Yamaha CG classical guitars (updated series)

Among many other improvements and updates the CG includes a three-piece neck for increased stability against warping and bridgeplate (fitted beneath the guitar’s top) that “has been reduced in size to allow freer vibration of the guitar’s top and a more responsive, open tone together with greater volume.” See more description here. The CG series is considered a professional grade guitar, in contrast to the CGS which is Yamaha’s beginner classicals.

Queen guitarist Brian May’s secret obsession

“…When I was about 12 years old, Weetabix gave away a series of 3-D picture cards featuring animals – you would find them nestling between the box and the inner bag. The idea was that you could send off for a special ‘Vista-Screen’ viewer which, when the pictures were inserted, made them leap into amazing 3-D. The effect was pure magic – a window into another world. It was the beginning of a love affair that has lasted most of my life, and has drawn me into an extraordinary trail of historical discovery. Stereoscopy – to give 3-D imaging its proper name – is simple in principle. In real life our eyes see two slightly different versions of the same view – and our brains work to combine these into an instant read-out. Stereoscopy is a form of photography that works in the same way…” Read here.

Mel Bay lives…

Hey at the link here there’s a recent article on guitarist and teacher–the late Mel Bay. The name sound familiar? I think I started with a Mel Bay guitar manual when I first studied electric guitar. Millions of others started with the same booklet. This guy had a whole system down, presented over a series of lesson books and chord studies. His company’s still pumping them out, and now publishes over 4,500 different instructional manuals.

Little “guitars”

Whiter shade of pale

Very pleasant acoustic version:

Sungha playing ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ (arrangement by Walter Lupi).

Here’s another acoustic version by Martin Tallstrom, featuring some nicely executed natural harmonics:

Channel here.