EDGAR MONCH TORONTO 1967

EDGAR MONCH TORONTO 1967

1967 TORONTO, was an exciting time and place, it was Canada's centennial year. 

Canada had been a country for 100 years and the whole country was in a great partying mood.  

Toronto was a hot spot for musical talent, the Yorkville scene was home to what would become Canadian icons in the music world.

Edgar Monch had been living in Toronto for a few years and was very generous in sharing his talent for building superior quality guitars. 

FAST FORWARD 40 YEARS.......

I an always Looking for Vintage Instruments; Today I am at a yard sale just around the corner from my house and stopped because there was a twenty foot aluminium ladder on the front lawn.

I soon forgot about the ladder when I spied a couple of guitar cases in the corner by the garage.

I love yard sales because you get to meet the nicest people. They love to talk about their stuff and it is a great way to get the history of the items you purchase. 

Knowing the history and keeping it with the instrument has always been an important part of being the custodian of the instrument.

This lady had been a folk singer back in  the day, and classical music study was the norm for learning music.

She never made a name for herself and gave up on the instrument years ago. That was obvious by the amount of dust caked on the case. The guitar inside was immaculately clean though.

I had never heard of Edgar Monch before this day, but I could tell from the quality of the workmanship that this was a fine instrument. Her price was reasonable so I took a chance and bought it.

Once at home and after some research, I was pleasantly surprised to fine out just how well revered Edgar Monch was. His lists of students and guitar users are quite impressive. 

EDGAR MONCH TORONTO 1967

1984 LES PAUL FLAME TOP BURST ---1959 REISSUE

1984 LES PAUL FLAME TOP BURST

The original 1959 Gibson LP's are so fantastic and of course expensive, many reissues have been made.

This 1984 Les Paul 59 reissue is one of the earliest comparable.  

Gibson outdid themselves with the quality of this beauty. It has the Tim Shaw pickups in both positions.

This guitar came up from Texas and was played hard in a smokey, blues bar just the way a vintage guitar should be played. The Mojo is just dripping off of this rock Comet.

1956 REISSUE LES PAUL BURST

1956 REISSUE LES PAUL BURST

1959 GIBSON GA-80 AMP

WITH VARI-TONE SELECTOR

 The P-90 pickups in the 56 burst sound awesome, 

with the genuine tubes in the authentic 59 Gibson GA-80 amp.

A good friend gave me her father's 1959 Gibson amp.

He played a keyboard through it in  the 50's while attending dances at his social club.

I had the wiring updated to a grounded 3 prong plug and the tubes and caps tested and now it kicks.

1964 Rose Morris Rickenbacker model 1997 Jet Glow

1964 Rose Morris Rickenbacker model 1997 Jet Glow

How weird is it that in 1964 someone thought to name a model of guitar a 1997. 

Could be confusing after 1997, good thing for the serial numbers.

TEA BOX BASS OR WASHTUB BASS

TEA BOX BASS OR WASHTUB BASS

I really love the sound of the bass, that low, steady, beating string sound that seems to drive the rhythm. 

The sound of the washtub or tea box bass is half way between the percussion and the string section of the musical group, bringing them together nicely.

Thirty years ago, I could not afford a real electric bass, but as I am kind of handy I thought I could make  an acoustic bass. That I still have thirty years later due to the quality workmanship.

A friend suggested to just use a broom handle and a screw to attach the rope, the washtub was the expensive part at $35. 

 I Love Vintage Instruments, therefore my bass had to be something special. I hand picked all the wood to be used in  the construction of my bass.

I laminated a piece of Oak and Maple woods together and hand carved the back of the neck with a spoke shaver. There are six coats of lacquer over top of a linseed oil finish. The neck is about five feet long with notch on the bottom so that it stays on the rim of the washtub. There is a drilled bolt with a wing nut tuner and washer at the headstock. Though, there are many suggestions for string such as clothes line and aircraft cable, my choice is heavy gauge steel tie wire.

There is a difference between the Tea Box and the Washtub when used as a resonator. The tone of the Tea box is much more mellow and woody, as compared to the Washtub which is a bit louder and tinny.

I use a heavy guitar pick to pluck the string, This enables me to get a  nice loud clear note each time.

TEA BOX BASS OPEN AT THE FRONT FOR BEST SOUND

WASHTUB BASS WITH HAND CARVED NECK

1969 Fender Mustang Bass and Big Brother

1969 Fender Mustang Bass and Big Brother

2010 Jazz

These are a couple of nice basses the 1969 Bronco has been stripped and roughly refinished.

The sound and feel can't be beat. The neck was not touched as far as refinishing goes.

These are both natural wood finish and the picture give a good comparison of the size difference between the two basses.

1960's WHAT ON EARTH

1960's WHAT ON EARTH

WHEN YOU GO TO YARD SALES YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND.

I Love Vintage Instruments no matter what, where, who or how.

Yard sales, auctions, internet sales sites, word of mouth, any lead will be investigated.

I found this home made beauty at a sale many years ago and held on to it for some time.

We are really just custodians of these fine instrument while we are here. 

Does any one recognizes this odd shaped guitar?

Please don't tell me it is a priceless Bloobenhymer.... because I sold it at a yard sale for $5.

Good luck hunting.