Backstage Banter

Special thanks to Wayne’s Guitar Blog for helping us promote the Reunion Blues Vintage Guitars Road Show in Nashville. Watch for Road Show videos coming soon on this blog, and on PremierGuitar.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.

Further down in this blog site you will find part 4 of the Vintage Guitars Road Show video series, also available for viewing on the Premier Guitar magazine web site. In it, an enthusistic participant is touting a plaid painted Blues Saraceno guitar. We stumbled across one that looks a lot like it on You Tube. It’s Blues himself, wailing on one back in 1995 at the NAMM show. – Check it out!

Greetings from the Anaheim NAMM show!

It’s Alan, Brett, Dave, Tim and myself running two exhibits and stretched as thin as air… but loving every minute. I’ll do my level best to post some new photos DURING the show. If that’s not possible, you will certainly be getting new product info and videos soon after.

Stay tuned.

Reunion Blues dealers already know about our stellar reputation for dealer support. This year, our exhibit at the Anaheim NAMM show will include a free leather attache bag for every blue-badged buyer who watches our training video. RB dealers will also see a sample of our Vintage Guitars Road Show video, and have the opportunity to sign up for their very own in-store event.

Premier Guitar Magazine is co-sponsoring these events, and participating dealers are benefiting from the free publicity. To see the first Vintage Guitars Road Show videos, click HERE.

So last weekend I was playing my friends Danelectro and I got to finally use one our new Merino Wool guitar straps. From what I have been told by both Brett and Dave, these Merino Wool straps have been selling like hot cakes.  (What are hot cakes anyway?)

Playing my friends Danelectro

After playing last weekend with the strap I totally understand why these are flying off the shelves. Honestly, it was the most comfortable strap that I have ever used. Don’t let the Merino Wool thing get to you either, they’re not itchy. The full genuine leather tabs on either end also means you don’t have to worry about your heavy guitar tearing through it.

Right now these straps are only available in black, brown, and white pinstripe. However, Dave and I have just recently come up with new designs that should pique your interest even more. We got some samples of these in and they look awesome. Lets just say that after Winter NAMM in January your strap collection is going to have some attitude added to it.
All right, time for me to get back to work (if I must, sigh). In the mean time happy playing and happy holidays.