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Past News Articles | Previous Newsletters (pdfs) | Frequently Asked Questions
cont. from previous page:
Q: Ed, love your music. I bought the EG Breedlove prototype #3 from the guitar shop in D.C. I had them install a Fishman matrix bridge pickup and that works OK but doesn't quite capture the depth of the guitar. I am sure you know what I mean. I have tried various Fishman configurations in my other guitars and haven't been satisfied. Outside of using Neuman condenser mics live, what is the best way to supplement the Fishman bridge pickup. I noticed you use a Joe Mills mic. what the hell is that and where can I get one? Or, have you ever used an Anthony Demmara direct box? Our local guitar hero, John Jennings, uses one and it sounds fabulous but I'm not a platinum producer so the $900 price tag is a bit too much for me. Help me, Mr. Wizard
A: I use Fishman pickups in all my guitars. I'm using the Matrix (Natural, I believe) along with a Joe Mills condensor mic inside the instrument. These run through a Fishman Blender. From the Blender I sometimes go into a Tubeworks direct box. Sometimes the tube stuff helps smooth out the highs, tighten the lows, and gets rid of some of the screech from the mic. Sometimes it doesn't help. Nothing helps if the speakers are JBL (sorry but, as good as the JBLs are reported to be, I hate them.). From the DI I plug into my Mackie mixer. It can be very frustrating trying to get the natural sound of your guitar through a bunch of electronics and out of some speakers. We all struggle, we mostly fail. That being said, I've had a great deal of success using the stuff I use in most performing situations. I don't believe that there's a one-pickup solution to the problem- I think you need to find two or more sources. I've used the aforementioned system along with a Neumann onstage and had spectacular results. If you can't get a 100% natural sound, that's okay. Sometimes it helps to think of it like you're dialing in an ELECTRIC guitar (in many respects that's exactly what you're doing). Know what I mean? The most current info I have on Joe Mills is Music City Audio PO Box 160371 Nashville TN 37216 615-227-3542 Now to the other questions; Never have tried an Anthony Demaria Labs DI. Nail tips? Keep them absolutely smooth. Whatever length you like is how long they should be. I use the fingertip as well as the nail, but keep my nails fairly long (had 'em all my life, actually). Good luck with your Breedlove!
Q: Greetings Mr. Ed, I was wondering if you prefer the Stripped Ebony or the Indian rosewood on your signature model? Also I've played a couple of Breedlove's with Walnut back and sides, that sounds really great to me, does your model come in Walnut? I have a Marty Stuart Signature Martin but if ever I can afford it I'm a gonna get your Breedlove. Really love your CD's especially love "The Handing Down".
A: Thanks for writing, and for your nice words about "The Handing Down". My favorite signature model isBrazilian rosewood/ German spruce, but I also have a stock Indian/Sitka and it's a killer. Striped ebony does have a similar sound to Brazilian. You should be able to go to your dealer and order one in many different wood combinations. I've seen koa/cedar, ebony/sitka, Brazilian/sitka, Brazilian/German (mine) and I'm thinking of making one entirely out of bacon.
Q: Hi Ed, big fan of yours. Just wondering what kind of acrylic do you use on your nails and where could I pick some up? Thanks for the time.
A: Any acrylic nail stuff should work fine. Should be available at your local drugstore. Be careful with this stuff, as you could wind up Krazy Glued to your kitchen table!
Q: When you are traveling with guitars what precautions do you take, do you prepare the guitar in any particular way?
A: First of all, any guitar I fly with goes in a Calton case (the deluxe model). Calton will custom fit a case to your guitar, ensuring a perfect fit. It is absolutely essential that the guitar does not move inside the case. I just check the guitars like baggage, and have never had a guitar damaged. They will occasionally misplace one, and every year or so I have to send a case back to Calton to repair chips, gouges and broken hardware. I'm sending one back now, as a matter of fact- this one looks like someone took a center punch to two of the locks. Thanks, Delta! Some airlines are supposedly more gentle than others. Here are some general guidelines for checking your guitar:
Q: In the last years of the 90's you used on tour some original Weissenborn guitars or only copies by k&S??
A: I am currently using a K&S on the road. My Weissenborn Style 1 stays at home. Eventually the K&S will have to be replaced, as it is falling apart. I really like Rich Mermer's Hawaiian guitars, and Bear Creek is also building some beauties. I'll let you know what I decide on.
Q: Any plans to appear in the Washington DC , Northern Virginia area?
A: No plans in the foreseeable future. It's been awhile since I played in that area and I do hope to return soon. I'll keep you posted.
Q: Ever considered coming to Canada? Edmonton Alberta in particular?
A: I played the Winnipeg folk festival a few years ago and really had a great time. I hope to return to Canada before too long.
Q: I agree there are plenty of instructional videos on the market but do you ever plan on putting out a performance video? I've seen you on "All Star Guitar Night" but I would like to see an entire video on one of your shows.
A: Thanks for your interest. At some point I'm sure there'll be a video of some kind. I just really hate having a camera on me, it's very uncomfortable. I'll keep you posted.
Q: enjoy your Breedlove guitar thinking of ordering a custom one have you experimented with different tops? could you tell me about them
A: Glad you like the Signature Model guitar. As for tops, they've made Signature Model guitars with Sitka, German spruce and cedar. Seems to me that the cedar topped guitars break in a little faster than the spruces. Cedar gives you a softer sound than the spruces, with a little less separation, but a shimmery high end and warm, woody bass. I really liked the cedar signature model I played- very sweet.
Q: My question is.... do you think a 43 year old is too old to learn to play guitar? I can read music and fiddle a bit with the piano. Used to have a guitar in the 60's/70's cuz everyone had one then, but it got lost somewhere in the shuffle. I only remember playing it and getting sore finger tips! We live in NH near Concord and I would appreciate any recommendations you could offer regarding teachers or instruments. Is there such a thing as a "beginner" guitar?
A: It's never too late to learn. Any beginner benefits from getting an instrument that is easy to play and sounds good. The days of having to settle for an unplayable piece of crap are long gone. You can get a good guitar very inexpensively these days. Get out there and start looking! Check with your local music shop about lessons. If they don't offer them, perhaps they can direct you to a teacher in your area. Good luck.
Q: Have C-22 and play solo fingerstyle in local churches and restaurants love your arrangement of Great Dream from Heaven. Can you send me the tuning for it? I'm just getting seriously into alternate tunings and it would help me a lot. Love my Breedlove it has opened a new feel for playing that I didn't know was in me.
A: The tuning is DADGBE, good ol' dropped D tuning. Glad you're enjoying your Breedlove.
Q: I recently received a copy of "Fingerstyle Guitar Masterpieces". It contained the notes/tab for "The Water Is Wide". Is the single arrangement you offer for sale the same or does it contain more? Also, do you plan to print, in note or tab form, the music for your "Christmas" album?
Q: Ed, I am extremely interested in purchasing the tablature for YOUR version of "The little Drummer Boy" and "Away in a Manger" (the version on "A Cold Winters Night"). Are either of these available? if not, do you have any intention on doing this? I along with many of my friends are guitarists and big fans of your compositions and arrangements, and thought a Christmas tablature book would be a great seller.
A: Most of the Christmas arrangements I've recorded are for multiple guitars. There are some duets that would be easy to tab out, and I may do these someday. As mentioned elsewhere here, all the tab we have available is listed. If you do not see a particular title, this means it is not available.
Q: When you were in town recently and went over The Water is Wide in detail I noticed that your TAB version was different from how you actually play it especially or specifically in the 2nd pass/verse. I seems as you play some form of A or Am chord on what would be the fifth fret albeit capoed to the 8th. Is the tab available for this short passage as I just can not follow what your are doing on the All Star Guitar Night video?
A: I've received numerous questions about this section of "The Water is Wide." I will try to post a correction soon. In the meantime, I believe the fingering you're referring to is actually as follows;
G(7) D(5) A(7). Try that!
Q: Where were you born?
A: Abington, PA
Q: Where did you study?
A: Took three guitar lessons from a music store at age fourteen, quit, taught myself and learned from friends.
Q: Just wondering how you came to start tuning your guitars down a half step? Also. When tuning from standard do you tune down as though you were tuned to concert pitch or do you make the necessary compensation.? I just recently sent a guitar out for some repair work and when I got it back I thought it sounded exceptionally good. First I attributed it to the new strings they put on but then realized it was tuned or had dropped a half step. I tuned it up to concert and thought wow, that doesn't sound as good. Needless to say I tuned it back the half step. I think some guitars just resonate differently at different tensions. Anyway. Ignore the rambling I was just really wondering what got you into doing it. Keep up the great music.
A: I think I discovered dropped D tuning right off the bat, and tuning the guitar down a half or even a whole step sort of naturally occurred after that. I also recall hearing Neil Young's "After the Goldrush" album, and on one song ("Tell Me Why") he tunes the guitars down a whole step. It works better with some guitars than others.
Q: Greetings Ed Could you please elaborate on the advantages of the "HAWAIIAN NAIL FILE"?
A: All four of the grits I need, from super coarse to super fine are all there on one file. They're cheap and last a long time.
Q: Do you have tablature available for The Beatles tunes on Counting the Ways?
A: No, and we probably won't be offering any - securing the rights to publish sheet music of copyrighted material can be very complicated.
Q: Do you have tablature available for the intros to your tunes on The Live Album?
A: No. Ed says, "The intros were all improvised noodlings, and I never play them the same way twice. I hope you'll experiment with the guitar the same way!"
Q: Is there tab available for Shallow Brown?
A: Not at this time. All of the tab we have available is listed elsewhere on the website. If it is not listed it doesn't exist. We've gotten many requests for "Shallow Brown," and may tab it out someday. Thanks for your interest! We will keep you posted.
Q: Will Ed be doing an instructional video?
A: Ed replies - "There are so many instructional videos on the market already, it seems that the bases are already amply covered. Maybe one day I'll do one, but there's nothing in the works at this point. My workshops and clinics are very interactive, and I greatly prefer that format. Hope you'll come out to one."
Q: After hearing you play slide I'm convinced you can play blues, so how about a blues project in the future? One more question; Has a duet album with Martin Simpson ever crossed your mind?
A: Hi, thanks for your note. My next project will most likely have some bluesy stuff on it, though doing an entire album of blues ain't in the cards, at least for now. Martin and I have talked about doing a record together, and we may well do it if we can find the time. I promise to keep you posted.
Q: I've been enjoying your music for a few years now, and as a guitarist I especially appreciate the "lyrical"feel of your arrangements. How do you approach a new arrangement? Do you hear it in your head first, then try to find it or what? Sort of the same question regarding tunings. How do you decide which tuning works best for a particular tune?
A: Sometimes a tune will stay in my head for a long time before it occurs to me to try to play it. I usually have an idea before I start arranging what the tuning should be, though sometimes I come up with several arrangements in different tunings. I think it helps to really know the melody of what you're arranging, and have an idea of the "feel" you're after before you start. Good luck!
Q: Is there tab available for "Shallow Brown?"
A: Not at this time. All of the tab we have available is listed elsewhere on the website. If it is not listed it doesn't exist. We've gotten many requests for "Shallow Brown," and may tab it out someday. Thanks for your interest! We will keep you posted.
