Northwest Guitars

With a soft economy, many people are looking to save money. We shop for deals and often settle for the cheaper choice. However when it comes to guitars, you usually get what you pay for! A cheaper price means a cheaper guitar. When you are a beginning guitar player, a cheap guitar will make learning more difficult. The experience is unpleasant and often causes the beginner to quit before he or she really gets started.

Here are two points to keep in mind when shopping for a beginning guitar. First if you can hear and feel the difference between the cheapest guitar and the next price level up, then pay a little more and get the better guitar. You won’t regret it. Second purchase a guitar that has been set up by a professional luthier (each and every guitar we sell has been custom “set up” in our shop).  A luthier will charge between $50 and $75 (we include it for FREE) but a set up makes all the difference when it comes to ease of playing.

Remember anything worth doing is worth doing well. Don’t sell yourself short. Buy the best instrument you can afford and give yourself the best chance for success!

March 9th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Every Thursday we’ll be posting a famous music quote on the whiteboard on our stage at Northwest Guitars. Stop by and see our Music quote of the week.   Here is this weeks quote:

“It occured to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception.”  (When asked about his theory of relativity) - Albert Einstein

January 16th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

On Saturday December 12th and Thursday December 17th Northwest Guitar students performed in concert live on stage at the NWG Red Couch Lounge.  Students of Colt Valenti performed a mix of acoustic and electric guitar music on Saturday.  On Thursday, students of Vinnie Fallon and Daniel Christopherson rocked out with acoustic and electric guitars and electric bass performing both cover songs and original compositions. Over seventy supporters and fans turned up at each concert to cheer these talented musicians on.

December 17th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

On Thursday December 3rd, Northwest Guitars opened it’s doors once again to the Greater Seattle All Pro Dads. The Indianapolis Colts former coach Tony Dungy is the official spokesman for this worthy organization which provides opportunities for fathers and their children to learn, have fun and grow closer through presentations and programs like the one at NWG. Father and son, Kevin and Vinnie Fallon, talked about music as a hobby and career and performed live on our stage. As an active member of our Eastside community, Northwest Guitars is proud to support this worthwhile organization.

December 4th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Let’s face it, these days you can buy a guitar just about anywhere, Costco, Best Buy, Target even Bed, Bath and Beyond. But that doesn’t mean that the guitar you get there is of any real value. It may function for awhile but before long you’ll be tossing it and investing in a more real instrument. Why not take the time to get something substantially better for not much more of an investment than you’d spend there?

If you read our last newsletter we reviewed some of the best values in Acoustic Guitars out there. Not all guitars are alike and not all guitar companys do a good job overseeing their Asian factories. As a guitar specialty store we’ve looked at most of the makes and models available today and found instruments that you’ll be sure to get your money’s worth.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Greg Bennett Samick makes the GD100 dreadnaught guitar available in either natural or sunburst. This guitar is well constructed, solid and sounds full and clear. Grover tuners, body and neck binding on a mahogany body and spruce top, this model is well worth the $199 price tag. The ST6 and ST9 guitars are 36″ and 39″ student guitars that boast low, easy to play action and a full sound starting at a little over $100.

Dean Acoustic/Electric- Want a beautiful looking, easy to play guitar that includes a fantastic electronic pickup system for under $300. The Dean Performers offer a variety of colors and finishes that include Cherry Sunburst, Black, Trans Red, Trans Purple and Trans Braziliaburst. Plug them in or play them acoustic, they look good, sound good and play good!

Breedlove Guitars are located in Bend Oregon and have the reputation for building high quality, reasonably priced acoustic guitars and well as some of the finest instruments on the planet. The Passport series offers a line of guitars that are a noticable cut above your average Chinese made guitar. Starting at only $299 and ranging up to around $700, these instruments stand out as the clear cut winners in this price catagory!

Our advice this year is “Don’t wait!” Many of the better instruments will be in short supply as the demand for better value has increased. Take advantage of our Layaway Plan and get your money’s worth this year!

November 25th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

RainSongs Guitars are the world’s first all-graphite acoustic guitar–body, neck, fretboard and bridge are all made out of pure graphite/composite. NWG is Washington state’s only RainSong Guitar dealer and we now have four of their best selling models - including the new Black Ice and the Jumbo JM3000 12-string!

All-graphite construction and Projection Tuned Layering(TM) means great sound. Projection Tuned Layering was developed by RainSong to ensure that all RainSongs have the crystal detail, warmth and volume of the classic carbon sound. In conventional guitars, acoustic volume is limited by the weight of bracing. Also, bracing provides only local, non-uniform stiffness, resulting in varying amounts of undesirable overtones and some deadening of tone and detail. RainSong’s all-graphite construction and Projection Tuned Layering remove the need for bracing by providing uniform stiffness across the soundboard. RainSongs are made entirely without braces for greater acoustic volume and clean, detailed tone.

Pure carbon tone is an utterly unique sound. It is clear, rich and resonant, similar to a piano, with a treble that rings with crystalline clarity and a bass that is warm without being muddy. And, because of Projection Tuned Layering’s uniform stiffness, the RainSong acoustic sound is impeccably balanced and very, VERY loud. Once you have heard the classic carbon sound you’ll recognize it anywhere, as distinctive as anything on earth.

November 18th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

For a second straight year, we’re proud to accept the Best of Bellevue 2009 award.

The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

Thank you to all our loyal customers who continue to support us and other local businesses!

October 2nd, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It’s me again. SUP?

 
So how many times have you gone to pick up your favorite axe, grabbed it by the strap and kathunk, the guitar falls. YIKES!!!  Or if you’re lucky or quick enough, you catch it.  Phew!  Close call.  Well there’s an easy solution – Strap Locks.

It’s amazing that we buy a new or used guitar, spend good money on it, take it home and put our favorite strap on it ‘cause it’s worked soooo well in the past.  The only bummer is the leather at the end of almost all straps gets soft and loose over time.  At some point daily use does that.  Kids and parents should pay close attention before disaster strikes.

THE GUITAR STRAP IS NOT A HANDLE!!

Now for a true, funny and yet sad tale in Vinman’s Life.  It was my 16th birthday (I won’t give out the date).  My father gave me a custom USA Hammer Phantom - $1600 at the time - big dough!!  It was purple, my favorite color, in fact it was called purple rain.  Anyhow I was doing my best Yngwie Malmsteen solo, throwing the guitar around my neck, catching it and continuing to play the solo.  I was getting pretty darn good, too. Then it happened. Snap!  The leather on my strap was old and loose and the guitar went flying across the room.  AAARGHH!!
It was horrible. To me it seemed to happen in slow motion.  The guitar lands eight feet across the room with a KTHUNK!!  I’ll never forget that sound.  Then silence.  

I gathered my composure, ran to the guitar and looked down.  The strings were two inches off the neck.  I’m like wow, not too bad.  Then I picked the guitar up and the body drops off the neck and just dangles there.  YIKES!!  Needless to say it was fun explaining that to my old man.  It was a long summer!

The moral of the story is that strap locks save guitars.  Whether it’s a $150 beginner or a $5000.00 Tom Anderson, $20 bucks is the best investment for you and your guitar. If you don’t have strap locks yet, come on in and get a set. All my guitars and basses have them.

Thanx for your time,

Vinman

Blog ya later …..

September 24th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hello, my name is Vinnie and I love my Floyd Rose! 

In 1979 a man named Floyd Rose came up with the idea of a new trem (tremolo system) that used 2 screws instead of 6 screws (like the Strat trem) and he added a locking nut …. genius!!

Floyd Rose trems have been a part of guitar history ever since-from Eddie Van Halen to Neil Schon, and everyone in between.  This beautiful system – the Floyd Rose trem – was an 80’s mainstay.  In the 90’s the grunge movement  took a hold of the guitar world and the guitar shredder fell victim to chords and alternate tuning.  Soloing was dead.  So they either put on a plaid shirt and beanie and joined the group or went into high-tech.

In October of 2004 Northwest Guitars opened its doors and ordered a bunch of guitars with Floyd Rose trem systems on them.  People said no one was playing these these guitars.  My response was NOT YET! 

Finally players started coming out of the woodwork asking about and buying these Floyd Rose equipped guitars.  At first it was like they were afraid to admit they liked this trem system.  I began to think that most people are intimidated it.  If not set up properly, the system can be a bit of a pain.  It’s like the first time you drove a stick shift.  Scary!  But for those who persist, the Floyd Rose trem is guitar heaven.  From dives to high-pitched harmonics, these babies rock!!

Today you can get a Floyd Rose trem on any solid body guitar, from G&L to Dean to Jackson and yes, even on Tom Andersons.  If you haven’t tried one yet, you got to!  Come on in or check out our web site www.northwestguitars.com for a demo.

Thanks for your time.  Blog at you later …..

Vinman

PS:      email or call with any questions.

            Vinnie@northwestguitars.com

425-284-1960

September 22nd, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Comments (2)