What Guitar do you play?

David Chidsey how incredibly interesting...and fascinating!!! It looks SO cool!

Michael smokin'!

Michael When I was a young teen , I visited the Del Pillar  shop in Brooklyn , NY. with my father to see what kind of guitars they had.  Mr. Pillar explained the long time to obtain a new instrument, but let me play on a guitar that was in the shop for repair.  It was made by him with a slightly narrower customized neck and a very easy action.  It felt like butter under my fingers and I could play anything with great ease on it. The sound was amazing!   Mr. Pillar said it belonged to someone in Massachusetts.  I said I wanted that guitar!  Unfortunately , he checked and it was not for sale.

I later met someone in my neighborhood who became my guitar teacher.   He owned a del Pillar  guitar and said his teacher ( Rey de La Torre) suggested it for him.

Your guitar is beautiful!!  It would be funny if it was the same guitar I played on many years ago.

Barney thank you for sharing your wonderful memory! I can almost remember what it was like when, as a teenager, I encountered a great instrument for the first time. This guitar was made in 1960 and somehow found its way to New Hampshire to be sold in a collection.... perhaps an estate sale, I don't know. 51mm nut with a slim profile neck. Who knows? 

Michael Who knows, Michael.  Have you ever recorded something on Tonebase or online with that guitar?  I'm curious how it sounds.  I recall the instrument I played on had very balanced trebles and basses  and in many ways sounded pianistic on chords.  It also was very easy to achieve a great vibrato and wonderful sustain.  Not sure way I remember these details; maybe because but I've never played on a guitar by any maker since then that impressed me like that. 

Barney No recordings yet, I've had the guitar for only a few weeks. I'll try to put something together. To me, the sound is captivating and I wonder if I can even do the guitar justice with my Zoom recorder. I've been working on Regondi etude 1 which is a workout from first position up to the 15th fret and every note and chord along the way is clear. 

Michael That would be great Michael!  No pressure, but I look forward to your recording.  Thanks!!

Michael Hey Michael! Hope you are doing well and enjoying that guitar!  Any update on doing a recording with it?

Michael Neverisky Hey Michael,  Hope you are doing well!  I was just thinking about your guitar, and wondering if you did any recordings with it yet that captures the sound...Thanks!

Barney I studied briefly with Ray de la Torre. So sad how ill he was after having been such a great player. He premiered the Aranjuez in the US.

John Mardinly I only know of Rey de la Torre from my first serious teacher and from his early recordings (on vinyl).  That must have been a wonderful experience meeting and studying with him.

Barney No, it was terrible. Terribly sad. He was crippled with rheumatoid arthritis, could barely walk, could not play at all and was severely depressed by it all, small wonder.

John Mardinly I'm so sorry to hear that very sad news, John. 

Barney Yes, Rey de la Torre was probably the first prominent guitarist to be crippled by focal dystonia. He recovered from that with the help of a wonderful physical therapist, who he married, but then a year and a half into that new chapter in his career, he was struck with crippling rheumatoid arthritis and back in the 1980's, treatment options were limited. 

Martin I love it! It's got depth, power, and an enormous range of tone colors. It's also very easy to playI. wish I was a good enough player to really do it justice. 

Timothy is she playing it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ybNEa_u9Y ?

Steve Pederson 

Steve Pederson 

Timothy No, she’s playing her 2013 Ruck double top in that video.