Friday Lunch Report - May 11th 2012

Good afternoon fellow forummers (Is that even a noun? Should it be? Is that today’s non-G&L question?) Lunch on this sunny Friday was lamb burgers and a garden salad, followed by a shot of espresso.

I have had an amazing week as your lunch reporter and also in the real world. On Monday, I attended a Mad Men screening followed by a Q&A by executive producers André and Maria Jacquemetton. It was a lot like a guitar clinic but the subject was writing for television. On Tuesday I attended a master class/screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy given by Hell Boy director Guillermo del Toro. On Wednesday, I was invited to a robotics demonstration by a young artist and tonight I’ll probably end up checking out some cool photographs at one of the many exhibits that are up for the month-long Contact Photography festival.

All this creativity is inspiring. But one of the things that has been noticeably absent in everything I’ve seen this week is the trope of the tortured artist. There’s this modern myth that artists of all stripes are miserable messed-up human beings. Van Gogh, Jim Morrison, and Hunter S. Thomson spring to mind. But most of the artists I encounter are pretty well balanced happy human people. What’s the deal with that?

I secretly think that non-artists made up the misery myth because they’re upset at artists for having too much fun. What do you think?

And speaking of non-miserable artists: Les Paul was one happy camper. He spent a long life doing what he loved most: playing and tinkering. In a few weeks his estate will be auctioned off, including guitars, amps, mics, studio equipment, etc. I for one would want to buy his Fender Ritchie Sambora Stratocaster, just for the sake of saying, “Yeah, I have a Les Paul guitar, but it’s a Strat!”

Actually, I might bid on a couple of things. What about you? Today’s real non-G&L question is: What, if anything, would you bid on from Les Paul’s estate? 



Here’s a link to the auction/catalog:
http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2012/les-paul/index.html


Today’s G&L question is this: You are G&L’s new marketing manager. You want to rebrand the marque as forward looking. This means NO references to the past or to the founders. No Birthplace of the Bolt-On, No references to George or Leo, not even a reference to the company having been around since 1980. If you could—in one simple forward looking statement/slogan or ad that doesn’t invoke the history of the company—how would you encapsulate the spirit of G&L guitars?


Here’s a sample:
Red, White, Blue & Sunburst. Made in the U.S.A. (with a graphic of four guitars)

Have fun with it.

It’s been a treat being your lunch reporter this week. I hope to announce next week’s reporter shortly.

Lamb Burgers, wow! I don't know if I'm "messed-up" or not, but who knows... As for Les Paul's auction: I used to go watch him play at Fat Tuesdays so I'm bidding on the "Boss BCB-6 Pedal Effects In Case" & "Les Paul’s Touring Rig". My re-brand would be: Guitar Good! and have cavemen staring at it... I don't know.


Cheers,

Will

I like the cave man thing. A lot of us keep our guitars in our man caves so it is a rather appropriate image.

I love lamb, but the rest of the family is a bit, uh, sheepish ;+).

Tortured artist: I think there is some truth to it. I can't play worth s*it, but I'd like to think that there is something worthy of consideration in the songs that my brother and I have penned over the years. When things are going great, there seems to be little to write about, little inspiration. When there is pain, however, the music seems to flow. This happens too at fantastic times, but these seem to happen less often.

Les Paul Auction: I cannot compete with the folks that will be bidding on this stuff, so count me out. The George Fullerton guitars sorely tempted me, however.

No-past marketing: This may be stupid (as are many of my ideas), but I see a blurry photo of pedigreed dogs being walked around a ring.
Up front, in fine focus, are a Bluesboy and a Legacy HB, and a Comanche. The text: "Best of Breed." Then - overlaid somehow or in an interesting corner of the page, is an SC-shaped instrument, distinguished by a "Best in Show" designation. I have long lobbied for G&L taking ownership of the original SC shape and running with it. Turns out not to have been a bad idea after all. Go figure ;+)/

Great week. Thank you! -ed

Wow, what a collection!

If I could bid on anything it would be the '51 No-caster
One of the first made, delivered by Paul Bigsby to Les as a gift from Leo. Leo signed the back of the headstock. Now that is a piece of history

-Dave

CCT What I fine week of reports you have strung together. I was slammed, but followed along, Will throw out a couple of late answers-need the 'C'.

Wednesday---Favorite Recording? A lot of really good stuff, and Zep's stuff is amazing. I thought Dylan's Modern Times was a masterpiece of a record-the sound was great, but a lot of really good songs as well. I am going to throw out Waylon Jennings collection of (mostly) Billy Jo Shaver stuff - "Honkey Tonk Hero's". The vocals and strings (minus the bass) just sound country perfect to me.

Thursday - Never been to a G&L dealer, but will try it someday.

Ok... Here we go.

Les Paul - I don't know what I would bid on, but did you quarter haters notice the female XLR on at least one early guitar? It coulda been different! Thanks for the link, fun stuff.

Marketing...
"Play On" Then I will have my fantastic ad agency hire Will and Ed for some content.

Can't ever remember having lamb. We grew sheep for wool and had plenty of beef, chickens and pork when I was a kid. Many of them became pets and died from old age. I'm a day late but I did go through the Les Paul listing. There is some old electronic test gear that I would love to have. Do not have any desire for LPs even though they are cool. It would be fun to know what this auction brings in.

Artists in general are a different lot. I know a few musicians personally that made a living and were happy. I also know some that were messed up until they died which most of them did. Many extremely talented people have had difficult lives. Fame and money must be hard to deal with, however I will never know!

G&L could well stand on its own as a product without the hype. All a good salesman has to do is get someone to play a well set up G&L and let the guitar do the talking. Good salesman answer questions and make it easy to buy! I can't tell you how many times my favorite salesman has told me to take it home and try it. That is something I cannot do as it would not come back and they know that. A good salesman will figure what someone is looking for by asking the right questions. So the hype may get someone to look but the dealers are the ones that have to sell the product. Good dealers are always the trump card.

Thanks for the LR's this week Chet and its a bummer that you had trouble. -- Darwin

Les Paul - I don't know what I would bid on, but did you quarter haters notice the female XLR on at least one early guitar?

Les' guitars were equipped with an XLR input on the top for a microphone.
He must have used stereo output cables to carry the guitar/voice discreetly, someone should buy one and we can take a peek in the control cavity.

Les Paul - I don't know what I would bid on, but did you quarter haters notice the female XLR on at least one early guitar?

Les' guitars were equipped with an XLR input on the top for a microphone.
He must have used stereo output cables to carry the guitar/voice discreetly, someone should buy one and we can take a peek in the control cavity.

I had no idea. That is cool. I will look at the pictures again later, and yea, one of should buy one!