Baxendale Guitar & Mandocello Conversions - Ask Zac 112
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
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In a recent Livestream, I was asked if there was any certain piece of gear I was looking for, and I responded that I would love to find a good old (1930s-50s) acoustic guitar. I then followed with that I was not in a position to afford something like that, and someone mentioned Baxendale Conversions. I found that Scott Baxendale takes old Kay, Harmony, Silvertone, and Regal acoustics from the 1940s-1960s, and converts them into instruments that are scarily similar to same era Gibson and Martins. In today's video, I lay out what Scott Baxendale does to these vintage budget instruments to make them take flight with much greater volume, tonal range, and much better playability. In the video, I am playing a 1950s Kay, that has been converted into an 8-string mandocello, but I hope to find a 6-string conversion soon.
Gear used in this video:
2021 Baxendale Mandocello conversion of a 1950s Kay acoustic.
#askzac #guitartech #telecaster
I absolutely love this. The fact that these instruments so important to a whole generation of student guitarists can have a new life is a joy. My first two guitars were Harmony from the Sears Wish Book catalog. A 000 acoustic and a Les Paul copy.. Bravo! 👏. Thanks Zac!
I was at The Drive By Truckers' rehearsal space in Athens a few years ago and they kept telling me about this cool guitar shop next door. The shop was closed, so we couldn't visit and I later found out it was Baxendale. I'm still bummed I didn't get to visit.
I have my grandpa's 50s Kay Super Jumbo and I keep meaning to have Baxendale do his magic on it one of these days. I have too many "one of these days" projects in my life. : )
Lots of truth there, brother. BTW, love and subscribe to your channel, too. We're from your area of the country. Kankakee Illinois
ruclips.net/video/YLUDnXEWvpw/видео.html
@@dennisflock3958 Thanks for the kind words, Dennis! : )
Otis! You could make a before and after video....Just trying to help you. As always, love your videos, and keep up the amazing work.
@@michaelheinbach4088 That's tremendous! : )
'Paradise and Lunch ' ..... Right on !!!!!!
and ''Tequila Sunrise" !
Zac, thanks for the great video. Ladder bracing basically gives you just the fundamental note where the scalloped tuned bracing gives you a sophisticated note with a full pallet of overtones.
Oh man! I love how that sounds. It would be such a great second guitar voice to have.
Gracias, amigo! I need to learn how to play it!
Great story of upcycling instruments to something unique that can be played👍
I always love to see my old friend, Bax, get the love! He’s an artist of the highest order
When Scott was in Colorado he had a shop on Colfax in Denver. His son, John, worked there from his teens. When Scott moved to Athens GA, John opened a shop on south Santa Fe in the Denver Metro Area.
John repaired several of my guitars, his work was always perfect.
John's handmade acoustics are the best guitars I have ever played.
John left the Denver Metro area several years ago and now resides in SW Colorado. Check out JC Baxendale Guitars. His work is amazing.
Fine player too, 1996 Scott was the host of an open jam at 15th street tavern. Now long gone
John just made me the best new guitar I have ever played. He is doing fantastic work.
@@williamengler321 WOW! The 15th tavern Tuesday night open stage with Bad Bax & the Hard Boys! Those were good times. I’m still in contact with Lewis Quinn who was the drummer, we keep threatening each other with a potential jam session/album project.
I love the tone of this Mandocello!
I've done a few of those kind of conversions myself over the years (and sold 'em on Craigslist); I didn't bother with changing the bracing, but just to experiment and see what kind of double course conversions I could rig up. They can sound really cool, add a real different voice to your recordings, and rescue a dust bunny from obscurity... That one you've got sounds really nice.
What a beautiful sounding instrument. Thanks for another great video.
Nice, what a great idea. And it’s always good to have Ry Cooder- Paradise and Lunch close to hand!
thought you were going to bust into Copper Head Road . Nice Vid Zac
Hi Zac...got one of these guitars sitting in my closet. It was 5 bucks at Goodwill. Side note, I used to busk in the town square in Santa Fe on the weekends!
We are in Sante Fe now and would buy it or convert it for you. Contact Shawn at Stay Gold Guitars.
I have a old Stella I want to do this with, need to save a bit more. Scott’s videos emphasize using this process to train new luthiers.
Nice segment, Zac! A shop I used to work at in Portland, OR was a dealer for Baxendale for several years, but it sounds like Scott won't be distributing through any dealers but Stay Gold now. I've played a number of Scott's conversions that came through the shop and they were incredible sounding and perfect playing guitars. They are gems and worth every penny if not more. I highly recommend these guitar and mando conversions.
I love mine!
@@AskZac I'm headed to Santa Fe this summer for a long awaited vacation. I used to go there once or twice a year so it's like a home away from home. I'll definitely visit the Stay Gold shop. Maybe I'll pick up a Baxendale or bring a guitar for Scott to convert.
Great episode. Scott Baxendale is a very dear friend, a brilliant luthier and we live did live in the same town until last year. Keep up the excellent content.
Thank you, David
I miss you, David!
@@scottbaxendale323 miss you Scott. Please stay in touch…
Howdy Zac! Send us some warm weather!
Its cold here again....
Very informative Zac, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
I just bought a Baxendale Guitar, it's amazing
I have one of those harmony arch top types hidden under my bed, what a cool idea
Very cool. That little Kay was my first guitar that I actually learned to play on. I would never have gotten rid of it had I known about these conversions. I remember my Kay had a blond fingerboard with painted black markers and a painted-on pickguard design. Is it possible that there was a rosewood fingerboard under that light finished board? It looks so different with the dot markers it's hard to believe that may have been lurking beneath.
Enjoyed it!
Kay's etc were made from quality woods, it's just the way they mass produced them, quality wasn't the top priority. Fun fact: the great Lonnie Johnson played a Kay electric. There are several photos of him with his. (Of course a skillet with a broom handle fastened for a neck, & strung up, would probably have sounded good in his hands.)
very rich sound out of this bad boy! probably could’ve saved some money on buying bouzouki. love it and keep up the great work!
@10:33 How did I watch the whole video not even noticing your shirt, but immediately noticed it has the word "Midrange" right when you said "Midrange"? Anyways, I'm thinking of doing this to one of my guitars so it's good to see the results can be satisfying.
Gotta say, I love the laid-back, informative, humble vibe of your channel. It's like the Frugal Gourmet of guitar stuff, minus the unfortunate abuse allegations, of course...
I have an old tiny Stella that was my father's only guitar. This seems like a lovely way to bring it back to life. Curious if it can be turned into mandolin or a Mandochello.
Call them up!
That is very cool! The incredible Sierra Hull has a recent video on her channel playing a mandocello and it was magnificent. Got my “GAS” going. (Everyone should go listen, but be sure to use headphones!) I’ll have to look at these from Baxendale.
⚓️ Thanks Zac 😎
I WANT ONE!
Wow. They're real close to me here in Santa Fe. I've looked in the window, never anybody around. Appointment only. Nobody here could really explain what they do. Now I know.
I found a Silvertone in a pawn shop for $200. The next day they cut the price to $50. Where would I get a case? It sounded pretty good and the action was OK.
Get a small bodied acoustic gig bag.
@@AskZac Got my It’s a Sickness Tee. I was going to buy a Lohr Mandolin for $200 cash but it’s gone. I might pull the trigger on the Silvertone. FYI, I have a Baby Taylor ($159) and a Little Martin ($179) in gig bags but those guitars are pretty bomb proof. I’m moving so I might some good cardboard boxes for all 3.
Mr Zac you need to talk about how badass the VoxAC10 especially if you put a decent set of tubes think about it mister awesome show
Wow ! that thing sounds awesome 👌 👏 👍 Would have loved to hear you do your theme song on it. It looks an awful lot like my Gretsch Jim Dandy.
That Kay sounds great! Was it a mandocello before the conversion? I’ve never seen a Kay mandocello, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist-Kay made some cool electric mandolins in the ‘50s and ‘60s. BTW, Tequila Sunrise sounds killer on that thing!
No, this instrument started out as a kids guitar but the scale length and neck geometry make it perfect for a 8 string 4 course instrument.
Monthly basses sounds promising :-)
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville will sound cool on your Baxendale Guitar.
I try to avoid that one...
I just saw a JD Simo video from about 5 years ago where he was bragging about his Deluxe Reverb. Is that the one you own now? It's all about who you know isn't it? Good deal enjoy it
I bought mine 10 years ago because of him. His was stolen in Italy.
@@AskZac I have one that I could buy, very old friend who hates me because I voted for Trump. Damned musicians!
Nice Tequila Sunrise!
Hey! I talk to Mr Baxendale online every now and then 👌 He does awesome things with Harmony guitars.
Edit: and he just told me about James Burtons guitar because he's from right here in Shreveport and we were on the subject of James Burton or Shreveport or something like that. I forget atm.
Very cool!
If I wanted to put my original speaker from my Deluxe Reverb reissue into a cabinet and run them at the same time what would I need to do to keep the resistance?
Use the external out also, and you will be at 4ohms, which will be a mismatch, but it is acceptable.
I have a 1940s Kay/Nobility OM redone by Dan Lambert that also came out of Stay Gold, and it's a super fun acoustic. Mine has the screwed on pick guard as well. I had never heard of a mandocello before, sounds great! ruclips.net/video/L_FA8EHzwAg/видео.html
Hey Zac, was wondering if you've seen this Drive-By Truckers video featuring Scott Baxendale:
ruclips.net/video/YLUDnXEWvpw/видео.html
Destroying old ladder braced guitars ? There is an endless supply of x braced guitars old and new - but not that many playable ladderbraced left, and almost no new ones.
Waterloo?
Sounds really nice! Intonation sounds dead on! I've got a vintage archtop Epiphone to Mandocello conversion, and it honks!