True stoÂry — back in 2010 I bought a MarÂtin D‑28 from (gulp) GuiÂtar CenÂter. The salesÂman rushed me out of the store and didÂn’t bothÂer to tune the guiÂtar, let alone set it up propÂerÂly. When I got home, I felt immeÂdiÂate buyÂer’s remorse — remorse not that I had bought the MarÂtin, but that I hadÂn’t bought it from the best litÂtle guiÂtar shop in the San FranÂcisÂco Bay area, Gryphon Strings. The next day, I did the right thing. I returned the MarÂtin to GC and re-bought the same guiÂtar from Gryphon. I lost a few bucks in the process. But the guiÂtar was set up just right. And I felt unburÂdened. LesÂson learned.
NowaÂdays, I stop by Gryphon weekÂly for lessons and occaÂsionÂal saliÂvaÂtion sesÂsions, and I get to see firstÂhand what this video by CinÂeÂma MerÂcanÂtile lets you see all too briefly. The care, craft and emoÂtion (note the poignant chin quiver at the 2:22 mark) that goes into workÂing with guiÂtars … if you’re doing it for the right reaÂsons. In SilÂiÂcon ValÂley, there are very few places where busiÂness isn’t the main reaÂson for being. Gryphon offers a good escape from that someÂtimes soul-deadÂenÂing realÂiÂty. That’s why I will be headÂing back there tomorÂrow.
You can find two more short films by CinÂeÂma MerÂcanÂtile here.
via The Atlantic
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
The StoÂry of the GuiÂtar: The ComÂplete Three-Part DocÂuÂmenÂtary
MakÂing FendÂer GuiÂtars, Then (1959) and Now (2012)
The Joy of MakÂing ArtisÂtic HomeÂmade GuiÂtars
LoyÂalÂty and conÂsidÂerÂaÂtion thereÂof are so selÂdom seen these days that some peoÂple comÂing up don’t underÂstand. It’s nice to have a few wise“uncles” to pass on a few tips. We used to have unions in this counÂtry that servec in matÂters more than fuerÂary. Miss that, I do. Thanks, Mike, for the arrow in the right direcÂtion.
That is a realÂly appreÂciaÂble post, thank you. It is always nice to disÂcovÂer this kind of shops, even if, unforÂtuÂnateÂly, I am perÂsonÂalÂly based in France.
You get a gold star for doing this. It’s not that the peoÂple who are on the sales floor at GC are all jerks, it’s that the corÂpoÂrate polÂiÂcy is to make the sale and spend as litÂtle time as posÂsiÂble doing so. GC is partÂly owned by Mitt RomÂney and its dehuÂmanÂizÂing demeanor and cut-throat polÂiÂcy comes right from tycoons like this.
hi
its real a stoÂry