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Location: Fort Worth, TX | In September of last year a guy I became good friends with passed away from his second round of cancer. I met him 4 years ago when he drove up 4 hours from Houston to Fort Worth to buy a guitar from me I advertised online. During our 4 year friendship I learned he was from a wealthy Houston family that was in shipping. They had their own docks on the Houston shipping channel and a fleet of 5 freighters. He was a guitar collector of some very fine instruments.
The first time I met him he brought along a Yairi DY90, also known as the super abalone. He went to Japan in 1982 and commissioned Kazuo Yairi to be very hands on with the build. It was a guitar that remained in his collection the longest and was always his favorite. When he knew his second round of cancer was untreatable and he had only a short time to go he said he wanted me to have it after he passed, on the condition I'd play his favorite fingerstyle piece Morning Has Broken on it at his memorial.
During the four years we were friends I also became well acquainted with his brother who inherited his considerable estate. I sold all of my friend's guitars for his brother. The last time I was in Houston he gave me a box of music books that were in my friend's downtown condo. One book in there caught my attention. It was called Styles for the Studio by Leon White. Dave (my friend's name) had studied it extensively from all the notations I found he wrote in it. The book was excellent for my current goal of learning to improvise solos better.
I searched for a new copy on Amazon and was shocked to see listings for 6 used ones ranging in price from $250 to $840. I did a web search for the book and found another guitar forum where Leon White was a member. Several people had asked him on the forum to do another printing of the book. He did and the 40th anniversary version is now available at stylesforthestudio.com for $29.95. Probably much to the chagrin of the people trying to sell the original printing on Amazon! It is the most comprehensive book on explaining scales and soloing I ever came across and the new version has a cd with recorded examples and backing tracks.
If anyone is involved in the pursuit of improvising I'd suggest checking out this book. My personal musical knowledge has grown exponentially since finding it. |
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Location: Tuscany, Italy | Thanks for sharing ...... sorry about your friend. |
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Location: When?? | It sounds like you are carrying forward as your friend's wishes would have desired. Sending thanks for the recommendation, and condolences for your loss. |
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Location: Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA | Dave,
Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of your friend. "Styles for The Studio", is a GREAT book! I learned a ton of stuff about improvising from it. I also used it for teaching, and then gave it to my mentor/ best friend/ leader from our worship team. He never returned it, but it's all good, because he was also the best man at my wedding in Sept., 2017!! I'll have to get the new edition!! My wife is good at the Amazon thing, and yes, she got me my own account!!
Mike Seguin
Ottawa, ON.,
CANADA
Edited by Mike S. 2018-01-09 3:27 PM
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Location: New Britain, Ct | Use code 4styles20 from www.stylesforthestudio.com for a discount from Leon himself. |
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Location: Seattle | Thanks adamkrz.....that code paid for the shipping.
Looked interesting so I am going to check it out
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Chop Shop
Great book by our very own Matt Smith |
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Location: Indiana | Inheritance... on its own, is an interesting subject to me. As I've noted here before, I'm not a collector. The guitars I own serve a purpose across different styles and classes of guitars. Unfortunately, due to personal losses, I have been left several guitars over the past years by friends who knew I would appreciate and care for their instruments... after they'd passed. So, unwittingly, I now have quite a few in my stable that aren't work-horses and don't often get played. They are keepsakes. Cherished ones a that. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Jonmark Stone - 2018-01-11 8:02 PM
Inheritance... on its own, is an interesting subject to me. As I've noted here before, I'm not a collector. The guitars I own serve a purpose across different styles and classes of guitars. Unfortunately, due to personal losses, I have been left several guitars over the past years by friends who knew I would appreciate and care for their instruments... after they'd passed. So, unwittingly, I now have quite a few in my stable that aren't work-horses and don't often get played. They are keepsakes. Cherished ones a that.
Jon I couldn't agree more about the "cherished ones at that" comment. My friend had a considerable collection I sold for his brother including two Taylor Cujos, Builder's Reserve with matching wood cabinet amp, and a factory custom order with a gorgeous dramatic myrtlewood back and sides. The custom order remains the top finest sounding acoustic guitar I've heard in over 50 years. I often commented on it to my friend and I am ashamed to admit I hoped he'd change his mind and leave that one to me. The fact that he wanted me to have his Kazuo Yairi means the world to me as it was far and away his favorite of all the incredible guitars he owned.
I attend a Friday jam session with about a dozen guys ranging in age from early 60's (myself) to 83 years old. The repertoire is ancient country music mainly. These guys have some fine vintage and new Martins, Gibsons and Taylors. When I first brought the Yairi to the jam it was immediately apparent its voice was the most prominent in the mix by far. This got me into a bit of a jam.
The 83 year old guy plays the only electric at the jam, his old Tele. He takes the lead solos on every song. Since the voice of the Yairi was so apparent he began calling on me to do some solos. The last time I had ever soloed was around 30 years ago when I was heavily into bluegrass and owned a custom D28. I long ago forgot all those chops. I began a crash course on improvising solos and lo and behold my deceased friend came through for me with the Styles for the Studio book. Everything is clicking now because of what I'm learning from it.
One of the guys at the jam bought the myrtlewood Taylor from me and brought it to the jam one time only. While playing the Yairi next to him I forgot all about how great I thought that Taylor sounded. I could feel my friend smiling. |
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Location: Flahdaw | I'm old enough (and ill enough) to sometimes think about where my guitars will go when I'm gone. My wife and daughter don't have any use for them. Makes you wonder....
So I hope Slipkid's guitars find a good home with someone who can appreciate them. They were well loved. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | adamkrz - 2018-01-09 6:00 PM
Use code 4styles20 from www.stylesforthestudio.com for a discount from Leon himself. If anybody wants this book I'd suggest hurrying to order. I tried ordering two and the order was refused. It said only two were left in stock! |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Darkbar - 2018-01-14 5:36 AM
I'm old enough (and ill enough) to sometimes think about where my guitars will go when I'm gone. My wife and daughter don't have any use for them. Makes you wonder....
So I hope Slipkid's guitars find a good home with someone who can appreciate them. They were well loved.
The 83 year old Texas music legend I mentioned who plays leads on a Tele at the Friday jam I go to has a collection of over 100 acoustics. I saw them, stacked floor to ceiling in every room of his house. Included are two unplayed Gibsons hand built by Ren Ferguson himself as thank you gifts for an innovation in bracing my friend Leon showed Ren during a factory visit. Leon doesn't even know what kinds of guitars are in many of the cases anymore or how old they might be. He said he doesn't ever feel like tackling the stacks to find out. As I said, he's 83. I asked him one time who he has willed his guitars to. He laughed and said his two daughters will be tasked with getting rid of them as his wife is currently terminally very ill. I said "Leon if you ever wanted a son, I'm up for adoption". He laughed and took it in the spirit of the joke it was meant as. I'm still trying little by little to get him to let me help explore those stacked up cases.
In the sign painting trade there is a tradition of when a signpainter dies you select one of his best brushes and keep it working in memory/honor of him. So far I have 3 brushes from departed mentors. I wish something like that existed among guitar pickers! |
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Location: When?? | The elderly and their shelved collections of.. whatever.. can be a whole human phenomenon unto itself. If you intend on ever seeing inside those cases, I'd stay on the good side of the daughters. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | DaveKell - 2018-01-16 9:18 AM
adamkrz - 2018-01-09 6:00 PM
Use code 4styles20 from www.stylesforthestudio.com for a discount from Leon himself. If anybody wants this book I'd suggest hurrying to order. I tried ordering two and the order was refused. It said only two were left in stock!
On another forum Leon White, the author of this book I mentioned, said he's got 8 personal copies he's making available since the inventory was down to one after my order. Kind of cool to get a reply by him. There's still time apparently to grab a copy of this phenomenal resource. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Love O Fair - 2018-01-17 11:19 AM
The elderly and their shelved collections of.. whatever.. can be a whole human phenomenon unto itself. If you intend on ever seeing inside those cases, I'd stay on the good side of the daughters.
Doing just that! One of the daughters, an attractive women in her 50s, sometimes comes to the jam. I chat her up every time. She has a tendency to invade my personal space when we talk. That's never a bad thing when you're trying to establish a connection! I'll admit I'm obsessed with persuading Leon to let me go through at least a few stacks with him. I've already seen a few pristine Gibsons with my favorite full block pearl inlays on the neck. He's a tough nut to crack but I intend to persist. Wanna see some of the Martins as well he said he knows are in there somewhere. I asked him about Ovations and he said he'd picked up a few in the 60s. He told me they'd be "buried in the very back of the house". I'm gonna try telling him I know quite a few O collectors looking for specific older models and see if that might get me in there. |
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Location: When?? | @Dave - " I'm gonna try telling him I know quite a few O collectors looking for specific older models and see if that might get me in there."
Anything that you can possibly say, he has heard 1,000 times before. People, especially elderly, quietly hoard collections for deeply personal reasons (a whole other psych lesson there). If you weren't a close friend by his side during the collection years, and especially during the occasions that went with them, he probably couldn't give a flying crap about you or your collector friends. In other words.. if you happen to outlive him, which is very most likely what it's going to take, respectfully wait your turn!
Edited by Love O Fair 2018-01-18 6:12 PM
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Love O Fair - 2018-01-18 5:49 PM
@Dave - " I'm gonna try telling him I know quite a few O collectors looking for specific older models and see if that might get me in there."
Anything that you can possibly say, he has heard 1,000 times before. People, especially elderly, quietly hoard collections for deeply personal reasons (a whole other psych lesson there). If you weren't a close friend by his side during the collection years, and especially during the occasions that went with them, he probably couldn't give a flying crap about you or your collector friends. In other words.. if you happen to outlive him, which is very most likely what it's going to take, respectfully wait your turn!
Oh I've known all your points most of my life now. Nothing new in there for me. I'm also very cognizant of how old people can feel preyed upon, which is why I've been very respectful of his initial reluctance to show me any of the guitars. However, we've become quite good friends, the part of the rest of the story you had no way of knowing. He calls me several times a week, twice today already. Today he wanted to know convenient times he could begin working with me teaching more about how he improvises solos. He calls to update me on his wife's current condition and I am glad to let him talk and deal with anything I can possibly help with. Also, he has let me play the two Ren Ferguson built Gibsons given to him as gifts from Ren. He pointed out at the time "I don't let NOBODY play these". In case you might be suspicious I will use my friendship with him to somehow manipulate him into letting me into the stacks, well sir, you don't know me. I consider it an honest mistake. I should have said previously any time I ask to see the guitars it will be done with the utmost respect he deserves.
Edited by DaveKell 2018-01-19 4:20 PM
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Location: Flahdaw | ...hhhhmmmmmmmmm.......... |
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | An interesting discussion on the elderly, the phenomenon of collecting (hoarding?) etc. etc. Myself I remain perhaps 97 short of your friend's stash of 100 but I do know what is in those cases! |
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Location: Texas | He's a tough nut to crack but I intend to persist. A pecan is cracked using another pecan. Two nuts. I have faith in you.
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Location: When?? | @DaveKell - "... the part of the rest of the story you had no way of knowing."
Info gathered. Thank you. Point understood. I just tend to error on the side of being protective. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Darkbar - 2018-01-19 7:29 PM
...hhhhmmmmmmmmm..........
That's all you got??? Who are you and what have you done with Darkbar? |
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Location: Flahdaw | I stand by my ...hhhhmmmmmmmm....... |
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Inheritance