I think that I'm over double-cuts that aren't offsets. Except basses. Jeez, having guitar opinions is getting complicated :D
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Greg_L
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Greg_L »

Tadpui wrote: โ†‘Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:01 am I think they're good-looking and sounding guitars, too. But they're not quite my personal taste either. I think that I'm over double-cuts that aren't offsets. Except basses. Jeez, having guitar opinions is getting complicated :D
Ha, yeah. I'm with you there. I'm a little weird about double-cuts. Double cut Les Paul Jr? Fuck yeah. Double cut Les Paul Standard? No way. Might as well be a PRS.
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rayc
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by rayc »

Sounds like a good day out with the Mrs. Glad she won something - it'll make her more inclined towards the next one.
PRS - I see them and theink of shredding and the bands I don't like so it doesn't work out for my ears or eyes.
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JD01
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by JD01 »

PRS guitars are ugly as fuck... actually. They're not ugly, that's the wrong word. It's like they're unnecessarily "posh" looking. They're like the guitar equivalent of a nice three piece suit... which just isn't very rock n roll!

Saying that,my PRS is more like the spotty office photocopy boy in a suit he got from a charity shop.
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Tadpui
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

rayc wrote: โ†‘Sun Jun 25, 2017 7:04 am Sounds like a good day out with the Mrs. Glad she won something - it'll make her more inclined towards the next one.
PRS - I see them and theink of shredding and the bands I don't like so it doesn't work out for my ears or eyes.
I hope so! Oh, and I thought of you too when I saw these at a table: http://www.castlecreekguitars.com

They're resonator guitars with cool Bixby vibratos on them. Swiveling the trem arm up activates a B-Bender too. They looked really well built and sounded great.
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Tadpui
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

JD01 wrote: โ†‘Sun Jun 25, 2017 12:41 pm PRS guitars are ugly as fuck... actually. They're not ugly, that's the wrong word. It's like they're unnecessarily "posh" looking. They're like the guitar equivalent of a nice three piece suit... which just isn't very rock n roll!

Saying that,my PRS is more like the spotty office photocopy boy in a suit he got from a charity shop.
Haha, I think you nailed it. They're kind of "shirt tail tucked into khaki shorts". Looks nice, but trying a little too hard.
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rayc
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by rayc »

That looks cool - I've been in love with the look of Bigsby trems since about 74.
I can't see the point on the Dobros but they look really coooooool.
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Tadpui
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Re: Colorado Guitar Expo

Post by Tadpui »

Yeah I have to agree, Ray. The Dobro + Bigsby trem is a really niche thing, maybe it'd be just right for certain folk or jazz players. But anyways, I thought of you when I saw resonators on display.
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