Friday 20 June 2014

john etheridge's new fret king

Apologies here first of all, this post is for the guitar freaks out there.
Ex-Soft Machine guitarist John Etheridge told a funny tour story once, actually John will often tell you a funny story about life on the road, but on this occasion it was how he'd then recently been loaned a very expensive acoustic guitar to take with him on tour. It was one the makers were very keen for him to use on these particular world tour dates. Very specialised if you get the drift.
On him describing this wonder of craftsmanship you had to marvel at the idea of what it would actually be like to use something only a few musical mortals ever get their hands on. Well those that deserve it, rather than those that just chuck thousands of dollars for the purchase of an instrument because they can. Which is more common than you'd think.
Anyway after cooing over this description of the said preciousness the obvious question was "well what was it like to play on tour".
"A nightmare" replied John "it was like taking royalty out on the road".
There was first and foremost the continual worry of the thing being damaged in transit, and then the other major concern being it was built with such fineness it needed continual attention. It seemed any little thing could effect it's performance. Temperature. Which way the wind was blowing. Day of the week. Whether the stars were aligned.
"It was like a highly bred pedigree dog" he said with a laugh.
A case of careful with that axe Eugene it could be your reputation in small fragments.
The guitar did make it home safely.

John's just had a new electric model made for him. It's a signature 'Fret King Black Label FKV3JE Elise John Etheridge Model.'. Which is a big gob full of a title but it looks and sounds superb.
But then it would in Eth's hands.
He'll show you how it's built and then tears off a couple of solos. This "axe" is obviously not misbehaving.