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Location: Boise, Idaho | Went to Tommy's concert at the theater across the street from my office last night. The only thing that was less than perfect was he didn't use any Ovations. He's just a fantastic guitarist. Clive Carroll opened for him for 45 minutes. He was excellent and I was wondering if Tommy's show would be as short. He came out at 9 and played non-stop for over 2 hours. Fantastic energy and ability. I don't know how he does it. I'm tired from watching him and being up till midnight. He stood the whole time. Clive joined him for a duet at the end and played so fast I thought Tommy was doing all he could to just keep up with the rhythm part, then they switched the lead over to Tommy and sped up.
Great show and I highly recommend him. I didn't want to take the time to buy CDs after the show, so now I'll look for some.
My wife asked how I heard of him. I couldn't remember, but assumed it was from the Ovation Fan Club, the source of most of my musical knowledge.
Edited by Mark in Boise 2015-02-18 4:48 PM
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Location: south east Michigan | To many of that ilk present themselves as pretentious ar-teests.
Tommy Emmanuel is one of the few who looks like he is actually enjoying himself onstage.
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Location: Jet City | Hey Mark, Brandi's doing her pin drop show this Friday, come on out! |
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| Brad Durasa - 2015-02-18 5:25 PM To many of that ilk present themselves as pretentious ar-teests. Tommy Emmanuel is one of the few who looks like he is actually enjoying himself onstage. You are exactly right! Tommy Emmanuel is a class act. For me, the best way to view his "attitude" toward playing is that of a small child, as in: "Can you believe I just did that, that it's possible, and isn't it just too cool?" -- not in a cocky sense at all but in an amazed way -- again, just like a child. It is an absolute delight to watch this man play knowing, KNOWING, that he has practiced for years and years, probably from the time of a very small child. On the techinical side, he must have rthe bodies of his guitars loaded with pickups to get the percussive sounds that he ges from those things. I just love the guy -- can't say enough good about him. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | I don't think his pickups are anything other than standard Maton AP5 pro pickups. They have a blendable combination of bridge piezo pickups and an internal microphone. I reckon the internal mic is picking up the percussiveness. They sound SOOO good plugged. When I first heard mine I HAD to have it! But I had to sell my 2005C to help pay for it. And I thought the '05C was the best guitar I'd ever owned up to that point. Tommy's brother Phil is even more laid back and approachable. He lives just down the road from me. In some respects he's actually better than Tom. He thinks of acoustic guitars as firewood. He likes it loud 'n electric!
Edited by muzzlitebeer 2015-02-19 7:04 AM
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Location: Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire | Tommy Emmanuel is the quintessential all around guitarist! He outshines some of the best and has collaborated with many of the best (Chet Atkins, etc). I have some of his acoustic stuff and his version of Classical Gas and compilations of several Beatles tunes shows his musical prowess! Whatever style of music you're into, you'll find Tommy has it covered somewhere in his library of tunes!
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Mark says: "Went to Tommy's concert at the theater across the street from my office last night. The only thing that was less than perfect was he didn't use any Ovations."
With no new Ovations being made anymore, I'm GLAD he doesn't use them so he doesn't beat one of our favorite guitars to death!
I won tickets to see him when he was in Rapid and I refused to go. I would've been arrested for jumping on stage and ripping the guitar out of his hands. The people I gave the tickets to said that at one point they could see chips flying off the guitar when he was "doing percussion" with his ring. I have zero respect for anyone who treats a guitar like that.
Kaki gets better percussion on her guitar and she doesn't beat it up. Doyle Dykes gets the whammy bar effect on his acoustic without bending the neck. There are MUCH better guitarists out there than Emanuel but he makes up for his lack of style with what he considers "showmanship" which is what I consider "show-OFF-manship". He's all speed and no style.
And he's (in my not so humble opinion) low class. |
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Location: Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire | Tommy does play pretty hard at times and uses ALL of his faculties in various songs, but I don't blame him for the abuse. I'm sure he has a stable of disposable guitars (like Garth Brooks and his throwaway Takamine's). He does treat his favorite Australian made guitar (name escapes me?) with a little more respect! He has a lighter touch on many tunes that are not so percussive or hard banging! Historically I think the Who gets top prize for trashing instruments and amps especially at a time when I couldn't afford anything that good back in my youth!! That use to irritate me! Of course Jim Hendrix did his Strat trashing, but I'll give him a special forgiveness since it wasn't a regular occurrence! ;-) All respects. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I have to admit I winced when he was doing this scratchy thing that sounded sort of like a brush on a drum, but then I figured it was a Maton. He used it for all of the percussive stuff and switched to other guitars for other tunes. I think one might have been a Taylor, but I was too far back to see. He did a very abbreviated lesson, showing how he did a riff, first slowly and then bringing it up to speed with a Metronome. He also did some slow songs. Seemed like he had plenty of style to me, although he obviously showed off his speed. |
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Location: Texas | Here is a nice clip of Tommy and John in an interview. Both continue the Chet legacy.... |
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Location: Flahdaw | CanterburyStrings - 2015-02-19 1:07 PM
at one point they could see chips flying off the guitar when he was "doing percussion" with his ring. I have zero respect for anyone who treats a guitar like that. .
You should see me eat Doritos....it's like I have a wood chipper in the house. |
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| You should see me eat Doritos....it's like I have a wood chipper in the house. Post of the day -- Haven't met you, but the visual is hilarious! |
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| There are MUCH better guitarists out there than Emanuel but he makes up for his lack of style with what he considers "showmanship" which is what I consider "show-OFF-manship". He's all speed and no style. And he's (in my not so humble opinion) low class. Wow, just wow. In one post, you've managed to not only insult a great guy (Tommy Emmanuel) and wonderful entertainer but everyone that does enjoy his performances (including myself) and likely many others on this list, in addition to possibly alienating them, too. I guess you don't watch auto races (too low brow, cars are destroyed), any action movies (same) or any other activity where the medium is being pushed to, or beyond, its limit. Ever heard of Dale Carnegie? |
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Location: Jet City | Whoa there Mr Easley... I don't see any personal shots taken at you or any other OFC Member in the quoted piece (that was even stated as an opinion), however you're taking a personal shot at the poster.
Who the **** cares if someone likes your favorite musician or not. I can't stand Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Costello, just to name a few. If someone thinks less about me because of that, well that's their problem. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Reasley - 2015-02-21 4:00 PM
There are MUCH better guitarists out there than Emanuel but he makes up for his lack of style with what he considers "showmanship" which is what I consider "show-OFF-manship". He's all speed and no style. And he's (in my not so humble opinion) low class. Wow, just wow. In one post, you've managed to not only insult a great guy (Tommy Emmanuel) and wonderful entertainer but everyone that does enjoy his performances (including myself) and likely many others on this list, in addition to possibly alienating them, too. I guess you don't watch auto races (too low brow, cars are destroyed), any action movies (same) or any other activity where the medium is being pushed to, or beyond, its limit. Ever heard of Dale Carnegie?
Sorry to have offended you but I don't see where I have insulted you or anyone else who enjoys him. I insulted HIM for insulting and damaging guitars. I have a friend who likes him and when all I did was HEAR his music I wasn't that impressed. Just don't like his style I'm afraid. But after I SAW him (on Youtube) I was disgusted with him. I winced all the way through the video.
As someone who buys and sells guitar for a living (as well as having played for 50 years now) I treat every guitar with love and respect. Even a crappy guitar would be of use to some kid who can't afford one. And it really burns me that some guy with lots of money thinks nothing of destroying a guitar just for show.
Now, as far as auto races or action movies, you're right. I don't watch either. That's because I haven't owned a TV since the eighties. I see it as mind rot and would much rather spend my tiny amount of leisure time with my guitar, my banjo, or a good book. Sorry. If you think that makes me an elitist, so be it.
(And hey Damon, thanks for having my back.) |
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Location: Lake Forest, CA | CanterburyStrings - 2015-02-19 10:07 AM
I won tickets to see him when he was in Rapid and I refused to go. I would've been arrested for jumping on stage and ripping the guitar out of his hands. The people I gave the tickets to said that at one point they could see chips flying off the guitar when he was "doing percussion" with his ring. I have zero respect for anyone who treats a guitar like that.
Ha ha!
Who knows, Alison? Had you climbed on the stage, you might have been decked like what happened to the girl at the Afroman show... (LOL!)
Another one who was extremely hard on his guitars, believe it or not, was John Denver.
Denver only used soft cases and was not afraid to tie the guitar case to the back of a saddle, then hop onto the horse and go on a spirited ride in the mountains.
This doesn't surprise me given the fact that he was long-time professional and obviously viewed his guitars as simply tools of his trade.
Edited by DanSavage 2015-02-20 8:19 PM
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Location: Texas | LOL...that Afroman video is crazy. You know...TE seems to truly love the sound of that Maton that is "experienced". If I were guessing...he cares more about what is produced by the guitar rather than how it is produced. Dan...I bet Denver didnt put that 1910 Gibson in a soft case.
Edited by jay 2015-02-20 9:15 PM
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Location: Flahdaw | TE, in my opinion, does some VERY sensitive pieces, as well as some crazy, in your face, outrageous stuff. But all in all, I think he's a fabulous player. I think part of his continued success is DUE to his "showmanship", and it my even be WHY he does it. He may have faded away into obscurity without being a bit cocky and flamboyant acting on stage. There are LOTS of great players out there, but not THAT many who can tour for decades mainly playing an acoustic guitar. |
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Location: Northwest Arkansas | Tommy played at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS for several years. I saw him 5 times and spoke to him. Apparently he'd heard me play and invited me to Stage 5 to play with him. If I hadn't been hours from home I would have stayed,. But the men I went with couldn't care less and would not stay. He is a genuinely great man. Others should strive to be like him. He just uses his fingers to make the scratching sound and the tops have been worn down over a very long time. He has 2 or 3 that look like that. One looks terrible, but the sound is spot-on. He does not destroy guitars. I think whoever told you the story of "the wood chips flying" was embellishing a little. He loves every guitar he owns. He always has high praise for all his guitars. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Nope. I knew four people who went. Two were in row 2 and two were in row 6. They all said the same thing. He had on a big fat ring and was hitting the guitar with it. |
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Location: Lake Forest, CA | amosmoses - 2015-02-20 6:45 PM
Dan...I bet Denver didnt put that 1910 Gibson in a soft case.
Yeah, he did have a few hard cases for guitars such as his As and Os.  |
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Location: Chicago | Back to the "ar-teeest" issue: Here in Chicago there are (good) guitar players a-plenty who are fatally full of themselves. Like roosters in a pecking order they imagine that twangin' on a banjo is a world-changing activity. But who's watching and who cares? It's tiresome and aggravating. I do appreciate anyone who has a low pretentiousness index and just has fun with the music. Emmanuel or Kaki or anyone. Never thought about the wood-chipper factor. Willie Nelson seems to have dug a hole of his own! |
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Location: Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire | You think Martin would come up with a Willie Nelson edition, complete with the hole in it considering how much publicity that guitar has received over the years. That's some serious damage! |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | iglupickin - 2015-02-23 5:05 PM
You think Martin would come up with a Willie Nelson edition, complete with the hole in it considering how much publicity that guitar has received over the years. That's some serious damage!
That is just where his pinky finger hits.
Dierks Bentley is working on the same kinda hole...
All Dierks need is time, and a bunch of signatures, and it will look the same.
And the dedication to continue playing the same guitar for decades. 
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Location: Texas | You think Martin would come up with a Willie Nelson edition, They did. N-20WN. I think they listed for over 5K. Not only did you have to provide the hole, you also had to add your own Prismatone. I am not sure who made the pickup for Martin, but it didnt come close to replicating Nelsons Prismatone.
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Tommy Emmanuel
