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Thanks Jeff. It's a WegenPick (www.wegenpicks.com/), heavy but seems to make for a fuller, richer tone with all my guitars. As for Al's album, I'm sure you'll find it interesting (presumably you have Friday Night in San Francisco too). It's worth it for the few standout tracks like Fandango and the one about his daughter. Now that you have time to listen rather than play, I'm sure this will keep you listening for a very long time! Btw Bireli is also at the top of my list; I listen to Mouvements and Storyteller all the time. J

☺️👍☺️👍!J

☺️👍!J

Great, thank you! J

Thanks kxvxc! J

Maybe I should do that too; I almost never do, always concentrating on the next one! J

Thank you Vita Activa, that's very kind. Cheers, J

Thank you Kgd! Cheers, J

Hi Jeff, you obviously found another one that's special. Mine was the best in the shop, Andertons Music in Guildford, and I have to buy something with the library music royalties. It's in dire need of a setup, and probably a refret, but I'm scared of letting it out of my sight in case it gets changed in any way at all! If you go back and buy yours then at least you can look at it until next July; as you can see from all the videos, it looks fantastic! J

Thanks Jeff! I did do all the amateur classical guitar exams here in the UK ages ago. But then I met Howard (www.youtube.com/@HobsonAndLees/videos) so I've neglected it ever since. If you're not a pro player then it's almost impossible to do one thing well enough, so I'll leave the finger picking to someone else! I hope your guitar has arrived by now; you'll need something to cheer you up before November 5th... Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic Everything is on hold. Serious medical issue. Just back from 6 days at a hospital 250 miles away.

I'm very sorry to hear that Jeff. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic Looks like I'm on the right track.. failed mitral valve.. lots of medieval tests over 6 days. Back to that (University) Hospital Jan 16 for "surgical correction".. read that open heart. At this point all attention is on that. I have been asymptomatic for 16 years.. then "wham".. out of the blue.. major change. I am otherwise healthy as an ox. The chief surgeon could not believe I was 78.. thought form reading the charts and tests and meeting me .. said I looked 60 and in superb condition, All is well. However.. because of the invasive tests, no guitar playing until Jan 16.. followed by no playing for 6 months. !!! I'll still get the joy of following your Your tube channel !

Wow, that is a serious medical issue, but being healthy gives you a massive advantage, at least that's my approach too! Shame about the guitar, although I'll be very happy if you watch my channel, plus the 27 billion other interesting guitar-related videos too. That'll be better than watching the election I imagine. Take care, J

Thank you @vitaactiva2628, that's very kind! Cheers, J

Thank you Kevin! And how nice of Paul to mention me. Taking a look at your channel now! Cheers, J

Hi ze6rik, I didn't know there were other versions, but on the Taylor site now I can see Builder's and Presentation guitars as you say. Looking at the prices I can tell you that mine is NOT one of these; it cost around $3k, not $6k, $9k or $20k! Cheers J

@@johnhobsonmusic is there a label inside the guitar’s body? The model number should be reflected there.

Hi ze6rik, thanks for your interest, but the label doesn't give me any more information than that the model number is 914ce, so that's what I have in the titles of my videos. I don't think it's one of the special guitars: as I remember it cost about £3,300 and the custom models are way more expensive than that, at least according to the Taylor web site. It's special to me though: I love it! J

Good question! In fact I’ve never used it because I do all the recording with mics in my studio at home. I’m sure it’d be ok, but if I was playing live I’d want a better system to guarantee that the sound would be as good as the guitar is. J

Excellent! I'm very pleased you enjoyed the video! All the best, J

Thanks Jeff, and I hope your new guitar is on its way. Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic Negotiations continue : ).

Many thanks Bob, that's very kind! Cheers, J

Thank you Jeff, and we're back to Highway 1, which will no doubt sitll be as beautiful as it was back in the last century, despite all the dreadfulness going on nowadays. I reckon your new guitar will appreciate being played with a pick (or "plec" as we tend to say over here) so useful to practise with the Tele. Good luck! Cheers, J

It was feeling neglected Jeff, and was at the same time igrnoring the time difference between Surrey and Oregon... Maybe you've been driving up Route 1 (just a guess). J

@@johnhobsonmusic I'm 55 miles . 4 hrs inland from the coast road. Lived in Pacific Grove Calif on the Monterey Peninsula 2 hrs south of SF Calif.. 46 years. My brother still lives there. I have driven the 1 (which in some places becomes the 101) at least 200 times in my time.. That from San Diego to the Canadian Border. I used to broker/hustle/ sell up and down the coast rare and exotic timbers for musical instrument makers, one of my many careers. Some of it in any one of my 30 Brit cars owned since 1964.. Currently a 1963 MGB. I have a question for you as I am looking to buy ( have been looking to buy for many years as the first one was from ... brain went sideways I'll get back to you on that.. a guy in England who had Sel Macs made .. I bought mine in 1990... sadly sold. Back on track. I am looking to buy another higher quality Gypsy Jazz guitar. I have found one made by Shelley Park of Vancouver Canada This one is from around 2003 and near mint. Short scale (640 or 650) Grand Bouche 12 fret. my favorite. This size and scale is perfect for anything I do, and as I am not a Gypsy Jazz player but a finger picker.. it seems ideal. If you have not heard of a website in Seattle Washington called Djangobooks have a look. Thanks.

You have an interesting story! I thought Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur were wonderful, so I'm surprised you would leave, although I hear all the time that Newsom has ruined California so maybe that's the reason. As for the guitar, obviously I'm not a proper gypsy jazz player either. But Shelley Park looks great, not cheap but fairly priced for what appears to be the quality; I haven't heard of them before. Then there's Dell'Arte like mine. Rog at Fylde makes a Remi Harris model (www.fyldeguitars.com/remiharris.html) but not a grande bouche; mine was a special he made for fun, not for me! Bireli plays a Fylde too, but I'm sure you have enough choice in the US and lots to choose from on Djangobooks. Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic California is no more. I left in1998. Moved to So Oregon. Civil and free of Newsom and his ilk. As to the Monterey Peninsula, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Carmel, Carmel Valley Big Sur over the 46 years I lived there.. it is now a haven for Billionaires, not millionaires. First the yuppies then the Hollywood types then the ultra elitists. No longer the home of John Steinbeck and Cannery Row. Incidentally, my mother wrote five books about the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur. She was also a docent at the Steinbeck Museum . You have much better choices of guitars than we do. And, of course, anything here from across the pond is very expensive. I am selling a couple guitars so may go ahead and get the Shelley Park. She is highly regarded in Canada and USA.. If you were to order one of her guitars today today it would be half again the price of this one. And it is near flawless. Keep the rubber side down !

I was in SF for work a few times in the early 90s and did the trip down to Laguna Beach twice; I loved it then, but I'll never go back. I hear from Rogan, Shapiro etc. that the only good places are Florida and Texas. I didn't know about Oregon, except wasn't Portland ruined by the BLM riots? And Britain is being ruined too, by lefty woke authoritarians; I'm fearful for my kids and grandkids. Shame I won't be strolling along Cannery Row to the aquarium, with the sea otters lounging about in the bay. But we can at least still play the guitar! J

Thanks Wojtek! All the best, John

If only (and I'm not just thinking about the royalties. Honest...). J!

Thanks for your comment, much appreciated! J

Thank you Ogita, that's very kind. J

Thank you RosewoodSteel, much appreciated. And you're right, it's a wonderful guitar! Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic You are the one that pulled the tone from the guitar. :)

That's very kind Fabian, thank you. J

Many thanks Jeff, that's very kind. Obviously BB had excellent taste! (I do prefer the red to the black though, but that's just me...!) J

Many thanks Tommy, your comment much appreciated too! J

Many thanks Paul, much appreciated! J

@@johnhobsonmusic Inspired me to play my own Taylor even more.

That's great Paul: means a lot to me and, I'm sure, to your guitar! Cheers, J

Thank you Jeffery! J

Hi Jeff. Looks to be 26 3/8" in old money. Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic Thanks.. typical long scale approx 670 mm. I prefer the original Grande Bouche 650 mm.

Hi Jeff. If I was only playing for my own amusement I could get by with the John Suhr Signature and my Benson Nathan Junior amp. But I need them all for the library music and the videos so my only mission is to play them all as much as possible! I guess you could give them all to your grandson, on condition that he lends back one at a time for you to play. You'd then discover which one you missed the most! Tough decision. J

@@johnhobsonmusic Thanks... However I am at the end of giving my grandson guitars. He's 25, someday he may grow up and be a responsible adult : ) and appreciate what he has (7 of my guitars 3 amps.) I currently have a 2015 Martin 00-18V with flamed mahogany backs and sides (rare) 1997 0000-1 Martin. One of 370 made. 2003 Fender Telecaster Hiway 1. Modified to include vintage tuners and string tree, 6 saddle Gotoh bridge, Bill Lawrence hand wound Keystone Pick ups, all up graded hardware. Carlos Pina hand made (one of 10) cutaway Flamenco guitar with Monterey Cypress backs and sides bought new in 2006. Fender Blues Jr Custom... one of 50 with dark green Tolex, wheat grille, hand wired, Cannabis speaker, etc. Bought new in 2011. Schertler David compact Amp.

You have some lovely guitars there, and I can only give you my own view: if you play them and appreciate them, keep them; if not, let someone else play them and appreciate them instead. Unfortunately, in 50 years someone else (possibly your grandson ;-) will have them anyway. Btw I went into London to see the 300 or so guitars which Mark Knopfler was selling at Christie's earlier this year (you may have heard of this). I hope that, when eventually I walk into Heaven, it'll feel exactly like that! J

Thanks Jeff, and great story! I hope he asked for your autograph too. And strangely, in the early 80s, I had an Ibanez too, although an LR10; like a fool I swapped my pre-68 Tele for it and very much regret that now, although it was a nice enough guitar. But those were the days of having no money; how I would have loved to have a few 335s like your friend. But that would have meant selling the kids to pay for them, which probably wouldn't have gone down well at the time...! Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic "But that would have meant selling the kids to pay for them, which probably wouldn't have gone down well at the time.." Would it be OK now ? : )

Well, they are 40 years older, so probably not OK now! One of my four grandchildren, age 6, is in a band at school, so maybe in a few years she'll be happy to "borrow" my Tele; time will tell! J

Thank you Rudi! Cheers, J

Hi Jeff, good guess 😅! J

Thanks Zuul! I record the acoustics with two Royer ribbon mics into a Tube-Tech MP 2A preamp, then into my Apollo Twin and on into Pro Tools. It'd be great to DI straight from the Taylor but I don't think it sounds nearly as good. Cheers, J

Sounds awesome!!

Cheers Jeff, thanks! J

Thanks again John. A lovely tune I wish I'd written myself! J

@@johnhobsonmusic how many times have we said that John?

Too many! J

Many thanks John! J

Thank you! And many thanks for taking the time to comment: much appreciated! J

Many thanks for your comment; much appreciated! And I’ve been to Monterey (from England) a couple of times; it’s wonderful! As to your question, for me the simple answer is that the Maccaferri style is so distinctive that I wouldn’t want it to be my only guitar (not quite right for Fire and Rain, for example). But you already have some great instruments, so in your position I’d probably just get one anyway, assuming cash isn’t an issue. Then your Django style + other would instantly be possible. My only rule is that I never want to have a guitar that I don’t play, so all eight of them feature in my channel at some point. And it all depends what result you’re looking for. You won’t be “authentic” if you play gypsy jazz on the Martins, but your audience probably couldn’t care less as long as what you play is good. I’m not sure that’s useful because it’s a big discussion, but I’m very pleased that you’re inspired and wish you all the best! Cheers, J

@@johnhobsonmusic Thanks John. As to my audience, my wife is tolerant : ). PS I offed about 7 guitars over the last 8 years, all to my grandson who is a highly skilled violist and guitarist.

That's amazing; I hope he's sufficiently grateful! J

Thanks Jeff!

👍

Thanks babe! Dust and shake I say... 🪇

Many thanks Kevin! 👍

We're having a "John Hobson" night" on the TV via RUclips! Catching up on recent weeks tunes and enjoying some tapas! 29°c over here at the moment but "chilling " to your tunes! J.

Hi Christina! I'm afraid, as I said in the Description, the track is from Quirky Café, 15 years ago, and I'm not really sure why I chose that name. Still, it's a lovely name! J

Hi John! Well, I recommend that kind of night to absolutely everyone. What I don't recommend is doing it in England, where any further chilling could lead to frostbite and hypothermia: chilling in an altogether different way. Violent winds and rain this morning, so perfect for not riding the bike but starting yet another video... J😫

Thank you! J

Thank you Geli Cookie! And thank you for taking the time to comment; much appreciated! J

Thank you SG, you're too kind! They're wonderful guitars aren't they? J