Hey everybody. This week is the last official week of the summer season and Labor Day is just around the corner. Here at the Jersey Shore we usually go to BBQ’s, the beach, spend time with family and friends and have one last “hurrah” before we head into fall which happens to be my favorite time of year.
I will be taking a short break from 300guitars this week but will be back at it after the Labor Day weekend. My main man Todd Hamilton and I have been cooking up some really great things these past few months and during the month of September we will start to share them with you. I cannot get too detailed at this time but I can tell you that I will be expanding my brand again, getting more interactive with you guys, let you in on what’s going on with my 300guitars Shop here in Long Branch, more Inside Driver info and more video content. I love what I do here at 300guitars and truly appreciate everyone who visits me each and every day. You guys are the best and I thank you for all your emails, questions and feedback.
So…have a great week, enjoy your Labor Day weekend and I will see you in September..!!!
20 years ago today the guitar world lost a tremendous talent….Stevie Ray Vaughan. I really loved his playing and I will never forget when I bought “Texas Flood” on vinyl..! I was a young punk kid and got home late and night and had the first listen with headphones so I would not wake up the household. I was just floored…. I listened to that album until you could see through the vinyl..!! He was a great player and is sorely missed to this day. So everybody remember SRV, appreciate the time you have here and listen to some of his Texas Blues today..!!!
Who has a real 60′s Strat with a replaced or cracked nitrate “green guard” and wants to make their guitar look as correct as possible? Well, instead of spending a ton of cash on an original guard that could have shrunk and warped over the years you can now get an extremely accurate reproduction from Lashing Guitars. Finally someone took the time and painstaking effort (not to mention the money) to create authentic Cellulose Nitrate pickguards..!!!
These are made from the real deal material with the correct thickness of .001″. No PVC used..!! This is as close as you can get folks. I wish they were available back in the 90′s when I was working as the tech at Outlaw Guitars. I could have used a bunch of them back then. The color is right on, thickness right on and the good folks at Lashing will even age one for you to match the condish of your guitar. These would also be great on relic guitars adding the finishing touch and adding that much more realism. This is the kinds of thing that jive me…it’s how I roll… Price? $239.00…aging is extra. Worth it imo. Now to see if they can do Tele guards…
Video of my band the Inside Drivers at the Saint in Asbury Park, NJ on 8-7-10. This is a short compilation of a few tunes we did that night: Maybellene, Hammer Down Driver, You Win Again, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, You Don’t Know What I Mean and Mystery Train. The gig was a blast and a great big thanks to Scott Stamper at the Saint and everyone that came out to see us…THANK YOU..!!!! We are rockin’ at Clancy’s in Neptune this weekend so c’mon down and roadhouse with us..!!!
Howdy friends… My man (and Inside Drivers bassist) Alan Gowa turned me on to a cool TV show. It is called “Electrified: The Guitar Revolution” on the Smithsonian channel. I watched some parts of it and it’s definitely worth checking out. You can watch this on TV and there are listings for the days and times it will air or….watch it right on your computer..! (Like). The show has some really cool info so check it out and let me know what you think..!!
Russo Music has opened a brand new location at the Jersey Shore in Asbury Park..!!! The original location is in Hamilton, NJ where the business was started way back in 1960..! The new Asbury Park store is located on Cookman Avenue which is a stone’s throw from the historic town of Ocean Grove. Many of you know that Asbury Park was a hotbed of musical talent back in it’s heyday. Well, I’m here to tell you that the town is on the rise and the music scene is percolating with fresh, new talented musicians. Russo Music is smack dab in the middle of it all.
I have personally visited the new store and I have to say that it is excellent..! The store vibe is extremely cool and features brands like Gibson, Fender, Marshall, Vox, Orange and Martin just to name a few. They have a full line of effects, accessories and a little bit of everything for the working musician. Let’s not forget about drums, PA and recording gear as well. I met up with Scott Engel the store’s manager and had a little chat with him about the brand new venture. He is really pumped about it (although he’s not getting much sleep) and is gearing up for the official grand opening on Saturday, September 4th. There will be giveaways throughout the day of the event. You all know where I will be that day
If you are a musician in the area c’mon “down the shore” and check out Russo Music of Asbury Park. Stop in and see Scott and let him show you around the brand new location..!
My good friends over at Vintage and Rare have a really unique way of giving you access to lots of different vintage, rare, exotic, boutique and all around cool instruments.
Vintage and Rare.com is the premier mega-site for dealers and builders of vintage and rare instruments. They provide professional musical instrument dealers and builders with a place to have a virtual store and web presence on the net.
I will be collaborating a bit with Nicolai Schneekloth at Vintage and Rare on some things in the very near future so stay tuned to see what we have cookin’. In the meanwhile check out Vintage and Rare. There are some really cool guitars, amps and pedals (and other instruments) available from builders you may have never heard of. You can search by Instrument, Dealer, Builder and also by country. Warning…have some free time on your hands because there is a lot of gear to peruse….don’t say I didn’t warn you..!!!
If you are like me and are interested in doing a project, Mod Kits has a limited edition tube overdrive kit called “The Enticer” This tube overdrive pedal kit is based around a new-old-stock original RCA 12AU7A vacuum tube. It can get from a nice warm, clean sound with subtle overdrive all the way on up to full out compressed overdrive distortion. Only 30 of these limited edition kits will be available..!!
Mod Kits were created to give both the novice and experienced musician an opportunity to build their own guitar amps and effects pedals. Each kit comes with easy to follow instructions and also feature point-to-point wiring. Enclosures are pre-drilled and all parts are included. You only need a few hand tools, soldering iron, solder and a 9V battery. This might just make a nice after-summer project. Hmmm…
The wait is finally over.. The ZT Lunchbox Extension Cabinets are back in stock..!!! The first production run sold out very quickly so if you did not get one and still want to beef up your Lunchbox now you can. The Extension Cabinet is the same size as the ZT Lunchbox Amplifier with a sealed back and features the same 6.5″ proprietary speaker.
The ZT Lunchbox Extension Cabinet weighs in at 7lbs and is rated for 100 watts max with an impedance of 8 ohms. This cabinet is specifically designed to be used with Lunchbox products only. It has a single 1/4″ jack and a phase switch for “accuracy in any situation”.
The retail price is still $99.00 including free shipping within the continental U.SA.
We ran a contest that started on July 2nd for a free ZT Lunchbox amplifier. We asked everyone to send in a photo of themselves rockin’ out with their guitar. On August 5th the top 12 entries were posted and then you guys voted on them to determine who’s photo was the best. Well….here are the results..!!!
Michael Eisenstein
Congratulations go to Michael Eisenstein!! You guys voted and he’s is the winner of the ZT Lunchbox Photo contest!! Michael wins a free ZT Lunchbox Amplifier..!! I love this shot of Michael catching some air with his beloved ’59 LP Junior. Note the Traynor and transition Fender Bassman rig in the background…rock & roll baybay..!!!
Jerome Buniet
Second Runner Up is Jerome Buniet. He wins a 300guitars.com T-shirt..!! I really dig the way Jerome looks as he’s sending it here..!!
Joe Koenig
Third Runner Up is Joe Koenig. Joe also wins a 300guitars.com T-shirt. This is a great shot of Joe onstage…love the deep concentration and lighting..!!
So that’s it my friends. I want to thank all of you who submitted photos and all who voted on them. This was a real blast for me to check all you guys out rockin’ with your guitars. I plan on doing some more contests in the future so check back often or get over to my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter for the latest and greatest. Thanks again and hope to see you all soon..!!!
It is a sad day for guitarists here at the Jersey shore. Master Luthier Phil Petillo has passed away at the all too young age of 64 late Friday evening from a massive heart attack.
Mr. Petillo was a world renowned luthier and builder with a star studded client list including, Bruce Springsteen, Tal Farlow, Sir Paul McCartney and Jim Croce to name a few. His reputation and luthier skills can be described as legendary.
Besides being a world renowned luthier Mr. Petillo was an Engineer, Inventor, Electronics Consultant, Draftsman, Scientist and Musician. He held 30 U.S. patents including those for his Petillo Precision Frets, Petillo strings, and pickups, as well as surgical devices, hydrogen generators and fuel cell technology. He was a true renaissance man indeed.
The list of his attributes and accomplishments could go on and on… Many people who visited his shop described him as a warm, friendly and generous man. His son David was his only partner in the shop and will have to carry on the Petillo name. I suggest you check out the thread on The Gear Page to learn more about him. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Petillo family…
August 30, 2010 | Posted by Billy Penn 
Hey everybody. This week is the last official week of the summer season and Labor Day is just around the corner. Here at the Jersey Shore we usually go to BBQ’s, the beach, spend time with family and friends and have one last “hurrah” before we head into fall which happens to be my favorite time of year.
Tags: 300guitars, Amplifier, Billy Penn, Guitar, Pennalizer | 
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