I promised myself I'd write this note after attending Dan Crary's workshop, and I didn't. I promised that I'd write after the workshop with Chris
Shaw, and I've just remembered. Once again, I compliment you for sponsoring the Taylor workshops. To me, they are indeed "walking the talk" of spreading
the joy and common access to playing the guitar. I have picked up the guitar again after a 20-year hiatus, and without a doubt the Crary and Shaw
workshops hosted by Steilberg String Instruments have been deep encouragements for me. They both showed up at just the right times, in order to gently
urge me to progress from strumming to learning and practicing more.
Also, my praise for Jim Steilberg, who hosted these workshops. Jim does not boast the "largest dealership" or other such inventory measurements,
but once again, I will let his record for musical outreach in the community be the more worthwhile measurement of his contribution.
I don't own a Taylor. My original [other brand] and my more recent [other brand] are my current instruments, but I would love to get a Taylor
Grand Concert or Grand Auditorium in the future to compliment my weekly playing in the music team at church.
Please, keep the workshops and your support of the dealers who host them in your upcoming years' budgets. As a businessman, I know that it can be
hard to fund a philosophy, but in the end, it is living that philosophy that will last, and the impact that it has on others and their enjoyment of
music. Bravo, well done, and thank you.
Gerald K. Ashby
Louisville, Kentucky
Via the Internet
NO MORE CHEAP GUITARS!
I happened to cross paths with Dan Crary quite a few years ago, when I had a folk/rock radio show at KUCR, the campus station at the University of California, Riverside. I interviewed him on campus just after a show at the infamous "Barn". I was just a beginning player and had an awful lot to learn (still do). During the interview, Dan generously offered to sell me one of his [other brand] guitars for $400 or so. Being a poor college student, I didn't take him up on that offer, and for years now I've been secretly kicking myself for not finding a way to make it happen.
After many years of buying and selling cheap guitars, I finally bought myself a Taylor 310-CE at McKenzie River Music here in Eugene.
I can't begin to tell you what a joy this guitar has been for me. You might be wondering what this has to do with Dan Crary and that old [other brand] I missed.
Well, after receiving my first issue of Wood&Steel and seeing Dan playing his Taylor, I realized that,
since I got my new Taylor, I'd stopped thinking about missing out on that old [other brand]. Just the same, should Dan ever have an old Taylor lying around...
Joel Bradford
Eugene, Oregon
CRARY CAN PLAY!
I absolutely love my 914-C, which plays like a dream. It's also nice to see more accomplished musicians of all genres playing Taylors — a "stamp of approval"
from the masters. Not long ago, I accompanied two close friends, who also happen to own Taylors, to a Dan Crary workshop at Carl's Music Center here. That
guy can play! And he gave some solid advice on practicing — not "practice, practice, practice the same old stuff," but "set a goal for each practice session,
work on that until you get it, and move up in skills."
Please schedule more Taylor workshops in Lexington! Louisville and Cincinnati seem to get all the attention around here. And thanks for Wood&Steel!
Stephen Jones
Lexington, Kentucky
[Ed. Note: We'd love to book more workshops in Lexington. Call Carl's and tell them you want more!]
TRANSITION FLUID
What a great time we had at the Dan Crary workshop [at Clovis Music Center] in Clovis, California — it was the best $5 I ever spent. I have just started
playing acoustic guitar after a nine-year layoff from playing an electric guitar. I got re-enthused after going to my local guitar shop (Buskers Music)
and picking up one of your guitars. I had never even heard of a Taylor, but after playing one for about 10 minutes, I had to learn more about them (i.e. I got bit by the bug).
It was such an easy transition from my electric guitar to the Taylor. All the other acoustics I had tried before were so hard to play and just didn't have
that "feel" I was looking for. Anyway, on this night Buskers was having a Pat Kirtley workshop, so I went and that was it — I was never to be the same again.
I now own a Taylor 714-CE, have taken the factory tour, and am part of the Taylor family. Your sales staff was so helpful with questions
I had while in the
decision process, and they sent me some great information. I am now looking very hard at one of your koa models before they are no longer available. You guys are first
class. Keep it up.
Rick Pruett
Bakersfield, California
