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Gallery: 2016 Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration

Showcasing hundreds of drool-worthy, handcrafted instruments, a new U.S. guitar show makes its successful debut.

Alquier Guitares

French luthierĀ Jean-Yves AlquierĀ displayed several guitars from his Ethiq line made entirely of sustainable bamboo. ā€œBamboo is one of the fastest-growing renewable resources,ā€ states Alquier. ā€œIt absorbs CO2 in large quantities and is the ideal alternative to increasingly scare tropical hardwoods.ā€ To craft guitar parts that would traditionally be made of plastic, Alquier uses a milk protein.
alquierguitar.com

The inaugural Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration was held September 29 to October 2 in sunny coastal California. The event brought hundreds of top luthiers and players who displayed their craftsmanship, gave seminars, and held intimate concerts. The Earl Warren Showgrounds served as a fitting venue, as in decades past it hosted concerts from such acts as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Beach Boys, the Doors, Cream, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin.

The show pulled widely from Canada and Europe, with heavy representation from the U.S. West Coast. Also on sale were top-grade woods, inlay materials, and custom bindings. Luthiers were open with their time, and many fans enjoyed hearing builders talk shop. Among the visitors was Santa Barbara resident and guitar pickup guru, Seymour Duncan, who could be seen checking out all the beautiful instruments on display.

The ultimate hand-wired Tube Screamer from Ibanez is up for grabs! Enter the I Love Pedals giveaway today, and come back daily for extra entries!

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Building upon the foundation of the beloved Core Collection H-535, this versatile instrument is designed to serve as a masterpiece in tone.

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The high priest of prog-metal guitar, John Petrucci, is still finding new territory on his instrument.

Photo by Mark Maryanovich

The legendary progressive-metal guitarist details the darknessā€”and the renewed camaraderieā€”that led to his band Dream Theaterā€™s 16th full-length record, Parasomnia.

Some very important events happened in John Petrucciā€™s life in 2024. He celebrated an enormous milestone with his bandmates in prog-metal behemoth Dream Theater: Theyā€™ve been a band for 40 years. Many bands arenā€™t destined to last a single decade, let alone four. Itā€™s a titanic personal and artistic achievement. And yet, that anniversary paled in significance next to another major development: The band wrote and created a new full-length record with founding drummer Mike Portnoy, who had been absent from Dream Theater since 2010.

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- YouTube

Watch the official video documenting the sold-out event at House of Blues in Anaheim. Join Paul Reed Smith and special guests as they toast to quality and excellence in guitar craftsmanship.

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