Guitar Tex visit - Oct 22, 2024

[mike in lytle]

(edit - added photos)
I was at Guitar Tex, in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday Oct 22.
It was time to take my OM-50 in for a setup.
I also wanted to try the 80th JCL birthday guitar which arrived Oct 21, and is an LV-03e, moonwood top, silver oak back and sides, rosewood binding, JCL inlay on the paddle headstock, signed label, stagepro element with barn door electronics. Like nearly all new Larrivees, it had a tad high stock action, and the guitar sounded tight. The sound coming out of it was nice though, and I thought it sounded brighter than a mahogany guitar. Being an L-body, I think when it breaks in it will sound really good. I did not plug it in to test the pickup. It felt good in the lap.
It is a VERY nice looking guitar. I liked it.
Guitar Tex also has a lot of Larrivees now, 13 in all. I did not go through them to make a list. I think they need to be moved to a lower area where players can just pick them up though.

Mark Hiebert and Matt Yates were there when I arrived. They are the "new guys" at Guitar Tex, tho both have been around for a couple years.
Mark, a professional photographer, initially started doing the photos for the FB and Reverb listings, but has evolved to full time sales, photo, and demo work of instruments for the FB page, also owns a Larrivee J-03 (or 05 or 09, I don't know) which he plays well.
Matt primarily does setups on electrics and string changes. Matt's work station is on top of one of the front display counters, and thus has become the face of Guitar Tex to most people walking in the door.
Matt is a bass player. I asked Matt how many setups and string changes did he think he had done at Guitar Tex. Well, Matt pulled out his big, fat logbook where he has recorded all his work. Let's just say many, many hundreds.

I hung out till about 11.30 since things were slow and we talked a lot about John Ramirez, who passed away on July 10, from a couple of aggressive cancers. John was I think, 78, and was born and raised in San Antonio. John worked at Guitar Tex since 2012 and worked at probably every music store in town since he was a teen. John played excellent guitar and was a lead player in many bands, including Petes Best, a Beatles tribute band, which was gigging until the last few weeks. Both the "musicians tribute" at the Pigpen and the church service were massively well attended. To say "John knew everybody" almost covers it. I knew John for 10 years. He would sometimes grab a guitar and play along with me when I was there to pick up a guitar having work done.
Mike

[Rockysdad]

Sooooooo, we can expect a NGD when?    

I've gotta make it out that way sooner than later.

[B0WIE]

I hadn't recalled hearing about the 80th edition so I looked it up and... wow, what a looker! Two things I love are when the back and sides of a guitar compliment the top in color, and a nice headstock inlay. The body has the handsome look of a "flamenco blanca". And, of course, the JCL logo is one of the coolest looking inlays ever.

If you get it, let us know!

[Queequeg]

Time well spent.
A day well lived.

[StringPicker6]

The rosewood binding must look lovely