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Topic: has it come to this??? Carter Starter, Musicians' Friend cat |
Dave Van Allen
From:
Souderton, PA , US , Earth
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 5:30 am |
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in the latest "Musicians' Friend" catalog..
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| FREE! Cowboy Bottle Opener with Purchase of Carter Steel Guitar Package ($20 value) LIMITED TIME OFFER! |
pictured is a statuette of a guitar pickin' cowboy with a bottle top popping hook on the side... hard to tell if it's stand alone or wall mounted.
sheesh!
maybe I'm reading too much into this, but is this the general perception of something that would appeal to someone who might want to try playing steel guitar? if so, we are in BIG trouble.
granted, on the same page if you buy a video called the "Joy of Uke" for $29.95, you get a FREE ukelele ($30 value)
maybe it's just sales speak ; last night I caught a commercial for Craftmatic beds that said: "offering a lifetime of temporary relief from lower back pain..."
[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 03 January 2003 at 05:31 AM.] |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 6:00 am
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Marketing goofballs! I didn't see Robert Randolf with a Cowboy Bottle Opener.
I know an on-air celeb spokesman(no names) for Craftmatic. He doesn't even own one! |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 6:22 am
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| Quote: |
| is this the general perception of something that would appeal to someone who might want to try playing steel guitar? |
It probably is. But what can you expect when so many steel players limit themselves to only playing country music? Our instrument is stereotyped, and so are we as players. And it's goiing to remain that way for a very long time, despite all the efforts of players who step outside the box and play in other genres.
Be that as it may, the mere fact that Musicians Friend is selling the Carter Starter is a good thing. I firmly believe that the Carter Starter is the best entry level steel guitar ever made, and will be a major factor in attracting new players.
The more people who take up the instrument, the better off we all are. I think John and Ann and Bud have done our entire community a real service by making this guitar available.
I hope they sell a million of them. |
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 7:26 am
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I was lucky enough to be interviewed for our
association's annual steel show (www.risga.com) a few months ago and the reporter asked what a pedal steel guitar was, and then answered her own question "Oh, it's got the twangy sound, right?!!"
twang=cowboy=country...that's what our instrument was born from and that's the image it will have for a LONG time![This message was edited by Tony Palmer on 03 January 2003 at 02:42 PM.] |
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Jake L
From:
Grapevine, Texas
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 8:12 am
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I see the Sierra is no longer shown in Musicians Friend. I wonder why?
Erv |
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Dave Birkett
From:
Oxnard, CA, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 8:23 am
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I'm shocked! Do you mean Rhode Islanders don't listen to country music while yachting?  |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 8:30 am
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A lot of people claim to be cowboys these days. The real cowboys have a P.R.C.A. card in their pocket. All the others are phonies!
Wait a minute...a bottle opener? Didn't anybody tell those guys the screw-cap came out about 30 years ago???????????
Sheeesh! [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 03 January 2003 at 08:36 AM.] |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 11:49 am
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The Carter Starter still appears in their online catalog along with Sierra lap steels and pedal steels.
------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 03 January 2003 at 11:50 AM.] |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 11:52 am
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FWIW, I know of at least one local picker (Portland, Oregon) who bought a Carter Starter out of Musicians Friend (pre bottle-opener "incentive").
He is gigging with it already.
Cool! |
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Gary Lee Gimble
From:
Fredericksburg, VA.
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 11:59 am
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Dave, we call it online merchandising. What ever strategies are executed to sell a steel, sooner or later the novice who may purchase a Carter will hear all the greats, excluding my self of course, unless they are into banjo. HA HA HA Anyway Donny, maybe "those guys" are into micro brews and finer imports that are not ever equipped with a screw top. I'm not suggesting that you drink low end stuff, although that may be an option for me to afford a new guitar. Nope, I won't concede. I want another guitar and I want my good brew too. Today's happy hour has presented itself with Gaston Chequet Champagne. A 1991 Brut to induce an afternoon power nap, getting ready for tonight's gig at Griff's.
Gary LeeeeeeeeeeeEeeeeeeee |
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Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 12:05 pm
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| Ha ha!!! you're gonna need that nap to put up with the bass player!!!! |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 12:36 pm
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| Mr. Palmer, I am not sure how to take your post, exactly. Is there something wrong with being Southern? |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 4:11 pm
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| Are the Yankees acting up again?It's just jealousy,that's all... |
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kyle reid
From:
Butte,Mt.usa
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 4:20 pm
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| What in the world does the words, twang=cowboy=country have to do with different parts of the country? kr |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Dave Birkett
From:
Oxnard, CA, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 5:13 pm
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| Kyle, Mr. Palmer has since edited his remarks. He originally lamented that twang=cowboy=country=southern. |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 5:53 pm
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| Yeah,getting about time for a good old round of cracker-bashing on the Forum...haven't had that in a while...come on! |
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Joe Miraglia
From:
Jamestown N.Y.
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Posted 3 Jan 2003 8:14 pm
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| I remember when a 6 string guitar(spanish guitar) was cowboy. You know Gene Autry on a horse strumming away,that was be for rock and roll.Joe |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 4 Jan 2003 6:57 am
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Good Point. Cowboy Guitars.
I had one. It had the "Valquero" design.
I didn't know it was called that at the time. The above site defines it as that.
You can get a Cowboy picture painted on your Prewar D-35 at http://www.harleyguitars.com/cowboy.html
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 4 Jan 2003 9:48 am
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Joey - The D-35 came out in 1965. Which war are you referring to?
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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2003 11:08 am
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| That steel/country/southern thing can cut both ways- when I first moved down south in the 70's I'd show up at a gig with my long hair and earring and get a lot of "whoa, boy, what do you think yer doin' here?"- and then "what'cha got in the case there?" And when I'd answer "a Steel Guitar" everything would suddenly be ok. You gotta love people. Things are changing here in the southland, slow but sure, and they will for steel guitar, too. |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 4 Jan 2003 11:25 am
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Good Martin knowledge, Lee!
Yes I know. It was an attempt at humor. |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 4 Jan 2003 11:51 am
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Just for the record, I'd like to say that my wife and I ARE related, but only by marriage.
And how come nobody ever has false teeth over on "Buy and Sell?" |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2003 12:36 pm
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| I got to laughing so hard at all this Southern stuff I almost dropped the snake I was handling... |
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