Hill Guitar Co.

JP Durand visits @NAMM

2012-01-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

JP Durand from the band Incendio tried out the Indian rosewood topped Stage model and Kenny's Signature with pick up.

@ NAMM Show

2012-01-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

Scott Nygaard, Teja Gerken, Kenny Hill with the standup Signature @ NAMM show 2012

Exciting Stock to Show at NAMM

2012-01-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

Be sure to stop by the Hill Guitar Company Booth #1418 at NAMM to see what's new!

An Evening of Dialog & Music with composer Mark Kilstofte

2012-01-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

Presented by New Music Works Events, Hill Guitar Company and The Darling House.

When: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012.
Time: 8:00pm

South Carolina-based composer Mark Kilstofte, a Prix de Rome recipient, will be visiting Santa Cruz to perform his piece “Ballistic Etude 3.1” at MANDOLICIOUS. In addition, he will give a special lecture/performance of his music at the Darling House the evening before his concert.

ADMISSION:
Special B&B overnight package of $175 includes 2 tickets for this special pre-concert event.
$15 General AdmissionAdmission includes light refreshments.

RSVP:
Space is limited, RSVP to Jessica Stark at Hill Guitar Company, jstark@hillguitar.com / (831) 588-6489.To confirm an overnight stay & guaranteed seating contact Denise Darling at Darling House, denise@darlinghouse.com/ Phone: 831-458-1958.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
This event will be streamed live the night of the show from The Darling House website (http://darlinghouse.com/events/live-from-the-darling-house/).

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Click for the Fifth Fret's review of one of our dealers, Maple Street Guitars!

2011-12-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

Thank you Pappy, for the great review of Maple Street Guitars, and the knowledgable, friendly, helpful staff there. We truly enjoy doing business with Claire, George & Lindsay!

Click here for a live video stream of TONIGHT'S Eric Symons Concert!

2011-12-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

For those of you unable to attend tonight's concert, here is the link for the live video stream.

Tune in at 7:00PM Pacific Standard Time. http://darlinghouse.com/events/house-concert-series/

Eric Symons is a guitarist composer who lives for the roots of the instrument by embracing the Spanish tradition, with a love that is inspired by his own maternal Spanish heritage. In this concert Eric will perform on Vihuela da Mano, a Rubio 10-course lute, a 1770 Baroque guitar, and a special Kenny Hill guitar!

Enjoy

Hill Guitar Company Presents Guitarist/Composer Eric Symons

2011-11-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

Join us for a musical delicacy.

Thursday Dec. 15th, 2011 7:00 PM

Tickets: $20 General $15 Students & Seniors

This show will sell out. Please call for advanced reservations (800) 262-8858 or (831) 336-9317 jstark@hillguitar.com

Sponsored by:

Hill Guitar Company http://hillguitar.blogspot.com/
and

The Darling House http://darlinghouse.com/

Santa Cruz Location: The Darling House 314 West Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz CA 95060 Overnight Accommodation Packages Available http://darlinghouse.com/

About Eric Symons: Eric Symons is a guitarist composer who lives for the roots of the instrument by embracing the Spanish tradition, with a love that is inspired by his own maternal Spanish heritage. In this concert Eric will perform on Vihuela da Mano, a Rubio 10-course lute, a 1770 Baroque guitar, and a special Kenny Hill guitar!

Meklit Hadero performs at Don Quixote's, Santa Cruz Nov. 30th

2011-11-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

I first heard Meklit Hadero about a year ago. She came to Don Quixote's Music Hall in Felton, brought there by my friend Maya Barsaq. Maya is an amazing musician in her own right, and when she likes something I want to know. I went alone and sat in the back checking it out, and yes Meklit and her band were amazing. There was a too-small crowd, everyone hypnotized. At intermission I was still in the back near the CD table, and when Mekilt came by Maya introduced us, I felt a little shy, complimented her on everything about the show, and making small talk asked her what kind of guitar that was that she was playing. She said,"oh, I bought it in San Francisco at Guitar Solo, it's called a New World Guitar. I really love it". I said "Get outta here, I made that, or rather made the company that made that guitar" And wow — we both started to sort of cry, in a good way. She said "I LOVE that guitar!" and I said "I LOVE your songs!" and she gave me a big hug and went back onstage and continued to blow my mind with the beauty and imagination of her music. We have become good friends. She's only been doing this a few years; before, she was doing arts administration and helping put on concerts with some art group in San Francisco, and she thought, "Wait, I want to do that". And she did. And she's done something amazing! Throughout her songs and her voice, there is no wasted space, every line counts, every note a world itself. She finds expression in all kinds of tones and texture, hollow breath, or rich voice, solid structure or a wind in words. Total groove, it's all there. Her band is superb, with an imaginitive way of using the instruments. Part jazz, part R&B, part African, part torch. All smart, all sensual. A perfect mix. Meklit Hadero is playing again on Wednesday November 30th at Don Quixojte's in Felton. You should not miss this. Really!
Kenny Hill

Featuring:
Meklit Hadero (vocals/guitar)
Ruth Price (drums)
Daniel Fabricant (upright bass)
Darren Johnston (trumpet)

http://www.meklithadero.com/
http://www.zookbeat.com/events/

Delcamp Classical Guitar Forum Testimonial

2011-10-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

Check out this, and other Hill Guitar testimonials from Delcamp Classical Guitar forum:
"After visiting some shops and noticing that many of the guitars in my price range that I liked were made by Kenny Hill, I called him, then visited and had a guitar built just for me. It's so good I may never buy another guitar, so, in a way, being too good a luthier is self-defeating.
Condensed version: they're good guitars."

Click title for more reviews.

Kenny Hill Performance Stage model Indian Rosewood top!

2011-10-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a guitar just right for the performer looking for nylon stringed guitar with exceptional acoustic qualities and all the features necessary to plug in and play.

This is a 640mm double top, lattice braced, narrow necked [1 7/8"] radiused fingerboard thin bodied guitar, with a sound port, dTar pickup, strap buttons, and, did we say, great sound.

It's got marker dots at 5,7,9, strap buttons... and look at that Florentine cutaway.

Finally, let's talk about the double top: Indian rosewood/Nomex/Western red cedar. This guitar has a unique look and a unique sound - mellow, not subdued, but jazzy. It's got a lot of range in its acoustic palette, but it's right in the pocket for the jazz player.

You won't find guitars with Indian rosewood double tops. In fact, this is the only one so far. Unique. One of a kind.

More photos and specs here.

Want to buy it right now? It's currently on ebay.

New Signature Stage Prototype & Flamenco in the SHOWROOM

2011-10-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a really fantastic guitar at an extraordinary price. But first let me tell you about it.

Brazilian rosewood back and sides, European spruce/Nomex/western red cedar top, lattice braced, thin body, Florentine cutaway, 640mm string length
standard width neck 51mm with classical fingerboard, sound port, strap buttons and a dTar dual source pick up.

This set up is what you want on stage with other players.

It sounds terrific acoustically, and it sounds the same plugged in. It also features lovely ebony Alessi tuners. More images here in the showroom.

It carries the 'prototype' label, but there is nothing about this guitar that is second class or second rate - it's just not a production model - and it's possible all future instruments of this nature will be Performance models and not Signatures. Comes with a custom case.

Every once in awhile, Kenny builds a couple of Signature Flamenco guitars. Well, here is one of two just completed.

It features a solid European spruce top, Spanish cypress back and sides, 650mm string length, standard Sloane stippled Ebony machines.

You can see more photos of this guitar in the showroom.

Both of these guitars are a great value, check them out online, or if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and try them!

Click here to hear Acoustic Guitar's Review of the Hill Guitar Company's Performance Series

2011-10-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hill Performance Series Review
Acoustic Guitar checks out a punchy-sounding double-top classical. With video.

By Michael Millham

At a Glance

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The Specs:Double top (Alpine spruce on outside, Nomex honeycomb in the center, western red cedar on inside). Solid Indian rosewood back and sides. Lattice bracing. Spanish cedar neck with Spanish heel joint and dual-action truss rod. Ebony fingerboard. Indian rosewood bridge. 650-mm scale. 51-mm (2 inches) nut width. 57.5-mm (217/64-inches) string spacing at the saddle. Gotoh Deluxe tuners. French-polish finish. D’Addario Pro-Arté normal-tension strings. Made in USA.

This Is Cool:Double-top power. Fat tone. Overall value.

Watch For:Modern tone and construction may not appeal to traditionalists.

Price:$5,500 list/$4,850 street.

Maker:Hill Guitar Company: (831) 336-9317; hillguitar.com.

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California luthier Kenny Hill first planned on building organs—the kind with pipes—but quickly shifted his focus to guitars in the mid-1970s. Starting out as a solo builder, Hill has since expanded his operation to the point where his six-person atelier is the largest dedicated manufacturer of nylon-string guitars in the United States. Much of the Hill Guitar Company’s growth has come by offering high-quality, yet affordable, replicas of designs by Fleta, Hauser, Rodriguez, Ruck, and Torres. In recent years, however, Hill has put an increased emphasis on his original designs, which he calls the Signature series. Featuring double tops, elevated fingerboards, soundports, and other contemporary innovations, these instruments have found favor with many top-tier players and teachers. True to his company’s dedication to offering value, Hill started looking at ways to offer his contemporary designs’ tone and playability at a price that working classical musicians would find relatively affordable. Launched earlier this year, the culmination of Hill’s efforts is the Hill Performance series, of which we checked out the standard model.

Understated Style, Flawless Craftsmanship
The Performance series shares much of the Signature model’s DNA. Chief among these is the double-top construction. A bit of a misnomer, the double top (as pioneered by German luthiers Matthias Dammann and Gernot Wagner) is actually a single soundboard composed of three parts: two ultrathin “skins” of wood laminated around a honeycomb-like core of Nomex (a type of Kevlar). The goal of the double top is to provide traditional top stiffness with greatly reduced weight. Hill tends toward a yin-yang relationship between wood skins: if the outer top is cedar, he will use spruce inside, and vice versa—with the outer wood providing the dominant tonality. Our review guitar uses a creamy expanse of silky, tightly grained Alpine spruce for the outer layer, with a skin of western red cedar under the Nomex grid. In a further nod to contemporary classical guitar construction, the Performance series is braced in a nine-by-nine lattice pattern rather than the more traditional fan bracing. Using combined strips of spruce and cedar, the pattern’s crossed braces create a grid of elongated diamonds set lengthwise underneath the top grain, with the spruce braces centered in the lattice under the treble side (to enhance upper partials) and more cedar bracing at the lattice edges.

The consummate Spanish appearance of the Performance series guitar belies its high-tech construction, although two Robert Ruck–style soundports on each side of the neck’s heel add a contemporary look. The most significant construction difference between this guitar and the upscale Signature series is that it has a traditional neck set and fingerboard, rather than the elevated fingerboard found on the pricier guitar, a choice that adds to the Performance series’ more-traditional overall vibe.

The straight-grained Indian rosewood used for the guitar’s back and sides exudes depth and character, and the instrument’s unbound ebony fingerboard extends to the 20th fret for the first string. The guitar’s fretwork is flawless. The Hill’s body is wrapped in clean mahogany binding that intersects precisely with the matching minimalist mahogany backstrip and tailblock inlay. It’s a handsome, organic understatement somewhat reminiscent of Lowden steel-strings. A look inside the guitar reveals similar attention to detail. The svelte top and back bars are precisely carved, placed, and smoothly sanded—with no excess glue to be seen—and the kerfing is a wonder of consistency.

Easy Playability
The Performance model’s neck sports a decidedly contemporary low-profile U-shaped carve, with an excellent “medium” factory setup (3.5 mm for the first string, 4 mm for the sixth string, both measured at the 12th fret) that feels much faster than the specs would suggest. The guitar’s truss rod allows for perfect neck relief, and intonation remains spot-on both up the neck and between fretted and open-string unisons. A single side dot marker at the seventh fret provides a minimalist way to keep things organized during shifts, and the overall neck geometry, string spacing, and top construction allow for fatigue-free picking hand performance, even when I tried the guitar with high-tension Savarez strings.

Bold Tone
The result of all these modern construction efforts is a smooth, warm, yet punchy instrument with sustain, outstanding balance from low to high, and a wide dynamic range. Double tops and lattice braces typically produce a loud guitar, but at times this comes at the cost of tonal warmth. Not so with the Hill. While it is respectably loud (enough, for example, to accompany a soprano), it retains a full, weighty tone with tons of sustain even at the lowest volumes, and its response is uniform at every dynamic level. Running through the second movement of Leo Brouwer’s El Decameron Negro, I found it effortless to observe Brouwer’s wide and fastidiously notated dynamic contrasts during the echoes section. Color changes were likewise magnified across a broad palette—from sul tasto to ponticello—an advantage that nimbly sidesteps one common criticism of double-top instruments as being overly uniform in tonal response compared to traditional solid tops.

As beguiling as its dynamic range may be, the guitar’s flat string-to-string response is equally apparent. Even the transition from the wound D string to the nylon G passes without intrusion. Spinning the low E’s ivoroid Gotoh tuner up to F for Dusan Bogdanovic’s Mysterious Habitats, I found it easy to move between the melody notes on the upper strings and the five-beat perpetual motion ostinato in the bass. Each individual note comes off as round, with typical double-top beef and a fast response that masks the initial nail attack. Combine this character with the soundports channeling tone back toward you, and the overall impression is of both intimacy and a huge sound—a paradox perhaps befitting the Performance series’ yin-yang construction methods. It’s worth noting that the lattice and majority of the top are wood and thus subject to “playing in.” I noticed that the guitar’s tone increased somewhat in complexity, adding sparkle to the highs, during the time I had the guitar—again, in similar fashion to a traditional classical guitar.

Modern Classic
With its extroverted sound, easy playability, and clean craftsmanship, this modern guitar in traditional guise has a lot to offer someone looking for a concert-quality classical with exceptional balance and a warm, punchy tone with wide dynamic range. In short, the Performance series may be the best manifestation yet of Kenny Hill’s desire to provide concert-quality guitars, in accessible quantities, at affordable prices.

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Michael Millham (guitarandvoice.com) lives in Spokane, Washington, where he teaches at Gonzaga and Eastern Washington Universities and performs as a soloist and with vocalist Keleren Millham.

Concert Video of Almanova Sponsored by Hill Guitar Company

2011-09-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

All who heard this phenomenal performance by Almanova would agree, Jessica Pierce and Almer Imamovic moved us with their creative artistry and enchanting sound. The intimate venue of Santa Cruz's Darling House, with it's Tiffany lamps and open hearths, overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay through beveled glass windows only enhanced the experience. Additionally, to have had this event stream live to hundreds of elated listeners really added a fascinating dimension to the smaller house concert, effectively reaching a world wide audience. This will certainly be a model for many concerts to come.

Live video stream of the AlmaNova concert sponsored by Hill Guitar Company!

2011-09-21T23:35:00.000-07:00

Check it out Thursday 9/22 at 7:30 PM. If you can't make it, at least you won't miss it!

Hill Guitar Company Presents ALMANOVA at the Darling House in Santa Cruz!

2011-09-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

Thursday Sept. 22nd, 2011 7:30 PM

Sponsored by:
Hill Guitar Company
http://www.hillguitar.com/
and
The Darling House
http://darlinghouse.com/

Tickets: $15
Seats are limited, please Contact Hill Guitar Company for advanced reservations
Jessica Stark
(800) 262-8858 (831) 336-9317
jstark@hillguitar.com

Santa Cruz Location:
The Darling House
314 West Cliff Dr.,
Santa Cruz CA 95060
Overnight Accommodation Packages Available http://darlinghouse.com/

Master Class Offered onsite at The Darling House
Friday Sept. 23rd 2011
Space is limited
Contact Hill Guitar Company for details
(800) 262-8858 (831) 336-9317
khill@hillguitar.com

About ALMANOVA

The award-winning ensemble, AlmaNova, is an innovative flute and guitar duo presenting an eclectic program of chamber music. Flutist Jessica Pierce and guitarist Almer Imamovic are both masters of their instruments elevating the flute and guitar ensemble to the highest level of virtuosity and artistry. Guests are sure to enjoy this live performance filled with energy and passion!
http://www.almanova.us/biographies/index.htm

Hill Guitar Company Exhibits at the 2011 La Guitarra California FestivalSeptember 9, 10, 11, 2011

2011-09-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

We're bringing a variety
of instruments
to La Guitarra this year!

Stop by the Hill Guitar Company booth to get a closer look at, and play our
Performance Series and Signature Model guitars, as well as some other great surprises!
The 2011 Festival is a “Celebration of Guitar” featuring 20 world-renowned artists in 16 events! With 11 concerts, 4 Masterclasses, a free lecture, dozens of guitar maker exhibits, a guitar silent-auction, and the display of the Forderer Collection of Rare and Historic Guitars -- this will be the classical guitar event for 2011!

Coming to Healdsburg - Indian rosewood Double top Stage Guitar

2011-08-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

This is a new Hill Stage Performance model as it was being built a few weeks ago. Its bound for the Healdsburg Guitar Festival next week. Like its 2 sisters made and sold at the NAMM show, this one is designed for the performing musician who wants and needs a thinner body profile, narrow neck, radiused fingerboard sound port and cutaway.

Indian rosewood nomex double top with Western red cedar inside.

The cutaway is Florentine style.

The Stage guitar comes with a dTar multi-source pickup installed, as you can see Ben doing Thursday 8/4.

Kenny will have this all Indian rosewood model and a double-top Brazilian model for people to try at the show, along with Signatures and Performance models.

Sizzling Summer Madness - Brazilian Hauser Sale

2011-07-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

click the image to see it bigger

Yowie Zowie! A HOT offer for a HOT guitar for the HEAT WAVE!!

This weekend, we're offering this exquisite Brazilian Hauser '37 see photos here, a $7500 value at an INSANE sale price - $1000 off!!! But wait, if you buy it, we'll throw in a brand new BAM case, a $700 value, for FREE!! How can we do it? We're crazy with the heat!!

We're only building Master Series guitars to order these days, so getting one of these would take at least 5 months to get. They're just not available.

This guitar's got the Hauser sound and beautiful Brazilian rosewood!

It won't last long!

Kenny Hill in China

2011-07-15T12:44:00.001-07:00

Video: Kenny Discusses Hauser '37

2011-06-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Clip on Youtube

Interviewed in Hong Kong June 7, 2011, Kenny talks about the Segovia Hauser and the Hill Hauser '37 guitar.

Kenny HIll Plays The Abbey Santa Cruz 5/13

2011-05-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Kenny will be playing at The Abbey in Santa Cruz Friday with Dorian Michael and Giacomo Fiore. Kenny will be playing a new Custom Signature Stand up with armrest. Kenny will be playing selections from Scarlatti, Kottke and his own composition "There and Gone."

The Abbey is a new art, music, and coffee lounge in Santa Cruz, showcasing acousticly eclectic music and art both locally and abroad. Hours are Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, & Sat-Sun 8am-10pm.

The Abbey is located at 350 Mission Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. It is adjacent to the red brick church, Vintage Faith. The Abbey is a non-profit establishment, owned and operated by Vintage Faith Church. It is a performance and hangout space for the whole community.

Felton guitar maker expands to meet global demand

2011-04-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Photo by Dan Coyro/Sentinel

Donna Jones for the Santa Cruz Sentinel 4/19. 2011

FELTON -- The aroma of wood shavings and varnish hung in the air at Hill Guitar Co. along with more than a dozen guitars in varying stages of completion Monday.

Kenny Hill's been producing classical and flamenco guitars in the San Lorenzo Valley for more than two decades, but with his new shop on Highway 9 he's preparing to ramp up production to meet increasing global demand for his high-end concert instruments.

"I've been at this game long enough that it's really a golden age in my business," Hill said. "You work for 30 years and you're an overnight success, or something like that."

read article here

Evan Hirschelman in Santa Cruz Thursday 4/14

2011-03-18T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hill Guitar Company Presents Guitarist/Composer Evan Hirschelman
Santa Cruz House Concert
April 14th 2011
Thursday 7:30 PM
seats are limited, please make a reservation in advance
$15 General - $10 Senior/Student

Santa Cruz Location: 220 Spring Street (Off High Street towards the ocean) [click for map]
(Please park at the Messiah Lutheran Church at 801 High Street & Spring Street, rather than next to the house, and walk the one block to the house on the left)

Master Class
April 14th 2011 2:00 - 4:30pm
Hill Guitar Company
8011 Highway 9
Ben Lomond, CA 95005
$30 registration required

Tickets - contact HIll Guitar Company
(800) 262-8858 (831) 336-9317
khill@hillguitar.com

About Evan
Heralded by the Los Angeles Times for "technical wizardry” and by the Malibu Times for “Soulful Musicality”, guitarist Evan Hirschelman brings a fresh perspective and creative energy to his playing style. He has been a laureate of several international guitar competitions, including the Stotsenberg Classical Guitar Competition, and has appeared in numerous magazines, such as Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Soundboard, and Guitar Player.

Hirschelman's own compositions reflect a fusion of musical influences. They range from classical to metal, creating a unique brand of hybrid music. His music has been recorded on the Telarc, GSP and Dream Design Music record labels, and his composition "Lament and Wake" is featured on the Grammy® award-winning recording LAGQ's Guitar Heroes.

Musical performances have taken him throughout Europe and North America. He has appeared in various venues and for organizations including the Los Angeles Philharmonic Society, Guitar Foundation of America Festival, Sierra Nevada Guitar Festival, Guitarra Del Mar, and the American Guitar Society.

Hirschelman’s debut recording Water in Darkness (2009) was released to rave reviews. The American Record Guide called his performance “Delightful and virtuosic...[Hirschelman is]a skillful player, with solid rhythm and good sound." The recording contains solo guitar works and duets with guitarist Scott Tennant. Also in 2009, Circa Guitars released an Evan Hirschelman Signature Model steel-string acoustic guitar, one of the first steel-string guitars developed for classical players.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Evan Hirschelman resides in Los Angeles, where he divides his time between composing, performing, and teaching music. He has trained scores of guitarists, teaching as a faculty member at Musicians Institute (GIT) and Citrus College, in addition to running a thriving private studio. He recently authored his first book Acoustic Artistry, published by the Hal Leonard Corporation.

Hirschelman holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Music degree from theUniversity of Arizona, where he graduated with honors.

Evan Hirschelman resides on the web at www.theguitarist.net

Stage Guitar Prototype @ NAMM show

2011-01-17T17:17:00.000-08:00

This one is one of two, the other Brazilian and both have been sold.

This is the latest latest, project, encouraged by a few of my professional clients, most forcefully, Almer Imamovic. This is a attempt to make a truly electric classical, for those gigs where you need to play really loud and strong, but not give up the feel, dynamics and tone values of a fine classical guitar. A few companies have tried (no names) and most have failed, miserably. I've built three variations on this over the last few weeks, and I'm hoping to have them wrapped up by Namm. I know it will take several more attempts to get it right, but I'm planning to get it right eventually. We'll see.....

Think Les Paul size

thin parlor size body
Florentine cutaway
narrow neck 1 7/8" w. radiused fingerboard
marker dots on the neck 5, 7, 9
double top: spruce, nomex, cedar
lattice bracing
sound port
D-Tar pickup
strap button
ebony Gotoh machines
640mm string length
solid select Indian rosewood
Spanish cedar neck
ebony fingerboard
Hand applied French polish finish
Made in California [Kenny Hill]

arched case

projected list price $5750/ case included
+++++

UPDATED review from Michael Millham after playing both of these at the NAMM show and posted on the Acoustic Guitar Magazine's forum. Images of Michael playing the guitar in our NAMM posting:

Super easy to play; totally comfortable. Same feel and workmanship as all the upper level models. Feels like a typical CG to the hands, and a "thinline" electro acoustic to the body. Loud enough to be heard-about as loud as all but the full bodied lattice braced double tops, but with (I think; it's NAMM, after all) less bass response unplugged (no surprise there). I'm sure that the lattice double top and ports has a lot to do with the fact that there is still some acoustic punch-more so than with other thinlines I've played. I *think* that one was a flat board, and that Almer's was subtly radiused; both had low actions and narrower nuts, and both were as fast as any of the Hills I've played before.

I was not as enthused about the pickup, but anyone who has been around this forum for a decade or so-particularly "gear"-knows that I am a pickup snob/junkie; plus, I've never been a piezo UST guy... others who don't mind piezo coloration in, say, steel strings might really like the amplified tone; it's certainly more subtle than most USTs, and more agreeable than the typical "Chet" stylists live thinline tone.

If I suddenly found myself playing at louder stage volumes, this guitar would be at the top of a short list. It's basically just a high rent, high tech, high quality version of a stage thinline acoustic-which I think is the whole point.

It would be great for folks with shoulder or other body issues too, since there is still some authority unplugged.

Oddly, I can see these little guitars riding on a lot of contemporary pop/country/praise music tour buses: just the thing for adding natural nylon flavor to a band backing up the hot singer du jour.

Speaking of little guitars, the maple Torres (and we are talking tiny, romantic-era sized body-even smaller than normal "Torres" reproductions) was a surprise, very sweet and full at the same time. Likely a killer couch guitar.

My favorite at the show, however, was a cedar "performance" model. Kel's favorite was probably the "lowerboutectomy" beveled signature that Perf mentions.

They're all good. That's why all these players keep stopping by that booth.

Visitors @ NAMM SHOW - Friday/Saturday/Sunday

2011-01-14T12:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon - Eve Beneke, artist Signature player - Mike Kozubek, Azusa Pacific Director of Guitar Studies - Kendall Marsh, composer, producer - Dr. Tom Hirose.

Kenny, Shotaro Kido [Rokkomann Asturias Guitars] & Tim Miklaucic [GSI Tornavoz]

Kenny, Dave Hepple [Oasis strings & things] & Spruce Signature.

Fred Waleki, Westwood Music, visits w. Kenny.

Almer Imamovic plays for a crowd. His website.

Michael Millham and Almer.

Michael & Keleren Millham duet after hours for a lucky audience.

Their website

Almer Imamovic tries the Stage guitar designed for him.

Teja Gerken offers some advice while trying a Stage model.