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Making guitars in a changing world

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Witnessing the past: memories and hope in trees and wood

Posted on May 8, 2022May 10, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Freeman Vines made guitars with wood from a tree in which a man had been hanged. Trees bear witness to the many things humans do to the environment, and to each other – and can remind us of the past but also provide hope for a better future.

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Volcanoes, slide guitar and koa: nature and music in Hawaii

Posted on April 20, 2022April 20, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Hawaiian music took the world by storm in the first part of the 20th century and catalysed new guitar types and playing styles. Hawaiian koa also become one of the most desirable tonewoods, and after history of over-exploitation is now being actively conserved and restored.

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Guitars, bugs and climate change – Fender and the Emerald Ash Borer

Posted on February 15, 2022February 16, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

The ash trees that produce Fender’s iconic Telecasters and Stratocasters are being threatened by an invasive beetle and changing rainfall and flooding regimes.

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Trees, guitars, lizards and squid – perspectives on nature and music in the Anthropocene

Posted on January 17, 2022January 17, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

I’ve been a researcher in ecology for 40 years, but recently jumped into the world of guitars. These foci intersect in the increasing concern for how the natural world continues to be affected by human activities. Two recent books provide fascinating accounts of recent research in both these areas.

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Cigars and guitars: turning junk into music

Posted on December 15, 2021January 4, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Cigar box guitars were an inexpensive means to make music by using discarded materials and are gaining popularity again today.

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Ethical consumer choice and guitars

Posted on November 26, 2021January 4, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Consumer choices are increasingly influenced by environmental and social factors – Gibson’s corporate behaviour is alienating many guitarists

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Women, war and wonderful guitars

Posted on October 18, 2021January 4, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Some amazing guitars came from Gibson during World War II and were made by women – but the story only recently surfaced.

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SmartWood and dumb decisions: Gibson’s checkered history

Posted on September 24, 2021January 4, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Gibson has made great guitars, dabbled with sustainability, fallen foul of environmental trade rules and was often poorly managed.

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Tall trees, tunnels and train robberies: recycling Redwood

Posted on August 20, 2021January 4, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Redwoods were extensively logged for structural timber and remaining stands are precious but vulnerable. Recycled redwood has stories to tell and music to make.

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Admiring imperfection: enjoying “ordinary” treasures

Posted on July 27, 2021January 4, 2022 by Richard Hobbs

Cheap Stella guitars from the 1920s-30s were made from local woods, were played by many well-known blues artists, and show the value of ordinary things.

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Recent Posts

  • Witnessing the past: memories and hope in trees and wood
  • Volcanoes, slide guitar and koa: nature and music in Hawaii
  • Guitars, bugs and climate change – Fender and the Emerald Ash Borer
  • Trees, guitars, lizards and squid – perspectives on nature and music in the Anthropocene
  • Cigars and guitars: turning junk into music

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