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[D - please feel free to move this to another forum if you think it should be elsewhere.]
This is a difficult post to write. We lost Jazzkritter to a very rare disorder not that long ago, and he described his course openly to us all in many amazing posts from the time he found out what he had. He was a brave and positive person whose participation in an NIH care and research program will undoubtdedly have helped the many others who are now being diagnosed with the same condition. He loved his guitars like he did his family, friends, and pretty much everything else in his life. He was a student, friend, and admirer of Tal Farlow and he had great reverence for all things jazz guitar. He gave of himself to anyone who asked, and he shared his experience, thoughts and ideas with all of us.
I’m helping his family sell his guitars. It’s their collective wish that JGO members (especially those who knew him and would appeciate having one of his instruments) get the first chance to consider them. This is a very difficult process and time for the Kritters, so please make this easy. What I’m about to outline is entirely my idea. Blame me if you don’t like it, not Dave’s wife and daughter. They’re trying hard to deal with this and the many other issues that face them after the premature loss of a beloved spouse and father. As many of you know, I only play 7s and we've downsized to an apartment with no room for more guitars.
Having to sell, box and ship multiple guitars to strangers in today’s world is hard enough for those of us who do it regularly. It would be a major burden for the Jazzkritters. So I recommended that they consider consigning the collection and offered a few reputable alternatives from which they’ve chosen Guitars ‘n Jazz. The instruments will be there in early March. This is our attempt to let JGO members know what’s available before consignment. You can inquire about buying directly by sending a PM to Jazzkritter through this forum. As we know from her communications to us here, Kristin Kritter is managing her dad’s account and will respond promptly with pics and all the information she has about them.
I am hours from her and the guitars. I’ve never seen any of them in person, and I only have a few pics. JK was about as meticulous a human as I’ve ever known and he loved every one of his guitars. The pics I have suggest that they’re all in excellent condition. He played them all at home, but I don’t think any was actively gigged. If I’m wrong, I’ll be corrected when you communicate with Kristin. And ifthere are boo-boos, you’ll get descriptions and pics. Again, PM or email Jazzkritter through this site for information, if you’re interested. Please be kind, considerate, and reasonable. This is a family sale by nice, intelligent people who are trying to find peace through this process and comfort in knowing that the guitars Dave loved will bring similar joy to others like him. They’re not trying to grab more than these are worth, and they know that some of these are either available new or as an evolutionary model with free shipping from Guitar Center et al. The best ones are clearly special, and even the ordinary laminated archies are great value and fine players.
I don’t want to see Dave’s family entangled in demands for refunds or complaints about minor issues that might be no big deal for most of us. This is why I thought that consignment with Lou and Marc was the best way to go. But they’d like to see at least some go to JGO members who will perpetuate the spirit of Jazzkritter. I both praise and appreciate that. Every one of these models has a sale record on Reverb etc, and market price ranges are easy to find. I’ll try to help them sort out offers based on my knowledge and documented selling prices from the last year on Reverb and reputable dealer websites.
Again, if you're interested please communicate with Kristin (Dave's daughter) by sending PMs through this site's communication system to jazzkritter.
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Here’s the list:
Gibson Tal Farlow – Those of you who knew JK through the forum know he loved his Tal Farlow reissue. It looks beautiful in the basic pics I have, but I've neither seen nor played this guitar. Dave's family are not able to answer the kinds of questions I know I'd have if I were looking to buy it. So I’ve suggested that they let Lou and Marc at GnJ evaluate and price it because I’m not much help. I thought I remembered his saying that it was a 2014, but If I read the serial # correctly, it was made in Nashville in 1998. I'm leaving it to Lou and Marc to fully evaluate, describe, and price it. If any of you knows this specific guitar personally and is confident enough in your knowledge of its condition etc to know you want it, feel free to make an "as is" offer. But if your interest is exploratory, please wait until it's at Guitars 'n Jazz to kick the tires from afar. We don't want any misunderstandings to mar this process.
Ibanez AF200BS Sunburst (2014) –it was a 2015 NAMM Show Custom and came from the show with “...3 scratches on the headstock near the treble tip...a few fingernail scratches on the pickguard, plastic removed [the guard not very well polished at manufacture with light sanding scratches not fully polished out], and a fairly deep half S stamped on the back of the headstock” [this from the original sale post through which he bought it]. It has a very low handwritten serial number on the label.
AF151 – a nice 2013 (if I read the serial # correctly) archtop similar to the PM but with 20 frets. This one has a set HB with controls on the guard, which I’ve never seen before on this model with a set pickup. They sold it with a floater or a set HB, but I’ve only seen pickguard controls with a floater. Perhaps Jimmy Blue Note or another of our Ibanez experts can shed light on this.
LGB300 (2014) – here’s the description from the sale post when he bought it: “The pick-ups and tone are exquisite (Super '58 humbucking pickups)... It comes with a spruce top and high end (Gotoh SG510 machine heads) tuning machines and hardware. The Vintage Yellow Sunburst is gorgeous. Hardly played and in mint condition and was new around 2015. The hardshell case is an upgrade and is more durable and easy to open and close. The case is an Ibanez and has small scratches on the outside from storage.” AFAIK, all LGB300s were MIJ (FujiGen).
Ibanez AF95FM Tiger Striped; IIRC, this is a 16” laminated maple guitar with nice flame, a 3 piece maple and mahogany neck, and Super 58s.
AG95 – a smaller (14 ½” IIRC) full hollow laminated single cut archtop with 2 Super 58s;
Ibanez PM200 Pat Metheny Blond – FujiGen MIJ. I’m told there is no serial number on the headstock.
Ibanez GB-10 George Benson sunburst – October 2019, from the serial #. It looks great in the pic, and it’s in what looks ike a very nice original Ibanez road case with the oval Ibanez plaque.
His Walter Woods MI100-8 looks beautiful. I’m going to be able to check it out in 10 days to confirm that everything works and that it sounds right. If it’s a good as it looks in the pic, it’s a fantastic find for WW fans!
Last but not least, there’s a Cordoba Dolce classic if anyone’s interested. It's a nice, simple basic classical. Here's the manufacturer's web page about it.
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02-22-2024 04:26 PM
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Hi folks,
Thank you for reviewing the guitars. I'm here for any questions although bear with me because although I picked up a fair amount through osmosis from my dad, I am learning a lot about jazz guitars on the fly during this process!
Case in point - I was only looking on the f-hole stickers for a serial number. I'm happy to report that the PM200 does have a serial number on the headstock! That was totally my misunderstanding.
Please don't hesitate to reach out for additional photos of any of the instruments. If there is anything in particular that you'd like a picture of, please let me know.
All my best,
Kristin 'kritter'
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Consigning the guitars to Guitars N Jazz was a good choice. I'm sure that Marc will be a fine custodian and will make sure that the guitars are well maintained and in their best playing condition for their new owners. As happens, I just saw Marc last weekend. He was doing some maintenance on my 1941 Gibson J55; it's never sounded better!
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FWIW:
That looks like a mid-late 80s Walter Wood MI-series amp. It's "later" because of the longer side-panels -- the earlier ones were flush with the face-plate. These were the top of Mr. Woods' line before the introduction of the ElectrAcoustic amps in the early 90s.
@NeverShouldHaveSoldIt when you have the amp in your hands please un-screw the top panel. On the left side of the top of the heat-sink you will see a date / serial number.
The model number, specifying output power and speaker-load, should be on the bottom panel.
Handcrafted by Mr. Woods, these were the first regularly-available amps to use a switching power supply. They run quiet as a mouse and they're as sturdy as an anvil (except the MI-225 Stereo model).
Most importantly, these sound like The Voice of the Music. "The sound of my bass but louder." That's the reason practically every jazz bassist of note in the late 70s and mid 80s used them. That's the reason Jim Hall and Chick Corea used them.
A couple of years ago I sold an MI-225 mono and went back to using an MI-100. I use it on 95% of my bass and bass / guitar doubling gigs. Most of my bass gigs are powering a full 17-piece big band and even though it's notionally "only" 100W the WW's master volume rarely gets past 1:00.
Although the times have caught up with the technology you may never find a better-sounding solid-state amplifier.
GLWS, especially under the sad circumstances.
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Thanks, Sam - you're right on! The original paperwork is still with it, so Ms Kritter can authenticate its origin. It was ordered on 10/25/1989 and delivered a few months later. I advised her to scan the papers and redact the personal info before printing copies, for obvious reasons. I know Dave loved that amp. If I hadn't bought two new heads and a new Blu in the last 2 years, I'd buy this one myself.
Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
Next week, I'm meeting her at the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Store, when she brings up Dave's good classical. So I'll check out the WW to make sure it's fully functional, as an aid to any JGO members who might want to buy it but need reassurance. I can't do more to assess its condition than look at it and play through it. But I'm happy to do that and report on it here.
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I can't believe the PCG store is still open! Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
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Still open, and still a fantastic store if you’re in the market for a classical guitar! (I have one on consignment there at present). Bill Newman, the owner, is a great guy and I’m sure he’ll be very helpful when it comes to jazzkritter’s classical. Best of luck with the sale. Originally Posted by wintermoon
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“Next week, I'm meeting her at the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Store, when she brings up Dave's good classical. So I'll check out the WW to make sure it's fully functional, as an aid to any JGO members who might want to buy it but need reassurance. I can't do more to assess its condition than look at it and play through it. But I'm happy to do that and report on it here.”
If I recall correctly from chatting with Dave, his classical is an Antonio Marin Montero, hand made in Granada, Spain. Marin is one of the finest builders in the world. I think Dave said that it has a shorter scale, something like 640mm. If not for that, I would be very interested in it. And, he always talked about how he babied that guitar. If someone is looking for an outstanding shorter scale classical, don’t snooze on this one.
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If anyone is seriously interested in the Montero, please PM Kristin at Dave’s screen name (jazzkritter) through the forum in the next few days. Thanks! Originally Posted by Mark M.
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Sure is! My old friend Tom Robertson opened it in ‘67 as I recall. Tom and his wife Suzie were wonderful people, and I miss them. Originally Posted by bmw2002
He was one of the first “modern” (i.e. post WW2) lobbyists in the US. His biggest client was the trucking industry, and he put many miles on his beloved Alfa to and from DC on their behalf. When he retired, he grew bored after a few weeks, so he decided to take up the guitar.
Not that many weeks later, he’d mastered the guitar and decided we needed a classical guitar store here. The rest is history. I took a few lessons from Bob DiNardo there to polish my classical playing, back when he was the band leader for the Mike Douglas Show. He and Tom led me to the door to one of the lesson rooms one day so I could hear a promising kid play. His name was Elliott Fisk.
Tom later retired again and sold the store, only to grow bored and take up wood trim finishing on his farm and finish his days productively. I miss him, as I do Dave.Last edited by nevershouldhavesoldit; 02-25-2024 at 12:36 AM.
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NeverShould... what a kind and gracious service you are providing. Thank you for exemplifying the kind of commitment to our community and friends that we should all aspire to! I hope that I will not hesitate to emulate your behavior, should the opportunity present itself.
Best wishes to the family, and what a great way to honor your dad, by seeing a portion of his legacy travel on.
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When I lived in Philly, I had a place in Rittenhouse Square and I worked at Ibanez during the day and evenings as a teacher in that little store on Sansom Street. One really great memory was finishing up a day of teachingon a Saturday and hearing an incredible player trying out guitars downstairs. That was not an uncommon occurrence in of itself because this store brought players from all over the world, but then the player began playing jazz lines that dropped my jaw to the floor. Who had these classical chops AND could play jazz like this?!! I went down those tiny winding stairs to the show room and there, playing to the space was Adam Rogers, who was playing later that night with Chris Potter at Chris's Jazz Club down the street. Originally Posted by wintermoon
I got a private concert that afternoon, we hung out and he invited me to the show. That defined my time there in that tiny Philly shop of riches.Last edited by Jimmy blue note; 02-25-2024 at 06:43 AM.
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Great memories! One day Tom greeted me with the news that he had a guitar I should buy. He handed me an amazing classical that blew me away - gorgeous wood, elegant design, beautiful build, and great feel. It had a wonderful tone and projected very well even though it was freshly minted. With no logo on the headstock, I didn’t know what it was. Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
I thanked him and explained that I couldn’t afford such a wonderful guitar. Then he told me it was a production Aria 559 and what it cost. I thought he was kidding, which he did at every opportunity. But he showed me the heel block on the inside, where I saw the initials RM. Tom explained that Ryoji Matsuoka was a young luthier who would someday be thought of alongside Hauser, Velasquez etc. But in 1969, he was working for Aria building their top 2 classical guitars (559 and 560). The ever frugal Scotsman told me the two models were equal in quality and he saw no reason for me to spend the extra few bucks for the fancier 560 (which he hadn’t even ordered for stock).
I bought it on the spot and asked Bob DiNardo (who was watching this interaction while between lessons) if he’d take me on as a student and help me learn to play it properly. He did. I’d joined the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society when I got to Philly for graduate school the year before, and the Aria (along with the encouragement of Bob and Tom) kept me engaged well. About a year after I got the Aria, I was asked to give one of the Society’s concerts (which were held at the church on Locust St near 16th) and suggested a program that presented the classical guitar as a bridge between its own liturgy and jazz.
Giving that concert was just one of the many wonderful things in my life that began at the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Store.
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Every time I see Bob Dinardo's name it brings back memories of studying w him.
By that time he was teaching at PCPA and taking the PATCO speedline from his condo in Pine Hill. He'd write out solos to tunes on the train to and from work and give them to me to learn, they were pages and pages long. How he was able to come up w stuff so hip on a short train ride amazed me.
I had a full time day gig and had just gotten married so my time was limited. He said, I know you're busy but even if you're just watching TV, play along to TV theme songs or commercials, any time spent on the guitar is useful. Good advice I still use today. Another of his students then besides Fisk was Judith Kay, an excellent bossa/Latin player.
Sorry, not meaning to highjack the thread, I've sold a couple very large collections of guitars/amps for families of friends that passed and it was almost a full time job between repairs and listing/selling.
Good luck and maybe post in the for sale section as well.
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FWIW, I’d estimate that the Marin is worth at least $7.5K if it’s in good condition, perhaps more. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
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The reason we did not post in the sale section is that there are just too many tire kickers and potential troublemakers outside of our family on the forum. We’ve had multiple posts about actual or attempted fraud, and the general approach to internet buying by too many people is that they can just return something if it’s not to their liking. Add the ability of PayPal etc to go into a linked account and take back money if the buyer complains, and the potential hassle for Dave’s family is real and would add insult to injury. Originally Posted by wintermoon
I offered them the option of selling everything on the sale forum through Dave’s account. But the questions that came up about proper photos, accurate descriptions, packing, shipping, etc along with payment issues and the general uncertainty of such sales until the money’s in the bank and the buyer is happy & satisfied really cemented my belief that consigning was the best course of action. So that was my recommendation, and I included GnJ as my choice along with two other very reputable shops.
The cost of consigning buys a fair amount of peace of mind and was deemed worth it. There have already been two inquiries from people we all “know” well, and I’m happy to see this. I think it’s been a good compromise and whatever gets sold to forum members before these are consigned is another headache avoided for the Kritter family. Thanks, everybody!Last edited by nevershouldhavesoldit; 02-25-2024 at 06:21 PM.
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No worries, mate! I love these anecdotes, and I hope they let younger members see how much of a family we all are. Here's a great Bob DiNardo story you may not know. Long before he came to Philly for the Mike Douglas Show gig, he was playing at some major venue in Florida when what he described as a "young guy" approached him with an offer. The guy told Bob that he was putting his act together and wanted Bob to be his music director. He wasn't interested. The young guy was Andy Williams. Originally Posted by wintermoon
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I didn't know that one, hah! but if he didn't know Moon River yet he was about to. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
I remember when we were talking about our favorite players and he asked me who I liked. I mentioned some of the greats like Pass and Kessel and he asked what I thought of Kenny Burrell. I think I said something like 'oh, he's ok' and was met w/ a funny look. He asked what I didn't like and I think I said something like 'he never plays fast'
kids!!......
but even though I only studied a short time I learned a ton from him. once I had a really busy week at work and didn't have much time to practice but showed up for my lesson as scheduled. I was struggling through my homework and he stopped me and said "you obviously didn't practice enough, do me a favor and don't waste my time and your money. next time you're not prepared call me and cancel that week" Another teacher might have taken my $ anyway. I made sure I was prepared from then on no matter how busy I was....great teacher!
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That's a great collection of Ibanezes, lots of fine guitars there. And it's great that you are helping out the family like this, knowing the instruments and setting all this up must be a big help to the family. You're making a tough time for the family that much easier.
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Thanks, Jim! We all need to pay it forward. Many others here have done this and more - it's the least each of us can do. Without the support of so many people both in and outside of music circles, I'd never have made it to my 8th decade with so much joy and so little permanent damage Originally Posted by jim777
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