Feedback from Giants in the Guitar World

Les Paul plays the Gypsy

Teye recalls: At the tail end of a Boston Guitar Show, my friend and business partner Evert was able to set up an appointment for me with Mr. Les Paul! Right after sound check at the Iridium in NY City, Les was so gracious as to give my guitar a whirl.

He immediately liked the guitar. You must know that Les himself plays heavily modified Gibson Les Paul Recording guitars. The one he was playing when I walked in was an instrument that felt like a Les Paul Custom (and super-heavy!), but with rosewood board and medium-size block inlays. He winds his own pickups, which are all low-impedance. Les does this to obtain beautiful brilliance from an otherwise fairly dark sounding guitar. The result is a huge sound. I am trying to do the same thing but via completely different ways. Les Paul played, commented, played, talked shop, and A/B’d his own guitar with the Gypsy.

“This is a great box! It’s as good as mine (with a wink)!”
“This is as close to what I’m doing as I have seen in a long, long time”
“No, but this is a GREAT box. If I thought it was bad, I would have said nothing. When I say it’s good, it’s because I mean it is good”.
“I really like your bridge. Yes, go ahead and make me one”

Then, between his two shows at the Iridium, he talked shop with me for about 20 minutes. There was a line at the dressing room, of people looking for autographs and a word with the Master, but the Master sat me down and we talked about the various approaches to resonance and brilliance. In the end, he gripped both my hands and wished me the best of success, leaving me speechless.

Oh, and about the photos? I’d much rather have blurry ones of a great moment, than razor-sharp photos of an embarrassment.

(For the complete story of this evening, go to http://teye-guitars.com/stories/ and scroll down)

2009 – 8 – 13: update: we just heard: Guitar Legend Les Paul dies at the age of 94. ANY electric guitarist, ANY musician who has used multi-track recording, owes Mr. Les Paul big-time. I have had the enormous privilege of meeting him, and he was so gracious as to talk shop with me, and talk very serious about my guitar. I’m typing this with a tear in my eye.
Onwards, Les, on to greener pastures. Secretly, I am hoping you will run into my father there. You two will have a lot to talk shop about!

At the workshop of Manuel Reyes, Sr.

Teye remembers: I received a letter from Esteemed Luthier Manuel Reyes, Sr. wishing me luck, expressing his confidence, and offering the age-old advice of a Master Craftsman: keep your eye on the quality instead of quantity, and you’ll be fine.

I’ve known Manolo since he welcomed me into his workshop in 1982, he has made three magnificent flamenco guitars for me; has always offered advice on his and other guitars; and at one time even poured some of his shellac into a soda pop bottle for my bass player to take home to fix his instrument with, and now shares his small workshop in Cordoba with his son Manolo (a respected constructor in his own right) and daughter Manoli (so that there will be no confusion between the three Reyes names). I recently visited them in the workshop and showed them my guitar. They were very surprised and even impressed. A wonderful moment of recognition by whom I consider to be the very best constructor of flamenco guitars in the world.

Over a drink at the Sociedad Plateros, Manuel Senior confided in me: “If your attitude towards guitar making, and towards your customers is as you describe, and the quality of your guitars is as I have just witnessed, my young friend, then your success is guaranteed.”

Encouragement from Paul Reed Smith

In 2006: “Incredible. You will be making many more guitars.”
Again in 2007: “Fantastic! Wonderful! You’re doing a great job!”
And in 2009, at the Dallas Guitar Show, when Paul saw the new ‘La Llama’: “Oh this is absolutely gorgeous. You’re really doing a wonderful job!”

Paul has been incredibly supportive and encouraging, right from the very first moment I showed him one of my guitars. This encouragement coming from a man who single-handedly broke the Gibson/Fender hold on the electric guitar market, is the most wonderful gift to any guitar maker.
From the bottom of my heart: “Thank you Paul!”.