Backstage Banter

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 20 – - When Reunion Blues, the music industry’s premier instrument case and bag company, signed Grammy award winning country music artist Ricky Skaggs as their newest product endorser, they had no idea their first collaboration would be to help gather together musicians in the wake of the worst flooding in Nashville’s memory.

Reunion Blues is bringing their popular Vintage Guitars Road Show to Nashville on June 20 as part of Summer NAMM’s “Wanna Play Music Sunday” at the Nashville Convention Center.

Local musicians and their families and friends are encouraged to pull those old guitars out of the attic and bring them to the Summer NAMM registration area for a free professional appraisal by vintage guitar expert Allan Chiles from vintageguitarpro.com. D’Addario, the world’s largest string maker, will also be there to offer a free guitar restringing by Tom Spaulding, guitar tech for Keith Urban’s band, Aerosmith and John Fogerty. During this event, free Premier Guitar Magazine online subscriptions will also be available.
According to Reunion Blues, Ricky Skaggs is not currently scheduled to make an appearance at this Vintage Guitars Road Show, but was quoted as saying he was happy to lend his name to assist in spreading the word if the end result helps just one more Nashville citizen adversely affected by recent events. “This is a great opportunity for local players to meet with other industry professionals and catch up with people they haven’t seen for years… especially after the flood.” said Ricky. “The intent is to provide a no-cost opportunity for Nashville musicians to reconnect and help one another get more gigs.”
Bring your guitar to the NAMM registration area from 10:00 to 4:00 PM on Sunday, June 20, and they will direct you from there. Only one guitar per person, please. Everyone will also have the opportunity to enter a drawing for any RB Continental case. Discount coupons for access to the NAMM convention down the hall will also be available, with secure storage of your instrument offered so you will not have to carry it around all day.
Visit www.reunionblues.com and click on the Facebook link, or visit www.namm.org.

Reunion Blues is expanding their popular RB Continental line with the introduction of a new triple trumpet case that combines sleek contemporary design with the ultimate in instrument protection.

On the outside, a 1″ thick shock-absorbing Flexoskeleton™ exterior is lined with reinforced impact panels, and a knurled abrasion grid covers the bottom to help resist scuffing. A large zippered accessory pocket is also provided, along with an adjustable shoulder strap.

A unique, padded, wide-mouth lid opens to a hidden accessory pocket and reveals a very roomy interior that features adjustable dividers providing custom space allocation for securing trumpets, mutes and accessories… all crafted with a plush, quilted “double helix” velvet lining, one of the trademarks of the new RB Continental case line.

A  Ballistic Quadraweave™ exterior features high-strength corded edges and all seams are double-stitched with high tensile thread and reinforced at tested stress points. This new case also includes a Zero-G palm-contoured handle with weight distributing foam core to help reduce hand fatigue when the case is carried over long distances.

Like all Reunion Blues products, this new RB Continental triple trumpet case comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Reunion Blues is expanding their popular RB Continental line with the introduction of a unique trumpet case that combines sleek contemporary design with the ultimate in instrument protection.

On the outside, a 1″ thick shock-absorbing Flexoskeleton™ exterior is lined with reinforced impact panels, and a knurled abrasion grid on the bottom is included to help resist scuffing. A large zippered “quick-stash” accessory pocket  is also provided, along with an adjustable shoulder strap.

On the inside, you will find a unique bell area suspension system, additional fitted interior pads for added protection, and a separate mouthpiece pouch… all crafted with a plush, quilted “double helix” velvet lining, one of the trademarks of the new RB Continental case line.

A Ballistic Quadraweave™ exterior features corded edges and seams that are double-stitched with high tensile thread and reinforced at tested stress points, topped off with the RB Continental Zero-G palm-contoured handle designed with weight distributing foam core.

Like all Reunion Blues products, this new RB Continental cymbal case comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Reunion Blues is expanding their popular RB Continental line with the introduction of a unique percussion case that combines sleek contemporary design with the ultimate in cymbal protection.

On the outside, a 1″ thick shock-absorbing Flexoskeleton™ exterior is lined with reinforced impact panels, and a knurled abrasion grid on the bottom is included to help resist scuffing. A large EVA-reinforced exterior hi-hat/accessory pocket with padded dividers is also provided, along with an adjustable, hideaway padded backpack.

On the inside, you will find big padded interior dividers to protect individual cymbals, and a plush, quilted “double helix” velvet lining, one of the trade marks of the new RB Continental case line.

A Ballistic Quadraweave™ exterior features corded edges and seams that are double-stitched with high tensile thread and reinforced at tested stress points, topped off with the RB Continental Zero-G palm-contoured handle designed with weight distributing foam core.

Like all Reunion Blues products, this new RB Continental cymbal case comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Reunion Blues is expanding their popular RB Continental line with the introduction of a new alto saxophone case that combines sleek contemporary design with the ultimate in instrument protection.

On the outside, a 1″ thick shock-absorbing Flexoskeleton™ exterior is lined with reinforced impact panels, and a knurled abrasion grid cradles the bottom to help resist scuffing. A large zippered “quick-stash” accessory pocket is provided, along with an adjustable shoulder strap and handy “subway handle” for easy transport in crowded trains or tight backstage situations.

On the inside, you will find a unique bell area suspension system and a rubberized protector pad… all crafted with a plush, quilted “double helix” velvet lining, one of the trademarks of the new RB Continental case line.

A  Ballistic Quadraweave™ exterior features high-strength corded edges and all seams are double-stitched with high tensile thread and reinforced at tested stress points. This new case also includes a Zero-G palm-contoured handle with weight distributing foam core to help reduce hand fatigue when the instrument is carried for a long period of time.

Like all Reunion Blues products, this new RB Continental also sax case comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

This just in from Paul Heumiller, owner of Dream Guitars:

While leaving for a trip to the Paul Reed Smith Guitar Factory, I had a first-hand experience with the new Reunion Blues Continental case that I just have to share.

I never travel without a guitar to play in the hotel and elected to bring along my beloved custom Somogyi Fan Fret. This is a guitar I waited 3 years to receive and it’s valued at approx. $35,000.

I primarily use the Continental cases for their light weight when I am in control of the guitar and not checking it on a plane. In this case, I was traveling by car so into the Continental my prized Somogyi went. On the way to the car I happen to step on a nylon band from around a box of printer paper, you know the really tough stuff. It somehow went on both of my ankles and hobbled me sending me falling face-first to the pavement, tossing my Somogyi into the air. That horrible slow motion sensation came over me as I watched one of my very favorite guitars, which as a very slender and pointed headstock (see picture), fly in the air and land head-first on the pavement like a Javelin. While my hands, and my pride, were throbbing from the fall, my only concern was for my baby. I thought for sure I had just broken the headstock off this amazing instrument. As fast I could move, I opened the case and was absolutely delighted to find everything was perfect! Not a mark on it.

The outer shell off the Continental has structure to it and is semi-rigid. Inside there is a large neck block with a velcro retaining strap. All of this added up to superb protection from one of the worst kinds of drops I can imagine. So needless to say, I’m even more secure in my choice of the Reunion Blues Continental cases as my lightweight but protective choice for all my guitars, even my Somogyi! www.dreamguitars.com

Don’t you just LOVE this business?

Stay tuned for more from the NAMM show floor.

After 40,000 hits, our first stress test video received a lot of viewer comments, challenging us to try it with a more fragile tilted headstock guitar. We accepted the challenge…

40 years after it was stolen, Alan Poster’s returned Stingray will be featured at the Reunion Blues exhibit.

You might remember how, back in 2006, the international news was burning up about Alan Poster being reunited with his 1968 Stingray, 37 years after it disappeared.

Alan had been going through a rough time that winter. A Brooklyn native and a 26-year-old guitar salesman, he had just divorced and moved from Queens to a 21st Street studio in Chelsea. He bought himself a flashy treat that he could barely afford but could not resist: a blue ’68 Vette.

He had owned it for only two or three months when it was stolen from a parking garage on 23rd Street. It was Jan. 22, 1969.

In December 2005, Mr. Poster got a call that it had been recovered, just days before it was supposed to be shipped to a buyer in Sweden. The car was flagged during a routine check of the vehicle ID by California Homeland Security and US Customs, sending two New York detectives on a long-shot search through thousands of crime reports to connect the car to its first owner.

Alan was reunited with his Corvette in January of 2006, during a news conference in Carson, CA, that made worldwide distribution. The original “International Blue” exterior had been painted silver, the original blue interior was red, the gas tank was missing and the engine had been replaced. Inexplicably, it had no transmission but the body was still close to mint condition.

Dubbed the “Reunion Blue” and arguably the world’s best known Corvette, Alan spent the next three years bringing the hot-rod back to like-new condition, including the original blue-on-blue color scheme.

Coincidently, the company Alan owns today is called Reunion Blues, a prestigious high-end musical instrument case and leather bag line that is considered to be the best among serious musicians. Alan had just acquired the Reunion Blues company when he was reunited with his blue Corvette… a twist of fate he does not take lightly. “Coincidence?” he said, “Perhaps.”

Alan and the whole Reunion Blues crew will be showcasing new products along with this legendary Stingray in the Reunion Blues exhibit 5968 at the NAMM (International Music Products Association) convention in Anaheim, CA, a four-day, 85,000 attendee conference starting January 15, 2010.

Earlier this year, Reunion Blues released a high-altitude “stress test” video on You Tube, tossing their new RB Continental case off a three-story building with a Strat-style guitar inside. After two throws, the instrument emerged unscathed. In an unexpected twist, the video drew numerous comments from doubting guitarists who dared Reunion Blues to try it with a tilt-back headstock guitar.

“We didn’t think much of these comments at first”, said Reunion Blues’ Alan Poster, “but they kept coming in until, after passing tens of thousands of views, we decided to accept the challenge.”

According to John Maher, Reunion Blues marketing director, many three-on-a-side tilt-back headstocks are actually glued to the neck at an angle, creating the potential for the peghead to snap off at this junction when hit hard. “So, in an attempt to satisfy the skeptics, we decided to get our hands on a tilt-back designed guitar and do it all over again.” Maher added.

The first RB Continental drop test video can be seen by clicking on www.rbcontinental.com. Stay tuned for the results from the second toss.