The Montreal Guitar Show '09

Montreal Guitar Show Extras MGS Photo Gallery 1 MGS Photo Gallery 2 MGS Photo Gallery 3 Electric Room Video Tour Acoustic Room Video Tour Additional Booth Videos

So much of what we thrive on at PG (and strive to communicate, celebrate, and discover) is found in wondrous proportions at the Montreal Guitar Show, which is now in its third year. The fact that it coincides with the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal is almost too much to handle. Consider this—we were able to talk to Judy Threet, Bob Benedetto, Ervin Somogyi and Mario Beauregard about their latest creations, attend a Charles Fox seminar that featured profiles and performances with a dozen innovative guitars hand-selected from the show floor, personally test drive at least a dozen world-class instruments, and attend shows by John Butler, Stanley Jordon, Jesse Dee and Steve Strongman. And that was just one day.

As wonderful as it was to have the opportunity to look at, listen to and play so many guitars, we had an even stronger sense that we were getting a crash course in the cutting edge of guitar design, artistry and craftsmanship. The show’s program is quite plainly a Who’s Who of modern luthierie, and we doubt we’re alone in the opinion that founder, General Manager and “guitar junky” Jacques-André Dupont has created more than just an event. This show is a harbinger of the guitar’s future.

In addition to promoting instrument making, Dupont is also an ardent supporter of music making. In conjunction with the Montreal Jazz Festival, the MGS has created the Ste- Cat Permanent Guitar Collection: each year, at least two luthiers are chosen at random from among the partcipants and asked to create high-quality instruments bearing the festival’s Ste-Cat logo, and these are loaned freely to young, aspiring musical talents for one year. This year also marked the inauguration of the MGS Tribute Award, and a trophy made by luthier Michihiro Matsuda was presented to Jeff Beck in honor of his outstanding acheivements.

Since there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell we could do justice to this show in the space we have to bring it to you—you have to go in person— here is just a taste of what we found there. Be sure to visit montrealguitarshow.ca for more information.

The Red Guitar Collection:“La Petite Rougette” by Michael Lewis, “The Black Cherry” by Michael Greenfield and the “The Red Tessa Nova” by Peter Hopkins, all made for Jacques-André Dupont’s Red Guitar collection.

Hit page 2 to see inside the acoustic room...

The Acoustic Room - Watch the video tour

Linda Manzer’s Metheny Manzer Signature 6 Limited Edition.

Michihiro Matsuda’s nylon string and M1 models.

Tom Ribbecke’s Halflings and archtop, with the Manzer-Ribbecke Duet (far right).

Grit Laskin’s tribute to Oscar Peterson, “JATP 49.”

The Air Mail Special by Jean-Yves Alquier.

Guitasonic models from Olivier Pozzo.

Manouche guitars from Martin Tremblay (DiMauro, petite bouche, and grande bouche).

The Lyrist, Woodland Baritone and Vert Axe by Bill Comins.

Custom Flattop, Archtop and Bouzouki models from Tony Duggan-Smith.

Richard Baudry’s Luna model.

Lance Kragenbrink’s OM Fingerstylist.

Edward Klein’s Elliptical guitar.

Florian Vorreiter’s Experimental Guitar.

Hit page 3 to see inside the Electric Room...


The Electric Room - Watch the tour

The Ruokangas V.S.O.P. Supreme.

Scott Walker’s Phoenix model.

Vincent Latulippe with his hockey stick guitar.

Mike Potvin’s Tele-Junior hybrid, the El Camino.

A lefty Convertible and a U2 by Marc Lupien of XXL Guitars.

The Zeppelin model from Zed Guitars (aka the Zed Zeppelin).