Heirloom Archtop Guitar

rief summary of my personal journey, and if it is a bore to you, please just toss it out the back door. Things you say in the lessons, have taken me right down memory lane.In 1966, an Uncle had a split-backed old acoustic with 5 strings left, in his attic. I showed interest, so he gave it to me. I was only 9 yrs old. Mom’s Sister saw me banging on it and said “I’ll pay if you’ll take lessons.” “Sure” I said. Two years of Alfred’s followed, at $2.50 per half hour. With a new $35.00 acoustic that is, which she bought.After the first year of sight reading, I asked the teacher to teach me Rock n’Roll. It was 50’s Rock for awhile, Boogie-woogie, Steel Guitar Rag, (I-IV-V) and since Country Music was always in the house, a bunch of that too. Elvis, blah blah. Older Cousins would come by, teach me stuff, until I passed them up and started teaching THEM stuff. We did some porch picking, and I figured out some Chet Atkins fingerstyle, on and on.I would sit out on my porch and play for the whole neighborhood (that means loud) with a little bitty Kalamazoo Amp and my new hollow body, sunburst Conrad Electric. Then along came the Beatles, which everyone liked at the time. When I hit the drug scene in the early 70s I was fascinated by Hendrix, Zeppelin, and all that. Hendrix though stood out, and his stuff was difficult. Then I was playing for the neighbors with a double Marshall stack and the stereo on full blast!Guitar had always been my escape from the family drama; locked in my room, for hours I would just play and figure stuff out. I used the turntable, and raised and lowered that needle over and over and over, sometimes just to catch ONE NOTE. Then ‘where on the neck is he doing that?’ ‘Is that a hammer on? Or a pull off?’ Consequently, I developed an ear from Mars!And Oh God, the 8-tracks.I would have licks running through my head and then “ah HAH!” I would run to the guitar and play what I had envisioned, and there it was! I finally had it figured out.So, I went into the military in 1976, still playing, but it was disco times, zzzzzzzz. So instead, I got into Jeff Beck, which is a kind of Jazz-infused classic rock; sorta. I plunged into deeper theory, melodic patterns, so forth.I had about a 10-yr. Respite from guitar, got married, traveling, etc. But meanwhile, I learned piano, organ, and more. Music is the same on any instrument, so why not? Then, I started building guitars too, since I couldn’t afford a good one, and that rekindled my love for guitar, and I said “how could I not be playing? Now I have a nice collection that I didn’t build, hahah.I went into ministry in 1979, and that’s been my calling, but before that I was on the musical path. Now, years later, I’ve taught choirs, singers, performed in quartets, solo stuff with my wife (who sings) and all that churchy stuff. None of the contemporary junk. Even writing and recording music, but I’m just a hobbyist.I’ve been teaching and trying to help people with their music in various ways for years, conveying what I can, with my limited understanding of things. As I began to dig into your lessons at last, I’m discovering wonderful stuff, stuff that makes ALL KINDS of sense to me. Especially the part about the technique, and realizing some problems, even after 50 years, with right hand picking. I am truly THRILLED with what’s happening.Some things you are saying are giving me ah-Hah moments, because I have stumbled upon them over the years, and they align with what I have discovered. I have ALWAYS played in chord shapes up and down the neck, and used fingers that were just standing around doing nothing, to add notes and form melodies, along with those chords. I have told people for years about using inversions, and hearing that melody note on the top, even on a piano. I never realized I was doing Chord Melody playing, I just ‘did it.’Also, I’ve taught them that modes are just the same 12 notes; that there are ONLY 12; a mode is going through them in a different pattern, like steps in stairs, climbing by twos, or threes, whatever. I totally agree with you on modes and scales. Just play.That Alfred’s teacher loaned me a book called “5, 200 guitar chords.” I eventually figured out that there are only a handful of chords (basic shapes); all the rest, are simple modifications of them.As a kid in the beginning, I thought “I’ll just be a rhythm player, I can’t play lead.” But I would noodle around while guys played rhythm, and I sorta figured out which notes I could touch, and which ones to leave alone! I HAD TO BE LEAD man after that. I had never heard of “modes,” but I was using them.I have also had t...
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. Thank you to you all from one happy boy.”
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setting, a small jazz combo, to a blistering rock band, all the way to full big band playing Freddie Green style, this guitar can cover it all.Not only is this guitar versatile, but it looks and sounds amazing, and plays itself! That’s because this Conti Heirloom is made with the finest woods and electronics available today, the craftsmanship in the build is second to none, and they have a professional luthier that sets it up perfectly before it goes out the door. Then as one last step of quality control, and this is the coolest part, Mr. Conti makes you, the customer, a personalized video of himself playing your guitar which adds such a great personal touch to this whole experience. Thank you Mr. Conti and Mike for not only making this one of the most pleasurable buying experiences, but for delivering me my new favorite guitar.”
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t in any position on the neck,solid carved woods,top quality hardware,fantastic size for maximum comfort,perfectly balanced,the list continues. Forget the big names and get yourself one of these superb instruments. You are going to be stoked. Then all you need is to buy the products and you are well on your way to discovering the exciting and fulfilling world of jazz guitar taught by a Master Musician. My hat's off.
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lf playing and advising about the guitar. The sound is so inspiring and it is so easy to play it is incredible.. Highly recommended!
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rivate Lesson with you, a real gift, hours of pleasure and joyfulness. I work and I work again, my buddy players: “oh you play so nice things now it’s incredible.” To thank you and because I knew it would be great, I decided to purchase a Conti Heirloom Blonde…the best guitar I’ve ever owned! (I played Gibson 175, Ibanez JP 20, for years, an excellent Epiphone emperor too.) Photo of me here in December, sound check of a great private gig in Paris). So I’m so happy with what I learn with you (I will work again and again) I play on a fantastic guitar, I’ll have two private lessons with you in 2019, what more? BOB YOU ARE GREAT YOUR CREW IS GREAT HAPPY NEW YEAR HOPE I CAN SEE YOU AGAIN THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN!
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o anyone who asks!
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y unusual with archtops. The playability is of the greatest ease! The sound is warm and lovely, even when played acoustically. Finally, customer service was friendly, helpful, and super professional. And what a pleasure to view the video of Robert Conti performing with my actual guitar and pointing out her many features!”
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andchildren to enjoy… a real heirloom. Many thanks for a brilliant buying experience.
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cs an instrument. I tested about 15 other guitars and Robert’s blew the others away! I tried a Gator case and the fit was off the Epiphone 335 case did the trick.
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