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Topic: Ash...er |
Ben Elder
From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 11:30 am |
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You probably won't see another of these for at least a few more months...
I've known Bill Asher a long time--even wandered into his small storefront, next to West LA Music and mere steps from my old apartment, in the late 80s. I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I demurred a few years go at a vintage show when he offered to let me take one of his lap steels and play it for an indefinite time. Not being a professional player and knowing that a potentially crippling attack of complications from Imposter's Syndrome might ensue, I mumbled an awkward aw-shucks-I-am-not-worthy. (I've always hoped he didn't take it as disinterest.) I didn't feel, as a closet player, like I was anyone who could give him much exposure or expert word-of-mouth. Save his limited production for the real players.
Fast forward to NAMM this past January. Once my comrades went separate directions on Saturday night around 9 pm, I noticed I was near the hotel where Bill had a suite, so I dropped in. A small but distinguished crowd was gathered listening to Cindy Cashdollar and David Kalish creating a musical commotion. I flipped over the sound of the special commemorative (25th year of Asher Guitars) Model I Electro Hawaiian Cindy was playing.
Bill and I talked briefly and after some calls and a couple of months of phone tag, I went over to see the latest batch...the last before the next run in July. I was expecting to look at the commemorative guitar again or else something similar. There were those...and this:
Not only is it a departure in style and construction (solid swamp ash body instead of koa over chambered mahogany) but I think it won the sound comparison by a hair (scant difference regardless). It is also--for now--the only one like this (but probably will not remain so).
I remember seeing some posts about "most beautiful lap steel I ever saw," "show us your Asher" and "I'd never pay $xxxx for just a lap steel." Add this to those frothing discussions. More photo links:
http://home.earthlink.net/~themusicmotel/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/asher_6198_1_1.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/~themusicmotel/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/asher_6199_1_1.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/~themusicmotel/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/asher_6203_1_1.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/~themusicmotel/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/asher_6204_1_1.jpg
(While Bill gave me a great deal on this, still I paid real money for it. I'd've made this brag-post anyway, but I hope SGForum exposure is a way I can beat the drum for him that I couldn't at that earlier time.)
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"Gopher, Everett?" |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 11:55 am
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That is a pretty guitar. There's nothing nicer than a see-through blonde.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Vince Luke
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 12:41 pm
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I'd love to hear a sound comparison--I think I've only heard ash used in Telecaster-type guitars. Even without hearing it, it's certainly beautiful--nice looking finish and great fretboard.
Vince |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 1:44 pm
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| Mike Neer wrote: |
| There's nothing nicer than a see-through blonde. |
I agree. Lots of them here in Scandinavia.. 
Nice guitar, wonder how it compares sound wise to the chambered models.
Steinar
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"Play to express, not to impress"
Website - YouTube |
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Twayn Williams
From:
Portland, OR
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 2:00 pm
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I have an Electro-Hawaiian Jr that I like alot. I swapped the pickups out immediately for a SD JB in the bridge and a Rio Grande Tallboy in the front, both wired in parallel. It's a nice smooth bright sound with good output.
Bill also sent me a new Leo Quan Bad Ass intonatable LP Jr. bridge (at dealer cost!!!) because I didn't like the curve a stop-tail piece has. I took it to Russ Blake at 12th Fret and he put notches in the saddles to flatten the radius and it works just like a charm.
Everyone in the band has stopped complaining when I switch from the GFI to lap steel now (I was using a Goldtone.)
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Primitive Utility Steel |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 4:46 pm
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Mike says,
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| There's nothing nicer than a see-through blonde. |
Steinar says
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| I agree. Lots of them here in Scandinavia.. |
Lots of see-through blondes with the bare essentials, right Steinar?
Aloha, 
Don |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 8:11 pm
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| Mike Neer wrote: |
| That is a pretty guitar. There's nothing nicer than a see-through blonde. |
you see plenty of those during a thunder shower during the summer in NYC....... |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2008 8:42 pm
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Howard, that line deserves a rimshot!
(That's right -- I'm back.)
That's one gorgeous guitar, Ben ... |
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Randy Reeves
From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 3:39 am
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beautiful guitar there.
trans finish with strong grain is one of my favorite finishes.
I married a trans blonde. she had a great ash. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 5:26 am
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| Congrats, Ben, that's a cool looking steel! Swamp ash is such a resonant tonewood for solid bodies. My old swamp ash Fender Custom would ring forever just plucking the strings when it was unplugged. I recently became the owner of an Asher koa & mahagony Electro Hawaiian. It's a wonderful marriage of the aesthetics of electric and acoustic instruments and Bill's workmanship is flawless. Enjoy! |
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