31 Dec 2025

December 2025 – It’s That Time of Year Again: CRAVE Guitars 2025 in Review

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: Event, News, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

FESTIVE FELICITATIONS FINE FAIR FOLK. Maybe it is just a little too late to celebrate Christmas (or alternative) and just a little too early to celebrate New Year but generous greetings nevertheless. To be honest, I don’t like winter and I’m definitely in the humbuggian camp (NB. “Bah! Humbug!”, an exclamation uttered by the character Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ novella, ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1843)). A brief lull in activity at the end of an arduous calendar year (atrociously called ‘Twixmas’ by some) is, though, an opportunity to take a temporary time out from seasonal periodic pecuniary profligacy and reflect on things that really matter.

So, you may ask, what really matters? The answer to that thorny little question is probably different for every soul on the planet. For me, it is a determined attempt to improve our shared communities and to reject all that is wrong with our society. We all have a duty to sustain the good and to dispel the bad. We must not abrogate our responsibilities by assuming that it is up to others to benefit us. Humanity definitely needs better humans and it is the duty of all (well, most) of us to realise that hope. How long will good people look on and do nothing?

I also cannot let this article or this year slip into history without the usual earnest plea to work relentlessly for a better world. We should look after our ecological environment by respecting nature in all its precious diversity. It’s the only one we’ve got. We should look after our crumbling civilisation through renewed integrity, honesty and by securing a determined path to peace, security and harmony. You may think these ‘big picture’ aspirations are pretentious hogwash or maybe not. They are, though, what I believe. Didactic sermonising over… for now.

All the quotes (bar the usual CRAVE quote at the end) this month are all drawn from the vast well of wisdom that is the teachings of the Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480‑400BCE). After more than two millennia, there is still a great deal that we can learn from the Buddha to help us cope with the modern world. NB. Buddha literally means “the awakened one”. The quotes used are some of those that resonate with my personal cultural frame of reference and which suit the tone of the article. These words are not about religion or faith; they are messages of wisdom and truth.

Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama c.480-400BCE)

“I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act” – Buddha

I know it’s predictable at this time of year and some may see it as an easy article to publish. However, it still takes a fair amount of time and effort to produce. As with previous years, the format of the article remains relatively static. If it ain’t broke ‘n’ all that. This is probably one for the list‑o‑philes out there. No AI was used in researching or writing this article. AI was, however, used to prepare The CRAVEman images – it is the only way I can bring him to an audience.

As the shutters of 2025 draw to a close, the door of 2026 is opening. Our friendly neighbourhood guitar god, The CRAVEman recognises that this is a time for change with, “The End (of the Year) is Nigh. Grunt!”

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly” – Buddha

Some of those that left the building in 2025 (41):

It is that part of the annual review that is always a sobering and melancholy section. My goodness what a shockingly bad year 2025 has been for those departing this mortal coil. A horrendous amount of loss. Not only the sheer number of souls but also the immense contribution they made to our culture and society while alive and rocking.

“Even death is not to be feared by one who lived wisely” – Buddha

The inevitable obituary list comprises too many artists that have provided humanity with some truly great music over many decades. They were all with us at the start of the year and are sadly no longer with us at the year’s end. Our thanks, respect and admiration go to the following, may you Rock In Peace (RIP).

Date Died	Name	Of…	Born	Age
1 January	Wayne Osmond	Osmond Brothers	1951	73
10 January	Sam Moore	Sam & Dave	1935	89
15 January	David Lynch	Film director and composer	1946	78
30 January	Marianne Faithfull	Singer and actress	1946	78
24 February	Roberta Flack	Singer and pianist	1937	88
28 February	David Johansen	New York Dolls	1950	75
11 March	Cocoa Tea (a.k.a. Calvin Scott)	Dancehall reggae singer	1959	65
5 April	Dave Allen	Gang Of Four	1955	69
6 April	Clem Burke	Blondie	1954	70
11 April	Max Romeo (a.k.a. Maxwell Livingston Smith)	Reggae singer	1944	80
15 May	Junior Byles (a.k.a. Kenneth Byles Jr.)	Reggae singer	1948	77
26 May	Rick Derringer	Guitarist The McCoys	1947	77
9 June	Sly Stone (a.k.a. Sylvester Stewart)	Sly & The Family Stone	1943	82
11 June	Brian Wilson	The Beach Boys	1942	82
20 June	Patrick Walden	Babyshambles	1978	46
23 June	Mick Ralphs	Mott The Hoople/Bad Company	1944	81
26 June	Lalo Schiffrin	Film & TV composer	1932	93
11 July	Vic Savage (a.k.a. David Kaff)	Spinal Tap	1946	79
13 July	David Cousins (a.k.a. David Hinson)	The Strawbs	1940	85
16 July	Connie Francis	Pop singer	1937	87
22 July	Ozzy Osbourne (a.k.a. John Michael Osbourne)	Black Sabbath/solo	1948	76
24 July	Cleo Laine (a.k.a. Clementine Bullock)	Singer and actress	1927	97
20 August	Brent Hinds	Mastodon	1974	51
6 September	Rick Davies	Supertramp	1944	81
8 September	Allen Blickle	Baroness	1983	42
16 September	Tomas Lindberg	At The Gates	1972	52
23 September	Danny Thompson	Richard Thompson/John Martyn	1939	86
25 September	Chris Dreja	Yardbirds	1945	79
28 September	Steve Whalley	Slade/Sad Café	1950	75
10 October	John Lodge	Moody Blues	1943	82
16 October	Ace Frehley	KISS	1951	74
18 October	Sam Rivers	Limp Bizkit	1977	48
22 October	Dave Ball	Soft Cell/The Grid	1959	66
20 November	Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield	Stone Roses/Primal Scream	1962	63
24 November	Jimmy Cliff (a.k.a. James Chambers)	Singer and actor	1944	81
3 December	Steve Cropper	Booker T. & The M.G.’s	1941	84
15 December	Joe Ely	Country singer/songwriter	1947	78
19 December	Mick Abrahams	Jethro Tull/Blodwyn Pig	1943	82
22 December	Chris Rea	Pop/blues singer/songwriter and guitarist	1951	74
24 December	Perry Bamonte	The Cure	1960	65

Also, notorious convicted paedophile Ian Watkins, former member of Lost Prophets, b.1977, was murdered on 11 October while in prison, aged 48.

These are just a few of the more famous/familiar names. There have been many other deaths in the music industry, far too many to mention. CRAVE Gutiars’ thoughts go out to all who have been affected by loss during 2025.

“Life is uncertain; death is certain” – Buddha

CRAVE Guitars Vintage Gear purchased in 2025 (11)

It hasn’t been a great year for CRAVE Guitars’ acquisitions. The cause was partly threefold. The first was a general lack of funds in a challenging economic climate. I think most readers will have been negatively impacted to some extent by the on‑going economic ‘cost of living crisis’, low growth, high inflation/interest rates, etc. The second was simply a lack of space at home in which to keep the extended family of guitars, basses, effects and amps. The third is a limited supply of interesting candidates keen to obtain the CRAVE Guitars badge of honour.

“Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have” – Buddha

However, there was a modicum of ‘new’ old gear to celebrate in 2025 (with links to existing features where applicable at the time of writing – each opens a new tab).

Guitars & Bass:
1966 Fender Electric XII
1984 Guild X‑79 Skyhawk
1983 Kramer ‘The Duke’ Deluxe Bass

Effect Pedals:
1990 DOD FX50‑B Overdrive Plus
1992 DOD FX52 Classic Fuzz
1991 DOD FX54 Attacker (compression/distortion)
1988 DOD FX65 Stereo Chorus
1988 DOD FX80‑B Compressor Sustainer
1980 MXR Micro Chorus
1975 MXR Noise Gate Line Driver
1977 MXR Phase 90 (‘Block Logo’)

Plus:
Non‑vintage guitar case for the 1966 Fender Electric XII
Vintage guitar case for the Guild X‑79 Skyhawk

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea” – Buddha

The keen sighted among you may notice that there are three additions to the CRAVE Effects family that date from 1990‑1992. This prima facie undermines one of CRAVE Guitars’ ‘rules of attraction’ that has, to‑date, relied on an arbitrary cut‑off of 1989 as ‘vintage’ for many years. This ‘rule’ is basd on the manufacturing techniques used for guitars, basses and amps, as well as to effect pedals. Automation introduced increased levels of consistency and accuracy that tended to dilute all the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make vintage gear so fascinating and desirable. In some ways, the ‘1989 rule’ has already been broken by many of the modern guitar cases that protect genuine vintage guitars in the absence of original hard shell cases.

However, as we move into 2026, I feel more and more inclined to re‑assess and stretch that 1989 rule, starting with the effects listed above. The ‘1989 rule’ still applies to guitars, basses and amps, although I anticipate that the rule may well be relaxed there too in due course. I certainly have some gear from the 1990s that feel ‘vintage’ to me. If one takes the 25‑year baseline for describing ‘vintage’, then everything from the 1990s could now be included. However, if one takes a 30‑year baseline, it would include gear from the first half of the 1990s but exclude the latter half of the decade. Both baselines are widely publicised as a means of determining what is or isn’t ‘vintage’. Irritatingly, there really is no definitive answer and this isn’t the place to resurrect that particular debate (yet again).

I think the answer to this particular conundrum is for CRAVE Guitars to evaluate the validity of ‘vintage’ gear on a case‑by‑case basis. This means that there will be no absolute ‘1989 rule’ going forward but it is way too premature to introduce a ‘1999 rule’. Personally, I detest such a lack of clarity, however one also has to be pragmatic and realistic. Let’s see how things go in 2026. I think that passing the milestone into the second quarter of the 21^st Century is an appropriate time to test CRAVE Guitars’ fundamental operating principles.

In the meantime, the feature articles accompanying the five DOD FX series effect pedals mentioned above aren’t on the website… yet. The features should appear under the CRAVE Effects part of the website early in 2026 when all the content has been prepared. Only some links to follow at the moment (see above). Keep an eye on the website in due course.

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind” – Buddha

2025 album releases purchased (6):

There seems to be a trend to this article. Too many passed away, too little vintage gear and it continues with too few 2025 album releases purchased.

One of the weird outcomes from COVID‑19 (2020‑) is that there was a surge in creativity that seemed at odds with the pandemic’s effect on social and cultural affairs. That inspirational ingenuity lasted until last year, give or take a few months. This year, though, seems to have been the trough after the peak. Either that or I’m missing something important. The tangible result is that I only bought six 2025 albums. Of those, one was a remix album and another was a compilation of tracks from c.1970.

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared” – Buddha

I keep looking for new music but this year, that search has been a bit of a thankless task. Perhaps you’ve fared better. I hope so. Anyhoo… the measly six were:

The Cure – Mixes Of A Lost World Deluxe
Cymande – Renascence
Dub Spencer & Trance Hill – Synchronous
The Mighty Rootsmen – The Mighty Rootsmen
Omar Perry – Channelling Lee “Scratch” Perry
Various Artists – Lee “Scratch” Perry & Friends – Land Of Kinks: The Jamaican Upsetter Singles 1970

Of course, quantity does not necessarily equate to quality. However, a healthy equilibrium is undoubtedly a preferred state of affairs, I think you’ll agree. I sincerely hope that 2026 is a more productive and fruitful year for new recorded music.

“Fashion your life as a garland of beautiful deeds” – Buddha

2025 Gigs (2)

Well, this is getting tediously repetitive. It was also a bad year for attending concerts with only two notable gigs in 2025. Like many, I enjoy live music and it is generally being regarded as the saviour of creative music amid the blandness of corporate commercial crap put out by ‘the industry’. The choice of artist was largely down to my son, a die‑hard metalhead. I am always open to new music and new experiences so I happily went with the flow.

Cattle Decapitation (support: Shadow Of Intent, Revocation, Vulvodynia) January 2025
The Birthday Massacre (support: Lesbian Bed Death, Diamond Black) November 2025

The sentiment about new recorded music is reiterated here about live music in 2025. It is such an important component of the vitality and vibrancy that underpins the musical landscape. We need to support it, as well as enjoy it.

KEEP MUSIC LIVE!

“Through zeal, knowledge is gotten; through lack of zeal, knowledge is lost” – Buddha

CRAVE Guitars’ Web Site

During 2025, there have been many changes to the web site. The visual aesthetic has not changed and I think the look remains fresh and stylish. The overall structure also hasn’t really changed either. However, the content is continually updated or new material is added when there is something new to include, improve or amend. Many visitors may not notice the changes but they are there. More to come in 2026.

CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars

“Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others” – Buddha

I have been pushing CRAVE Guitars relatively hard for a part‑time amateur and that shows in the web site statistics. Visitors struggled to show an increase in traffic over the previous year (2024) but this year (2025) has shown a significant increase in visitors. I am not certain why this may be. I don’t think it is down to the many minor changes or new content on the site. I don’t think it’s because of the monthly articles, as they haven’t changed in frequency. I don’t think it’s because of social media activity, although that has been consistent and focused over the last 12 months.

“In the sky, there is no distinction between east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true” – Buddha

The total number of visitors (at the time of writing) in 2025 was 70,333, while in 2024 it was 43,176, an increase of 27,157 (38.6%). The number of visitors hasn’t changed significantly year‑on‑year but the number of views has. From my perspective, I don’t know if this is good or bad – it is just a number without comparable context. While 70,333 seems high to me, it only equates to just over 192 visits per day. I am, however, encouraged by the growth of interest in CRAVE Guitars as a ‘thing’ and what it stands for. I am also encouraged by unsolicited feedback, for which I am extremely grateful. One thing is certain, 2025’s achievements will be very hard to beat in 2026, especially without a lot more content and different ways of looking at it.

“I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done” – Buddha

CRAVE Guitars’ Social Media

As mentioned above, social media output has been consistent across most platforms (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Bluesky Social and Flickr). I vehemently refuse to use TikTok on political security principles. I post content most days with at least one each day. The exception is that I haven’t posted much on Tumblr during the year. Due to issues over copyright that arose in 2020, I now only post my own material and nothing off Google Images as others do. This is limiting but manageable.

“The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows” – Buddha

The newbie in CRAVE Guitars’ social media output is Bluesky Social, chosen as an alternative and competitor to X. I still post to X despite my anathema for its owner, simply because that is where CRAVE Guitars has its largest following. That following on X has remained largely static or even declining slightly, hovering at just over 6,500 all year, which suggests that social media interest isn’t growing in the same way as the website and there is little or no interdependence between the two. Bluesky Social, on the other hand is building followers from scratch on a relatively under‑used platform at the time of writing – CRAVE has less than 100 followers at year’s end (88 to be exact). There is also not a great deal of vintage guitar content generally on Bluesky Social as at the end of 2025, something that I’m working to improve.

CRAVE Guitars Blue Sky Social

“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule” – Buddha

Contact Update

The web site e‑mail address is constantly inundated with innumerable prospective messages from all sorts of ‘businesses’ offering the world. My blanket policy is never, ever to respond to such egregious unsolicited communications, even if I wanted such services – which I don’t! Their e‑mails are usually lazy and amateur at best. Even worse, they keep contacting me back, seemingly somewhat surprised and querying why they haven’t heard from me. Then, they start chasing me, like I owe them something. What the…?

The ‘contact’ page on the website is absolutely clear about my position…
“Please note that I will not respond at all to any unwanted spam or unsolicited messages from web design, SEO, sales or job speculators. While I am tolerant, I will not be taken in by such a crude and blatant lack of professionalism and respect. I won’t hassle you and waste your time, so please don’t do it to me.”

Judging by site stats, CRAVE Guitars seems to be doing very nicely without their questionable ‘expertise’. If they took just a few seconds to check my website (which they often suggest has been thoroughly evaluated and audited), they would be aware that I will not give them the time of day. If they can be bothered to get my e‑mail address, my contemptuous silence should be expected without question. To each and every one of these abhorrent time wasters, RTFM (of sorts) and [deleted] off!!! Genuine contact only, people.

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth” – Buddha

The Distortion Diaries Update

There has been little material progress since the August article. Follow the link below for the most recent published update (opens in a new tab).

August 2025 – ‘The Distortion Diaries’: A Teaser Trailer

Having said that, there is certainly a very strong determination to bring Terry Wilder’s story to the world, as well as that of his band, The Imaginary Transtemporal Affair (TITA) and the Women in his gravitational field. Terry really wants to jump off the page and meet y’all.

Work on the book’s narrative is on‑going, not necessarily as a coherent approach. I write notes every day for possible inclusion in the final version. I am certainly not short of ideas or material. It just needs sustained intense focus, which is not very easy fitting in on a day‑to‑day living basis. However, I am resolute to undertake a major edit/rewrite of The Distortion Diaries in 2026 and, hopefully, get it out there for everyone to judge. All two of you! Lol! Still, the point is that I must try harder.

“The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does” – Buddha

State of the Music Industry and the Vintage Guitar Market

Commensurate with other observations concerning 2025, I am sad to report that there appears to be a continual and irrevocable decline overall. Well‑known retailers in the UK have gone to the wall and the outlook for those that remain looks bleak. Almost every week, some relevant business goes to the wall. Many sellers seem to have abandoned physical outlets and have retreated to the Internet for sales in order to cut the operational costs of bricks and mortar retail property. This trend is deeply disappointing and potentially terminal for many businesses trying hard to eke out a living. Tragically, the best one might hope for in 2026 might well be a low plateau of stagnation. Not a good place to be.

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting” – Buddha

One recent stark example: Long‑standing guitar manufacturers are not immune to the harsh times. Sadly, the German company Höfner recently filed for bankruptcy. Höfner was founded in 1887 by German luthier Karl Höfner in what is now the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, longevity doesn’t ward off inevitable decline. Sigh.

In the UK, names like Professional Music Technology (PMT), Guitar Amp & Keyboard Centre (GAK) and Black Dog Music all went out of business in 2025 and that’s just the tip of the very precipitous iceberg.

“Everything changes, nothing remains without change” – Buddha

The state of the vintage guitar market remains unpredictably volatile. Over the last decade, there has been very little in the way of supply and what there is attracts undeservedly high prices – the unfortunate consequence of economic supply and demand. Collector interest seems staunchly conservative with the safe ‘classics’ attracting constant value (and therefore investment) increases, while the rest (i.e. the ones in which CRAVE Guitars is most interested) vary significantly with quality and values all over the place. It looks like 2026 is going to be another unpredictable year.

It isn’t just vintage guitars affected, the impact also covers vintage basses, effects and amps, as well as for parts and accessories. Not only have I been forced to buy less due to funding constraints but also there is less good quality product available at a reasonable price to tempt buying activity. I cannot see this changing any time soon.

“Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace” – Buddha

The UK market has shrunk into insular isolation. Disastrous Brexit consequences have pretty much prohibited purchasing anything from the EU. Trade uncertainty and restrictions (yes, you, USA) mean that transatlantic purchasing is simply no longer economic. So the story goes onward. If the negative effects impact CRAVE Guitars, it is far, far worse for businesses trying to make a living.

As mentioned above, the recording and performance side of the industry seems to be going through a patch of post‑COVID creative doldrums. No‑one wants another pandemic.

Clearly a ‘perfect storm’ of global trade instability, pointlessly destructive military conflict, political mayhem, social insecurity and cultural conservatism are just some of the interweaving impactful influences going on here.

Strategically, businesses will face a very challenging operating environment as we move into 2026. Moreover, it is going to be difficult to evaluate and implement options for a successful medium‑long‑term future strategically, tactically and operationally. I know that sounds depressingly negative. I don’t want it to be. However, it is hard to see much in the way of light at the end of the current tunnel.

“Change is never painful, only the resistance to change is painful” – Buddha

Seasonal Greetings from The CRAVEman

The CRAVEman wishes all readers a belated Merry Christmas and a premature Happy New Year. The CRAVEman has issued two portraits for you to end the year, one for each seasonal celebration. Grunt!

“Teach this triple truth to all: a generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things that renew humanity” – Buddha

Final Thoughts on 2025 and Looking Forward to 2026

While many of my layman observations seem negative, it is with deluded confidence that one has to look forward to the New Year and the potential opportunities it provides. If only irrational optimism and positivity was a self‑fulfilling prophecy, then we’d all be in a much better place. Hope springs eternal (NB. An idiom that derives from the poem, ‘An Essay on Man’ (1733) by Alexander Pope (1688‑1744)).

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big “Thank You” to everyone who has had anything to do with CRAVE Guitars over the last 12 months. If it wasn’t for y’all, there wouldn’t be a CRAVE Guitars, there’d be no point. So, it seems, we must now welcome in the New Year. We can’t avoid it, so we might as well go with the flow and take 2026 as it comes. As American poet Ogden Nash (1902‑1971) once said, “Duck! Here comes another year!”

Given the tonal balance that this yearly review has set out, I shall not make things any worse by continuing with the negativity. Nuff said then. Bring on 2026!

“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little” – Buddha

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month (and Year)’

Last year, CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’ was also the ‘Album of the Year’. Despite the paucity of material from which to draw, I am going for the ‘sequel’ to last year’s pick. This year’s Blue Riband award (NB. An accolade given to the passenger liner that achieved the fastest recorded crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to America – held by the SS United States (1952). Now a term more widely used to signify distinction and excellence) goes to…

The Cure – Mixes of a Lost World: After far too long without a studio album, 2024 saw the long‑awaited release of ‘Songs of a Lost World’. While it wasn’t quite up with ‘Pornography’ (1982) or my favourite all‑time studio album, ‘Disintegration’ (1989), it was a monumental achievement for Robert Smith and the band.

While many decry ‘remix’ albums, I actually appreciate the best of them, albeit being a mixed bag overall. The 3‑CD deluxe edition of ‘Mixes of a Lost World’, released in June 2025 on Universal, comprises 24 remixes of tracks covering 148 minutes. The original album tracks have been remixed by a wide variety of credible artists including Four Tet, Paul Oakenfold, Orbital, Daniel Avery, Craven Faults, 65daysofstatic, The Twilight Sad, Mogwai and many others. Some of these are traditional variations on a theme, while several take a more radical approach of genre‑shifting immersive soundscapes. To be honest, it was a far better album that it could have been, so kudos to The Cure for being bold and not resting on well‑earned laurels.

In addition, all royalties from the sale of the album, go to War Child, a charity supporting children directly affected by war and conflict. They also challenge the unethical and unscrupulous tactics of ‘dynamic pricing’ for live concert tickets and despicably immoral scalping outlets. Thank goodness there are still some sincere philanthropic artists in the industry. Well done The Cure.

There is also a live version, ‘Songs of a Live World’ and a cinematic version of the live concert, ‘Show Of A Live World’. The album goes to prove that The Cure is a band still innovating, challenging preconceptions and delivering the goods. Thanks Robert.

BELIEVE IN MUSIC!

“The world indeed is like a dream and the treasures of the world are an alluring mirage like the apparent distances in a picture. Things have no reality in themselves but are like heat haze” – Buddha

Tailpiece

Well, I think we can all probably agree that 2025 was generally a mix of ups and downs for everyone, so let us bid adieu to it. It seems that the worst of the Covid‑19 pandemic is behind us; largely gone but not forgotten. Hopefully, though there has been an opportunity to value and appreciate the good fortunes that we are able to enjoy. We should not underestimate just what the benefits of peacetime and freedom mean in our culture.

“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace” – Buddha

Let us look forward to 2026 and make it the best 2026 that we can achieve. To build a safe, secure and prosperous civilisation, we have to unite to eradicate hatred, conflict and division. Nobody is saying it is easy but it is worth it and good only comes from unwavering endeavour. For me, I’m already thinking about CRAVE Guitars’ article content for next year. No peace for the wicked (NB. A phrase derived and adapted from the Book of Isiah in the Christian Bible). Rock on 2026!

“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind” – Buddha

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Great music cleanses one’s spirit, washes away one’s pain and removes the dirt that obscures one’s harmony with the universe”

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28 Feb 2024

February 2024 – Zen and the Art of CRAVE Guitars Design

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

HAPPY & HEALTHY FEBRUARY 2024 GUITAR MUSIC AFICIONADOS. Despite the world collapsing into increasingly dire crises at the behest of inept megalomaniac despots, I will endeavour to deliver some (hopefully) light entertainment as a non‑addictive antidote to the agonising anguish of day‑to‑day survival. As woeful soothsayers may predict, ‘the end of the world is nigh’. For once, they might just be right, at least for human civilisation. Time to repent and plead for redemption at the end of days? I think not. At least not yet. In the meantime… rock till you drop, I say. I digress, as usual. Apologies to one and all.

“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace” Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480-400BCE)

Back to the business at hand. Pretentious pedantic prose. OK. Up front, forgive me, for there is an underlying understanding in, and a focus on, the simplicity of the here and now that runs through this article, hence the title. It is a contemplative and reflective narrative that draws on the creative essence of CRAVE Guitars over time.

A little while ago, I was doing some file management on my laptop and I came across a number of old documents that caught my attention. They were basically some very crude design ideas created in a transitional period of CRAVE Guitars’ history between 2007 and 2014.

‘Aha’. Lightbulb moment. The discovery might make a different and, perhaps (?), interesting basis for a matter‑of‑factual monthly musing, I thought. So, without further ado, let’s fire up the metaphorical DeLorean and drift back to 2007 to track the evolution of design elements that developed over a period of seven years and which have been a mainstay of CRAVE Guitars for the last nine years or so. A much shorter missive for you this month, you will probably be pleased to know. Some images too, to brighten up the virtual page.

The dawn of CRAVE Guitars: a reminder – 2007

A quick recap may be in order to provide context. I covered the birth and early years progression of CRAVE Guitars back on its 10^th anniversary article in July 2017. There is some inevitable overlap with this article. For those that wish to go into a bit more background detail (opens in a new tab)…

July 2017 – Happy Birthday: 10 Years of CRAVE Guitars

There is, though, a bit more to the design components than I covered at the time. The catalyst for establishing CRAVE Guitars as ‘a thing’ goes back to 2007 and the acquisition of a gorgeous 1989 Gibson Les Paul Custom. While this wasn’t actually a vintage guitar at the time, it had many of the beguiling characteristics that are present on many vintage guitars, including minor bumps, nicks, play wear yellowed binding, and a fading lustre resulting in a fine satin patina. The point of mentioning this here is that this event was the germination of an idea and a facilitator for what would become the CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars ‘project’.

1989 Gibson Les Paul Custom

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.” Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480-400BCE)

Once the project’s name was conceived, an initial task was to undertake some due diligence. I checked that no‑one else was using the titles, CRAVE Guitars, CRAVE Vintage Guitars, CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars or C.R.A.V.E. Guitars. There was no trace of such a use anywhere in the world that I could readily identify, so I adopted it and everything from 2007 to today, relating to CRAVE Guitars, has carried the CRAVE Guitars © ‘copyright’ (including this article). Things rapidly coalesced from there, at least in my mind. Ping!

The original concept is stated on the home page of the web site, “The name ‘CRAVE’ is a play on words; as an acronym, it stands for ‘Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric’ guitars, while its literal meaning is ‘to yearn for’ or ‘to want greatly’. It may also be taken as a ‘call to action’.”

In addition, the six individual constituent words – cool, rare, American, vintage, electric and guitars – became the core criteria for identifying and acquiring instruments (and associated equipment) for the CRAVE Guitars ‘collection’.

Thus… CRAVE Guitars became more than just a vague notion. Sort of. It was shaping up into being ‘a thing’, although I’m still not quite sure what ‘thing’ it has become. However, it exists, whatever ‘it’ is. It struck me as notable how some things come from nowhere and then somehow develop a life of their own, becoming well‑established over time with no or little subsequent change. While the name stuck, the graphic design to support it did not appear fully formed at the time; the current brand image came along much later.

After the summer of 2007, the odd assortment of random guitar gear acquired over many years came under scrutiny and I quickly realised it needed radical rationalisation if it was to comply with the six core criteria of the project. Firstly my non‑American guitars were sold off, then my acoustic guitars and, finally, guitars newer than 1989 were also sold (bar two). What remained formed the basis of CRAVE Guitars as it is now. What was left were about 6‑8 guitars and 2 basses. Since 2007‑ish, all essential acquisitions have complied with the principle mission and entry criteria to create a rationally thought‑through, clearly defined ‘collection’. I don’t like the word ‘collection’ for all its negative connotations but for this exercise, I can’t think of a better one.

From 2007 to about 2010, the focus was on buying familiar classic guitars solely from Gibson and Fender. This reinforced the baseline from which to proceed. It turned out not to be a good time for buying, as it was just before the global financial meltdown of 2008, so vintage guitar prices were sky high. By 2010, the proverbial bubble had well and truly burst. Sigh. It is a good job that CRAVE Guitars is not financially motivated.

2010 to 2014 was a catastrophic period during which I lost almost everything, including my home, so we’ll bypass that quickly without further reference. What’s gone has gone. The subsequent recovery was painful, slow and laborious.

“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” Bruce Lee (1940-1973)

Since 2014, CRAVE Guitars has focussed more and more on quirky, unusual and interesting ‘affordable’ vintage guitars from other American manufacturers as well as the Big ‘G’ and ‘F’. It wasn’t until early 2019 that a significant proportion of the pre‑loss ‘collection’ was reunited with newer acquisitions after a friend had kept them safe for several years. Since 2019, CRAVE Guitars has been ‘a thing’ again.

The initial CRAVE Guitars designs – 2008‑2014

At this point, I must state that I am not a graphic designer and have no professional training in the craft, although my family does have artistic roots. I do, however, think I have a reasonably good eye for aesthetics. I might have liked to pursue an education and career in art, photography and design (as well as music) but, like most good citizens, I realised that I had to make a living, so my cultural aspirations were sacrificed at the altar of responsibility and any artistic credentials remain entirely amateur.

As the project grew, I proceeded to develop a Microsoft Access database to record each instrument in some detail. The database has been updated a number of times over the years (see below) and is still in use today.

CRAVE Guitars Database Screen Shots

Photographs of each instrument were taken to add to the database and were used in the early activities. Admittedly, the original photos were limited and not high definition by today’s standard so, from 2014, the guitars were re‑photographed in greater detail and quality.

Using the information from the database, a ‘brochure’ of the ‘collection’ was concocted, such as it was, using the early photographs and a basic narrative. The original Arabic‑style ‘logo’ text was a font used by the CorelDRAW graphics package at the time; unfortunately, I can’t recall the font’s name. The marron and yellow colour scheme was intended (arguably) to convey a sense of classy opulence (!?). I know, I know, the approach was very basic and hardly anything to be proud of now but at least it was a start.

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting” Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480-400BCE)

CRAVE Guitars Original Logo 2008

However, that is all it was back then; a start. A primitive and very limited run printed pamphlet of some vintage Gibson and Fender guitars from the 1960s to the 1980s inclusive. It was not widely ‘visible/available’ to anyone else who might share my interest, so it was essentially a creative dead end and only of interest in hindsight. It was also a learning exercise. CRAVE Guitars had come a long way, although the evidence may not seem like it.

CRAVE Guitars Catalogue Spread

I suspect that regular readers (if there are any!) will know that I have a principled anathema towards the heinous capitalist practice of accumulating vintage guitars for profit and hoarding them away. This benefits no‑one except the owner’s bank account. I didn’t want to fall foul of that accusation, so I had to find a way of sharing the results of the project with others who have similar interests. It is the sharing element that I feel is important and beneficial.

One way of sharing might have been to become a vintage guitar dealer, like many existing established retail outlets. However, I simply don’t have the ‘killer instinct’ (or the funds) to become a successful hard‑nosed commercial trader, so that option was quickly ruled out. I guess I’m just too nice. Besides, I didn’t have any desire to be like any other businesses. It would be rewarding if I could, in some way, monetize CRAVE Guitars, so that any proceeds could be invested back into the enterprise. However I can’t envisage how that end could be achieved without compromising the principal mission and my own values.

CRAVE Guitars doesn’t have any business premises, so creating some sort of physical curated heritage ‘museum’ (for want of a better word) with only a few average guitars was also out of the question. While I quite like the idea of some sort of unique exhibition, it wasn’t, and still isn’t, feasible. Preliminary research indicated that a gallery or heritage centre wouldn’t attract sufficient visitors to make it worthwhile, so it didn’t even make it to a draft business plan stage.

So, I decided to take the plunge and venture into online sharing. As far as I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be anything quite like CRAVE Guitars out there anywhere. Perhaps it is unique, although I wouldn’t be so arrogant as to assert that particular proposition. It might be exciting to develop some sort of virtual online ‘gallery museum’. However, the technology, for instance pro‑level design software, studio photography, photogrammetry, 3D animation, augmented reality and studio recording, to make it genuinely innovative, immersive and impressive are currently beyond CRAVE Guitars’ modest means. More thought required.

“Design is thinking made visual.” Saul Bass (1920‑1996)

CRAVE Guitars online presence – 2014‑date

In 2014, I had no experience of web site development or running any social media accounts. The emergence of what is recognisably CRAVE Guitars today started in late 2014 culminating with the advent of the CRAVE Guitars web site and social media channels. I was basically starting from scratch but, for me, that was quite ambitious, exciting and frustrating in equal measure.

I had the basic structure of, and a design concept for, a WordPress web site planned out. I went about acquiring the relevant URLs and identifying an ISP (Internet Service Provider) to host the results. A web site without any cohesive design theme would be pretty rubbish, so I had to think of a way of conveying what the entity was and turning that into coherent graphic designs that would become familiar to online visitors.

In addition to the web site, I felt that there would have to be a parallel social media presence, consistent with the aesthetics of the web site where possible. The two leading platforms at the time, Twitter (now Elon Musk’s diabolical ‘X’) and Facebook were priorities. In addition, I had a LinkedIn account, so that also seemed a logical extension. YouTube and Instagram were also popular, so they were other channels to consider. There were/are other social media platforms including Flickr, Pinterest and Tumblr, so I set about making sure that CRAVE Guitars had a presence on all of these (and thereby preventing others from appropriating the name!).

There are some gaps, however. Does anyone remember the social media platform called Google+? I actually liked it but due to inherent security weaknesses, Google shut it down in 2019 and it has become all but forgotten nowadays. I evaluated Snapchat and felt it was irrelevant for CRAVE Guitars. I refuse to use TikTok due to its Chinese ownership, so CRAVE Guitars is not present for ethical geopolitical, environmental, technological and human rights reasons.

Accordingly, the work began in earnest to cultivate the broader CRAVE Guitars ‘brand’ image. Activity on this front was quite significant up until the tempestuous 3‑year hiatus, which took place from November 2020 to September 2023.

“Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom” Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480-400BCE)

The CRAVE Guitars signature image

Determining a signature image for CRAVE Guitars was kinda easy. The sunburst 1975 Gibson Les Paul Standard was one of my original guitars that I bought second hand in c.1978 and have had ever since. It was already a bit battered when I got it, with buckle rash and some parts removed (pickup covers and scratchplate) but it was all I could afford at the time. People pay good money for fake wear and tear like that nowadays and the Les Paul’s attrition was genuine! NB. Relic is not a verb! Ggrr!

Not thinking anything of it at the time, I had the Les Paul refinished from its original tobacco sunburst, which I didn’t really like back then, to a shiny natural finish, which was very popular during the late 1970s. By the 1990s, I was tired of the somewhat bland natural finish, so it was refinished again in a lovely deep cherry sunburst and the missing parts were restored. That is the condition of the Les Paul at the time of writing. Below is the original CRAVE Guitars photograph.

1975 Gibson Les Paul Standard

[Image: 1975 Gibson Les Paul Standard]

Although the Les Paul’s finish isn’t original, it has been a long‑time favourite axe, so it became CRAVE Guitars’ signature instrument, despite rather than because of its chequered history. I don’t give a hoot that self‑opinionated critics pour scorn on Gibson’s 1970s Norlin‑era guitars.

That Les Paul is the only instrument in the ‘collection’ that has been refinished. I don’t do regrets but, if I did, I would feel guilty for messing with that Les Paul like I did. In my defence, I was young and it was only a couple of years old at the time. It was intended to be a working guitar rather than a collectable. Who would have thought that I’d still have it 46 years later and it would be a figurehead for a vintage guitar enterprise! The Les Paul has, though, endured over the years through the few ups and many downs, so it has become appropriately symbolic for both me and for CRAVE Guitars.

The CRAVE Guitars logo and avatar

I couldn’t afford to appoint a professional designer to come up with a ‘corporate’ logo, so I had to attempt something myself. It was these work‑in‑progress attempts that I came across recently and which prompted this article.

The very early efforts comprised a brainstorming‑type design process with some never‑before‑seen aborted concepts. Some of these early rough draft ideas are shown here.

CRAVE Guitars Early Logo Designs #1

CRAVE Guitars Early Logo Designs #2

I had an epiphany to combine the signature Gibson Les Paul outline and the word CRAVE into a unified logo. Genius, I thought. The very first attempt at the integrated logo was a rough hand‑drawn scrawl made with a marker pen on a small scrap of (white) paper!

CRAVE Guitars Original Logo Scan

I tested out some of these early ‘sketch’ ideas and the CRAVE acronym with a professional graphic designer friend who I respect. He didn’t like it at all, which was a bit disappointing. However, I persevered, as I thought I was onto something that I could live with.

Crave Guitars Logo Evolution

Once the overall Les Paul shape of the logo was firmed up, I had to choose a colour scheme. It was important to me not to try and be too clever, so it was imperative to Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS). For clarity at different resolutions and sizes, I selected a bright/deep blue for high contrast over a pristine white background. A graphics package was used to scan in and then refine the originally hand‑drawn initial outline.

The ‘bobbly’ lines are intended to give the impression of kinetic resonant vibrations of the instrument. Clever tie‑in huh? OK. Maybe not but that’s what I thought and it seemed eminently logical, so I stuck with it.

Most importantly, the graphic design, narrative and photographic imagery must complement, enhance and not distract from the core subject matter – the vintage guitars, basses, amps and effects – which should be able to shine in their own right. The intention was/is that the various components should all work together in an integrated way, creating a whole that is more than the sum of its parts.

CRAVE Logo Basics

“Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations.” Paul Rand (1914‑1996)

The admittedly very crude, irregular first attempts were then finessed through about 8‑10 incremental, increasingly subtle, iterations. Eventually, it became what you see on the website, social media, business cards, merchandise, etc. today.

CRAVE Guitars Logo Evolution #2

The guitar‑shaped CRAVE logo image was embellished with the word ‘Guitars’ in a clean, modern and minimalist sans serif Segoe UI Light font, which appealed to my eye. With the recent brand update, the logo’s text was selectively extended to read ‘Vintage Guitars’. This approach could also apply to CRAVE Basses, CRAVE Amps and CRAVE Effects. With or without ‘Vintage’ depending on the circumstance.

CRAVE Guitars Fonts

The full logo, however, wasn’t suitable for social media and Internet browsers, which generally uses round or square‑ish ‘icons’ or ‘avatars’ to represent the image of a relevant account so, once the main logo was firmed up, I set about addressing that particular task. The very first draft avatar was a basic black/red silhouette based on a Gibson ES‑335 body outline but it bore very little resemblance to the rest of the brand, so it didn’t last long.

CRAVE Guitars Avatar #1

The logical answer was to reduce the full logo to fit the avatar’s specification. The result of that exercise was to use only the ‘CR’ from the full logo, intended to represent the shape of the Les Paul body (minus neck/headstock).

CRAVE Guitars Avatar Basics

Recently someone not into guitars asked me what the ‘squiggle’ on Facebook was meant to be and I had to explain it. Never a good sign. I had become so used to it that I thought it was obvious. Obviously not! Once again, there was some disappointment but I can live with it. The ‘CR’ Les Paul body shaped avatar for social media has been retained unchanged.

Crave Guitars Avatar Evolution

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs (1955‑2011)

CRAVE Guitars merchandise

The aim behind the CRAVE Guitars graphic design is that it can be used beyond the online presence for instance, printed materials and merchandise. CRAVE merch is there for fun, not money. Routine merch items include T‑shirts, mugs, guitar picks, etc. As CRAVE Guitars is not a business or even a physical entity, there is no pre‑prepared merch stock. It’s all made to order as and when needed. Here are a few examples.

CRAVE Guitars Business Card

CRAVE Guitars Guitar Picks

[Image: Business Card]

CRAVE Guitars T-Shirt Designs

CRAVE Guitars future design

Continuity of image is as important as coherence. There are no immediate intentions to change or improve the logo and graphic design. I still believe it to be effective, even though my designer friend still doesn’t like it. The overall aesthetic has been around for ten years now and I think it still looks fresh, clean and modern.

I do review the visuals regularly and think of different ways in which it could be embellished or enhanced but I keep coming back to the basic, simple brand image. Less is more and all that. If it ain’t broke…

At some point, I might want to redesign the brand but not yet. I still like it as it is and it remains visually coherent to my inexpert eye. To change the style radically would, I believe, be counter‑productive and disrupt continuity. Evolution, rather than revolution is likely to be the order of the day, if and when it comes around.

I don’t envisage separate designs for the sub‑brands, CRAVE Basses, CRAVE Amps and CRAVE Effects. They are essentially all under the umbrella of the main brand identity, rather than discrete entities in their own right. They would not exist were it not for CRAVE Guitars. Nor do I envisage any more vintage sub‑brands joining the family any time soon (e.g. drums, keyboards, studio gear, etc.). To diversify further would be to dilute too much.

In the unlikely event that both mankind and I survive until 2027, it will be time to celebrate two decades of CRAVE Guitars. I believe that the design will still be familiar for visitors. Could the CRAVE Vintage Guitars brand design be better? Of course it could.

“Have no fear of perfection. You’ll never reach it.” Salvador Dali (1904‑1989)

I am reluctant to pose the question, ‘what do you think?’, as that would open up a whole can of worms. I see so many logos that are unclear, ambiguous, unrelated to the core business, indistinct, outdated, too detailed, irrelevant, conflicting, poor choice of colours/contrast, overblown, illegible, generic, confusing, ugly, or just plain dull. Simple doesn’t have to be boring. I didn’t set out to create the world’s best logo but, in hindsight, I don’t think it’s too bad. For a rank amateur.

Tantalising snippet… I will return to the subject of the CRAVE Guitars logo in a planned future article. Why? Wait and see!

Final thoughts

One fundamental question for CRAVE Guitars is, ‘Is it worth it?’ I have been doing all of this to share my passion with others but does anyone else actually care or give a damn? It’s also nearly met its demise more than once along the way, so it isn’t a ‘sure thing’. The truth is, I really don’t know what the future holds. I like to think it is a worthwhile adventure but, then again, I am not the one to judge. It is worth it to me.

The website currently gets over 4,000 visitors a month and CRAVE Guitars has over 6,750 followers on X (about 1,000 down from its pre‑hiatus peak) but is that good or not? Again, I have absolutely no idea; they are just numbers. I would hate to think that the last 17 years have been in vain.

A further question is, ‘Why do I do it?’ I have been fascinated by guitars since I got my first nylon‑strung acoustic as a teenager. That fascination prevails to this day. Therefore, I feel quite strongly that CRAVE Vintage Guitars is my ikigai; my purpose in life (from an ancient Japanese philosophy, with ‘iki’ meaning ‘to live’ and ‘gai’ meaning ‘reason’, in rough translation). I have poured my soul into guitars, music and CRAVE Guitars over quite a prolonged period (overall, longer than my entire professional working career, so the effort has been considerable, even though it feels like there is much more to be done before I’m finished (if I live that long!). Is CRAVE Guitars my fate, my destiny? Nah. I wouldn’t go that far; I feel that some decisions are still under my control.

Another profound question is, ‘Where to go from here?’ What is the end game? Well, for that, we’ll just have to wait and see. A great deal depends on currently non‑existent funds. I do not want or intend to give up any time soon; I have become too invested in the project to ‘throw the towel into the ring’ now. I have some thoughts about adding content to the website and some narrative has already been drafted but it is hardly Earth‑shattering. Perhaps a degree of reinvention may be needed after all. I look forward to future developments.

“I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done” Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480-400BCE)

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’

This month, I tried to think of something relevant to the article’s theme. If I had to come up with an album that hints at what CRAVE Vintage Guitars stands for, what on Earth could it possibly be? HHhhmm. Tricky one. Sadly, I no longer have any recordings of my own music, lost in the mists of time, so it has to be an established artist. It has to be predominantly guitar music and it should (?) be a recognisable classic (and from the time of many vintage guitars). HHhhmm. Still tricky. So, so many and yet so few! More HHhhmm. This is hard. Gotta pick something. OK, then, here goes; I wouldn’t call it CRAVE Guitars’ theme tune but I like it anyway…

The Doors – L.A. Woman (1971) No ten‑minute self‑indulgent virtuoso guitar wizard solos here, just solid song writing and shed loads of charisma with guitar playing that serves the songs, rather than vice versa. Guitarist Robby Krieger and his trusty Gibson SG Standard along with Ray Manzarek on keyboards, John Densmore on drums and the tragically mercurial Jim Morrison on vocal chords. The Doors didn’t have a resident bass player but that didn’t hold them back – Jerry Scheff played bass on this album. ‘L.A. Woman’ was the band’s last studio album before Morrison’s untimely death in Paris, France in July 1971, at the age of 27. The recording won’t appear in any ‘top 100 guitar albums’ lists but that’s not really the point. I am personally not a huge fan of The Doors but this record stands out for me. Neither is it universally admired. However, it survived my honing down process until it remained on the shortlist of one at the end.

The Doors – LA Woman (1971)

“Where’s your will to be weird?” Jim Morrison (1943-1971)

HHhhmm. Other worthy (in my view) contenders included, Deep Purple – Made In Japan (1972), Genesis – Selling England By The Pound (1973), Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970), Lynyrd Skynyrd – Second Helping (1974), Pink Floyd – Meddle (1971), Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti (1975), T.Rex – Electric Warrior (1971), The Cure – Disintegration (1989), Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live! (1975), Steve Hillage – L (1976), Rory Gallagher – Against The Grain (1975), and David Bowie – Let’s Dance (1983).

One interesting observation; all of the above albums emanated from the 1970s and 1980s. Nothing older and nothing newer. Was it really some sort of ‘golden age’ for guitar music or just the music that impacted an impressionable post‑hippie youth?

Tailpiece

So, there you have it; a much shorter discursive diversion (I had to get at least one alliteration in!) this month and a bit different from most other recent articles. I like to mix things up a bit, so a diversity of subject matter keeps things lively and unpredictable. I’m conjuring up something even more offbeat for next month, if it works! There is, though, a lot to do before we get to that point. Watch this space, folks…

In the meantime, if you get any opportunity at all to help bring common sense to the fore and pre‑empt the impending global apocalypse, just do it!

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Since when did the truth become a conspiracy theory?”

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29 Dec 2023

December 2023 – CRAVE Guitars: Three Years in Review

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, News, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

GOOD DAY’S SALUTATIONS and seasonal best wishes to all you good folks out there in music land. Welcome to vintage gear aficionados and greetings to the conclusion of the year, two thousand and twenty three. There is no point in, and no good will come from, re‑hashing the journey over CRAVE Guitars’ 3‑year hiatus once again, so it is now officially behind us and a thing of the past. Gone. However, there may be merit in looking briefly at what CRAVE Guitars actually got up to behind the scenes during that time. It is the end of the year, so it’s kinda traditional for review anyway, as has been the practice in years past. This review, though, isn’t a single year but three years in retrospect. As it transpires, less has happened in those three years than would normally have occurred in one year prior to 2020’s global meltdown. Perhaps that is just as well. If the previous trend had continued unabated, CRAVE Guitars would have run out of space and funds a long time ago. I guess that there are silver linings at the end of the tunnel after all (I really must stop playing with mixed metaphors! Bad CRAVE!).

Well, there is no point in perpetuating petty procrastination, so let’s proceed with some prosaic pontification (nothing like a bit of CRAVE’s addictive affinity for asinine alliteration, again!). All text and images copyright of CRAVE Guitars. No AI used here.

‘New’ old gear over the past 3 years

The volume of acquisitions may not be great but the choices, I believe aren’t too shabby. I aim for variety and novelty in my quest for something a wee bit different to the norm, at least as far as the guitars are concerned. Here, there are two are from the 1960s, two from the 1970s and one from the 1980s. The effects are slightly more numerous and there is a little bit of gap‑filling going on here but variety is again a factor. Only 3 out of the 11 stomp boxes are ‘Made in USA’. Interesting. Right, here is the short shortlist…

Guitars and basses (5):

1963 Danelectro Pro 1
1989 Fender Jazz Bass American Standard Longhorn
1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass
1979 Gibson Explorer E2
1964 National Glenwood 95

Effect pedals (11):

1985 BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal (distortion)
1984 BOSS SD-1 Super Over Drive
1979 BOSS SG-1 Slow Gear (auto swell)
1974 Colorsound Supa Tone Bender (fuzz)
1970s Colorsound Supa Wah-Swell
1970s DOD Analog Delay 680 (echo)
1980s Dunlop Original Cry Baby GCB-95 Wah
1970s Electro-Harmonix Switch Blade Channel Selector (A‑B switch)
1981 Ibanez CP-835 Compressor II
1984 Ibanez SM9 Super Metal (distortion)
1989 Marshall The Guv’nor (overdrive/distortion)

Over the last three years, there haven’t been any ‘new’ vintage valve amps. This is mainly due to space restrictions and the responsibility for maintaining these delicate electrical artefacts. They weren’t delicate when originally manufactured, they were built to go on the road and put up with punishment. However, after 60 or 70 years, they tend to get a bit temperamental. A bit like humans in fact. The last amp that joined the family was the fantastic little 1973 Fender Princeton Reverb ‘silverface’. Possibly my favourite amp.

There has been one notable departure from the CRAVE Guitars family. I was looking around for a Gibson Explorer E2 to partner the Gibson Flying V2. However, I couldn’t really justify yet another Explorer. Then, someone contacted me out of the blue enquiring about the black 1984 Gibson Explorer. If there was one guitar that I would let go to trade up, that was the one. It can be really strange how opportunity can present itself as coincidence. Eventually, deals were agreed and one came in while one went out. Serendipity and status quo. Result! I hope the 1984 Explorer is in a happy place.

Let’s take a closer look at the ‘new’ guitars – all of them exhibiting unusual construction and specification, making them exceptionally cool and rare (in my opinion). Right, here is the long shortlist…

1963 Danelectro Pro 1 – I first saw one of these a few years ago and was struck by its utter simplicity and quirky charm. Nothing fancy going on here. It is diminutive, dinky and hyper cute. It is, however not very practical. It has a short scale and upper fret access is awkward and only one pickup will limit it for some. However, it has all the usual Danelectro traits, including the unique construction and that classic lipstick pickup. It is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea but, for me, that’s a good reason to dig it. It is a genuinely unique instrument and SO cool that it hurts. It’s great fun to play too.

Feature: 1963 Danelectro Pro 1

1989 Fender Jazz Bass American Standard Longhorn – I have long wanted a Fender Jazz Bass. The new CRAVE Basses has allowed me to indulge that luxury. However, this isn’t a Jazz Bass as you know it and definitely not in the long tradition of the J‑Bass. This lovely beast is a Longhorn, only made for five years, this one from the first year of production. The deep cutaways and 22 fret neck make it look, feel, play and sound different from a ‘normal’ Jazz Bass. The Longhorn nickname gained it an altogether humorously crude moniker of the ‘boner’ bass. Now this one lives with me, I actually now prefer the look of this unusual instrument over the one that defined the icon.

Feature: 1989 Fender Jazz Bass American Standard Longhorn

1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass – Another oddity and one of the ‘lost Fenders’. After the success of the Mustang Bass, Fender went on to release an even simpler budget model. The Musicmaster has the Mustang’s short scale but the pickup is actually a 6‑pole Mustang guitar pickup. The overall design and specification certainly alienated a whole bunch of players but that kind of misses the point. Snobs. Take the bass purely on face value and it’s actually a decent ‘student’ bass with great build quality and that offset body look that is currently very popular. Not one for the traditionalist. Note: Since the feature and photos were published, the original 2‑saddle bridge has been reinstated.

Feature: 1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass

1979 Gibson Explorer E2 – Some people hate the Gibson Flying V2 and Explorer E2. I love them because of their unusual multi‑layered construction. As mentioned above, finding an E2 was a mission. Moreover, this one belonged to the lead singer of the band Go West, Peter Cox. Kudos and thanks Peter. I don’t usually go for provenance but in this case, it adds something significant to the guitar’s backstory. It’s the walnut‑faced model (some are maple‑faced) and in wonderful near‑original condition. While it’s not quite as whacky as the admittedly peculiar V2, it has plenty of character and charisma. The Gibson Explorer, I think, remains my overall favourite guitar model.

Feature: 1979 Gibson Explorer E2

1964 National Glenwood 95 – Here’s a glorious instrument with another unusual type of construction. The body is moulded fibreglass, what the makers, Valco, called Res‑O‑Glas. I was expecting the material to be thin and plasticky. Instead, it is quite thick and solid. The two halves are screwed together leaving the interior hollow. It is very unique and an awesome entry in vintage guitar history. Not only is it well built, it is visually striking in just about every way. Whatever part you look at or whatever angle it is viewed from, it is a startlingly beautiful creation. Neither is it a case of style over substance, it plays very well and with an inimitable sound. I could go on and on but I’ll let it speak for itself.

Feature: 1964 National Glenwood 95

… and, now moving on to the ‘new’ vintage effect pedals:

1985 BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal – A pedal renowned for creating a whole heavy metal sub‑genre thanks to Swedish death metal band Entombed and their debut studio album, ‘Left Hand Path’ (1990). Not many stomp boxes can claim that distinction. It is a monster. This one also comes with its original box and documentation. Very cool.

Feature: 1985 BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal

1984 BOSS SD-1 Super Over Drive – Considered by many as a classic in the BOSS overdrive tradition. The SD‑1 adds a Tone control to the existing BOSS OD‑1 Over Drive to give it more flexibility and to help BOSS compete with other brands’ overdrive pedals. The SD‑1 has been seen on pedalboards all over the world for decades, earning it its enviable reputation.

Feature: 1984 BOSS SD-1 Super Over Drive

1979 BOSS SG-1 Slow Gear – This is one of the rarest, most collectable and misunderstood BOSS stomp boxes. The name gives nothing away. It acts a bit like a noise gate in reverse, the filter creating an auto swell effect. It is quite unique. After much experimentation, there is really only one sweet spot so, to be honest, sadly, it is a bit of a one‑trick pony, albeit an exclusive one.

Feature: 1979 BOSS SG-1 Slow Gear

1974 Colorsound Supa Tone Bender – The Supa Tone Bender is basically just a big box version of the original Colorsound fuzz. There is no room in this article to dive into the nerd zone and cover its origins or its similarities/differences to other models. The numerous gear obsessives out there will tell you at great length about all the geeky differences. Basically, it’s a great 1970s fuzz pedal. What more do you need to know?

Feature: 1974 Colorsound Supa Tone Bender

1970s Colorsound Supa Wah-Swell – Another over‑sized ‘Supa’ version of a standard combination wah‑wah and swell pedal with a footswitch to go from one mode to the other. There’s very little on the inside other than empty space, indicating that the old marketing ploys of ‘more is more’ and ‘bigger is better’ played a part here. 1970s pedalboards weren’t as crowded as they are today, so pedals like this gained bragging rights. I can’t date this one accurately.

Feature: 1970s Colorsound Supa Wah-Swell

1970s DOD Analog Delay 680 – Here is a truly wonderful 1970s American echo pedal. It’s not quite up with the benchmark Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man but it is still authentic and very musical. I love these old analogue delays. It’s great fun to use and sounds great. It may not be in great cosmetic condition on the outside but few are because they were well used, an indication of what really matters to working musicians.

Feature: 1970s DOD Analog Delay 680

1980s Dunlop Original Cry Baby GCB-95 Wah – Probably one of the most iconic wah‑wah pedals of all time. This one is a straightforward model from the 1980s. As classic as they come, you know exactly what you are going to get. The model has probably been used by most of the great guitarists at some point during their careers. The pot is a bit scratchy but I can’t bear to replace it, so it’s still original.

Feature: 1980s Dunlop Original Cry Baby GCB-95 Wah

1970s Electro-Harmonix Switch Blade Channel Selector – Strictly this is not an effect, just an A‑B switch. Another ‘no bones’ pedal with nothing much inside the box. It has one input and two outputs (or vice versa if you wish). Not massively useful or flexible but it does what it needs to do in a simple set up. Typical 1970s EHX styling to boot.

Feature: 1970s Electro-Harmonix Switch Blade Channel Selector

1981 Ibanez CP-835 Compressor II – A pedal in the classic ‘square switch’ ‘0’‑series Ibanez effect pedal series (as is the most desirable TS‑808 Tube Screamer). The CD‑835 (catchy name, that. Not) is a perfectly capable pedalboard compressor. I still prefer the basic MXR Dyna Comp but this one will appeal to others. This one comes with its original box and documentation.

Feature: 1981 Ibanez CP-835 Compressor II

1984 Ibanez SM9 Super Metal – Part of Ibanez’s ‘9’‑series, the SM9 is a massively beefed up Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer but without the reputation of the latter, so it is a bit of a dark horse. Much more flexible and with a greater range of sounds available. It is a bit fiddly to recreate just the right tone but it is worth the effort involved in getting it tuned in. How far do you want to go? Pretty colour too.

Feature: 1984 Ibanez SM9 Super Metal

1989 Marshall The Guv’nor – Way, way before the current fad of putting a guitar pre‑amp on a pedal board, Marshall basically came up with the idea back in the 1980s. For those wanting classic Marshall tones without a 100W head and two 4×12 cabs stacked as they should be, there is The Guv’nor. For a large box full of transistors, rather than baking hot valves, it does an impressive job. Not necessarily accurate but great distortion on tap nevertheless. This is the original ‘Made in England’ version, complete with its box.

Feature: 1989 Marshall The Guv’nor

There you have it, a brief rundown of 3 years’ collecting cool and rare vintage guitar gear in the background. Not a great deal to show for 36 months in terms of quantity but a nice range of quality. I am completely out of both storage space and funds, so any progress will be slow and steady for a while.

CRAVE Guitars’ website

The superficial sheen of the website hasn’t really changed much at all. However, there are technical changes beneath the surface that will hopefully keep it up‑to‑date and relevant. I’m no techno whizz, so CRAVE Guitars doesn’t appear on the prized ‘first page of Google’. Still, seeing as it is not a commercial enterprise, I’m not overly bothered. Overall viewing figures though have continued to increase year‑on‑year over the last seven years, even through the hiatus, which is a promising sign.

The web site’s beneath‑the‑radar positioning hasn’t stopped all the typical spammers inundating CRAVE’s e‑mail box with the usual promotional BS. It is absolutely clear that they don’t do their research, so every single one them gets summarily blocked and deleted without exception. I do, however, welcome genuine communications via the website, so long as they are sincere.

The biggest ‘news’ on the website is the addition of the all‑new CRAVE Basses pages. The web site originally started out just as CRAVE Guitars almost a decade ago now. Then it expanded to include CRAVE Effects and CRAVE Amps a few years ago, so CRAVE Basses is a logical extension. Even though I’m primarily a guitarist, I like the occasional dabble with the lower frequencies. The new sections of the website include features on CRAVE’s four vintage basses, as well as additions to the galleries.

The two ‘new’ CRAVE Basses covered above join a pair of existing vintage basses that I’ve owned since the 1970s…

1977 Fender Precision Fretless

Feature: 1977 Fender Precision Fretless

1978 Music Man Stingray Bass

Feature: 1978 Music Man Stingray Bass

Before Covid, the number of visitors to the site was steadily increasing and reaching peaks that I could only have dreamt about when I started. During Covid, things slowed dramatically, indicating that people, rightfully, had other things on their minds. This slow‑down was mirrored by consumer’s overall demand in the music equipment industry. Even after Covid, things have been slow. The so‑called cost‑of‑living‑crisis (thanks Putin et al), especially in the UK has hit most people (including me) hard and visits dropped right down to pre‑2020 levels. Other priorities rightly prevailed once again. Despite being generally subdued, visits seem to be gradually increasing again but it is way too early to call it a trend.

I actually have quite a bit more content already written for the site that I will get around to publishing at some point. It’s not super critical but it seems a shame not to use it.

CRAVE Guitars’ (un)social media

I really don’t have the resilience to return to social media to the same level as in the past. However, CRAVE Guitars is posting things irregularly on Musky old X (ex‑Twatter), Facebook and LinkedIn. I can’t respond to messages but I do review them every so often. That will have to do for now. My engagement with social media is not negotiable for now.

CRAVE Guitars’ database

There is not really a great deal to say about this other than I use it to catalogue all of CRAVE’s vintage guitars in some detail. In the case of catastrophe such as fire, flood, theft, cat, etc., at least the information should be safe and sound. A copy is saved in the cloud just in case the laptop goes the same way.

Brand augmentation

No, I’m not getting bigger brands for all you fetishists out there. CRAVE Guitars has been around since 2007. The short name is OK but it isn’t specific enough to identify that vintage guitars are the focus of the ‘brand’. The full name of CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars is certainly specific enough although it is a bit of a mouthful when it comes to everyday use. Internet SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) also has some difficulty placing the CRAVE Guitars brand in the vintage guitar category. Type ‘CRAVE guitars’ into a search engine and the site appears straight away. Type in ‘vintage guitars’ and the site may eventually appear plenty of pages down.

So… In addition to the established short and full names used above, I will also be using the name CRAVE Vintage Guitars to help searchers and visitors to get a better understanding of what this strange entity is all about. It is a small but important change. It will take search engines a while to pick up on it but it might help people find the site. Future CRAVE Guitars merchandise is also likely to carry the updated branding as and when needed. As ‘they’ say, it does what it says on the tin (apart from the amps, effects and basses of course. Doh!).

Musical history update

It’s a while since the 14‑part CRAVE Guitars’ series of articles, ‘The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts’, culminated in May 2020. Sadly, we have lost far too many great music people since I published the last of the ‘Facts’ just 2½ years ago.

The inevitability of life is that it ends. RIP great men and women. This list picks up from where that last article on the subject left off. Here are just a few of them.

Day	Month	Year	Music Fact
4	June	2020	English bass guitarist, singer and founding member of glam pop/rock band The Sweet, Steve Priest died at the age of 72.
18	June	2020	English singer, songwriter and entertainer, nicknamed ‘The Forces’ Sweetheart’ during WWII, Dame Vera Lynn died at the age of 103.
6	July	2020	Italian composer, conductor and musician, who wrote hundreds of cinema and television scores, Ennio Morricone died of complications after breaking a leg in Rome at the age of 91.
13	January	2021	American guitarist with rock band New York Dolls, Sylvain Sylvain, died after a two-and-a-half year battle with cancer in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 69.
17	February	2021	Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of reggae ‘toasting’ U‑Roy (Ewart Beckford) died from complications following surgery in Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 78.
2	March	2021	Jamaican singer, songwriter, percussionist and original member of The Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer died from complications following a stroke in Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 73.
28	July	2021	American bass guitarist and long-term member of southern blues/rock band ZZ Top, Dusty Hill died at his home in Houston, Texas, at the age of 72.
13	August	2021	Celebrated American folk singer, guitarist, and songwriter Nanci Griffith died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 68.
24	August	2021	English drummer with rock band the Rolling Stones for over five decades, Charlie Watts died in hospital in London at the age of 80.
29	August	2021	Legendary Jamaican reggae and dub producer and recording artist, Lee “Scratch” Perry died of an undisclosed illness in hospital in Lucea, Jamaica at the age of 85.
26	September	2021	English bass guitarist and founding member of pop/rock band Status Quo from 1967-1985, Alan Lancaster died from complications of multiple sclerosis in Sydney, Australia at the age of 72.
8	December	2021	Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, Robbie Shakespeare, best known as half of the reggae duo Sly & Robbie, died following kidney surgery in Miami, Florida at the age of 68.
10	December	2021	American singer, guitarist and songwriter with TV pop band, the Monkees, Michael Nesmith died from heart failure at his home in Carmel Valley, California at the age of 78.
7	January	2022	Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and producer for Motown Records, R. Dean Taylor died at his home having contracted COVID‑19 (coronavirus) at the age of 82.
9	January	2022	American jazz and R&B musician, songwriter, producer, and radio personality James Mtume died in South Orange, New Jersey at the age of 76.
12	January	2022	American singer, co-founder and member the Ronettes, nicknamed the ‘bad girl of rock and roll’, Ronnie Spector died from cancer in Danbury, Connecticut at the age of 78.
20	January	2022	American singer and actor Michael Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf, died from Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome in Nashville at the age of 74.
19	February	2022	English singer/songwriter, keyboard player and founder of the rock band Procol Harum, Gary Brooker MBE died from cancer at his home in Surrey at the age of 76.
22	February	2022	American singer/songwriter who worked with Isobel Campbell and Queens Of The Stone Age, in addition to a lengthy solo career, Mark Lanegan died at his home in Killarney, Kerry, Ireland at the age of 57.
25	March	2022	American rock drummer of the Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins died of heart failure probably caused by a drug overdose in a hotel in Bogota, Colombia at the age of 50.
4	April	2022	American guitarist and member of Motown Records’ in‑house studio band, the Funk Brothers, Joe Messina died from kidney disease in Northville, Michigan at the age of 93.
26	April	2022	German electronic music innovator, producer, composer and former member of krautrock band Tangerine Dream, as well as solo artist, Klaus Schulze died following a long illness at the age of 74.
17	May	2022	Academy Award-winning Greek musician, composer and producer Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, better known as Vangelis died of heart failure in Paris at the age of 79.
26	May	2022	English keyboard player, DJ and founding member of electronica band Depeche Mode, Andrew Fletcher died of an aortic dissection at his home at the age of 60.
9	June	2022	American singer known for her collaborations with film director David Lynch, Julee Cruise committed suicide in Pittsfield, Massachusetts at the age of 65.
8	August	2022	British Australian singer and actress Olivia Newton-John died from breast cancer in Santa Ynez Valley, California at the age of 73.
28	September	2022	American rapper Artis Leon Ivey Jr., a.k.a. Coolio died from a heart attack caused by a drug overdose in Los Angeles, California at the age of 59.
4	October	2022	Highly acclaimed American country music singer and songwriter Loretta Lynn died from natural causes in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee at the age of 90.
28	October	2022	American rock ‘n’ roll pianist singer and songwriter, Jerry Lee Lewis died from natural causes in DeSoto County, Mississippi at the age of 87.
10	November	2022	English musician and key member of space rock band Hawkwind, Nik Turner died from unknown causes at the age of 82.
21	November	2022	English guitarist, singer, songwriter and one‑time member of pub rock band Dr. Feelgood, Wilko Johnson died from pancreatic cancer in Southend‑on‑Sea, England at the age of 75.
30	November	2022	English musician, singer and member of Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie died of Ischemic stroke and metastatic cancer in London, England at the age of 79.
4	December	2022	German musician, composer, member of Ash Ra Tempel and solo artist, Manuel Göttsching died from natural causes in Berlin at the age of 70.
11	December	2022	Acclaimed American composer of film and TV scores, Angelo Badalamenti died from natural causes in Lincoln Park, New Jersey at the age of 85.
18	December	2022	English musician, singer and member of The Specials and Fun Boy Three, Terry Hall died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.
23	December	2022	British musician, rapper, singer, songwriter and DJ, front man of electronic band Faithless, Maxi Jazz (Maxwell Fraser) died from undisclosed causes in London England at the age of 65.
10	January	2023	English virtuoso guitarist and former member of the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck died from bacterial meningitis in East Sussex, England at the age of 78.
18	January	2023	Legendary American guitarist and singer, member of The Byrds and CSNY, David Crosby died from COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Santa Ynez, California at the age of 81.
28	January	2023	American singer, songwriter and guitarist with alternative rock band Television, Tom Verlaine died from prostate cancer in Manhattan, NYC at the age of 73.
8	March	2023	Legendary American composer, songwriter, producer and pianist, Burt Bacharach died from natural causes in Los Angeles, California at the age of 94,
5	March	2023	American guitarist and founding member of southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Rossington died from undisclosed causes in Milton, Georgia, USA, at the age of 71.
12	April	2023	Influential Jamaican dub reggae sound system and record label owner, renowned for his work in London, Jah Shaka died at the age of 75.
1	May	2023	Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist Gordon Lightfoot died from natural causes in Toronto at the age of 84.
24	May	2023	English bass player and member of post‑punk alternative rock band The Smiths, Andy Rourke died from pancreatic cancer in New York City at the age of 59.
25	May	2023	The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, American singer, songwriter and actress Tina Turner died after a long illness in Küsnacht, Switzerland at the age of 83.
6	June	2023	English guitarist, singer and founder of blues/rock band Groundhogs, Tony McPhee died from complications after a fall and a stroke at the age of 79.
20	June	2023	English guitarist with rock group The Pop Group, John Waddington died from undisclosed causes at the age of 63.
21	July	2023	Legendary American jazz and popular music crooner Tony Bennett died from Alzheimer’s disease in New York City at the age of 96.
26	July	2023	American musician, singer, songwriter, and founding member of the Eagles, Randy Meisner died from COPD in Los Angeles, California at the age of 77.
26	July	2023	Irish singer, songwriter and activist Sinéad O’Connor died from unknown causes in London, England at the age of 56.
9	August	2023	Canadian musician and guitarist for Bob Dylan and The Band, Robbie Robertson died from prostate cancer in Los Angeles, California at the age of 80.
24	August	2023	Renowned English rock guitarist with Whitesnake and UFO, Bernie Marsden died from bacterial meningitis at the age of 72.
27	August	2023	American musician best known for being one half of electronica duo Stars Of The Lid, Brian McBride died from undisclosed causes at the age of 53.
13	September	2023	British singer, songwriter and musician Roger Whittaker died from a stroke in France at the age of 87.
30	November	2023	British‑born Irish singer, songwriter, musician and frontman with Celtic punk rock band the Pogues, Shane MacGowan died from pneumonia and encephalitis in Dublin, Ireland at the age of 65.
5	December	2023	English guitarist and founding member of The Moody Blues and Wings, Denny Laine died from lung disease at the age of 79.

Music industry opinion

A lot has (or rather hasn’t) happened in the music industry over the 3 years since CRAVE Guitars suspended its main activities. First, there was the hangover from global economic recession/depression, then the coronageddon, then the cataclysmic geopolitical conflicts adversely affecting far too many innocent peoples around the globe. At best, the music industry at all levels could only hope to hold its own.

In reality, it has been a tumultuous few years, to say the least. Everyone from equipment manufacturers (including their supply chains), venues, artists, music recording and distribution, publicity and management have been hit hard. Every conceivable facet of the market has been decimated. While I haven’t been able to keep up with events in the industry as I normally would have done, it is clear that things are only now just beginning to get back to 2019 levels.

Who would have predicted three years ago, for instance, that British amp stalwart Marshall would have been acquired by the Swedish digital music company, Zound Industries. A sign of the times, I guess.

Strategically, it has been a nightmare where even the best scenario planning has failed to predict wildly off kilter outcomes. Vintage guitar prices seem to have kept up as the super‑rich collectors are basically unaffected by economic blips that are savage to the rest of us. I know that I am paying more now than I would have done in 2019 for the same thing. While I am not economically motivated and CRAVE Vintage Guitars is a non‑profit enterprise, it is a relief that the 3‑year hiatus hasn’t totally wiped out the value of CRAVE Guitars’ precious artefacts.

It will take a long time for things to settle down and start to grow again. It will be a challenge for everyone involved for some time to come. The last three years haven’t signalled the death throes of the guitar music community. Yet. It has, however been badly wounded, let us hope not mortally so.

The guitar book

A while back, I was contacted out of the blue by a book publisher wanting to use one of CRAVE Guitars’ vintage guitars in their author’s new book on the subject. After a bit of formal toing‑and‑froing, it all went ahead and the book was published earlier this year. I was happy to do this for no commercial gain and the only reward was a shiny copy of the final print version and a credit in the acknowledgement section. While it won’t make CRAVE Guitars famous, I am quite proud of this minor morsel of exposure and recognition.

The book in question is, ‘Guitar: The Shape Of Sound – 100 Iconic Designs’ by author Ultan Guilfoyle, published by Phaidon Press (ISBN: 978 183866 558 6) (2023).

Link: ‘Guitar: The Shape Of Sound – 100 Iconic Designs’

Phaidon – Guitar The Shape Of Sound (2023)

The vintage guitar that was featured in the book is my lovely 1974 Ovation Breadwinner 1251 (see page 204‑205).

The pulp novel

As you may know, I have been writing on and off for some time, going back to the dim dark origins of CRAVE Guitars back in 2007. The main examples of this are the web site features and monthly articles on the CRAVE Guitars website over the last 9‑10 years or so, as well as the usual social media activity.

Very recently, I felt an irresistible urge to write a fiction novel. Its status is currently work‑in‑progress. It will be called, ‘The Distortion Diaries’ (remember, you read it here first). It started out as an amateur musician’s journal but the early content was clichéd, derivative and, frankly, very dull. It also wouldn’t fill a novel. So, I expanded the story to include a broader variety of situations and characters. The result will be, believe this or not, an eroti‑rom‑com with PARENTAL ADVISORY for Explicit Content. Even then, it isn’t at all what you might think or expect. Heck, how it turned out surprised me too! I don’t know if anyone will ever get to read it. It doesn’t matter. It is something creative that I had to do for myself. It isn’t good enough for a publisher to pick up and I have absolutely nil experience of self‑publishing, so it might never see the light of day. I have considered serialising it through the CRAVE Musings (i.e. the monthly blog articles) but I’m not sure the public is ready for some lovey‑dovey smut‑ridden muso pulp on a vintage guitar website though. The novel may end up just an aborted, ill‑advised, folly of an average superego’s gratuitous self‑indulgence. Thoughts on a postcard please.

Whether anything comes of this probably pointless fictional venture, I have no idea but it’s been addictive and fun to come up with something non‑factual for a change. And, no, it isn’t autobiographical, just in case you were wondering. Nor is it aspirational. Sadly, seeing as the protagonist has a ‘good time’ on the whole. Lucky git.

In truth, I would actually like to try and self‑publish the novel but I have no idea whatsoever about how to go about such an endeavour, so it will probably languish in long‑lasting literary limbo (stop it with the alliteration, already!).

New 2023 albums

As it’s the time of year for lists, here is a breakdown of 2023 album releases acquired during the year. As usual, these aren’t the only albums bought and neither will they be the only 2023 albums over time. Here are this year’s 33 purchases:

100 gecs – 10,000 gecs
Alborosie – Shengen Dub/Embryonic Dub
Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
The Chemical Brothers – For That Beautiful Feeling
Creation Rebel – Hostile Environment
The Cure – Black Sessions: Maison De La Radio Paris 2004 (live broadcast)
Depeche Mode – Memento Mori
Don Letts – Outta Sync
Dub Pistols – Frontline
Everything But The Girl – Fuse
Fred Again.. & Brian Eno – Secret Life
Gentleman’s Dub Club – On A Mission…
Hollie Cook – Happy Hour In Dub
James Holden – Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities
King Krule – Space Heavy
King Tubby & The Observer All Stars – Dubbing With The Observer
Kurt Vile – Back To Moon Beach
Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Laurel Halo – Atlas
Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We
The Murder Capital – Gigi’s Recovery
The Orb – Metallic Spheres In Colour (Feat. David Gilmour)
The Orb – Prism
Orbital – Optical Delusion
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Land Of Sleeper
Queens Of The Stone Age – In Times New Roman…
Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds
Skindred – Smile
Sleaford Mods – UK GRIM
Slowdive – Everything Is Alive
Steve Hillage – LA Forum 31.1.77 (live)
X‑Press 2 – Thee
Yeule – Softscars

Is there a favourite 2023 album out of that lot? Well, I keep coming back to British alternative/indie shoegaze/dream pop band, Slowdive and ‘Everything Is Alive’ more than once, so that’s a fair choice at the time of writing. The big disappointment was Don Letts’ ‘Outta Sync’. Sadly. It comprises many well-crafted pop songs but very little of what I, and I think many others, hoped for in the way of heavy dub reggae tracks.

An even bigger disappointment for me was what didn’t appear. The Cure had hinted that their first studio album since 2008’s ‘4:13 Dream’, heralded as, ‘Songs Of A Lost World’ would be released in 2022. It was notable by its absence and many enthusiasts were hoping that it would finally see the light of day in 2023. The band tempted fans by playing several of the new tracks during their live concerts during the year. However, still nothing tangible has appeared on record store shelves. Let’s hope Robert Smith & co. get around to letting us hear it in 2024. Sixteen years is a long time to wait for new material. C’mon Bob, don’t keep us waiting any longer.

Note: I haven’t gone back to cover 2020, 2021 and 2022 lists of those year’s album releases, as this article would become just a loooooong list.

Whazzup for CRAVE Guitars in 2024?

Before Covid, I used to include at the end of the ‘review of the year’, a shortlist of vintage guitar gear that I might try to acquire in the subsequent 12‑month period. Rarely were the predictions spot on, or even close. Given CRAVE Guitars’ limited activity, space and funds, there is little point in speculating other than in very broad terms.

While there is always a long list of ‘most wanted’ guitars, it’s unlikely to expand significantly in 2024. I am actually generally relatively content with my lot. For now. I am sure that GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) will strike again at some point.

Having launched CRAVE Basses in 2023, there are only four vintage bass guitars in the ‘collection’ thus far. There are a few I might be interested in looking for and which may improve diversity in this area.

There are no intentions for ‘new’ CRAVE Amps at the moment. But that can change, depending on opportunity.

I am also keeping an eye open for some interesting vintage stomp boxes for CRAVE Effects but it really depends on whether anything crops up at a reasonable market price.

The overall result is that there are no specific ambitions for 2024. Next year’s annual review will probably be very short and very dull! I have learned from past experience that predictions aren’t a good idea. Not only are they over‑ambitious but also they end up way wide of the mark. So, I will take things as they come and await any surprises with great anticipation. That sounds like it might be a bit more fun than reporting on yet another failed plan.

CRAVE Guitars ‘Record(s) of the Month’

It seems that this might become a regular feature. I listen to a lot of music (see last month’s article, ‘Music Machinations’ – November 2023). There are some albums that tend to stand out from the rest. There is no rhyme or reason why they do, they just do. Over the last month, I just can’t split two albums, which I’ve been enjoying amongst all the other great material out there. They both come under the general genre category of instrumental ‘stoner rock’ but that downplays their appeal. So, on account of there being SO much great music to discover, I’m going for the plural of ‘Record’ for December 2023. Let’s just call that extra little ‘(s)’ a Christmas/New Year treat for y’all. Enjoy

Eternal Tapestry – Beyond The 4th Door (2011) – First up is this strange thing of beauty. Eternal Tapestry is an American psych rock band based in Portland, Oregon. It may not be regarded by some as their best but it was their first ‘proper’ record label release, after several previous albums. It isn’t heavy. It sounds like a group of friends getting together for a jam session. To get that right is a LOT harder than people think. It is atmospheric, dreamy and so far out of this world that it leaves the sordid real world truly out of sight. Good. laid back, hypnotic, immersive, psychedelic and otherworldly experience.

My Sleeping Karma – Soma (2012) – Not the same as Eternal Tapestry but not too far off either. My Sleeping Karma is a German psych rock band from Aschaffenburg, Bayern and ‘Soma’ is their 4^th studio album. The tracks are long, intentionally repetitive and with a gentle groove. It’s not quite an impromptu jam session but it has a distinctive psychedelic undercurrent that can be great for zoning out. I prefer this to other MSK studio albums, as it has a bit more variety within the confines of its moody origins. Emotional krautrock. Who’da thought?

Tailpiece

Good riddance to 2023. Funny (not) how I seem destined to repeat that same dreary sentiment every year. Ever hopeful and optimistically deluded, I have to remain confident that 2024 will be a bit better. Any improvement will be eagerly grasped. A new year, new opportunities.

My naïve wish and hope for 2024? Listen up all humans! Stop destroying our planet and stop killing each other. Then put all that wasted money to good use making a peaceful, sustainable civilisation, fare and just for all. A pipe dream, maybe, but one has to dream.

As far as articles for 2024 are concerned, I have a couple of ideas gestating, although nothing firmed up at this stage, Watch this space folks. Tune in, same time, same channel, next month. In the meantime, I wish you all a Happy New Year. Be good.

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “The best thing in life is freedom”

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28 Aug 2016

August 2016 – Guitars Are Everywhere

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: Observations, Opinion | 0

The CRAVE Guitars web site is intentionally a serious place. Its mission is clear – to bring you “the coolest American vintage electric guitars from the biggest guitar companies on the planet”. What constitutes ‘cool’ is obviously for each of us as individuals to judge – one person’s love affair is another’s anathema and so on. A pervious article covered ‘A Matter Of Personal Taste’ (April 2016), so I won’t revisit that debate other than to say that the instantaneous gratification of ‘love at first sight’ can often obscure the deeper and sometimes (?!) more rewarding, meaningful relationship that can develop with ‘ugly duckling’ guitars over time. The same goes for people, apparently! However, as usual, I digress; let’s reset the starting point…

The CRAVE Guitars web site is intentionally a serious place. Its mission… you get the idea. There is a point coming, honestly, please bear with me. The main web site is a window into CRAVE’s ‘collection’ of guitars, amps and effects, and it is presented with a respectable reverence for the subject matter. If some guitars aren’t significant now, they may be one day and I’m just looking after some of them on their long journey that will probably outlast me.

As a full time slave to ‘the man’, I only have time when I’m not working to write one article a month at the moment and these are generally verbose monologues like this one (sorry about that), which attempt to look beyond the feeble façade of visual adoration and the abhorrent avarice of economic exclusivity.

In addition to the dedicated web site, CRAVE Guitars also has some social media channels that look at other aspects of ‘the guitar life’, for instance Tumblr looks at guitar brands and I hope to extend this sometime. Instagram shows ‘rose tinted’ imagery of CRAVE’s guitars, Pinterest and Flickr are essentially the gallery of CRAVE’s guitars. YouTube is an area where I want to expand considerably if I ever get the time. Most of these pages change their content infrequently. LinkedIn gets a new ‘quote of the day’ every day, either from musicians or people who think deeply about the human condition.

That leaves Twitter, Facebook and Google+. These 3 are my childish ‘playground’ for everything guitar-related. The thing is, in order to stay sane in our increasingly mean and nasty world, humour and positivity are vital ingredients, as is a strong vein of irreverence (and occasional mischievous iconoclasm) for the topical. On Twitter, which drives CRAVE’s daily commentary, there are no ‘sacred cows’ where guitars are concerned. The discipline of Twitter’s brevity and rapid throughput is, I find, actually a great liberator. If anyone looks at CRAVE Guitars’ Twitter feed, you’ll know that I try and do something different every day, which in itself can be a challenge. To me, there’s nothing duller on social media than rampant repetition. The way I try to ‘keep it real’ is to create ephemeral ‘themes of the day’, which look at guitars and other stuff from all sorts of angles, ranging from the serious to stuff that is completely off the planet. It really doesn’t matter on Twitter et al. One follower generously tweeted recently, “You guys put out some amazing stuff! :-)”, so I guess I’m doing something right.

Once the strategy was set, the question of how to keep material varied and ‘fresh’ came up. Actually, it has proved quite easy, although time-consuming doing the research required. It has been fun creating new themes, finding relevant images and writing the supporting narrative in just 116 characters (140 less image/link). What it demonstrated to me – ah-ha! Finally, the point!!! (Ed) – is that ‘Guitars Are Everywhere’. I didn’t comprehend just how pervasive they are; pretty much wherever you look and whatever you listen to. The inspiration conjured up by this one simple instrument, either directly or indirectly, permeates the very fabric of our society in a way that surprised me and in a way that very few other manmade objects seem to do. Whichever way you turn, a quick look under the surface reveals that there is a fundamental human connection with this humble little music-making device.

I can’t and won’t try to explain why this penetration into our psyche may have come about or why it should be so strong. There are probably some learned academic papers somewhere that explore this enduring phenomenon. I’m certain that there is a fascinating psychological study in there somewhere, perhaps around attachment theory. My naïve perspective is that successive cultures in some way relate to the guitar’s particular characteristics and guitars, in turn, adapt to the prevailing zeitgeist in a way that no other instrument seems able to emulate. My subjective amateur observations, not reinforced by empirical evidence I hasten to add, appear to support this crude hypothesis.

As a result, the guitar has enabled me to post thousands of Tweets so far and there is no sign of this letting up. I have many guitar-related themes in reserve, all ready to use when it feels right to do so. Currently, the ones that have been used can only be uncovered by wading through the backlog of Tweets, which isn’t very user-friendly. Maybe, I’ll start expanding these themes into the other, currently under-utilised, social media channels when I can get around to it. For me, it means that I have plenty of diverse material already researched for months of daily Tweets and I still think of new themes regularly, ranging from the sublime to ridiculous. Planned themes don’t include topical events that come up as part of going about our daily lives. Still variety is supposedly the spice of life. It’s certainly keeping me on my creative toes. Hopefully, amongst it all, there is some idle amusement for spectators, including some loyal followers (who’d have thunk!). HUGE thanks to anyone who takes even the slightest interest in CRAVE’s frankly flippant social media output.

Now, it may be that by revealing this little ‘secret’ to the world that others will commandeer my ideas for their own purposes. Well, in the spirit of sharing, I’m not precious about what I do and the more that the online community participates the better. For instance, I’m only tapping into the vast Internet resources that are already out there and applying some structure to it for my own purposes, so there is no way that I could legitimately claim this as my territory. Having said that, CRAVE Guitars is growing a modest online reputation, so perhaps there is a latent mine of interest to be tapped.

Hopefully, sharing these tiny titbits of transient titillation entertain a few similarly minded souls out there on the global hinterwebthingummy. Sometimes, my Tweets are intended as an essential distraction from the evil ghastliness that seems to saturate our so‑called ‘civilised’ modern world. Using puerile humour when things look bleak and desperate may be seen as trivial. However, the intention is worthy and there is an undercurrent of hope for a better world (it’s the ‘hippy’ in me, I guess). Manipulative? Possibly. ”Peace begins with a smile”, as Mother Theresa once wisely pronounced; something we can all surely promulgate at no cost and very little effort. Go on, try it – we can make a difference. Or perhaps I’m just another guitar-obsessed weirdo, deluded at the thought that we should all try and co-exist in harmony! Buddha rightly observed, “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace”.

All these things in combination may go some way to justifying why the guitar has become the world’s favourite musical instrument and, getting back to the title of this article, why ‘Guitars Are Everywhere’. Like the influence it has bestowed, it doesn’t seem that guitars are going anywhere anytime soon. Let’s face it, guitars, or rather their distant progenitors, have been around in one form or another for thousands of years, albeit in varied and unrefined forms. Despite appearances of being quite conservative, guitars continuously adjust to trend; for example, see my article, ‘What Does the (Digital) Future Hold?’ (June 2016 ) for a glimpse of the (conceivable) future.

It is possibly worth remembering at this particular juncture that guitars are not just objects to be disseminated for purely fashionable purposes; they have a very real and crucially important purpose, which is to enable people to make music. Music is undoubtedly a powerful remedy for our emotional and spiritual well-being and its healing properties are often underestimated. Whether the music/noise we guitarists generate pleases others who (are forced to) listen to it is another matter. Playing and listening to music can definitely be therapeutic and cathartic in an increasingly mad, mad world. At any rate, it has to be better than brandishing lethal weapons on each other.

Anyway, I’ve got to go, I’ve just thought of a new guitar-related Twitter theme that needs exploring – you know where to look – or follow the links at the bottom of any CRAVE Guitars web page. Alternatively just search the popular Social Media sites for CRAVE Guitars and see what pops up.

Remember, ‘Guitars Are Everywhere’! Resistance is futile. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars ‘Music Quote of the Month’: “Music affects us in a very basic way that we don’t fully understand. Thankfully!”

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