GAL Anyone?

[Spruce]

Anyone heading to Tacoma in July for the Guild of American Luthiers Convention/Exhibition (http://www.luth.org/convention/2004/index.htm)?

I haven't been to a GAL gathering in years, and am looking forward to it....

I'll be doing a little talk on tonewoods, and playing a concert Thursday evening...

Hope to see some of y'all there!....

[sunburst]

Yup

[Ellie]

I'll be there.
I have been told your mando playing is that of a gifted madman of the best kind, and not to be missed, too.

[Chris Burt]

I'll be there with my father. He's recently retired, for the second time, and wants to build a uke or two. He's never been to a G.A.L. convention, and I've not been in almost two decades. We're both looking forward to it.

Chris

[delsbrother]

It depends. Are you getting your hair cut again? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Michael Lewis]

I wish I could go but mandolins and guitars to make, Strawberry Music Festival on Labor Day week end, IBMA in October, and NAMM in January all to get ready for. Tomorow I go to the Nevada County fair grounds in Grass Valley to set up the Luthiers Pavilion at the big bluegrass festival. It's all good but there just isn't enough time to attend every event. Who knows, it might be possible but not likely.

[Dave Cohen]

I'm going.

[zeke]

Man, Big Spruce, I'd really love to, but methinks finances are just too darn tight (not to mention that my schedules almost mirrors Michael's; how'd that happen?). You have fun in our place for us and give 'em hell at your show, give 'em a touch of hot mando mania now, y'hear?

But I really would (wood?) love to attend...........sigh.

[Ellie]

I'm sorry to hear that you're not going to make it, Michael. I was hoping you'd show so I could actually play an instrument or two of yours and put a face to the name. I'm looking forward to this conference, it sounds more interesting than ASIA was last year, although that was fun.

[Spruce]

I'll be playing a bunch of mandolins at the concert Thursday evening...

Tap me on the shoulder if you'd like to hear one of your's on stage, and I'll fit it in...

I'll be lugging a John Sullivan F5, one of Mr. Cohen's, a Gavin Baird F5, a recent Ted Beringer bent-top archtop made entirely of Sitka Spruce (including the neck), a Duff mandocello, a Smart 'dola, and a few others....

Should be an interesting evening...

[sunburst]

Spruce,
I'll be bringing one. Be glad for you to play it!
Are you going to have a wood sales booth set up?

[Spruce]

"Are you going to have a wood sales booth set up?"

Probably not...
There's gonna be a lot on my plate those 5 days, so I figured I'd lighten the load and forego the booth....
There will be a ton of wood for sale there with a lot of vendors, so I'll probably be doing more looking/buying than selling... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Let me know if you want to see something in particular though, and I can throw it in the van...

I'll be bringing some cool wood to donate to the auction...
One-piece (!) curly redwood archtop guitar tops and the like...

[Pete Martin]

Hey Bruce,

Let us know where and when you are playing. I hope to come down that Thurs eve.

[Spruce]

Pete...
Come on down and play with us...
Rod, Dave Smith, Spad, and me....
"Smoke on the Water" done Texas-style is on the set-list....
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Dru Lee Parsec]

I'm sorry to hear that you're not going to make it, Michael. I was hoping you'd show so I could actually play an instrument or two of yours

Do you ever get into the San Diego area? In the littel town of Santee jsut east of San Diego there's a small music store called "Gann's Music". The owner, has a Michael Lewis "New Yorker" archtop jazz guitar for sale. It's the only Michael Lewis instrument I know of in So Cal unfortunatly. I'd sure love to play them as well.

[Erk]

If you have never been to a GAL convention you owe it to yourself to go. I went for the first time in 2001 and it was the most amazing experience. The free exchange of knowledge with people who share the same "affliction" was very inspiring.
I will be there again this year, exhibiting a couple of mandolins and a new pineapple uke. Come on by and say hello.

[Luthier]

Perhaps next year. I would really enjoy meeting all of you.

Don

[Patrick Gunning]

I will be stopping by for the Saturday exhibition, looking forward to all the wonderful instruments. Anybody know some more of the builders I will see there?