Guitar Shows
Let’s face it…we all have the same addiction. Whether old or new, four five six eight or twelve strings, electric or acoustic, large, small, production or custom…. we are all addicted to guitars of one sort or another. For some of us it’s a new thing, for others a life-long endeavour. We like to look at them, study them, play them or sometimes just admire the workmanship, but we are all drawn to the stringed instrument known as the guitar.
Some of you on this site are seasoned players, builders and techs, and some of you are brand new to the art of guitar. It doesn’t matter though because really, there is no age limit. I started before my teen years watching my older brother excel at the Royal Conservatory. I loved the sounds made by players like Hendrix and Clapton, but at the same time I also loved the country players, the jazz cats and the classical icons like Segovia. As difficult an instrument it is to learn to play or build, there is something more approachable about the acoustic or electric guitar. It’s more affordable to get started with, it’s easily transported and not nearly as stuffy as a French horn or an oboe (lol). Plus, you can sit and tinker on your guitar without upsetting the neighbourhood dogs…
So of course, we all watch videos. We all listen to recordings of our favorite players. We have all purchased books to learn from and have hung with a more experienced friend or tech to glean even a few small hints on playing, set-ups or building/finishing techniques. If we are able, we even start guitar collections so we can own examples of the various styles of instrument that interest us. They don’t have to be new, nor do they have to be vintage. They don’t have to be expensive, nor do they have to be cheap…all of those instruments have a cache that sucks us in every time. Of course, here at Solo, we are in the business of helping you build or create a better instrument, whether through a build or through some form of upgrading the guitar you own. We have actually helped to develop a new species of guitar-aholic …. the kit builder!!!
All cool, but where is he going with all this? Simple … where can you go for a day to look at old and new guitars, production and custom guitars, modified and factory guitars, amplifiers, pedals and even parts and kits? The answer could be your local retailer, but really, the answer is a guitar show. Back around 2010 or 2011, John Woods started the Elmira Vintage Guitar Show, and it’s become a really good one to visit! You can see literally every type of guitar at this show, which is held in an arena, in a very random little town called Elmira, Ontario (in the middle of Mennonite country as well) which is about a half-hour outside Kitchener Ontario.
There are instruments at this show for a few hundred dollars all the way to $25,000 plus. Amplifiers of every vintage and enough pedals to keep even the most serious fx nut busy. For the last several years, you can also see Solo Guitars at the Elmira Vintage Guitar Show. In fact, we have developed a rather pleasant relationship with John and this year will have the largest booth ever! The Elmira Vintage Guitar Show is the largest in this part of the country, and in fact, unless you go to the US or Montreal, probably the only major guitar show you can attend. Sunday April 21. Mark it on your calendar, program your GPS and head on down. Solo will be there with a variety of products and some of the main guys at the shop. Rumor has it I myself may be there for photo-ops and autographs (I can say it…doesn’t mean it will happen … I mean the photos and the, oh never mind) If nothing else, the Elmira Vintage Guitar Show is a great place to bump into old friends, hob-nob with some collectors, look at an entire rink full of instruments and parts and even on occasion, see a celebrity (no not me). I’m poking a bit of fun, but really, to see a ton of cool instruments and characters out of the Ontario music industry, drop on down to Elmira for the annual Vintage Guitar Show….stop by the Solo booth and say hi as well! See ya there…..
