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Post subject: Re: Ridgewing Guitars
Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:52 am
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Screamin Armadillo wrote:
Yeah, nobody should ever try a new approach, ever. Like that weird guy out in Fullerton who started making guitars that looked like boat paddles back in the late 40's...that was ridiculous.
Or that guitarist (I think his name was Rhubarb Red?) who was always tinkering with recording equipment? That was stupid, too.
Or that foreign kid out in California who was always jacking up his guitars? He should have just stuck to playing piano.
Those guys were dumb for ever trying something different.

Argumentum novitatis.

Those guys were smart. They made things that were simple enough to became standards. Products that were serviceable and would last for decades.
It does not follow that anyone else who does anything new are going to succeed. Most will, in fact, fail, for a variety of reasons. History will be the judge. Not you or I.


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Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Ridgewing Guitars
Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 8:49 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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arth1 wrote:
Screamin Armadillo wrote:
Yeah, nobody should ever try a new approach, ever. Like that weird guy out in Fullerton who started making guitars that looked like boat paddles back in the late 40's...that was ridiculous.
Or that guitarist (I think his name was Rhubarb Red?) who was always tinkering with recording equipment? That was stupid, too.
Or that foreign kid out in California who was always jacking up his guitars? He should have just stuck to playing piano.
Those guys were dumb for ever trying something different.

Argumentum novitatis.

Those guys were smart. They made things that were simple enough to became standards. Products that were serviceable and would last for decades.
It does not follow that anyone else who does anything new are going to succeed. Most will, in fact, fail, for a variety of reasons. History will be the judge. Not you or I.

Urinae en Alterius Postus Toastius (Pissing in Another's Post Toasties)

Valid concerns or issues which could result in failure do not constitute actual failures. Rather than simply pointing out those issues, a more palatable and proper thing might be to make a feasible suggestion based on weak points in the design.

For example: I'm not a huge fan of the piezo pickup (which represents a flaw in the Ridgeway's design, in my opinion).
Personally, a suggestion I would make is to have a passive electric pickup integrated into the body in such a way that it wouldn't be damaged when disassembling the instrument...a P90 or Humbucking pickup in any position--neck, middle or bridge--would represent an improvement in my eyes...but as of yet, that doesn't fit the vision of the builder.

I'm also not very fond of active electronics (your point about the battery has validity). A feasible suggestion would be to use a commercially (and commonly) available battery for the active electronics on this instrument.


Potential failure is also not a reason for abandoning or rejecting a product, either.

A couple of examples:

Paul Bigsby built some pretty amazing, ahead-of-their-time instruments, as well as improved or modified some existing ones. While his guitars didn't really catch on, one component did---the Bigsby tremolo/vibrato/whatever. A design that is now over 60 years old is still loved, used and cursed at (when changing strings) to this day...also, it could be argued that Bigsby's initial designs and ideas (solidbody guitars, headstock shape, etc.) came to a fuller fruition in Leo's (and Les's) capable hands.

Paul Bigsby's designs were not a failure. They were incomplete successes...and since we still use his contraptions, so I'll say he himself was a success.

Example Two:
Dave Bunker created some amazing, amazing instruments. Read here:

http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=10453

Go ahead and read it. I'll wait.






OK, so are Bunker's designs a failure?
Well, unlike the Bigsby tremolo, they have never caught on with his name attached...but he has designed and built and parlayed his talents in many other ways...and he's made a decent living working with various companies, designing various aspects and components of guitars and basses, and holds dozens of patents for his ideas and designs.

The article says if he "protected his patents he'd be wealthy, and if he knew how to market, he'd be famous..."

However, I spent an long afternoon with Mr. Bunker a few years ago (he even entertained Lady Armadillo with his stories and designs, and she usually doesn't give two blinks to these types of ventures), and let me tell you this...he wouldn't give a bucket of warm spit for fame and fortune. He has been able to make his ideas work and he's happy being physically active and mentally healthy...that's more than most people can say.

I say he is an incomplete success, just like Bigsby.

Will The Ridgewing catch on? I don't know...as was said earlier, time will tell...it may or may not be a successful venture...or it may inspire some other designer/builder to create something--whether a whole instrument or just a component--to create the "Next Big Thing."

But to dismiss it out-of-hand is stupid and short-sighted. You pointed out flaws (in your opinion) but offered no suggestions of what could be done to improve it...so you were just being critical, not constructive.

Also, in your reply, you hinted that the guys I referenced (Leo, Lester and Edward) were "smart"...I dare say the Ridgeway's designers are probably pretty savvy, too. Methinks you're one of those somewhat intelligent guys who is "threatened" by a person who may be more intelligent or successful than you.

...and please remove your urine from Ridgewing's Post Toasties.

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