Hello From Tom D. in Brooklyn

Whistle
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Hello C & F Folks:

Well, as I look out off my balcony, I see that large numbers of young folks are being arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge. (‘takin’ it to the streets.’ Seems like old times, for sure.) My heart goes out to the young uns’ today, whose prospects are not as bright as those us old geezers (once called Baby Boomers) took for granted when we were comin’ up..

I am alive and well here in NYC and looking forward to retiring early next year if all goes well. Been fairly far afield from the music that brought me to C & F–more accurately, from the music that C & F helped bring me to. Been dabbling in that there Rock and Roll–child of the sixties in his sixties, as it were. Have made a few stabs at strings by means of a neat 1929/1930 (?) Regal Tenor Guitar that Brother Ed rehabbed and set up for me as well as a Columbian Tiple, currently set up as an 8-string Mando-Git. Makes a heck of a sound that will probably improve if I can learn to play it. Before and After photos of the Regal resurrection can be found on Ed’s website: eddowling.com The photo essays of the guitar ‘resurrections’ are just short of amazing (See the Guitar Repair tab.)

He’s out there in Arid Zona, perfecting his technophonc guitars and bringing old stringed instruments back to life. He cajoled some local musicians into demo’ing the new Techno’s. They are some pretty fine instruments and are handled to good effect on these three clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mVFEBShZWk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn9E32molSg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBXcglunjvc&feature=related

Any-Who, I was looking through my collection of whistles and realized I have a few beauties that I simply do not play much, either because the material I am mangling does not call for that key whistle or I have another in that key with which I am more comfortable. One of the finer instruments is a like new Fred Rose African Blackwood with what look to be gold plated fittings/rings. It has a really nice ‘hard shell soft finish’ holster type case that is better shown in a photo than described by me. Another fine instrument that I do not get to often enough is a fine Michael Burke Low E-Flat with the optional adjustable (turnable) piece for the third finger of the right hand–the E-Flat note hole. I would prefer to not put these items up on E-Bay and do not seek to get any more for them than I paid. Since the Burke is readily available from its fine maker, the only incentive I can offer to a potential buyer would be to knock off a few bucks and/or eat the shipping. I paid, I believe, $325.00 for the Fred Rose and it is worth every penny. I have no idea if they are still being made or, if they are, what the waiting list is.

If anyone is interested, drop me an e-mail at tomdowl@aol.com.
(PS: I’ve got a new keyboard and the typed product makes it appear that I am semi-literate. Similarly, the page I am typing on keeps scrolling uip, so I am typing ‘in the dark.’ Forgive the typos.

Be Well and Let me know if you are interested in either of the whistles. Better yet, just check out Ed’s website and videos and I’ll keep the whistles!!

Sure is good to be back!!

Tom D.
http://www.myspace.com/kensingtontwostep

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Hey Tom-- nice to see you back. Stick around.

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Hi Tom; welcome back and glad to see you’ve branched out to guitar as you smooth the way to retirement. We are now up in Hudson and loving it. Good to hear from you; give us a holler if you’re in this neck of the woods. Best,

Philo

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Hello Paul and Phil:

It is great to be back in touch. Where does the time go? I hope and trust that all is well with you and yours.

If I have my upstate geography right, you gentlemen are now in relatively close proximity to each other. I will send you guys a link to a YOUTUBE video of the Old Gray(er) Ghost and his cohorts playing at The Matchless Bar last Saturday Night. There is very little that matches that feeling of stark terror that sets in just before the opening number. Indeed, retirement beckons and, as Captain Jack Aubrey would say, it will be a ‘close run thing’ for me to finish some heavy duty projects by my target date of mid-January.

Be Well,

Tom D.

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Great to see you back, Tom!
Nice to see that your brother is still advancing the design of his guitars.
After getting together with some old friends this past Independence Day, I was inspired to drag out my old guitars and start playing again.
I never was very good at it, and I’ve forgotten much of what I knew, but it’s still fun.
Take care, and hope to see you on here more frequently!

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Hello Gary:

Indeed, good to check back in. I still use that fine D/C Combo whistle of yours. My recollection–ever dimming, at that, is that I got it from Philo with the D body and subsequently acquired the C body separately from you. Indeed, a fine whistle.

For sure, in my case, taking up strings at the (then) age of 63 is either a bold or foolhardy undertaking. The preponderance of the evidence is not on the bold side of that equation

Be Well,

Tom D.