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Topic: Noel Anstead (Anapeg Guitars) in US |
Jim Palenscar
From: Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 4:17 pm
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Noel Anstead and his wonderful wife,Shirley, are two delightful people and will be venturing far from their home in Brisbane, Australia to attend the convention in St. Louis this year as well as acquiescing to my requests to come to Oceanside after. Anyone that has any interests in steel guitars would be well advised to take this chance to meet and talk with the builder of what is generally considered to be the Rolls Royce of steel guitars. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From: Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 7:05 pm
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Jim, did he bring you a new guitar? ![Smile](images/smiles/icon_smile.gif) _________________ Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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tom anderson
From: leawood, ks., usa
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 8:17 pm
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I couldn't attend the convention this year, but went over today & spent about 4 hours with Noel chatting & going over my 001 Anstead prototype for the guitar he builds today. Noel couldn't be nicer & Shirley is some kind of saint to hang while we were messing with the guitar, etc. My wife would be long gone! Go & find him at the convention-I don't think there will be any of his guitars there, but trust me, they are the best. Here is a picture of Noel & Shirley with my Anstead & a picture of one that is similar to the short Universal 10 Anapeg he is building for me. He says he is going to quit building guitars after this run, so if you can, encourage him not to quit.
![](http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix0808/1450_P1010011_1.jpg) |
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Ron !
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Posted 30 Aug 2008 12:16 pm
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Tom,
what kind of wood is that one made of?That sure looks purdy to me.
Noel builds a wonderful steel guitar with tone to die for.If only the waiting list would not be so long.
Ron |
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tom anderson
From: leawood, ks., usa
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Posted 30 Aug 2008 3:20 pm
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He uses different timbre's from Australia. I wanted that two tone effect on the guitar I ordered & just asked for that, not what type of wood it is, so I don't know. I was on the waiting list about 4/5 years, I'm not quite sure how long, but it has gone fast. I actually changed the color & woods when he e-mailed me a picture of the guitar above & saw how beautiful it is. |
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Mike Kirkley
From: Helendale, California
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Posted 1 Sep 2008 3:39 am
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I can personally vouch for the quality of Noel's guitars...I had a chance to sit behind one and play it back in June at the Brisbane Steel Guitar Club's Annual Festival. Trust me, people, in the hands of a really good player, such as Ivan Posa from New Zealand (who has a real beauty), these guitars really sing. Plus, they're not as heavy as a Sho- Bud!!! Wonderful guitars, Noel! |
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Greg Simmons
From: where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave
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Posted 1 Sep 2008 1:50 pm
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I had the pleasure of a couple of conversations with Noel over the weekend in St. Louis; the wood is gidgee (part of the acacia family) and Noel goes out and hand harvests the timber for his guitars himself...he mentioned that there is not a lot of it left, and believe it or not, a lot of this beautiful wood was used for...fence posts. _________________ <i>�Head full of this kaleidoscope of brain-freight, Heart full of something simple and slow�</i>
-Mark Heard
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Joe Rogers
From: Lake Charles, LA USA
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Posted 1 Sep 2008 10:39 pm
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I got a chance to play on an Anapeg when Noel came to the states sometime in the 90's. I was extremely impressed with the guitar. Probably the most beautiful woodwork of any wood guitar I have ever seen. They look like a piece of finely handcrafted furniture. The thing that impressed me about the mechanism is that the top is separate from the rest of the cabinet, hence there was no cabinet drop whatsoever. Quite an interesting design.
Joe |
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Colin Goss
From: St.Brelade, Island of Jersey, Channel Islands, UK
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Posted 2 Sep 2008 1:50 am Anapeg
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I am now playing Tom Brumley's 11 string Anapeg built for him in 1993.
It looks like it's brand new - it sounds wonderful and it's great fun to play.
The wood is GIDGEE wood - it's a very heavy dense grained Australian wood and with the stainless steel underparts it weighs a ton.
The effect is like comparing a concert grand with an upright piano - I have had nothing but compliments on the tone of the Anapeg.
Noel - you cannot give up - these guitars are masterpieces.
Colin Goss
![](http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix0808/254_Anapeg1_1.jpg) |
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Robert Cook
From: Collierville,TN
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Posted 2 Sep 2008 4:19 am You need to hear and Anapeg
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Al Perkins was playing at my church a few years ago and even in the front row I couldn't make out the name of his guitar. After the service we spoke about his steel and his amp, a small Risson, and besides Al being very easy to talk to, he gave me info about his setup. It was pretty straighforward, guitar, cable, amp. A tone like butter and when you put that in the hands of someone like Al, you can listen for hours. The guitar is beautiful and just sings on the high notes. The wood is clearly like nothing you see on US made guitars and I'm real partial to mine. If you see one somewhere, get a listen.
Bob _________________ Left-handed Pedalmaster-10, Nashville 1000, Fender Twin, Goodrich |
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Paddy Long
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 2 Sep 2008 4:09 pm
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Noel is an outstanding craftsman and puts some amazing detail in to his guitars .. it is difficult to compare them to anything else -- and I love the woods he uses, which as earlier stated, he hand picks himself.
Noel and Shirley are among the best people you could meet - lets hope he continues to build a few guitars. |
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Jeremy Threlfall
From: now in Western Australia
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Posted 2 Sep 2008 8:29 pm
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I got to havew a play on an old keyed Anapeg (in Tasmania)- not particularly well cared for, all the original finish stripped off it, and with ten year old strings (so the owner said)
it still sustained better than my Sho-bud Pro 1
amazing little guitar |
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Steve Epstein
From: Folsom, CA
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Posted 1 Oct 2008 2:45 pm
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I am in the fortunate position to be in that last group of recipients of Noel's guitars. I have been waiting for 3 1/2 years and Noel has indicated that sometime next year I should see my guitar. I had the pleasure to play Jim Palenscar's guitar. He was very generous in breaking his own rule of "never taking it out of the house." It is all of what I have heard and read. Production guitars today are built at such a high level of quality, I had doubts that the differences between a true custom like an Anapeg and, say an Emmons, Sierra, or MSA would be that great. Well, it is. It's all there. |
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tom anderson
From: leawood, ks., usa
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Posted 1 Oct 2008 8:06 pm
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I know this is kind of dorky, but these photos are of the wood he is using for the top of my guitar. The red wood will be the front & back rails & the neck & the light wood is the deck.
I'll post more photos as he gets farther along.
By the way Colin, Noel told me that Tom wishes he hadn't sold that guitar you have-it is beautiful. |
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Roger Shackelton
From: MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 1 Oct 2008 9:38 pm ANAPEG PSGs
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One PSG that NOEL brought to Scotty's, some years ago was made from Leopard Wood. I believe it was Noel's personnel guitar at the time.
Roger |
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