Newsletter — Spring 2010

New videos!
We've added some great new clips to our Videos page! Some new Dave Matthews, John Sebastian, and Lauryn Hill, playing everything from the Acoustic Gryphon to a custom Veillette-modified Baritone Nylon-string... check them out here!

Evolution of the Veillette 12-string: the Mk-III meets the Alpha

MKIII

With all the changes we've made over the years, we though it would be interesting to take a look at how the latest Alpha compares to Joe's first prototype Standard 12-string, the Mk-III. In many ways, the main points of these guitars are very similar – the shapes, poplar bodies, maple necks, and Tee-nut neck attachment haven't changed since this first guitar came to life in 1997. What's changed? The Mk-III's flat top has evolved to the Alpha's graceful radiused face, and the piezo-powered bridge is now height-adjustable using a simple allen wrench. The preamp and controls, along with added magnetic pickups, make the new guitar more tonally flexible, though it still can do the full-range, truly Acoustic-sounding plugged tone that made the original Mk-III so inspiring. It's been very interesting playing these guitars side-by-side – there are several generations between them, but the family resemblance is still very strong. They both sound and play beautifully, and we're still as proud of the original as we are of the new one.

Alpha

New Specials
Some new great deals have found their way onto our Specials page. These include some older-spec 12-strings (which always find new homes really quickly), as well as a few gorgeous Centaur and Singlecut basses. These might be some of the last these bass models available before we rework our pricelist - so don't wait too long if you've been considering one!

NAMM Roundup
This year's NAMM show in January was our best yet! The whole Veillette family attended — Joe's spousal equivalent Kimberly Kay came along to do what she does best: wear fancy clothes, socialize, and eat cake (more on that later!). Kim is a morning radio personality and recovering soap opera star. Here are a few snapshots of some highlights…

We got visits from some of our customers, new and old:

Neal Schon (Journey)

Paul Jackson Jr. (one of the best and busiest guitarists in the industry - ever see American Idol ?)

Colin Hay (Men at Work, Ringo's All-Starr Band, solo artist) and Kim

David Torn (film composer and experimental guitar icon)

Joe and Kim also got to try out a different kind of 'guitar' - the 20th anniversary instrument built for Acoustic Guitar magazine, expertly rendered in edible cake form by the pastry wizards from TV's Ace of Cakes. The guitar, stacks of magazines, and even the picks were all edible (and tasted great)!

Veillette exhibits at the Woodstock Invitational
In late October, Veillette and 30 other luthiers from all over the world participated in the 2nd Annual Woodstock Invitational Luthier's Showcase. With a world-class list of builders and players attending, this was an incredible event!

We were also treated to this wonderful clip of John Sebastian (Lovin' Spoonful, songwriting legend) and Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, and many more). John is playing our Acoustic Baritone 6-string.

2009 - 2010 PRESS!
The past year has been great for Veillette Guitars in the press. In both the US and UK, we've been getting rave reviews of our acoustics, including the ever-popular Gryphon.

Guitar Player gives the Gryphon an Editors' Pick award!
Our Acoustic Gryphon made another public appearance, this time in the pages of Guitar Player magazine. Editor Art Thompson put it through the paces, and had this to say:

"The Gryphon is one of the most interesting 12-strings I've encountered. It sounds very exotic, yet it has a familiar 12-string feel, and it's lots of fun to play.
…it definitely brings some enticing new flavors to the genre, and that's reason enough for it to receive an Editors' Pick Award."

Acoustic Guitar reviews the Parlor 6-string
We were thrilled to see and hear Acoustic Guitar's Teja Gerken give his impressions of our Parlor 14" acoustic in January 2010's issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.

"responsive and brimming with personality…an impressive presence, mahogany warmth, and distinctive bite…very vocal and harmonic-rich tonal palette…ample sustain, resonance, and harmonic depth…warm, husky character…ranges from molasses-rich and colorful to focused and barky"

Shop Visit from Bass Player magazine
This past summer, we had a really nice shop visit from Bass Player editor Jonathan Herrera and publisher Joe Perry. These guys always have really interesting insights into the industry, the bass market, and the way things are changing and evolving for players and manufacturers. (They're also great conversation about music, motorcycles, and many other topics…) We were honored to be a stop on their East Coast visit, and are happy to have had a great, longstanding relationship with Bass Player.

Acoustic magazine in the UK features the Gryphon!
Across the ocean, the Gryphon also enjoyed a feature piece in the UK's Acoustic magazine. Author Paul Brett related his personal experience of discovering the Gryphon, and how it has found its way into his musical life.

…a truly genuine 'NEW' sound and concept that did live up to it's publicity. Its voice lies between the mid - range of a 12-string and a mandolin. It produces the most beautiful rich tones from low to high. The action is incredible and the playability is 10 out of 10."

Oval-Hole Acoustic Gryphon
Thanks to Joe's relentless need to try new things, we're proud to introduce the Oval-Hole Gryphon.

Based on our Symmetrical Oval-Hole Studio shape, this Gryphon has a very different voice from our original 'moon-hole' model. The low end is wider and more 'open' sounding, with a little more volume and 'chop' to the rhythm sound. The high end trades away a little sparkle in exchange for a meatier midrange and stronger attack.

The classic look and sound of this piece further expand our line of Acoustics, making it possible to tailor each instrument to best suit the needs of each player.

Slotted Headpiece option
Another 'classic'-vibe option new to 2010 is our vintage-style slotted headpiece. Available on both 6-strings and 12-strings, this option is not just about looks - it also reduces the weight of the headpiece and tuners, for a lighter-weight instrument with a more traditional balance. Aged, 'restoration'-style sideplate tuners with cream buttons further enhance the vintage flavor. Looks great combined with the oval-hole option!

Acoustic Bass: now in 5-string and Fretless
Since both Ande and Martin are bass players, it just won't do to leave bassists out of all this Acoustic fun! So, expanding our offering of Acoustic Basses, we have added fretless and 5-string models to our catalog.

The fretless (pictured here with Koa back and sides, and ebony fingerboard and bridge) pushes our long-standing goal of emulating the upright bass as far as possible. With black nylon tapewound strings and a medium-low setup, this bass is as close as you can get in a horizontally-played instrument. The thump, depth, and blooming sustain of a fine upright bass are all present, along with the clarity and playability of every Veillette acoustic.

The 5-string model brings all of these qualities into the lowest register, with a low B-string that speaks clearly and sounds fully integrated with the upper 4. Transitions from open E to Eb and low D sound even and clear, with no loss of definition or power. Even the low C and open B ring clearly and stay tight and well-defined. Amplified, this bass offers a palette of broad, organic, and rich sounds that are seldom available in a 5-string - plugged in, this bass sounds about 10 times bigger!

NOW SHIPPING Gryphon Acoustics in Hardshell cases!
In response to steady requests from customers and dealers alike, we are now shipping Acoustic Gryphons in a customized molded hardshell case. We fit each case to accommodate the Gryphon controls and headpiece, ensuring a safe home for your Gryphon.

New Alphas
Our Alpha line has evolved over the last year - here's the latest:

These are loaded with Duncan Vintage Rails pickups and our own crystal piezo, blended through a customized D-Tar Eclipse preamp.

These retain the other standard Alpha features: poplar bodies, maple necks, wenge fingerboards, and a simple satin finish.

These guitars are possibly the most tonally flexible instruments we've ever made. These represent a return to Joe's original design goal: to provide maximum functionality and tonal possibilities, outstanding playability and comfort, and absolutely no frills - just some of the best-sounding working guitars you'll ever come across. There is almost no tone that these instruments can't produce.

Priced comparably to many factory-made guitars, the Alpha line are still all handmade in our Woodstock, NY shop, by the same builders as our most expensive models. The same quality materials, careful construction, and meticulous assembly and setup give these all the playability and tone you expect from a handmade guitar.

Journeyman now featuring metal Tailpiece Our Journeyman line of solidbody piezo-powered guitars will now feature a classic-style metal "stop" tailpiece. This upgrade allows easier string changes and very positive string grounding. It also gives the player maximum control over string break angle, for optimum piezo response with our height-adjustable bridge.

…(A) Paris is beautiful in the Springtime… Last year's review in Bass Player got a lot of people excited about Paris basses with AAA figured walnut tops…we've built quite a few in the last few months. Here's a look at one of them, which is now on display (and for sale) at TrueTone Music in Santa Monica, CA. This bass sounds and plays every bit as good as it looks - and this walnut is some of the very best we've ever used (or even seen!). We have a few more sets of this wood available, but it won't last long - contact us if you'd like a top like this for your custom Veillette!

The doubleneck lives! (Crazier versions coming soon…) Our last Newsletter gave a preview of the prototype Doubleneck guitar. After several months of test gigs and refinement, here's the final product! Weighing in right around 10 lbs. (lighter than many single-necks!), this doubleneck is the most playable and comfortable example of its kind that any of us has ever played. Each neck is angled in two directions, which permits a closer spacing without sacrificing any access or reachability. The incredibly flexible electronics include piezos and dual magnetic pickups for each neck, along with a streamlined dual-preamp setup which mixes it all down to a single mono output (of course, stereo would be possible also). We had several orders for doublenecks at NAMM, including some pretty unusual pieces (14-string, anyone?)…these will be some of the most specialized custom guitars we've ever made…look out for progress pictures of these in the next few months. When they're finished, a couple of them will also be seen on some of the biggest stages in the world.

Joe and his Veillette 12 on Krishna Das' "All One" CD
Joe, playing his trusty Veillette Studio 15" Acoustic 12-string, Journeyman Gryphon and Acoustic Gryphon can be heard on the album "All One" by the internationally renowned Krishna Das. (To hear samples, go to our listen page and look for the Krishna Das samples for the Gryphon, and Studio 15.)

Recorded at Avatar Studios in NYC, this album is a who's-who of heavyweight session musicians: produced by Walter Becker (Steely Dan), and featuring drummer Rick Allen (Def Leppard), guitarist David Nichtern (NYC session ace), and many others.

Joe and Martin both got called to play on the album! Joe and his various 12-strings ended up on every track of the recording, and Martin played upright bass for a string section. There was a warm and comfortable vibe throughout the session that translates beatifully onto the finished album - this spirit (and an incredible voice) have helped make Krishna Das one of the best-known Hindi devotional singers in the US and abroad. Listen for the unmistakable chime of the Gryphon kicking off the final track!