Fingerboard Stories

A striking departure from Fender’s Stratocaster or Gibson’s own Les Paul, the Explorer was suppose to be the guitar of the future.......

There’s something magical about a Gibson SG. That distinctive horned design screams rock and roll. It’s unmistakably devilish, and it’s the “Highway to Hell” guitar for a reason.

Part two of our interview with Tommy.  Read on to hear about what he is listening to now, his thoughts on electric vs. acoustic and more.

At the tail end of last year, Thalia Capos had the privilege of talking to the legendary Tommy Emmanuel while he was on tour with Jerry Douglas. Over the course of an hour, we got into everything from Chet Atkins to YouTube stardom.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Or so the saying goes. And hey, we can’t deny that we’re big fans of the holiday season here at Thalia capos.

But, we do have a bit of a bee in our bonnet when it comes to the Christmas season, and that’s Christmas music. For six-string aficionados, typical holiday music fare can be a bit of a bummer. The mighty guitar tends to play a supporting role in popular seasonal songs. Tis the season to be jolly? Sure. The season to shred and strum? Not so much.  So what can you do about it?

Back in August, the Thalia community voted Mr. Tommy Emmanuel as the greatest fingerstyle guitarist of all time. It’s not at all surprising. As we’ve already stated a couple of times in this blog, Emmanuel is as complete a guitarist as you’re likely to find. He’s got style, he’s got flair, and he’s got an undeniable sense of melody and musicality that makes him a joy to listen to.  For today’s blog post, then, we’ve decided to compile a list of our favorite Tommy Emmanuel quotes. 

Why won’t your partner buy you a guitar for Christmas? Probably because she thinks you own too many of them. You can try and justify it all you want: “I keep that one in DADGAD. That one’s a parlor guitar, that one’s a dreadnaught. Strats sound different to Les Pauls!”

Unfortunately, though, none of this will fly. As far as she’s concerned, “too many guitars” is less than the amount you currently have.

When we think about Thanksgiving, we think about the festivities. Turkey and Cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving day football, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – you know what we mean. But, at its core, Thanksgiving is about, well, giving thanks. And that goes for us guitarists as well. Here at Thalia, we’re been thinking about the guitar-related things to be thankful for this holiday season. These are some of our observations.

“When I picked it up, I was completely humbled. It was a shock-and-awe moment. It changed everything I’d ever thought about acoustic guitars leading up to that point… It was the most amazing acoustic guitar I’d ever played or heard.”

“The Tree” is something of a legend in guitar luthier circles. It’s the source of a mythic, unusually dense, centuries old mahogany that’s uniquely quilted, uniquely beautiful, and coveted by master guitar builders and their rock star clients. If you want a guitar made from this legendary wood though, it’ll come at a price – somewhere in the region of $30,000 to $40,000. But what is “the Tree,” and where did it come from? Read on and find out…

When it comes to tonewood, mahogany carries some serious weight in the guitar world, both literally and metaphorically.

A mainstay in both acoustic and electric guitar manufacturing, it’s been used to make some of the most iconic instruments of all time. And, it’s prized in lutherie for both its aesthetic and sonic properties.

Today, we’re getting to grips with mighty mahogany; its varieties, its tonal characteristics and its sustainability.