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ASIA 2007 was terrific. The speakers and topics were very good and the majority of the speakers invested a lot of human capital in preparing focused talks. ASIA had high tech film equipment on hand and will be making the symposium available for purchase on DVD. All of the speakers made themselves very accessible in and outside of the classroom and enthusiastically participated in the evening socials that went into the wee hours each morning. The Drury University facilities and accommodations were great as was the university staff itself.   Hats off to Bill Moll, Nadine Nelson, Matt for their hard work and making ASIA 2007 a success.

The aspect I really enjoy about ASIA symposiums is that each is unique experiences and that there is something there for everyone. If its knowledge you seek, it’s there for the listening and asking; if its meeting up with old friends or making new ones there is ample opportunity for that; if its validation of techniques you use or how your instruments compare to peers and pros alike – it’s all there. Lastly it is a great opportunity to see, play and listen to many fantastic guitars built by hobbyists and pros alike. If it’s a total combination of the foregoing it’s a great experiment in human endurance and the effects of sleep deprivation.

ASIA 2007 was very special for me as my brother Dave attended with me. It was great to spend quality time with my bro in a fun atmosphere. Second, I finally got to meet Nelson Palen face to face after corresponding with him for about 5 years. Nelson has been a great source help and inspiration to me and a very good friend. I really enjoyed hooking up with Evan Gluck and Ron Belanger again and getting to know Matt Jacobs, Bob Long and Paul Bordeaux. We certainly shared a lot of laughs. Evan Gluck is one of the most genuine and funny people I have ever met. If his ability to make people laugh was converted to guitar playing he’d be giving Tommy Emmanuel guitar lessons. Ron Belanger brought a great OM style guitar and entertained the crowd with impromptu folk songs. Matt Jacobs is great guy who modestly builds lovely guitars with a lot of original design features that culminate in a very enjoyable instrument to play. Bob Long brought his beautiful SJ that was posted here a few weeks ago that I thought was the “guitar of the show”. Bob’s guitar got rave reviews by the likes of Kevin Ryan, Bryan Galloup, Charlie Hoffman, Judy Threet, Julius Borges and all else who played it.   

With the film crew on hand there was a ban on photography so as not to interfere with the film camera. So I was not able to shoot any shots during any of the sessions. Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Bob Long, Matt Jacobs and Evan Gluck


Here's a shot of Paul Bordeax (right) and Tim from Martin Guitars on Paul's left. Paul did a great job on the in Intro Inlay Class and brought a picture portfolio of his sensational inlay work.



Here's one of Kent Armstrong (left) and Ron Belanger (right) from Orillia, Ontario.


Bob Long (left) and Dave Zlahtic (my bro)



My friend Nelson Palen -- one great guy!


Our friend Larry Davis who was one of the fine vendors at this years event. Larry I love the acrylized wood you sold me.



Dave Nicols and Dick Boak from Martin Guitars running the auction. Dick was the founder of ASIA. Without his sweat equity and the support of Martin Guitars ASIA probably wouldn't exist today. Thanks Mr. Boak!


Bill Moll did it all, including the laundry


Here's one of Eric Coleman (StewMac) and Chris Herod (LMI) ah discussing product pricing


Julius Borges giving Bob Long's SJ a good workout with Bob having a listen.


Dave Nichols demonstrating inlay techniques. Dave is hilarious, a gifted speaker and a great inlayer.


Here's a sample of Dave Nichols work. No CNC, all hand cut!


Here's Dave's partner Nadine Nelson Nichols ....


And yes music abounded at ASIA. Here's a Blue Grass jam session!


Al Carruth and Mike Mahar....


Andy from Hibdon in St. Louis



Harry Fleishman...need I say more


Julius Borges, Judy Threet and Harry


Carl Barney was a vendor who was selling really nice Adirondack and Brazilian....


Jim Triggs posing with one of his great Archtop guitars. I played that one ... whoa was it nice!


The obligatory Ervin shot.....


Kevin Ryan. What a great guy who gave a very well received presentation on his process. His guitars are amazing in beauty and tone.



Some dork posing with a Ryan Cathedral model


Natalie from LMI having lunch with Charles Hoffman (nice guy)


One of my favorite archtop builders, Mark Lacey. Mark gave a great talk on CNC and plate carving!


Talent abounded at ASIA. The gentleman on the left is Mark Young from the Michigan upper penninsula. I dubbed him JukeBox Mark. This guy has a repertoire of 1,100 songs. He played one night from 8 pm till 4 am. The only reason he stopped was he moved the show into the lobby of the dorm and some party pooper started banging on the walls. (Fellow on his right is my brother Dave)


Mark Blanchard and the lady to his right I didn't meet.


Tired of looking? Bob Long's SJ flanked by a couple of Zlahtic Archtops. Great guitar Bob!!

Well, nobody is getting any younger !

Just kidding Anthony, I'm just sore because I wasn't there. Great report and pictures, I sure wish I could have gone, if nothing else just to sit in on a few of those jams with some of the excellent instruments all around. So which presentations did you go to, and what were the highlights for you?

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Thanks for posting those Anthony, it looks like it was a great symposium.

I could`nt make it this time either.

Matt

Excellent report and pics, Anthony! Your new camera was put to great use and you used it well. Conspicuously absent are pics of the evening towel-snapping sessions where I suspect that mass quantities of flavored-ethanol might have been consumed...shocking! Either you guys signed a non-disclosure pact or you may not yet be qualified to operate the camera while under the influence. Thanks for the effort and report! It's nice to be able to put a few names with faces.

I too would like to hear more from you and other attendees about the best of the best sessions that you guys attended. A few of our OLFers should have achieved some measure of prominence by their presentations...Brock on Marketing issues if I remember correctly. Then there were Frank Ford & Alan Carruth, (like those two need further introduction. Any great wood deals? Whose guitars were shown? Anything new unveiled?

Reading this thread is certain to make me regret not having been there... and even further resent the dates that were chosen for the conference. Memorial Day Weekend...what were they thinking!?

Well...we always have the option of purchasing the DVD's.
...ASIA DVD running
...Hawaiian shirt
...Bottle of single malt scotch
...A sweet sounding guitar in my lap
...Priceless

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Great job with the pics. I had a blast meeting all the people there, and getting to drink beer and let loose.

Despite complaints from the peanut gallery on opening day regarding location and timing, I whould have to say that the whole event was a success. Bill and his crew did a great job, and unlike GAL they did this all on their own time, and dollar.

By the way, the woman sitting next to Mark Blanchard was Hawley Waldman.

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

Great Photo-essay of attendees. Some of my personal heroes in these pics. Great job and thanks for sharing these with we OLFers who didn't make it.   

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Lots of excellant photos' Anthony.
Thanks!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Cool. Looks like it was a lot of fun Anthony.

Hey, didn't you get a picture of Brock? he must be camera shy.

I remember that Long guitar he posted here. I loved it and now you got it! Cool.

That Ryan guitar sure makes you look good Anthony Just kidding.

Again, looks like a fun event. One day maybe.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

great report Anthony. Can't wait to get my hands on that Long guitar. Sure is a beauty. I like the big pic's too. I can see them without my glasses.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Yep it was a blast, We missed you Bruce!!!!Some times we need to stop and think about how short life is.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

I tried my best to make it but with the funeral and all it was just a bad week for me to leave.

Anthony, thanks for all the great pics! At least now I get a peek at what it was like.

Dave, sorry we weren't able to get together again. Sometimes life just goes a different diretion that what you had planned.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Thanks, Anthony! Sure wish I coulda been there.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Thanks for the report Anthony! I so wish I could have been there. I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to sit in on Mark Blanchards presentation. His is far and above my favorite guitar builder on planet earth

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I can see everyone had a blast!

I spent my money on Paintings and a Colorado Road Trip....

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Great photos Anthony, sorry you and I did not get a proper farewell at the airport. I wound up spending a few hours there with Kevin Ryan and Dennis (sorry no last name). Nice guys indeed. I was thinking of my highlights and since I am from a repair backround it has to be Neil Harrell's repair panel with Brian Gallop, Charlie Hoffmann and Roger Sadowsky. Also Neil's refret clinic (Frank Ford did not attend this year) was just great. He and I use similar techniques so it was great to get some validation and variation. Neil has a great teaching style as well.
But folks my real highlight was the people, just good folks hanging out getting to know each other. I can't stress that enough. Where else can you have an in depth conversation about tone and then start trading jokes with Ervin Somogyi. I encourage everyone to go just to make friends who you will miss. Folks I had a blast with were Matt Jacobs, Anthony Z and his bro,Bob Long, Erick and Elliott from Stewmac, Chris and Natalie from LMI etc... too many to mention. Try and go to these things its so fun and informative!
Best, Evan
PS reports of my sense of humor are greatly exaggerated...... or are they

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

Looks like a great time! Thanx for the pix Z!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

That's awesome Anthony! I sure wish I could have been there...

Great thread and the pictures are awesome! That new Canon sure takes nice pics.

Hesh, I think that's what Brother Rod ment!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Evan, thanks for the kind words. I had a lot of fun hanging out with you and everyone else at the symposium. As I said on the ASIA forum, this is the fourth symposium that I have attended and I think I met and talked to more people this time than in any of the previous three. I liked the fact that our time wasn’t over scheduled for us with music and other events. This gave us a lot of time to sit around with other luthiers and talk about, look at and play each other’s instruments. Many times I found myself in groups of luthiers who I admire just trying to soak up everything being discussed. I’m already looking forward to the next symposium.

One of the coolest things that I saw at the symposium occurred at the auction. Martin donated the guitar kit they had on display earlier in the week. I had thought about bidding on it but Paul Bordeaux was really bidding hard on it and I didn’t want to get in the fray and bid it up any higher. I was sitting in the back of the room and when Paul came back with the kit he handed to a high school aged young man (I never got his name) and said, “this is your’s” or words to that effect. The young man about fell over. I don’t know the relationship there, but it was a very kind thing for Paul to do. Later that night the young man came around with the Dick Boak manual that comes with the kit and had as many luthiers as possible sign the kit. He said he was going to treasure it forever.

I'm sorry, in my previous post I said everyone signed the kit. I meant to say that everyone signed "it" i.e. the manual. But you probably figured that out already, didn't you? I need to go to bed....

Nice Picts
Love it when we can see our OLFers out having fun!!!

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Arnt: “what were the highlights for you?”

A: Man that’s a tough one to answer! I guess one observation is that technology is here and those that grasp it and integrate it into their production process will be the ones that survive or will enjoy a greater success.

Hesh: “So how much did you guys drink? ”

A: A wee bit too much. I was led astray….honest


JJ: “Conspicuously absent are pics of the evening towel-snapping sessions where I suspect that mass quantities of flavored-ethanol might have been consumed...shocking! Either you guys signed a non-disclosure pact or you may not yet be qualified to operate the camera while under the influence. ………….

Any great wood deals? Whose guitars were shown? Anything new unveiled?”

A: JJ for ease and compliance with OLF rules I had the camera set on Full Auto/PG Rating.   I had a revelation whilst there -- a fine single malt mixed with shellac would make for a great amber finish. We did sign one pact…it’s the old male credo “what happens on the road, stays on the road”.   As for wood deals….nope it was pretty much retail as far as I could tell. Whose guitars…man that’s a long list but in the end I only had eyes and ears for one.

One thing that struck me (other than one of Matt’s beer cans) was some of the differences between: 1) the more intermediate to quality hobby/semi-pro guitars vs. 2) the high end pro instruments. The high end pro stuff, the builders produce guitars with a consistent solid flat response, whereas the intermediate to quality hobby/semi pro guitars have a more distinct personality. Both sound good but often I found the hobby/semi-pro had a certain mojo the pros instruments didn’t have. No doubt some will want to burn me at the stake for that statement. That’s my take.

Lastly, my apologies for the oversized pictures. If anyone wants an original/uncropped please feel free to PM me with your email address.

Although this was the smallest show in recent memory, concerning turn out, the overall "feeling" of a close knit family was ever present.

During on campus meals, an almost daily occurance was watching introductions at various tables as someone sat down. I actually stood back and watched for 5- 10 minutes one afternoon, and was amazed at how often this occurred.

Walking by any table, corner, step, or hallway was a chance to just stop and become part of a discussion on any aspect of luthiery. It did not matter if you were a "seasoned pro", or a 1st timer. You were always welcomed.

We tend to laugh and throw in many comments about the after hours drinking, which there was, but it was more on par with a big family reunion long over due.

2 more years... I would encourage you to attend if you possibly can!

Heck, I'm trying to hurry up and catch up on some inlays so I can start building again.

Inspiration is an understatement!

Paul

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com