From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2013 #1368 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe:mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Website:http://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Monday, October 14 2013 Volume 2013 : Number 1368 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Joni Guitars [simon@icu.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2013 23:55:15 -0400 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Joni Guitars c Karma wrote > Subject: Joni guitar strings > > Would anyone know what brand/gauge guitar strings Joni favored during for her acoustic guitar work? > I've read recommendations for open tunings to wear heavier gauge but am not sure if Joni or her guitar > techs would have followed that. BTW, did Joni employ a regular guitar tech? > CC One member suggested that Joni might have used Nylon strings early in her career. There are several pictures of Joni playing what looks like a "00" Series 12-fret Martin guitar with a slotted head. The "00" Series is often used with nylon strings, but I really doubt Joni ever used nylon. However, once Joni rec'd her beloved Martin D28 (1966) it was steel strings all the way, all the time. Joel Bernstein is/was Joni's regular guitar technician. It was Joel handling Joni's guitars on her tours, in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1979, and 1983. If I remember correctly, there was one year when he trained another individual to handle for that role and Joel was just supposed to be the Tour Photographer. However that person wasn't up to the task, so Joel ended up with both jobs. Joel was the one who was up all night before Joni's performance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 1995. There were problems with the pre-sets and entering Joni's tunings into the Roland VG-8 guitar processor. - - - - - - Dave Blackburn wrote > Subject: Re: Joni guitar strings > > Joni claims to have weakness in her hands as a result of polio, and chose to explore tunings > rather than learn more chord shapes as the fingerings could be easier. Therefore I would guess > that she chose light guage strings even though they flap against the frets in dropped tunings. > Fred Walecki from L.A Music in Santa Monica was her guitar tech who helped her set up all her > instruments. It was he who sold off her five Ibanez GB10s on eBay, at her request, and a couple > of listers bought two of them. I think Joni's "weak left hand" is somewhat overstated. Early on in her career, she was quite good at finger-picking. In any event, the main reason she turned to alternate tunings was because of the musical variation they offered. It was like giving a painter a whole new palatte of colors. As stated above, Joel Bernstein, not Fred Walecki, was Joni's guitar tech. She did purchase a number of guitars from Westwood Music. Fred definitely set her up with the modified Stratocaster she originally used with the Roland VG-8 guitar processor, before switching to the Parker Fly guitar. In 2003 Westwood Music offered -3- of Joni's guitars for sale via auctions on eBay. The following statement was included with the eBay item description: As Mitchell explored jazzier sounds in the late '70s, she turned to electric guitars. From 1979 until the mid-'80s, she performed with five George Benson model Ibanez guitars, which were set up by Joel Bernstein and Larry Cragg with a range of string gauges to accommodate her tunings. At that time, the Roland Jazz Chorus amp--which was invented, Mitchell says, so she could replicate her Hejira sound in performance--was an important component of her live sound. --ACOUSTIC GUITAR, AUGUST 1996 NOTE: It's highly unlikely that Roland 'specifically designed' the Roland Jazz Chorus amp for Joni. One of these guitars was purchased by JMDL member Anita G. She in turn has become friends with Peter Carney, who bought the first of Joini's guitars auctioned on eBay. The serial numbers indicate that Peter's guitar was made in 1982 meaning it was used on Joni's 1983 World Tour. Joni clearly used this guitar a lot. There is tape on the side showing the tablature for "Sharon" and "Love", which was probably placed there by Joel Bernstein. Anita's guitar was manufactured in 1978 and therefore available for the 1979 Tour, as well as 1983. - - - - - - I SAVED the eBay auction pages as well as the pictures posted with each auction. If you're interested, you can DownLoad the "Joni_Guitars_eBay.zip" file via HighTail at the following URL: Perhaps some of you will find this interesting. - - - - - - re: Joel Bernstein and Larry Cragg - check out the following. andmoreagain, - - - - - - - - - - simonM http://jonimitchell.com/chronology/ ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2013 #1368 ****************************** ------- To post messages to the list, sendtojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------