More Triangle

Snaxster · #1 01-16-2009, 10:30 PM

Yes, kind of like "more cowbell", but more important.

Consider this excerpt from my account of a new Moog synthesizer I recently acquired:

"Who knew that North Carolina would become a primary source of music equipment for me? Along with my other Moog Music devices, my two basses from Roscoe Guitars, and my bass amplifier from Acoustic Image were also made there."

Now, you may ask where I've been for the last 12 years, but my answer would be "Out of the loop -- not making music." So now it is interesting to me that the Research Triangle (and maybe North Carolina more generally) is a hotbed for applied engineering and craft for musical applications. I like it.

Since the 20th century there have been certain locales where American makers of musical instruments and equipment arose and settled. Like geocentric music scenes, there were music craft and engineering scenes, too. California had Fender, then eventually Alembic and Mesa Boogie. Later, New York State gave rise to Spector, Steinberger, Tech 21, and would eventually be the home for Tobias. There are other examples, I am sure, but those are the ones I know.

It seems clear to me that North Carolina is on the music equipment map now, historically and culturally as well as geographically.

This is all to say that I thank Roscoe Guitars and all their fellow North Carolinian craftspeople for continuing in a new place an old and important tradition of applying innovation and technical excellence to enable music makers. May your prosperity follow your good work for a very long time.

Regards,

Snaxster

RocketMusic · #2 01-17-2009, 09:54 AM

Don't forget Gadow Guitars in Durham. Ryan is kickin' butt in NC, too!

I agree with you, it is super cool to see a scene like this develop close by. I'm in VA, just 2 hours North of Roscoe HQ. NY and CA can seem pretty far away sometimes, and not just in terms of distance. It's nice to be able to deal with some genial southern folks who happen to make exceptional music gear.

JOME77 · #3 01-17-2009, 01:58 PM

Hey, don't forget about Mount Airy, NC, the inspiration for the "Andy Griffith" Show!

......They build "Barney Fife" model harmonica's!

Gard · #4 01-17-2009, 02:17 PM

Snaxter, thanks (nice wererabbit avatar, by the way)!

A few things to point out - one, Greensboro is not in the Triangle (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill), it's in the Piedmont Triad (Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point). The confusion is common, and the two areas are about 60-90 minutes apart.

Greg points out that Gadow is in NC and doing some great stuff, as is Terry McInturff who is just amazing. There are a few guys out west as well, in the Asheville area that are doing some interesting stuff (Simmons, I believe?).

We also have Wish here in the area...actually in Winston-Salem...

RocketMusic · #5 01-17-2009, 02:21 PM

Oh, wow, I didn't realize McInturff was NC, too... MAN!! Ya'll got it going on, way to be!

So what's happening on the outer banks? Surely, they're pulling their weight out there

Snaxster · #6 01-17-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Snaxter, thanks

You are very welcome, Gard. Credit where due, I say.

Also, I think it's important for the wider culture (society, really) to recognize that it isn't only the big showbiz locales (NYC, L.A., Nashville) that can become widely influential culturo-economic centers. Talent and hard work are where you find them.

Quote:

(nice wererabbit avatar, by the way)!

Finally! I thought nobody would ever correctly ID the were-rabbit. Thanks, Gard.

Best,

Snaxster

The Eristic · #7 01-17-2009, 04:12 PM

I made a list a while back of all the guitar/bass guys I could find operating out of NC. I think there are even more now.

Keith Roscoe
Acoustic Image
Terry McInturff
Dave McNaught
Ari Lehtela
Steve Carr
Brian Gerhard (Top Hat Amps)
Jon Payne
LK Brown
Greg Germino
Scott Splawn
Swart Amps
Auble Amps
Wylie Effects
Patrick James Eggle
John Buscarino
Ryan Gadow
David Finck
Jack Coobs
Matt Farrow (Pharaoh Amps)
Jack Briggs
Zion Guitars
JS Bogdanovich
Bob Gernandt
Simmons Guitars
Evans Amps
Brad Harper
Bobby Wolfe
Doug Hoffman Amps
Headstrong Amps
MojoTone
Lava Cable
Omega Amps
Mad Sound Cabs
McIntyre Acoustic Pickups
Craig Hoffman Instruments
Browne Basses
Noel Booth
J. Condino
Motorave Guitars
Wes Lambe
Emmons Guitars (Pedal steels)
Bitar Amps
JET Guitars
Dave Pushic
Steven Walter

I have a custom-built McInturff, btw, which is one of the best instruments of any type I've played.

Snooping around a special Roscoe at the moment, maybe I can get another one to add to my NC gear collection.

Snaxster · #8 01-17-2009, 05:45 PM

Wow. Yeah... that's a scene, alright.

And that's just for guitar and bass products!

Thanks, Eristic.

Snaxster

Gard · #9 01-18-2009, 06:55 AM

Actually, when you look at the backstory, the number of guitar and bass builders in NC isn't that surprising.

This area, specifically the Triad, was at one point in time the center of the universe for furniture building in the US. It is still a major design center (Keith's wife is a very respected furniture designer, and shares our building, they have one heck of a crew over there doing that stuff, and she is AMAZING at it!), High Point has a furniture show twice a year that is the equalivalent of the NAMM show for us musical gear geeks. There is a lot of woodworking expertise here, a LOT of it.

Oh, and Snaxter, I'm a HUGE Wallace & Grommit fan, I own a copy of "Curse Of The Wererabbit"!

Snaxster · #10 01-18-2009, 10:55 AM

Very interesting. And I'm not surprised to hear it. After art school, Ned Steinberger got his start designing industrial furniture. It was during that time that he met Stuart Spector in a workspace they shared.

Gard, since you're a Wallace & Grommit fan, maybe you can advise me on which edition to get of the DVD of the early works ("The Right Trousers", etc.) First we couldn't get them at all, then there were different editions. Some fans complain that the later editions suffer from revised soundtracks, wherein Aardman changed some important sections to avoid copyright infringement (or to avoid paying for licensing.)

Thanks.

Snaxster

The Eristic · #11 01-18-2009, 11:14 AM

I was actually born in High Point. My grandfather worked for Woodmark Originals for something like 35 years (and my family still does custom furniture and upholstery). Unfortunately, very few companies are building there anymore. Even Henredon (a ridiculously high-end mark out of High Point) is beginning to import their pieces, and have closed their domestic plants. Vegas has been trying to take the Market, too. :^/

It really is a shame, but if it can be replaced with amazing guitars and basses, I guess it's hard to complain too much.