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Celery Man

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RIP Ray Hennig gone at 91. Spend a lot of time in his stores, got my first electric guitar there, as did tons of others.

Central Texas man known as ‘Godfather’ of Texas music stores dies at 91

 
Ray Hennig, who gave legendary Texas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan the 1959 Fender Stratocaster that helped propel Vaughan to international fame, has died at the age of 91. (Courtesy photo)
By Staff |  Posted: Fri 2:00 PM, May 01, 2020  |  Updated: Fri 2:23 PM, May 01, 2020 WACO, Texas (KWTX) Ray Hennig, who gave legendary Texas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan the 1959 Fender Stratocaster that helped propel Vaughan to international fame, has died at the age of 91.
Hennig, a Coryell County native, died Thursday in Austin of natural causes, his son, Steve, said.
Hennig, who got into the music business because of his son’s interest in learning to play the guitar, opened Ray Hennig’s Heart of Texas Music in the late 1960s at 3118 Franklin Ave. in Waco and operated it for 45 years.
He also opened stores in Temple and Austin, where he worked with such musicians as Willie Nelson, Eric Johnson, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, Christopher Cross, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
But the encounter with Vaughan was a defining moment in his career.
“Dad was a very big part of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s life,” Steve Hennig said Friday.
“He gave him that No. 1 guitar.”
Vaughan, who dubbed the guitar “Number One,” later said the instrument led him in “new creative directions.”
Vaughan was playing that guitar when he and his band, Double Trouble, performed in 1982 at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Their set led to a record contract and recognition that stretched well beyond Texas.
"He reduced the stage to a pile of smoking cinders and, afterward, everyone wanted to know who he was," People magazine’s James McBride wrote.
Vaughan died on Aug. 27, 1990 in a helicopter crash after performing in Wisconsin.
The guitar has been featured in various exhibits including two at the Bob Bullock Museum in Austin.
No services are planned, but a celebration of Hennig’s life will be scheduled after concerns about the coronavirus outbreak ebb.

 
 


I’m still sad the store is gone. That was my go to guitar shop. I took my orange Gretsch 6120N there for a small repair and he talked at me for a bit while he fiddled with and and waved me off when I asked for the bill.
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17 hours ago, Scooter Monzingo said:

I have a somewhat unpopular take on first guitars. Unlike most I bought the very best I could afford. I rationalized that if I failed to learn I had a better chance of getting my money back if I wanted to sell it. I use this same philosophy with cameras, cars or watches. So yeah, the upfront money is problematic. But, if you have something good, someone will want it

I purchased my first (and only so far) guitar last spring.  It's a Taylor 317e.  I also tend to look for quality when I make purchases.  I'm not saying that less expensive guitars aren't quality but there was something about THAT guitar when I was making my choice.  A year later I'm still very happy with it.

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18 hours ago, Scooter Monzingo said:

I rationalized that if I failed to learn I had a better chance of getting my money back if I wanted to sell it. I use this same philosophy with cameras, cars or watches.

Did you ever end up learning to tell time?

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I’m still sad the store is gone. That was my go to guitar shop. I took my orange Gretsch 6120N there for a small repair and he talked at me for a bit while he fiddled with and and waved me off when I asked for the bill.

My guy does this. I won’t let him take nothing. If I have to I’ll fold a $20 and just leave it on his counter when I walk out.
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Oh on the first guitar thing - I wouldn’t recommend one of the small acoustics unless you need it for size (kid or travel or something).  A full size acoustic will sound nicer. That said I’m not a Taylor guy but I bought the little Taylor over the similar Martin for my nephew (now my niece has it). It sounded better and is a nice playable guitar.

I’m interested in this guitar, though I haven’t played one

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DX1EJB--martin-d-x1e-jett-black

Beat thing would be a lightly used quality acoustic. Do we have a budget?

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2 hours ago, Celery Man said:

Oh on the first guitar thing - I wouldn’t recommend one of the small acoustics unless you need it for size (kid or travel or something).  A full size acoustic will sound nicer. That said I’m not a Taylor guy but I bought the little Taylor over the similar Martin for my nephew (now my niece has it). It sounded better and is a nice playable guitar.

I’m interested in this guitar, though I haven’t played one

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DX1EJB--martin-d-x1e-jett-black

Beat thing would be a lightly used quality acoustic. Do we have a budget?

Definitely under $1000.  Was looking at this for my starter.   https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Acad10eV2--taylor-academy-10e-natural

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Thread needs more pron during this time of crisis.

So...I have been making it a point to spend a week at a time with each guitar. This past week was the Epiphone 1962 Sorrento Reissue. 

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Edited by Deej
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4 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

image.thumb.jpeg.1377e5ab513a54b1c5c96e83f55cf4a3.jpeg

 

this is the new one?  Guilds are cool- badass!

Thanks!  Yep, that's the new one.  My house is so dark it is difficult to get a good picture without a bunch of shadows (as shown).  It is beautiful and it inspires me to practice, which is why I bought it.

 

It was a Sweetwater demo.  Got it for $600.  There is a tiny nick by one of the frets that I can't even see.

Edited by tigol
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and I just realized I never posted a picture of the Martin after it came home.... I fucking love this guitar. I've said for years "oh my cheap Fender acoustic sounds like a $1000 guitar". Either that was badly overestimating it, or this $1000 Martin sounds like a $10,000 acoustic, because it's fucking beautiful

and you gotta love an orange capo

zy1yJwY.jpg

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1) I like the black pickguard on the D28.  It says "i'm not fucking around".
1a) always think it's funny that they bevel the pickguard on the D41... but that's... that's the threshold you need to reach to get a pickguard with a beveled edge

2)DMafia represent

3) I want a D18 if anyone is shopping for presents (will also accept a d35)

4) AUTF if you have the OOO available we need that too

 

 

Edited by Celery Man
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1) I like the black pickguard on the D28.  It says "i'm not fucking around".
1a) always think it's funny that they bevel the pickguard on the D41... but that's... that's the threshold you need to reach to get a pickguard with a beveled edge
2)DMafia represent
3) I want a D18 if anyone is shopping for presents (will also accept a d35)
4) AUTF if you have the OOO available we need that too
 
 
I'm recovering a sore back at my girl's place and only brought the D18 over. If I make a run home I'll get one of the 000.

Also, you're making me think I'm gonna need a rosewood backed dreadnought to complete my Martin collection. Maybe a mahogany topped something or other too.
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What are we looking at Chad? Not sure I remember the story here. Nice guitar.

It’s a Martin Steve Miller model. Or one of them (the other I’ve seen is koa and a different body style). OOO body with a cut away. I started looking for it used a couple years after they offered it because it has almost everything I could want in a Martin. It’s not that I’m a huge Steve Miller. Looked and looked until I bought it from a pawn shop in Reno if eBay. I’ve played it out a couple times but mainly play it around the house. It has the Fishman mic under the strings, and a pup in the bridge. So you can play around with the mix and get a really nice amplified tone.

ceba6acbae6cfc23e84b07f2279ecddf.jpg
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Chad your throw pillows are uglier than my blue strap (I ordered a new strap today).

I almost circled back around to get a picture of the purfling on the back of my d41 but you got it on the Miller Martin. Love that. What an interesting guitar.

Hell yeah 71 D28. I assume that’s after they switched to Indian rosewood? Also hell yeah on the Tweedy OO-15M. Obviously Gibson is more famous for burst acoustics (which was actually to get more use out of cosmetically imperfect spruce) than Martin - that is pretty. Would love to play/hold one of those. Really pretty in a very different way than the satin finished mahogany guys.  I entertained buying one of those Collings Waterloo guitars but after playing it decided I’d rather have an O or OO Martin. I bet that one is great in whatever place you happen to be sitting.

 

ok I need to get my other Martin in before the day runs out. This is my first guitar, 96 DM. I need to go check on it.

 

Great Martin Monday everyone. Tomorrow is telecasters, as the man said.

 

 

 

12381109-6708-4759-AE43-7BA971F392B8.jpeg

Edited by Celery Man
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Yes, the D28 is Indian Rosewood. Unfortunately, it's one of the early 70's Martins that suffered from the QC issues that existed at the factory during that time.

The bridge is mounted in the wrong spot making the scale a hair short and affecting intonation up the fretboard. It sounds good in first position, or if you re-tune after putting on a capo. I bought it cheap a long time ago, and I just haven't gotten around to having it repaired yet.

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