037 - The Future of Acoustic Tuesday

Grandest of greetings and sweetest of salutations to you Guitar Geek!

Acoustic Tuesday presented by http://acousticlife.tv

This week on Acoustic Tuesday history is being made. You have not only helped make history, you are also part of a huge guitar geek movement.

As with all Acoustic Tuesday's I have cooked up 5 delectable delights just for guitar geeks.

So grab your fork and knife and let's dig in...

-String Swing-

As a #guitargeek what happens when you run out of floor space and stands for your guitarsenal? Dare you start leaning guitars against couches, walls, and other seemingly stable surfaces? As a guitar geek, I wouldn't advise the leaning option. However, there is a solution for your guitarsenal that originated in Wisconsin.

The company, String Swing, located in Wisconsin, has been making #guitarsenal solutions since 1983. String Swing is based in Ontario, WI and got its start in Elroy, WI on a small dairy farm of all places. String Swing specializes in all things display, and what I want to focus on is their vast array of instrument wall hangers.

This company offers secure wall hangers for all sorts of instruments: guitars, ukes, violins, mandolins, and yes even banjos. The beautiful thing is that each hanger does its job very very well, in fact depending on the hanger you get the yoke and hanger depth will be of different size to accommodate whichever instrument it's for.

These hangers get bonus points in my book for the wooden hanger base options available as well as the ease of installation. If you know how to turn a screwdriver these hangers can be installed in mere minutes. All of the necessary hardware is included and the drywall anchors that are in the package are simply the best I have ever used.

One note about these hangers that all guitar geeks should be aware of is that the material used for the hanger is safe for your guitar's finish. Yes, from everything I read the tubing used on the hanger yoke is finish safe, but being that I am a complete guitar geek I still get hanger covers for that part of the hanger. (Note: those can be purchased separately and are not included with the hanger).

Overall, these are a great solution for any #guitargeek that wants to put their instruments on display in their guitar den. They even make a 5 space wall hanger... I just found that one and am trying to convince Whitney that it would look really cool in our family room... I will be sure to keep you posted on the status of that conversation.

https://www.stringswing.com/

https://amzn.to/2KmIVg0 - Guitar Hanger

https://amzn.to/2Hyy0lM - 5 Guitar Hanger (Copper)

https://amzn.to/2Kp3fxw - 5 Guitar Hanger (Black)

https://amzn.to/2Jw7NAP - Banjo Hanger

https://amzn.to/2jgdCam - Mandolin/Uke Hanger

https://youtu.be/pQCpWdr6olI - How to Install

-Hawktail Album coming May 11-

Every now and then acoustic artists gather together and create a force that seems nearly superhuman, a formidable juggernaut of acoustic music bliss. Also, every now and then a supergroup captures this magic on a record.

This is exactly what happens on May 11, yes just 3 days away a supergroup will release a gorgeous album containing music specifically designed for the acoustic music lover.

The group Hawktail made up of Brittany Haas, Dominick Leslie, Paul Kowert, and Jordan Tice were a previous feature on Acoustic Tuesday (AT episode #14) and they are back because they have a new album coming out that is sure to tickle the fancy of acoustic aficionados.

It's official, on May 11 this acoustic supergroup will release their first album as a quartet entitled "Unless." I have heard a few tracks from this album and I am sufficiently excited to listen to the full album.

If you happened to like the earlier trio, Hass, Kowert, and Tice you will definitely want to hop on preordering this one as it is a sure pleaser for any acoustic #guitargeek.

https://youtu.be/LeNBIq6oiLo?t=7m37s

https://www.hawktailmusic.com/

https://youtu.be/4LrssWrJKfY - Unless

https://youtu.be/4GLkj5uGDiw - Abbzug

https://amzn.to/2Ko8Uny - New Album Unless

-Infamous Stringdusters-

If acoustic bands were like comic book heroes then this next band would be the equivalent of The X-men, Fantastic Four, The Avengers, and The Guardians of the Galaxy all wrapped up into one.

Top to bottom this is a band that dominates every musical dimension. From their proficiency on all of their chosen instruments, incredible multi-part harmonies, this band is ready to follow the muse wherever it takes them, and the results are always good... unbelievable at times.

The Infamous Stringdusters are made up of Jeremy Garrett (Fiddle), Travis Book (Bass), Andy Hall (Dobro), Chris Pandolfi (Banjo), and Andy Falco (Guitar). This group of musicians is an absolute powerhouse of energy and incredible musical skill.

The singing alone is masterful, the playing is otherworldly, and they have this 'x' factor... For lack of a better term, I'll just call it energy. Seeing them live is a treat on so many levels, but it is the best example of this energy that I'm referencing. They always seem to know what the other is going to do musically, and they make it look easy. They crowd around whoever is soloing and in doing so it looks like they have orchestrated the whole performance.

I would dare call this band absolute masters of improvisation and performance. They continually push the boundaries of what is possible with their instruments, not to mention they create and perform with endless energy.

To date, they have put out more than 7 studio albums and this last year (2018) they won a Grammy for the Best Bluegrass Album. I have been a Stringdusters fan since very early on and have continually enjoyed seeing the band grow and push the boundaries of bluegrass music.

https://youtu.be/hC6TLpGP0qQ - Where the Rivers Run Cold

https://youtu.be/crbSxj60kTI - Gravity

https://youtu.be/NwAuZJsDXQE - You Can't Stop the Changes

https://youtu.be/YEghQY3M_8Y - Black Rock

https://youtu.be/roObnu-UIo8 - By My Side

http://www.thestringdusters.com/

http://www.thestringdusters.com/live-downloads/

https://thestringdusters.shop.musictoday.com/store/

https://amzn.to/2r6O18n - Laws of Gravity

https://amzn.to/2jcEnwi - Silver Sky

https://amzn.to/2r7TSdi - Let It Go

https://amzn.to/2r6lDSQ - Things That Fly

https://amzn.to/2r7KZ3z - Self Titled

https://amzn.to/2rclY6L - Fork in the Road

-Sharktooth Picks-

Thumbpicks can no doubt be uncomfortable, and flatpicks can fly out of your hand so what is a #guitargeek to do when they want to flatpick a little, strum a little, and then finger pick a little?

If only some sort of crossover pick was made that would allow you to use all of your tools as a guitar player... This exists, I tried it out, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Sharktooth crossover pick by the company Strum'N'Comfort is a pick that allows you to have a flatpick at your disposal, but also convert that flatpick into a thumbpick like device.

The whole notion of the sharktooth pick is that there is a neoprene band that goes around your thumb and attaches with velcro. Inside this neoprene band is a non-skid material that has a flatpick attached to it. Once affixed to your thumb you have what looks like a thumbpick, but with more comfort and control over how tight it sits on your thumb.

I found this pick to work quite well. I must say I have no trouble with standard thumb picks so this was more of an experiment for certain, but my skepticism was quickly removed upon trying the sharktooth. My initial thought was that it would slip on my thumb and just feel, well, kind of odd. Well, I am happy to report that the pick did not slip at all. The pick stayed put when using it like a flatpick as well as like a thumbpick. Also, I should say that it was quite comfy on my thumb the neoprene was much more welcoming than the standard plastic band of a thumbpick.

I will say that I noticed the pick give just a touch on the upstroke creating a feeling that I was using a thinner pick than I was, but overall I was pretty impressed with its stability. I used the pick for the better part of two weeks and the grip and elasticity of the neoprene band didn't seem to wear out, which is a nice bonus as well.

All in all, this is a great option if you are the player that is looking for a more comfy pick that allows you to quickly change styles during play. Included in the package were two neoprene bands with two different thicknesses of picks (.75mm and 1.0mm), as well as an additional band that you can use your own favorite pick with.

https://amzn.to/2jc4tj8 - Sharktooth Pick

https://artisanguitars.com/sharktooth-traditional-right-hand-id-4909

http://www.strum-n-comfort.com/home.html

-Acoustic Life.TV Announcement (Andy Powers Full Interview)-

It's here, it's here, it's finally here... the moment that every acoustic guitar geek in the world has waited for... A very special announcement about the future of Acoustic Tuesday...

Acoustic Tuesday started as just an idea... a show focused on all things that acoustic guitar geeks would enjoy. Just 37 episodes ago, Acoustic Tuesday was born and my oh my have we seen it grow up quickly. Guitar Geeks are continuing to unite underneath the banner and mission of Acoustic Tuesday. Each week thanks to all of you, Acoustic Tuesday gets spread from guitar geek to guitar geek, positivity is shared, and guitar geekiness occurs all over the globe, and now Acoustic Tuesday is reaching another level.

Now Acoustic Tuesday is not only a show. Acoustic Tuesday now has a companion website for all of the juicy details on each item discussed in the show. It is a place where any guitar geek can go to feel at home and get lost in pages and pages of all things acoustic guitar. From interactive guitar geek trivia, all the way to expanded acoustic artist features, acousticlife.tv is your new home to get inspired to live your best acoustic life.

Oh and remember that time I had a chance to sit down with Andy Powers and chat about V-Class bracing when it first came out??? That entire unedited interview is available exclusively at acousticlife.tv

Yes, the entire interview in all of it's guitar geek glory!!!

But there's more...

Often times during the show I will feature products that you can check out such as picks, capos, guitars, stands, etc. I usually include a link to purchase the featured items, and these links are affiliate links that offer a small percentage of the purchase price to Acoustic Life for promoting the sale. Well, I am very excited and happy to announce that any money generated through an affiliate link on acousticlife.tv will now be going straight to the Guitars For Vets non-profit organization.

Let me recap: Acoustic Tuesday now has a new online home at acousticlife.tv. The new acousticlife.tv website will now share all of it's Amazon affiliate link revenue with the amazing non-profit organization Guitars for Vets.

Yes, by loving your acoustic guitar and being a guitar geek, you are now supporting an outstanding organization that believes and acts on the healing power of music.

Be certain to pop on over to acousticlife.tv to completely geek out on all things acoustic guitar, and be fully prepared to find some fun bonuses over there as well.

https://acousticlife.tv/

https://acousticlife.tv/category/lifestyle/interviews/

https://acousticlife.tv/category/lifestyle/guitar-geek-trivia/

https://acousticlife.tv/category/reviews/

https://acousticlife.tv/category/learn/

https://acousticlife.tv/the-real-story-behind-the-taylor-v-class/

https://youtu.be/_Hy6dy82l1M - Andy Powers Interview

You all are what help make this possible so thank you so much for being a part of acoustic guitar history, and for helping so many guitar geeks unite.

I hope this Acoustic Tuesday ranks among the top episodes for you and if you want to check out back episodes to see you certainly can do that at acousticlife.tv

I wish you the best week guitar geek, I can't wait to see you next Tuesday for another round of the ultimate in guitar geekiness... Acoustic Tuesday

Cheers,
Tony