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Well I had the guitar out last night, played about 40 minutes killing time before Rocky came on MGM... It's a neck I'm getting used to real quick. I talked to my upstairs neighbor lady a while yesterday promising her some sweet potato and corn chowder for her and her sister (on another floor). I saw the woman go out this morning with her friends so I got the run of the place a couple hours.
What I didn't tell ya'll was 11 days ago I burned the pad of my right thumb real bad taking a pan of biscuits out of the oven (old worn out oven glove) and got a blister on the pad of my thumb just slightly smaller than a dime - damn thing hurt doing anything. It's finally healing and yesterday was the first day I could play and it didn't hurt that much... Doggone thing is sweet. This was the most I spent on a Unity 100th Anniversary, 7k... but I really wanted the 17 inch one, to go with my 18 inch one... It's a spectacular guitar, right in the vein of a Citation in so many ways. As Marty said when Aaron left Gibson he started making Citation like guitars but it didn't say Gibson on the headstock so he didn't get THAT much money for them, even though I think they are better because only he is making the Unity's - it wasn't a team effort like at Gibson...
I know guys, I'm really blessed to have these.
BigLast edited by BigMikeinNJ; 04-10-2018 at 10:13 AM.
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04-10-2018 09:33 AM
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I have been playing my 100th Anniversary all last week and this. (Gig tonight.) This guitar loves to be played and seems to reward it by sounding sweeter by the hour.
Enjoy yours.
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It is without doubt a world-class instrument. Take care of that thumb, Big, and enjoy life and that wonderful guitar!
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these things look to have all been made from maple from the same tree.
I think GT's guitar has a similar pattern to the figuring. about as nice as maple gets, Citation worthy for sure.
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Time to break out Number 3, the 18 inch 100th Anniversary... It got sunny and I ran out there but it's partly cloudy so some of the photos are under more subdued lighting... This neck is more U shaped like the original Unity's with the Angel playing a harp on the headstock. Gorgeous big girl... oh my !!
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Big Mike,
My. #3 looks like the king, to me. Aaron Cowles was really channeling the Super 400/D'A New Yorker that day and put his mark on it all. Gorgeous.
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I spoke to Aaron's son Steve this morning about getting that "The Standard" guitar he dad had a hand in and we got chatting about the 17 inch 100th Anniversary guitars and my #4 in particular. He had a photo of his dad handing the guitar off to the man it was made for. Hope you enjoy seeing this...
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The Unity 100th Anniversary guitars (Aaron Cowles made seven of them and Big Mike owns three) are stunning. Great guitars.
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Originally Posted by Greentone
Actually I own two:a 17 and 18 inch. I also own two of the original Unity models, a 17 and 18 inch
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My bad. IIRC, you own #3 and #4 of the original seven.
I believe #1 was a prototype, so #2--built for Ted Krause, CO of D'Aquisto Strings was the first that circulated. The two "Patrick" Unity guitars you own are also beautiful.
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That’s Ted Krause in the photo to the right with the black tie / white diamonds. Also , I believe the gentlemen to the left is Shiro from Aria guitars .
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Shiro knows a quality guitar when he sees/holds one.
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Originally Posted by Greentone
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Shiro Arai, FWIW, was the founder of Aria Guitars--more than 60 years ago.
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Hello,
I have been a regular annual performer at CAAS and also an Archtop collector for many years. I started collecting guitars, mainly archtops at age 11 in 1961, long before it was considered fashionable, long before Akira Tsumura and Scott Chinery got into collecting. My Dad helped to get me started and monies I earned gigging with my bands, ‘The Yellow Jackets’ and ‘Sons & Lovers’ all went into building my collection. Additionally, because I spec’d out many Custom ordered Gibson’s, I had built a close relationship with many Gibson employees and managers over the years. With a great deal of arm twisting, I finally convinced Gibson to start making Citations again. This all lead to obtaining a Gibson dealership and later doing some consulting and design work for the Heritage Guitar Co. My association with Les Paul, as his drummer in 1979-80 also helped me with networking throughout the MI. I never had quite as many guitars as Chinery and Tsumura did, but I believe I had a finer collection, with finer instruments. Plus, I had started building my collection when it was still affordable. I had dreams too, of producing a coffee table picture book, but that never happened. More about that later. Among the ‘Johnson Collection’ were several Strombergs, D’Angelico’s, Benedetto’s, Gibson’s (nearly every model including Citations and Kalamazoo Awards), Epi’s, Guilds, Koontz, Unity, Heritage, you name it, even my own Johnson Gem B Archtops built by Shiro Tsuji of Japan, about 150 guitars in all.
I mentioned CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) because it was there that I met Aaron Cowles, a devout Chet fan. Aaron and I became friends. He was very aware of some of the custom Gibson archtops I had commissioned over the years because both he and JP Moats had played a roll in building some of my custom ordered Gibson’s and Heritage guitars over the years.
On one occasion at CAAS, Aaron suggested that he was considering building a 100th Anniversary Archtop model to Commemorate 100 years of guitar making in Kalamazoo. He asked me to collaborate on the design and he would build s/n 001 for me. We discussed every aspect in detail. In particular, I suggested he use the same ABM tailpiece that Sam Koontz used in his designs and since the brand was Unity (for the number 1), that an ebony insert with pearl inlaid ‘1’ would be a nice added touch in the beautiful and elegant gold tailpiece. I suggested he use split block inlays, bound ebony pickguard, and other details. Aaron mentioned that he wanted to produce a limited edition run of fewer than 10 instruments of this model. I offered to assist Aaron in the sales and marketing of these instruments. We agreed I would get S/N 001, which I did. I believe Aaron had a friend that got S/N 002. I sold S/N’s 003 and 004 to Ted Krause of D’Aquisto Strings and Shiro Arai CEO of Aria Guitars, all friends of mine. Earlier in this thread I saw the photo, Aaron Cowles behind Shiro Arai on the left, me in the center, and Teddy Krause on the right...proud Unity owners. The occasion was Namm where Aaron and I presented Shiro Arai with his new Unity guitar. These are extraordinary instruments.
Subsequently, at another CAAS Convention, Aaron, myself and my close friend Thom Bresh we’re chatting about Aaron’s being involved in the building of Bresh’s dad’s, Merle Travis’ Gibson Super 400 Special. Aaron said he had some materials available and we convinced him to build a Sunburst Unity Super 400 Special with P-90’s, Bigsby with MT handle, fancy Peghead inlay and ‘Thom Bresh’ MOP inlaid in the fingerboard, just like Merle’s for Bresh, which he did...a real beauty.
Some of you know that in 2008, I lost over 70 of my instruments in an alimony dispute with my ex wife. I lost most of my valuable archtops, appraised at over $600,000 at auction, ordered by the court. Unfortunately, I was not permitted to communicate with the auctioneers about my instruments and because they didn’t know what they had, the lot sold for about $147,000. As a side note, my ex’s lawyers took $85,000 of that for their fees and gave my ex the balance. A real travesty. I was driven from millionaire to bankruptcy, home foreclosure and on food stamps for awhile, as a result of the contentious alimony battle which ultimately enriched 12 lawyers in 2 states. So, most of my collection including the Unity #001, (and Marty Grosz’ Master 400 s/n 556 and the others) were taken and I never got to publish my book, though I did get to showcase my collection several times. I don’t know where the guitars went. (I do know that my Citation, Kalamazoo Award, Benedetto Cremona and Heritage American Eagle presently reside with Jay Wolfe in Jupiter, Fla. because I sold them directly to Jay). I was deprived of the auction results and any information.
My photos are in storage back in NM...I’m back living in NJ again. As soon as I can I will put up some photos I may have of Unity S/N 001.
Aaron was a great builder and friend. He is missed by many.
respectfully submitted,
Wayne Wesley Johnson
waynewesleyjohnson.com
wjguitar@aol.com
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Hello,
I have been a regular annual performer at CAAS and also an Archtop collector for many years. I started collecting guitars, mainly archtops at age 11 in 1961, long before it was considered fashionable, long before Akira Tsumura and Scott Chinery got into collecting. My Dad helped to get me started and monies I earned gigging with my bands, ‘The Yellow Jackets’ and ‘Sons & Lovers’ all went into building my collection. Additionally, because I spec’d out many Custom ordered Gibson’s, I had built a close relationship with many Gibson employees and managers over the years. With a great deal of arm twisting, I finally convinced Gibson to start making Citations again. This all lead to obtaining a Gibson dealership and later doing some consulting and design work for the Heritage Guitar Co. My association with Les Paul, as his drummer in 1979-80 also helped me with networking throughout the MI. I never had quite as many guitars as Chinery and Tsumura did, but I believe I had a finer collection, with finer instruments. Plus, I had started building my collection when it was still affordable. I had dreams too, of producing a coffee table picture book, but that never happened. More about that later. Among the ‘Johnson Collection’ were several Strombergs, D’Angelico’s, Benedetto’s, Gibson’s (nearly every model including Citations and Kalamazoo Awards), Epi’s, Guilds, Koontz, Unity, Heritage, you name it, even my own Johnson Gem B Archtops built by Shiro Tsuji of Japan, about 150 guitars in all.
I mentioned CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) because it was there that I met Aaron Cowles, a devout Chet fan. Aaron and I became friends. He was very aware of some of the custom Gibson archtops I had commissioned over the years because both he and JP Moats had played a roll in building some of my custom ordered Gibson’s and Heritage guitars over the years.
On one occasion at CAAS, Aaron suggested that he was considering building a 100th Anniversary Archtop model to Commemorate 100 years of guitar making in Kalamazoo. He asked me to collaborate on the design and he would build s/n 001 for me. We discussed every aspect in detail. In particular, I suggested he use the same ABM tailpiece that Sam Koontz used in his designs and since the brand was Unity (for the number 1), that an ebony insert with pearl inlaid ‘1’ would be a nice added touch in the beautiful and elegant gold tailpiece. I suggested he use split block inlays, bound ebony pickguard, and other details. Aaron mentioned that he wanted to produce a limited edition run of fewer than 10 instruments of this model. I offered to assist Aaron in the sales and marketing of these instruments. We agreed I would get S/N 001, which I did. I believe Aaron had a friend that got S/N 002. I sold S/N’s 003 and 004 to Ted Krause of D’Aquisto Strings and Shiro Arai CEO of Aria Guitars, all friends of mine. Earlier in this thread I saw the photo, Aaron Cowles behind Shiro Arai on the left, me in the center, and Teddy Krause on the right...proud Unity owners. The occasion was Namm where Aaron and I presented Shiro Arai with his new Unity guitar. These are extraordinary instruments.
Subsequently, at another CAAS Convention, Aaron, myself and my close friend Thom Bresh we’re chatting about Aaron’s being involved in the building of Bresh’s dad’s, Merle Travis’ Gibson Super 400 Special. Aaron said he had some materials available and we convinced him to build a Sunburst Unity Super 400 Special with P-90’s, Bigsby with MT handle, fancy Peghead inlay and ‘Thom Bresh’ MOP inlaid in the fingerboard, just like Merle’s for Bresh, which he did...a real beauty.
Some of you know that in 2008, I lost over 70 of my instruments in an alimony dispute with my ex wife. I lost most of my valuable archtops, appraised at over $600,000 at auction, ordered by the court. Unfortunately, I was not permitted to communicate with the auctioneers about my instruments and because they didn’t know what they had, the lot sold for about $147,000. As a side note, my ex’s lawyers took $85,000 of that for their fees and gave my ex the balance. A real travesty. I was driven from millionaire to bankruptcy, home foreclosure and on food stamps for awhile, as a result of the contentious alimony battle which ultimately enriched 12 lawyers in 2 states. So, most of my collection including the Unity #001, (and Marty Grosz’ Master 400 s/n 556 and the others) were taken and I never got to publish my book, though I did get to showcase my collection several times. I don’t know where the guitars went. (I do know that my Citation, Kalamazoo Award, Benedetto Cremona and Heritage American Eagle presently reside with Jay Wolfe in Jupiter, Fla. because I sold them directly to Jay). I was deprived of the auction results and any information.
My photos are in storage back in NM...I’m back living in NJ again. As soon as I can I will put up some photos I may have of Unity S/N 001.
Aaron was a great builder and friend. He is missed by many.
respectfully submitted,
Wayne Wesley Johnson
www.wannadu.com
wjguitar@aol.com
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great to read your story, I recently became acquainted with Brent, former owner of 100th Anniversary Number 3
BigMikeLast edited by BigMikeinNJ; 05-09-2020 at 10:20 AM.
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