Filed under: contests, gibson, guitars, les paul | Tags: gibson, guitars, les paul
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- Sammy Ash, Les Paul
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- Sammy And Les get ready to jam
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- Les Paul signs the Goldtop for our contest
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- Les Paul, Sammy Ash
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- Sammy Ash, Les Paul, Paul Green
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- Les Paul
As always Les was smiling and happy and for 93 in great health. We started out with the usual small talk on my parent’s health, life with Gibson and things in general. One of the reasons we were at the club was to have Les sign a 1957 Gold Top for a contest and giveaway. It is a beauty and if you haven’t signed up for it yet I suggest you do. Over the next hour or so we had a great time posing, talking and playing catch up in general. As you will see we got a lot of really good shots from the session.
While we were hanging he was sitting there just playing to pass the time. He was playing a very strange LP. It was clearly a Les Paul Custom in black but it had Les Paul “Recording” electronics. The Recording was a guitar that Gibson came out with in the 70’s. It was an enlarged Les Paul shape with slightly rounded features. Lots of switches and dials and two very large oval black pickups. These were special low impedance pickups designed to jack straight into a recording console hence the “Recording” name. This was a guitar that I had never seen before or since. I asked him about it and he says it has been his main axe for some time now. Of course I asked him if I could play it and of course he said yes. This was one very heavy LP in every way, vibe, weight and looks. I played it a little and then took a look at the back of the headstock … the guitar was stamped “SECOND” as in factory second!
I almost fell off my chair. Here is Les Paul the name sake for the most popular guitar in the world and he was not playing a custom built, custom shop, special addition, original, vintage… anything. He was playing a “fac 2”. The images that ran through my brain were just unbelievable. He who could have his choice of all guitars out there plays a factory second, that is the ultimate in irony.
Paul Green happened to be there so he spent a few minutes with Les and the three of us got a photo together too. One of the conversations we had were how the recording equipment has changed since he was a little boy to today and I presented him with a Zoom H2 Handy Recorder. He explained to me that there was a time it took a room of equipment just to do a fraction of what this little unit could do. As the afternoon went on I could see that Les was a bit tired and wanted to get ready for the first set of the day. I wish I was able to stay but duty calls.
Les is still playing almost every single Monday at the Iridium with the Les Paul Trio. Lots of stories and even a little guitar playing thrown in from time to time. You really should check it out. He may be 93 but he swings just like a man 30 years his junior.
Sammy
Our friend, guitar strap maker to the stars, Jodi Head doing her part to help get feral cats off the street and into good homes. She has teamed up with “The Best Little Cat House In PA” to raise money for the cause by creating some special guitar straps and getting some of her friends to autograph them. They then go on eBay so you can bid on them and do your part!
Currently Elvis Costello and Melissa Etheridge have signed straps and they were posted on eBay yesterday.
Please take a look if you are interested and feel free to forward these links to anyone that might be interested. If you are not interested in the straps, but would like to make a donation, please do so here. Please make note that it is in Jodi Head’s name. Any and every amount helps.
The Sam Ash Family and the Fred Gretsch Family are one of the longest lasting relationships in this industry. The Gretsch Company is celebrating their 125th year anniversary and Sam Ash Music is about to celebrate their 85th.
Fred invited our family to an intimate dinner in NYC to celebrate our longevity together in October. In attendance were Fred and Dinah Gretsch, Fred’s sister and niece, David and Karen Ash, Paul Ash and his wife Cobi Narita and Sammy Ash. Jerry and Richard Ash were unable to attend due to a prior commitment.
As soon as we got together the stories started. Paul reminded everyone that Fred Gretsch, (Fred’s uncle) was the person that showed Paul and Jerry around this place called Long Island and helped us find the location that became our Hempstead store. We only had one store in Brooklyn at the time so you can say the Gretsch Family is responsible for us becoming a chain.
We talked about the introduction of the White Falcon which at the time was the most expensive guitar in the world $1000.00! We discussed the first real seven-string guitar player, George Van Epps, long before Steve Vie was even born! All of the factories that still proudly have the Gretsch name emblazoned on them even 40 years after they closed. You can still see them when you cross the Williamsburg Bridge. There were far too many stories for this little article.
The Gretsch’s were kind enough to present us with a special painting of the history of the Gretsch Family and Company. They have a rich history and heritage in the music industry and rightly so. Drums, guitars, banjos and so much more were produced in those factories and now a whole new generation is growing up with Gretsch drums and guitars. The Gretsch’s still own all of the patents and trade marks but they license the name to the Fender Musical Instrument Company to help produce and expand on this great name.
One of their cherished accomplishments was the fact that in 2008 Fred and Dinah Gretsch themselves were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. They were very proud and it is a well-deserved honor.
During some breaks in the session, dozens of guitar associates had a real treat having lunch with. The food was decent but the conversation was priceless. He proved he is a regular guy and once again showed that it being a great guitarist doesn’t hurt when it comes to making and designing guitars. Tasty licks abounded from Paul’s fingers during each meet and greet. His passion for the guitar and guitar players alike was wonderful and genuine and won over a whole new group of PRS fans in our stores.
Each night Paul stayed for a meet and greet with customers and fans alike signing autographs and even helping sell quite a few guitars including a few Private Stock instruments. To all that came to meet him it was like meeting a rock star. They couldn’t believe he was actually there, hanging out and talking to anyone who wanted to talk to him. He stayed until the last fan was greeted and then took a group of the Sam Ash managers out to dinner. It’s experiences like this that remind many of us why we are in this business.
On a personal note, I am proud to be able to call Paul my friend. I have watched him grow a company and reputation for excellence rarely seen in this industry. As he likes to remind me, “Remember Sam, my first born’s name is Sam, do you think that was a coincidence?” I am also an early collector of PRS guitars. I have the #4 and #6 guitars to come off the line, the original blue metallic prototype, the second signature guitar ever made and about 8 others that are the pride of my collection. Sam Ash was the first PRS dealer and we shall remain his best, Thanks for everything Paul!
Sam Ash
Filed under: guitars, musicians | Tags: gibson, les paul, slash, velvet revolver
Sam Ash Music in Hollywood, California was proud to launch the new Gibson/Epiphone Slash “Goldtop” Les Paul for the United States with an appearance by none other than the man himself – Slash! Fans of iconic guitarist started lining up early in the morning and the 90-degree heat didn’t deter them from seeing their “Guitar Hero.” The Hollywood store was decked out with a few dozen Gibson Slash Gold tops and a few of the original Slash Sunburst tops, too. It made for a great backdrop for his meet and greet.
Slash showed up in the huge Gibson touring bus along with his Dad, several members of the Gibson Company and the press. Everyone on line, which snaked around the block, started cheering.
Slash seemed right at home hanging out in our recording room, eating Cantors Deli (his favorite), and talking shop. What made our day was the fact that he loved the store. Slash was blown away by the guitar wall and asked our Manager, Keith Winston, if he could come in sometime after closing. He saw a bunch of gear he wanted to try out. He maybe a rock star but he is also a gear hound at heart.
Even though the agreement was he would only stay two hours, he came early and stayed later than he originally planned. This guy truly loves his fans and he didn’t want to disappoint a single one. The first fans on line to see him were people who had that day or previously bought a Slash Model and he personalized every single one! He even did a special picture and thank you to Sammy Ash who was on hand and brought his own Gibson Slash Model Les Paul. We thought that some of the guitar owners were going to pass out because they had so much face time with him. Sammy looked like he was about to lose it too, just check out his face in the gallery pictures.
Sam Ash Music wants to take this opportunity to thank the Gibson Company for making this happen. Everyone had a great time and Slash did too.
The LA Weekly did an interview with links to YouTube videos. You can find that here.
