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I guess that it has to do with the triggering of the synthesizer working based on the electrical contact between a given string and fret rather than the frequency of vibration of the string - or something along those lines ...
Originally Posted by wintermoon
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12-18-2020 06:17 PM
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That be true. The Guitaorgan split the neck into a discreet contact point for each fret/string combination. So in that neck somewhere there’s a whole bunch of wires. No digital MIDI or even analog multiplexing.
Do go back and listen to the demo, it’s, well hard to explain. Imagine. Listen to.
Reminds me of a Chordovox, any of you gigged with one of them playing?
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What.
The.
****
?????????
I am actually a little nauseated.
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“It’s Entertainment” as the song goes.
The terms Lounge Lizard, Leisure Suits, and... ready... Naugahyde all come racing in.
But he does handle the organ side way better than the earlier example.
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All it needs is a Toothbrush and its good to go!!
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There aughta be a law against people who can't tune a guitar doing videos.
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From what I saw, that was once a Beautiful Johnny Smith. See the wood on that guitar?
Some of the funniest posts ever were contained in this thread.
I agree, why subject an elite guitar to this, if it’s no longer going to be a guitar?
The fact that a similar capital offense was committed on a Kessel tells me the mental cases who did both either hated elite Jazz Guitar players or the brain of the organ was very large and needed a large enclosure.
JD
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Joe: Originally Posted by Max405
If you’re talking about the guitar in the demo, I don’t think that’s a real Kessel. I remember when the guitorgan came out (I guess that makes me old!) and they looked like a Kessel, but weren’t real Gibsons. I believe they used Barney Kessel copies, which were made in Japan by Ventura, and all the modifications were done by another company. The guitar in the demo has “guitorgan” on the headstock, so I’m sure that is one of the originals. Here is the history of this crazy idea: The Guitorgan
Keith
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Keith, Thanks for the clarification. I didn’t watch the video. I should have before I commented ignorantly. I just didnt want to see another rare masterpiece destroyed. So I guess the “Kressel” is exactly the kind guitar this should be done with. Not the real thing. I hope you are enjoying your Johnny Smith. I hope you found those sounds that only a GJS can make.
JD
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Joe: Originally Posted by Max405
Thanks. I am really enjoying my Johnny Smith. It is a very special guitar, even without the “guitorgan upgrade”.
Keith
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It looks like the fingerboard has been split down the middle (Look at the split block inlays). I've LOVE/HATE to see the hole in the back with that plastic lid removed. Originally Posted by jazzkritter
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string bender telecaster - Google Search Originally Posted by Marty Grass
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My sentiments exactly,
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Here's a story loosely related to this thread. About 10 years ago there was a listing on eBay for a blonde Heritage Johnny Smith in New York City for $3K. It only had a stock photo. The seller was pretty new to eBay and only sold deep sea fishing gear previously. He also wouldn't respond to messages.
Back then Patrick and I were on the Heritage Owners Club forum. The strong suspicion was that this was a scam. Patrick was the only guy who thought it could be real. No one was bidding.
The guy replied to me after a week but it sounded phony. He gave a quick response that he had no real photos and that he was out of town. Patrick got the same message and arranged to come to NYC and meet him.
It turns out that the guy was legit. He was a real estate tycoon about 40 years old and single. He wanted to take guitar lessons. Someone told him that Heritage makes good guitars. He called Heritage and asked what their most expensive guitar was and told them he wanted one. Heritage said he'd have to go through a dealer. The guy asked how he could be a dealer. The answer was that he'd have to begin with an order of three guitars. He ordered a HJS and two 535s. After three guitar lessons he quit. The guitars were stored in his apartment since.
Patrick spent hours at this guy's place talking about yachts, deep sea fishing, real estate and cigars. As the evening went on they got to the matter of the HJS. Patrick and he came close to a price for the HJS and one of the 535s but they stalled. The conversation would shift to another topic then came back to the deadlock. This happened several cycles, neither budging. Finally Patrick agreed on the price but only if the other guy threw in the humidor with Cuban cigars. They had a deal. They remained friends.
Patrick didn't like the HJS style. Black hardware and the abalone inlays were ugly to him. He did it for the challenge and gave it to me for $3K.
Eventually I sold it to this guy:
So the main point of this story is that here's a guy in midlife who wanted to learn guitar, so he became a Heritage dealer to buy a HJS. A few weeks later he was done with guitar. There are a few other lessons I guess about persistence, keeping an open mind, and being patient when closing a deal.
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That's a fantastic story, Marty! Many folks are so cautious and scared. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Originally Posted by Marty Grass
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Cool story! Originally Posted by Marty Grass
Missing Patrick’s wit and wisdom and pointed criticism every day...
I WISH I were at the point in life where I could walk into a shop and say, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve got here? I’ll buy it!
As it is, I’m finally at the point where I can buy one of the lesser expensive offerings without an 18-month payment plan.
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Funny about different peoples' tastes. I LOVE the look of black hardware. Originally Posted by Marty Grass
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Great Story MG.
It’s astonishing to me that Patrick didn’t like black hardware. And he moved that beauty on because of it.
Was the 535 the one with the outrageously chunky neck? I remember being there helping Fran pack some stuff and that guitar was unearthed from a closet. I remember Fran had a toothache that day. But above all, her heart was still broken into a 1,000 pieces..
It’s cool we still talk about Patrick after all these years. He certainly thought the world of you MG.
JD
Originally Posted by Marty Grass
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Mark, what an interesting back story of that formerly Patrick-owned HJS. I miss his posts as do others her on this forum. However, your memories of him as well as the many Heritage guitars that have passed through your hands always inspire.
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Hey guitar organ fans here’s some fun reading
The Guitorgan
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Thanks. Originally Posted by Max405
Patrick had strong opinions. He did not like black hardware at all. He didn't like cloud inlays or abalone. He never was interested in a HJS. But he liked challenges, people and negotiations.
My position on the listing of the HJS was that it was not worth bidding on because of the use of a stock photo, his eBay history of buying only sea fishing equipment and then not much of that, and his very delayed and extremely brief responses to questions. His listing wording told me he knew just about nothing about guitars. Patrick's attitude was that you never know and it's worth checking out. The listing ended with no bids, but he did respond very briefly to Patrick. So Patrick knew I wanted a HJS and he also liked a challenge. They set up an evening to meet.
It may sound like a small thing to drive from New Jersey to Manhattan for an evening. It took well over an hour each way. They drank cognac, smoked cigars, and talked for hours. Patrick called me late that night to say he's got the guitar plus a 535. He drove to Kalamazoo on Heritage business and sold me the guitar. He talked about his new friend, too.
I have found that every guitar has a story with it. This one actually has a few. But it did give Patrick a great story and a memorable night. He posted on the Heritage Owners Club what happened. All were impressed that Patrick had the pioneer spirit to pursue the guitar.
One other quick Patrick story is that he picked up the Heritage American Eagle I got a few years ago. Patrick absolutely hated that model due to the ornamentation. This instrument I made a deal on was bought by someone who died maybe ten or 15 years later. His son inherited it and was trying to sell it. Patrick advised me against this abomination of a guitar but was willing to retrieve it for me since it was about a 45 minute drive.
They met in a restaurant. The guitar was dusty and dirty. Patrick checked the truss rod and did a mirror exam. He verified it was in working order all around. Patrick's next trip to Kalamazoo was going to be in a couple of weeks. In the meantime he rejuvenated all of the gold, polished the wood, restrung it and set it up. It sat in his room on a stand. Day by day he liked it more and more. Soon he couldn't even see the kitcsh decor anymore and gave its playability and tone the highest marks. By the time I got it the thing looked mint.
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... and the Heritage American Eagle story, along with its connection to Patrick, doesn't end there.
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It would cost a ton of money to either turn that into a well functioning archtop or a functioning Guitorgan.
And you couldn't possibly know whether the makeover would be successful until you tried it. I'd be doubtful either way.
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It is not always so bad in the hands of the right performer. Rotem should just buy it-not for $2500 but for $50- and make it serve his purpose. It would be deserving of the auld guitar.
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