Frets and Strings
by Ken on Aug.09, 2010, under Guitar Diaries, News!, gear
Hi,
Big news! After spending a month trying a variety of strings I’ve decided to use and endorse Newtone Strings. They’re custom hand-made strings from Malcolm Newton in the UK. Over the past few years I’ve pushed the boundaries of factory strings and found that they just can’t provide me with the custom lengths, diameters and cores I need to string a wide variety of very different guitars-remember I now tour with one or two baritone guitars, a round-neck Dobro, and a high-string guitar all the while using a variety of tunings. And I’m getting a harp guitar later this summer.
Malcolm has the ability to make custom sets for each of my guitars, and they are sounding better than they ever have, and that’s saying something since I’ve been playing great guitars for a long time. The bonus for me is that this strings last an incredibly long time. In the past I’ve had to change strings prior to every show, and sometimes even in the middle of a show-no longer. I’ve had Newtone’s on my guitars for over a month now, played a half dozen shows in horrible heat and humidity and they STILL sound amazing.
I couldn’t be happier. If you’re a guitarist check them out, you won’t be disappointed.
TAB, iTunes, Gigs and more
by Ken on Jul.15, 2010, under News!
Hi, thanks for visiting.
I’m really excited as I get ready to head out on the road for some really fun shows this weekend with Kinloch Nelson. I’ve got my new site all bright and shiny, I’ve got all my music back under my control, you can buy it right here (which help$ me the most), or you can find it on iTunes, Amazon.com, eMusic, Napster, and Rhapsody if those are your preferred options. The multiple-CD bundles, such as 20th Century Guitar are only available from my store.
I’ve also just added a video page and will be adding to it over the coming days and weeks. Right now you can view a couple of older tunes, Mystic Morning and Renaissance, arranged for high-string guitar, as well as one of my favorite oldies Steel String Surprise.
I’ve also just added a page of tablature. I’ve got three books available, Artistry of the Guitar Volumes 1 and 2 with 8 songs in each, and an Alternate Tunings Guide with over 200 chords diagrammed in DADGAD and CGDGAD.
You’ll notice that I’m offering a free song to anyone brave enough to join my mailing list. I send out about 4-6 mailings a month depending on my activity, and I won’t share it with anyone else. This month’s free track is a bouncy ragtime piece, Mesa Rag, from my EP Harbor Town.
Make sure to check out Upcoming Shows, and if you come make sure to say hello.
Peace, kb
Steel String State of Mind Part II
by Ken on Jul.13, 2010, under Guitar Diaries, gear
So, about a month ago I posted some thoughts regarding the importance of strings to a guitar’s overall sound. As you may know,I’ve been playing Thomastik-Infeld strings on my guitars for over 15 years and have only used two other sets of strings out of necessity when I ran out while I was on the road. I’ve always loved them, they were perfect for my sound, and up until very recently they covered all the gauges I needed to do my work. And they take such great care of me, always getting me strings well ahead of my touring schedule.
But in last month’s Guitar Diaries blog I encouraged all guitarists to experiment with strings and I decided that I had to follow the same advice. What really tripped me into experimentation mode was a set of strings on one of Jeff Bamburg’s guitars on exhibit at the Montreal Guitar festival July 2-4. This guitar had been played by dozens upon dozens of folks in very humid conditions, and I’d played part of a mini-concert with that guitar under stage lights in extremely humid conditions. Death for most strings, especially for me, but when I got back home and played that guitar on July 6th they sounded rich in the low end with really nice sparkly highs; not quite brand new, but I’d have had no qualms performing with them. The strings in question are called Newtone, they’re hand-made in the UK by an ex-coal miner named Malcolm Newton. (continue reading…)
Huzzah!
by Ken on Jun.28, 2010, under News!
Hi all, I got back from the Montreal Guitar Show last week and I was glowing with the energy from that show-still am. I got to play some amazing guitars in mini-concerts for Charles Fox, Jeff Bamburg, Alan Carruth, Sheldon Schwartz, and Josh House, and played some other great instruments made by new friends George Lowden, Brian Galloup, and Paul Woolson and some old friends Bill Tippin, Joe Yanuziello, and Kathy Wingert. For those of you interested in the custom guitar world, mark your calendars for the first weekend of July in 2011 when the next Montreal Guitar Festival takes place. The guitars are incredible, the city and people are phenomenal, and the food is exquisite. Thank God it’s a great walking city so you can burn some of the calories off. (continue reading…)
Steel String State of Mind
by Ken on Jun.15, 2010, under Guitar Diaries
The past few months has had me thinking deep thoughts about a very under appreciated part of playing the guitar-the strings.
Most of us fingerpickers spend hours thinking about guitars, hours investigating and playing guitars in shops, studios, homes, and ultimately investing thousands and thousands of dollars on guitars. In addition, many of us spend time obsessing about our nails, or our pickups and preamps, or if we record in either the studio or at home we probably obsess about microphones, preamps, and A/D converters. The list is endless. But one of the things you don’t here many folks talk about are strings. Even pros. (continue reading…)
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Welcome
Welcome to the home of American Fingerstyle guitarist Ken Bonfield.
You can check out my gear, find out where I'm playing or even buy some music. It's all here. Thanks for dropping by, enjoy yourself, and drop me a line to let me know you've visited. Peace, kb
