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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.

Borghino Guitars

Mirko Borghino builds guitars in Milan, Italy, and his client list includes jazz great John McLaughlin. Named Shakti, in honor of McLaughlin’s groundbreaking East-West acoustic fusion ensemble from the ’70s, this model is a recreation of the original Shakti guitar that has been updated with a new bracing design and other construction details. Built from Italian bearclaw spruce and Madagascar rosewood, this Shakti has seven drone strings and a scalloped fretboard. “Finally a perfect Shakti guitar,” says McLaughlin.
borghinoguitars.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.

A rig meant to inspire! That’s Jerry Garcia with his Doug Irwin-built Tiger guitar, in front of his Twin Reverb + McIntosh + JBL amp rig.

Photo by Frank White

Three decades after the final Grateful Dead performance, Jerry Garcia’s sound continues to cast a long shadow. Guitarists Jeff Mattson of Dark Star Orchestra, Tom Hamilton of JRAD, and Bella Rayne explain how they interpret Garcia’s legacy musically and with their gear.

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Guest picker Ally Venable

Blues rocker Ally Venable joins PG’s editors to imagine what their dream late-night band would sound like.

Question: What’s your dream late-night show band?

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GTRS Announces the W902, The Latest Update to its Wing-series of Intelligent Guitars
GTRS Announces the W902, The Latest Update to its Wing-series of Intelligent Guitars
GTRS has introduced the W902, the newest release in GTRS’ Wing-series Intelligent Guitar lineup, expanding on the series’ cutting-edge features while maintaining an accessible price point.
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Detail of Ted’s 1997 National resonator tricone.

What instruments should you bring to an acoustic performance? These days, with sonic innovations and the shifting definition of just what an acoustic performance is, anything goes.

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