Acoustic Guitars

In collaboration with Taylor Guitars, Taylor Swift has announced the Taylor Swift Baby Taylor, a compact acoustic guitar specially designed for petite players with small hands. It's based on the original Baby Taylor, but unlike the original, the TSBT features Swift's own lady-like design touches.  

Gearwire's Owen O'Malley is happy to let us have a look at and a listen to the fine Guild GAD-50. The quality craftsmanship and fine appointments, not to mention the handsome hard case, make this guitar a steal at well under a grand. Nope, I can't think of anything snarky to say.  

Another story of a parent giving a kid a great instrument (and one they bought for $20 to boot). Alex Mandel even admits to kicking a hole in it as a rambunctious youth.  

Elegance is an understatement if you check out Taylor Guitars' 35th anniversary. The Taylor Guitars XXXV-GS Series come with all premium items that they belittle the term extravagance.  

Just how many times have you been dissatisfied by tinny-sounding travel acoustic guitars? There should be an end to something like that, right? Johnson Guitars Trailblazer Deluxe gives us a big resounding yes, courtesy its bigger body.  

Today's times feature a trend of things such as vintage revival, the authentic performance movement, or basically embracing anything old and turning it into something novel. Cinematique Instruments Bowed Psaltery exemplifies this concept so much that even the development of the real bowed psaltery in the 1920s embraced the very same concept practiced by postmodern society.  

Oh my baby done left me/
Fer a man with steady pay/
I said baby done left me/
Fer a man with steady pay/
But I've got a new Recording King ROS-06 acoustic guitar/
So I'd say I'm still doin' OK/  

Back at the Bloodshot Records 15th Anniversary Show, Bobby Bare Jr tells Gearwire about the unusual barter he made for his Gibson J-45.  

Mary Ralph's dad was hesitant to let her play his 1953 Gibson LG-1. She had to work her way up to it, all the way from a ukulele, for crying out loud. But now that she's earned the privilege, nothing but a Gibson will do.  

Taylor Guitars is celebrating 35 years in the biz with a series of novel instruments. The first in this line is the 9-string Taylor XXXV-9.  

Handmade guitar quality is now available at mass consumer pricing thanks to the Walden GuitarsConcorda Series. These guitars are now being shipped out and are available through their exclusive dealer. Read here to find out how to get yours.  

The guitar construction methods of today are claimed to promote mismatched frequencies between its components. The result is that of a guitar that is weak sounding because of inadequate resonance. The Hohner Essential Series of acoustic guitars are so designed to solve that dilemma.  

Beginning and cash-strapped metalheads all desire to have that intimidating nightmarish flash that their more wealthier and experienced counterparts do. The Ibanez Xiphos XP300FXBX will get those metalheads on a budget a good headstart towards that path.  

Acoustic guitars have that unparalleled degree of magic unique unto its own. Tapping into that acoustic magic, the Michael Kelly Nostalgia Series are now being shipped to your local Michael Kelly distributors.  

With a diverse career starting off as the founder of a software development company up to success with System Of A Down and today's solo projects/sociopolitical activities, Serj Tankian is indeed one of the most engaging frontmen in the rock scene. Befitting his status, the Taylor Serj Tankian Signature T5 acoustic-electric guitar has been crafted and released to satisfy both Serj's and your own uniquely discriminating taste.  

Having been described by Yamaha as the venerable guitar where great guitarists have started out with, the FG acoustic guitar has been that paradox of quality and affordability. The introduction of the latest additions to the FG line at Summer NAMM 2009, the Yamaha FJX730SC and FJX720SC, are indications that Yamaha's continuing that same route with new guitars.  

A clear sounding acoustic guitar with prime components is the acoustic guitar aficionado's dream. Making its way to Summer NAMM 2009, the Walden Guitars D710CE has been put on exhibit boasting of a pristine acoustic tone that is bound to be a favorite.  

Taylor designed their NS series with the steel-string player in mind. If you need the softer sound of a nylon stringed guitar definitely have a look at these.  

The softspoken London-based 12-string guitarist James Blackshaw shares some quality time with Gearwire and his new Guild GAD-G212. Since he's mindful of his pocketbook, he likes a guitar that plays nicely but doesn't break the bank.  

William Fitzsimmons loves his Guild M-20 so much there is no way he is trusting it to a baggage handler. He writes on it and one day will record with it. He feels like the guitar is just magic.  

Going into a museum and looking at period instruments could be one amazing experience. Sadly, playing one is a privilege of a few. The Recording King Custom Shop, being a specialist at crafting amazing copies of period guitars introduces their latest addition to the Century Studio Series, the ROS-697.  

Back with Jack Conte of Pomplamoose and VideoSong fame, conversation turns to his trusty Martin Acoustic Electric DC-16GTE. Conte has never been so excited about actual electric guitars; he's much more into modifying the sound of an acoustic instrument through pedals, string choice and packing material.  

William Fitzsimmons fears taking his Gibson L-130 on the road. But the sound and look of the guitar are just too good to leave at the homestead.  

Micah Walk's Taylor 410 is not just any guitar to him; it has sentimental value. As anyone who plays live regularly can tell you, your guitar is always in danger, but what can you do when that danger manifests itself in the form of a stumbling drunk who drops a mixer on your instrument?  

Chris Ayers is "folkin'" across America this summer (I am thinking of trademarking that). The singer songwriter's second full-length comes out in August and he is playing dates-a-plenty. One thing you can count on seeing at an Ayers show is his Martin HD-28 and KISS-like pyrotechnic displays (I made the last part up).  

The ever-chatty Dave Evans from Martin Guitars has brought the new Martin OMC-160 GTE to the Gearwire studio, and it's got Roland electronics. Holla! Dave and Owen team up via the magic of video editing to give discerning Gearwire viewers what they want: all the specs and all the actual sound of the instrument. You may need to take a break halfway through this one!  

Dave Evans from Martin Guitars graces us with a visit and a sonorous demonstration of the Martin D1. This dreadnought features all solid wood, even on the sides, for a full, rich tone. Hang out with Dave and hear what this modest but elegant axe has to offer.  

Katie Herzig has been on the road constantly supporting her new CD, Apple Tree. On the road with her has been her primary road instrument, the Taylor 510ce and a lot of Fritos. We bet she gets free Fritos, and we are jealous.  

It's been said that, while Elvis had the look, Roy Orbison had the voice. The same could be said about the two legendary performers' signature acoustic guitars. Elvis's Gibson Jumbo may have had some splashy graphics and that fancy bridge design, but the understated Epiphone Roy Orbison "Oh, Pretty Woman" 12-String Acoustic jangles pure joy (or, more often, sorrow, loneliness and despair. . . maybe that's why he was never quite as popular as The King).  

A result of early collaboration between Bob Taylor and Rupert Neve, the Taylor Expression System has developed into a fine tuned (as it were) tool in Taylor's universe. Mike Ausman from Taylor walks us through the new and improved Expression System at the Taylor Road Show, on their stopover at Chicago Music Exchange.