MUSIC episode

>> MUSIC IS ONE OF THE OLDEST WAYS OF COMMUNICATION.

FOR HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF YEARS, WE WERE SINGING WITH OUR VOICES, WE WERE MAKING INSTRUMENTS.

>> THE TRUMPETS ARE CUSTOM-MADE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PLAYER, WHICH ALMOST NOBODY ON THE PLANET DOES.

>> EVERY TIME I PICK UP A KAMAKA UKULELE, I CAN FEEL THE POWER AND THE SOUL INVESTED IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR INSTRUMENTS.

>> IT’S A WORK OF ART IN ITSELF JUST SITTING ON A STAND, BUT IN THE HANDS OF A MUSICIAN, IT TURNS INTO AN EXPRESSIVE PAINTBRUSH FOR MUSIC.

>> ♪ ’TIS A GIFT TO BE SIMPLE ’TIS A GIFT TO BE FREE ’TIS A GIFT TO COME DOWN WHERE YOU OUGHT TO BE AND WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE PLACE JUST RIGHT IT WILL BE IN THE VALLEY OF LOVE AND DELIGHT ♪ [UKULELE PLAYING] [MAN SINGING IN HAWAIIAN] CHRIS SR.: THE UKULELE WAS ACTUALLY FIRST INTRODUCED HERE IN THE ISLANDS BY THE EARLY IMMIGRANTS THAT CAME OVER FROM PORTUGAL IN THE LATE 1800s.

THE HAWAIIANS WERE SO FASCINATED, WATCHING THEIR FINGERS MOVE UP AND DOWN THE FINGERBOARD, THAT IT REMINDED THEM OF A JUMPING FLEA, WHICH "UKU" IS "FLEA," AND "LELE" MEANS "TO LEAP."

SAM JR.: PEOPLE JUST LOVE THE SOUND, AND FOR THE HAWAIIAN MUSIC AND DANCE, IT WAS PERFECT, BUT EVEN THEN, WE SANG OLD COWBOY SONGS, TOO.

JAKE: WE WOULDN’T HAVE THE UKULELE TODAY IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE KAMAKA FAMILY.

YOU KNOW?

THEY REALLY INVENTED THE MODERN-DAY UKULELE.

SKYLER: IT’S A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS, AND THE LOVE THAT WE PUT INTO OUR BUSINESS IS THE SAME LOVE THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR FAMILY, SO IT’S SHARING OUR FAMILY WITH THE WORLD.

CHRIS SR.: KAMAKA WAS FIRST STARTED BY MY GRANDFATHER BACK IN 1916.

HE WAS A MUSICIAN, STARTED BUILDING THE INSTRUMENTS IN HIS GARAGE AS A HOBBY.

EVENTUALLY, HE BUILT THE FIRST FACTORY.

FRED SR.: I STARTED WORKING FOR MY FATHER WHEN I WAS 4, AND IF YOU CAME INTO MY FATHER’S SHOP, 1930, HIS QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE, HOW MANY WOULD YOU LIKE?

THIS IS STOCKAGE.

$5.00 EACH.

SAM JR.: IN THE EARLY DAYS, MY DAD WAS CREATING UKULELE IN A TRADITIONAL GUITAR SHAPE.

ONE DAY, ONE OF THE PEOPLE VISITING SAYS, "WHY DON’T YOU CREATE AN OVAL UKULELE?"

AND THAT’S THE BIRTH OF OUR PINEAPPLE UKULELE.

FRED SR.: MY FATHER MADE INSTRUMENTS, BUT FROM MY MOTHER’S SIDE, THEY WERE ALL PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINERS.

MY MOTHER WAS WHAT THEY CALL A KUMU TODAY.

SHE TAUGHT HULA.

WE GREW UP WITH MUSIC, ENTERTAINING, HULA DANCING.

SAM JR.: WE LOVED TO WATCH THE GIRLS DO IT.

HA HA HA!

CASEY: PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR UKULELES AND EVERYONE ELSE’S UKULELES?

AND I SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE THEM, BUT THE MAIN DIFFERENCE TO ME IS, IT HAS SOUL.

YOU KNOW, THERE’S A SOUL IN IT.

WE TRY TO BRING IT TO LIFE.

FRED SR.: IN MY FATHER’S SHOP, THE SAWS, THE SANDING MACHINES ALL HAD BELTS, AND IF YOU WEREN’T CAREFUL TO PUT THE BELTS ON...

HOLD UP YOUR FINGERS.

WE HAVE ’EM ALL.

DIDN’T LOSE ANY.

WE DIDN’T LOSE ANY.

HE WAS A PERFECTIONIST.

I KNEW BECAUSE EVERY TIME I DID SOMETHING WRONG, OR I WAS MAKING A PIECE OF JUNK.

HE REFUSED TO SELL IT.

MY FATHER WAS DYING IN DECEMBER ’53, SO HE CALLED US HOME.

HE SAID, "I DON’T KNOW IF YOU TWO ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE BUSINESS, BUT IF YOU DO," HE SAID, "DON’T YOU DARE EVER RUIN THAT NAME BY MAKING--" AND HE WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT ME WHEN HE SAID IT--"JUNK."

WE DECIDED TO TAKE OVER THE BUSINESS, AND WE STARTED USING TWO Ks, FOR TWO OF US.

FRED JR.: YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP GOING.

WHEREAS MY GRANDFATHER DID EVERYTHING, THE TWO BROTHERS SORT OF SPLIT IT.

YOU KNOW, SOME SAY SAM GOT THE HAWAIIAN SIDE, SO HE’S THE CRAFTSMAN, AND FRED GOT THE CHINESE SIDE, SO HE’S THE BUSINESSMAN.

JAKE: IF IT WEREN’T FOR KAMAKA UKULELES, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO PLAY THE WAY THAT I PLAY.

THEIR INSTRUMENTS ARE SENSITIVE, YOU KNOW, AND I TELL PEOPLE THAT’S WHAT YOU NEED.

YOU NEED A SENSITIVE INSTRUMENT, AND THE KAMAKA UKULELES JUST RESPOND TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

YOU’RE ABLE TO HAVE THIS TREMENDOUS TONAL VOCABULARY, AND THEY’RE MADE TO DO THAT.

AND IT PUSHES ME TO KEEP IMPROVING MY CRAFT.

FRED JR.: YOU KNOW, MOST FAMILY BUSINESSES DON’T MAKE IT PAST THE FIRST GENERATION, AND VERY FEW, IF ANY, MAKE IT PAST THE SECOND GENERATION, AND USUALLY IT’S BECAUSE THE CHILDREN GO ON AND DO OTHER THINGS.

CASEY: WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, MY DAD WOULD PUT US TO WORK, AND THEN AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, I WANTED TO GO OFF AND DO SOMETHING ELSE FOR A WHILE.

AFTER I BECAME A PILOT, IT STILL AFFORDED ME ENOUGH TIME OFF WHERE I COULD ALWAYS COME BACK AND HELP THEM.

CHRIS SR.: I REALLY DIDN’T THINK I WAS GONNA BE PART OF THE BUSINESS.

I WAS GONNA GO INTO THE AIR FORCE, BUT WHEN I ACTUALLY FIRST JUMPED IN THOSE SMALL PLANES-- NO, NO.

THIS IS NOT FOR ME.

HA HA HA!

CASEY: GENERATING THE SOUND THE INSTRUMENT PRODUCES, THE SOUNDBOARD IS THE MAIN COMPONENT, AND WHAT I’M DOING HERE IS SHAPING THE BRACES THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THE SOUNDBOARD.

YOU STILL NEED THE STRENGTH, BUT YOU STILL NEED THE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE VIBRATION TO BE ABLE TO TRANSVERSE ACROSS THE TOP.

BUT AS YOU LIGHTEN THESE BRACES UP AND YOU ADJUST THE SHAPES OF THEM, ACOUSTICALLY, IT STARTS TO COME ALIVE.

FRED JR.: THE JOB CHRIS DOES, WHICH IS THE DAY-TO-DAY PRODUCTION MANAGER JOB, HE CAN SIT THERE AND HE CAN CHECK, YOU KNOW, 15 UKULELES EVERY DAY TO KEEP THINGS GOING OUT THE DOOR.

CHRIS SR.: WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR, BASICALLY, IS TO MAKE SURE THE ACTION OF THE STRINGS IS AT THE CORRECT HEIGHT, EVENLY SPACED AND LINED UP, AS WELL AS THE HEIGHT OF THE SADDLE SO WHEN THE CUSTOMER PICKS UP THE UKULELE, YOU KNOW, IT’S COMFORTABLE TO PLAY, AND YOU KNOW, YOU WANT THEM TO PICK UP THE UKULELE AND NOT PUT IT DOWN.

CHRIS JR.: HERE AT KAMAKA, YOU DEFINITELY NEED A GOOD EAR AND A GOOD EYE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE THE FINAL CHECK, LIKE MY DAD.

HE DOESN’T CATCH EVERYTHING, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, HE’S PRETTY GOOD, BUT ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU GOT TO KEEP HIM IN CHECK, YOU KNOW?

[MEN SINGING IN HAWAIIAN] FRED JR.: I THINK SAM WOULD BE PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH--THAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THE COMPANY GOING.

YOU KNOW, NOW THAT THERE ARE SOME FOURTH-GENERATION MEMBERS WORKING AT THE COMPANY, HOPEFULLY, IT’LL CONTINUE.

>> KISS ME.

ALL: ♪ KISS ME, MY DARLING... ♪ [SINGING IN HAWAIIAN] SAM JR.: I’M NOT AS FLEXIBLE AS I USED TO BE, BUT I CAN STILL OCCASIONALLY SING A MELODY TO KEEP THE UKULELE GOING.

SO IN A YEAR OR SO, WE’LL BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE 100 YEARS IN THE KAMAKA FAMILY OF CREATING THE UKULELE, AND IT’S BEEN A FABULOUS JOURNEY.

[SINGING IN HAWAIIAN] [APPLAUSE] >> HA HA HA!

ALOHA.

HA HA HA!

[LAUGHTER] [BAND PLAYING JAZZ] SCOTTY: JAZZ WAS CREATED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY WHO WERE NOT EVEN LOOKED UPON AS FULL HUMAN BEINGS BY THE CONSTITUTION.

AND HERE THEY ARE, CREATING SOMETHING THAT’S TIMELESS, THAT HAD NO PRECEDENT IN WESTERN ART.

EVERY NIGHT WE PLAY WITH THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA, THAT MUSIC IS DIFFERENT.

WE MAY PLAY THE SAME SONG, BUT THE SOLOS ARE DIFFERENT EVERY NIGHT.

THE FORM IS THE SAME, BUT THE IMPROVISATIONS ARE WHAT IS REALLY WHAT MAKES THAT MUSIC WHAT IT IS.

YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GONNA PLAY UNTIL YOU PLAY IT, PRETTY MUCH, AND YOU KNOW, AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU’RE PLAYING WITH INFLUENCE WHAT YOU ACTUALLY CREATE, SO JAZZ IS ABOUT BEING CREATIVE ALL THE TIME.

MR. DAVE MONETTE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT JAZZ BECAUSE HE’S THE GREATEST TRUMPET MAKER TO EVER LIVE.

AND I’VE BEEN PLAYING DAVE’S TRUMPETS NOW FOR ABOUT 26 YEARS.

DAVE: DEAN, HOW’S THIS RAJA COMING?

DEAN: PRETTY GOOD, ACTUALLY.

DAVE: WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

DEAN: YOU KNOW, I GOT THIS FLANGE IS LOOKING GOOD.

IT’S FITTING.

DAVE: THE TRUMPETS THAT WE MAKE ARE TRULY CUSTOM-MADE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PLAYER, WHICH ALMOST NOBODY ON THE PLANET DOES.

WE DON’T BUILD A HORN UNTIL WE KNOW WHO IT’S GOING TO AND WHAT ARE THEIR MUSICAL PRIORITIES, AND A LOT OF THE TIMES, WE’VE ACTUALLY EVEN HEARD THE PLAYER PLAY, AND THE TRICK IS LISTENING TO SOMEONE TO DO A LITTLE TIME TRAVEL AND GO TO THE FUTURE AND HEAR HOW THEY SOUND WHEN THEY SOUND WAY BETTER THAN THEY’RE CURRENTLY SOUNDING RIGHT NOW IN PRESENT TIME.

SEE WHAT WE’RE DOING.

[HORN PLAYING] AND THEN SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT SPECIFICS WE WANT TO BUILD INTO THE HORN THAT WILL ACHIEVE THAT SOUND THAT WE HAVEN’T HEARD IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD YET.

SO IT’S KIND OF A FUN PROCESS.

SCOTTY: DAVE IS BEGINNING TO BUILD A NEW TRUMPET FOR ME, AND SO I’M HERE TO JUST PLAY DIFFERENT PROTOTYPES OF SEVERAL MODELS HE HAS TO SEE WHAT WE’RE GONNA DO FOR MINE.

NICE.

MM-HMM.

OK. DAVE: WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 30 YEARS, AND I’VE ONLY MADE 2,600 HORNS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE FEWER HORNS AND MAKE THEM BETTER.

EVERY ONE OF MY COWORKERS IS A TRUMPET PLAYER AND WAS A CLIENT BEFORE THEY WERE AN EMPLOYEE.

DEAN: I BOUGHT NUMBER 295 IN 1987, AND THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE LOOKING TO ADD A PERSON IN THE SHOP, AND I SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME A SHOT."

AND A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE, BUT HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE LATEST, GREATEST HORN.

SO EVERYONE HERE KIND OF HAS TO PAVE THEIR OWN PATH SO THAT WE CAN COLLECTIVELY PUT 150 PARTS OF A TRUMPET TOGETHER.

THERE’S ABOUT 4 FEET OF BRASS TUBING, HALF CYLINDRICAL TUBING AND ABOUT HALF TAPERED TUBING.

KYLE: I’M JUST WORKING ON THIS VALVE CASING.

THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THE HORN STARTS, RIGHT HERE.

THERE’S 18 PIECES THAT GO TOGETHER.

A LOT OF THE TIME GOES INTO THE ALIGNMENT.

IT’S ALL DONE BY EYE WITH THE RULER SO EVERYTHING’S ALL ON PLANE.

DEAN: AND ONCE I HAVE THAT VALVE CASING, THEN THE BALUSTERS GO ON.

AND THEN I CAN START SOLDERING ON THE VARIOUS VALVE SLIDES.

THEN I CAN MAKE THE TUNING SLIDE.

ONCE THAT’S DONE, THEN I CAN FIT THE LEAD PIPE.

JEFFREY: THE LEAD PIPE IS THE PART THAT IS RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRUMPET.

IT STARTS OUT AS A STRAIGHT CYLINDER, AND THEN I PUT A MANDREL IN THERE THAT WILL BE THE SHAPE OF THE INSIDE OF THAT TUBE.

THE LEAD PIPE HAS A TAPER THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE SOUND, AND WHEN I PRESS IT DOWN AGAINST THAT MANDREL, IT HAS THE PERFECT SHAPE THAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR.

DEAN: WHEN IT’S ALL SOLDERED ON, THE WIDTH IS ABSOLUTELY THE SAME AS THE TUNING SLIDE TO WITHIN A HALF A THOUSANDTH OF AN INCH.

AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT ANY TENSION IN THE TRUMPET.

DAVE: WHAT EVERYONE IN THE SHOP DOES IS FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE PARTS WITH NO TENSION IN THE PART AND SO THAT THEY FIT TOGETHER WITH OTHER PARTS WITH NO TENSION, WHICH MAKES THE INSTRUMENT VIBRATE FREELY AND IS MORE RESONANT, WHICH GETS US DOWN THE ROAD TO A MORE SUCCESSFUL MUSICAL PRODUCT FOR THE PLAYER.

AND ONE OF THE PLAYERS THAT HAVE PROBABLY INFLUENCED THE DESIGN OF MONETTE INSTRUMENTS THE MOST IS WYNTON MARSALIS.

WYNTON: WHAT’S UP, DOC?

DAVE: AND WYNTON GETS A NEW HORN ABOUT EVERY YEAR.

WYNTON: OH?

FANCY.

GOT FANCY VALVES.

DAVE: WHENEVER I FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE NEXT BEST HORN FOR HIM, I JUST BUILD IT.

I JUST SHOW UP WITH A NEW HORN, AND HE PLAYS IT.

[HORN PLAYING] THE THING THAT MAKES MONETTE INSTRUMENTS REALLY UNIQUE IS SOMETHING WE CALL CONSTANT PITCH CENTER, WHICH MEANS WHEN YOU PLAY FROM SOFT TO LOUD, THE PITCH DOESN’T CHANGE, AND WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE PLAYING TRUMPETS ON TV OR IN SHOWS OR SOMETHING, YOU’LL SEE PEOPLE MANIPULATING THEIR BODY AND DOING ALL SORTS OF WEIRD STUFF, AND THEY’RE JUST COMPENSATING FOR THE FACT THAT THOSE INSTRUMENTS, CONVENTIONAL INSTRUMENTS, DO NOT HAVE CONSTANT PITCH CENTER.

[BAND PLAYING SOFT JAZZ] SCOTTY: WORKING WITH DAVE’S INSTRUMENTS, I’M NOT STRUGGLING WITH IT.

I’M NOT FIGHTING IT.

THIS IS HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE.

I JUST PLAY, AS IF I’M BREATHING.

DAVE: SO, SCOTTY, YOUR HORN IS GONNA GET A BELL THAT’S A RADICAL IMPROVEMENT OVER ANY BELL WE’VE EVER HAD ON A B-FLAT TRUMPET.

HERE’S THE NEW TOOLING.

SCOTTY: OK. DAVE: AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHAPE OF THE OLD MANDREL, YOU CAN SEE IT’S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING GOING ON HERE.

WE NEVER DESIGNED THIS MANDREL, 25 YEARS AGO, TO HAVE A BELL AS BIG PHYSICALLY IN DIAMETER, AND THIS IS THE BEST TRUMPET THAT WE’VE EVER MADE TO DATE BECAUSE IT’S THE FIRST ONE THAT’S GOT THE NEW BELL... SCOTTY: WOW, MAN.

DAVE: FROM THE NEW BELL MANDREL.

EMERY: THE BELL IS THE LARGEST PART OF THE INSTRUMENT, AND IT’S VERY IMPORTANT.

FIRST, YOU WANT TO TRUE UP THE FLARE.

THAT’S THE SINGLE SHEET OF METAL THAT I’VE PRE-CUT OUT TO THE DIAMETER THAT I WANT IT TO BE.

AND THEN AFTER I GET IT TO MY DESIRED FLARE, I TRIM IT, AND THEN I CAN ACTUALLY ATTACH IT TO THE BELL STEM.

I CAN PUSH IT AND KIND OF FORM IT AND GET A BELL OUT OF IT.

DEAN: EMERY HAS SPENT TWO DAYS MAKING THIS BELL.

I TRIM IT TO THE PROPER LENGTH, START FITTING IT ONTO THE HORN, AND ONCE THE BELL IS SOLDERED ON, I CAN START FABRICATING THE BRACES THAT CONNECT THE LEAD PIPE TO THE BELL.

SCOTTY: DAVE’S NEW TRUMPET FOR ME IS CALLED A DECORATED INSTRUMENT.

IT WILL TELL MY LIFE STORY.

THAT WILL BE SAW-PIERCED INTO THE DESIGN OF IT.

AND SO I’M HERE TO TALK TO THE DESIGNER, TAMI DEAN.

DAVE: THIS IS GONNA BE A BLAST, DOING THIS HORN FOR SCOTTY.

TAMI: YEAH.

I’M REALLY EXCITED.

DAVE: SO, ON ART’S HORN, WHICH IS THE ONLY ONE OF THESE DECORATED HORNS WE HAVE IN THE SHOP, YOU KNOW, WE’VE GOT ALL THESE ICONS BACK HERE.

WE’VE GOT DIZZY GILLESPIE AND ROY ELDRIDGE AND LOUIS ARMSTRONG.

SO, SCOTTY, WHO WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT HEROES TO YOU THAT YOU WANT CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART WHILE YOU PLAY?

SCOTTY: OH.

THAT WOULD BE DR. KING, OF COURSE.

I THINK FREDDIE HUBBARD.

BASIE, COUNT BASIE.

WYNTON IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, YOU KNOW.

DAVE: IT’S DR. KING, SR.?

SCOTTY: ACTUALLY, IT WOULD BE BOTH, BUT I KNEW SENIOR.

TAMI: HE BAPTIZED YOU, RIGHT?

SCOTTY: MM-HMM.

TAMI: YEAH.

DAVE: SO OF THOSE FOUR PEOPLE, IS HE THE MOST GROUNDING OF THE FOUR?

SCOTTY: AS FAR AS SPIRITUALLY, YEAH, AND JUST AS A PERSON, YES.

DAVE: OK.

SO, THEN, DR. KING, SR.

NEEDS TO BE AT THE LOWEST PART.

TAMI: SOUNDS LIKE IT, YEAH.

DAVE: YEAH.

AND THEN COUNT BASIE, FREDDIE HUBBARD, AND THEN WYNTON?

TAMI: WYNTON AT THE TOP.

DAVE: SO THEN TAMI, YOU’LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE’RE DOING FOR ICONS FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE.

TAMI: YEAH.

DAVE: PROBABLY GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE 18-20 PEOPLE TOTAL ON YOUR HORN.

SCOTTY: OK. MM-HMM.

DAVE: ALL RIGHT.

SO, THIS IS GONNA BE A YEAR AND A HALF AWAY.

SCOTTY: MM-HMM.

TAMI: BUT YOU’RE HERE FOR THE LONG TERM, RIGHT?

SCOTTY: I’M HERE FOR THE LONG TERM.

DAVE: WE’RE READY TO GO.

WE’RE READY TO START.

YEAH.

[HORN PLAYING] DEAN: AND THAT’S NOT EVEN ADJUSTED YET?

DAVE: IT’S NOT EVEN FINAL-ADJUSTED YET.

IT’S PRETTY ZINGY, ISN’T IT?

DEAN: MAN.

JOHN: WOW.

DAVE: WE KNOW AN INSTRUMENT THAT’S A PROTOTYPE NEW DESIGN IS READY FOR DELIVERY BECAUSE WE’VE PLAY-TESTED IT AND PLAY-TESTED IT 60 FEET AWAY AT THE FAR END OF THE SHOP.

I THINK WE GOT A WINNER.

DEAN: THAT PROJECTS.

DAVE: I KNOW.

WELL, WE DIDN’T WASTE OUR TIME ON THE NEW BELL MANDREL, DID WE?

DEAN: NO.

DAVE: HA HA!

[BAND PLAYING JAZZ] [STRING INSTRUMENTS PLAYING BLUEGRASS] GEOFF: IT’S HARD TO REALLY TELL YOU WHAT THE SOUND OF A BANJO IS BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING ELSE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BANJO.

IT’S A PERCUSSIVE SOUND BECAUSE IT’S MADE OUT OF A DRUM, WITH STRINGS VIBRATING ON IT.

YOU PICK IT, AND YOU CAN STRUM IT, SO BASICALLY, THE BANJO IS A DRUM THAT SOMEBODY PUT A NECK ON.

I WAS A BLUEGRASS MUSICIAN IN 1971.

I WAS STILL IN THE NAVY, FOR MY LAST YEAR, AND I DECIDED, I’M GONNA BUILD A BANJO FROM SCRATCH, AND I THINK I DID IT, AND SO DO ABOUT 7,000 OTHER PEOPLE, AT LEAST.

THE VERY FIRST COUPLE OF BANJOS, I MADE ENTIRELY BY MYSELF, AND THEN I DECIDED, I NEED HELP.

I MEAN, I REALLY RELY ON GOOD CRAFTSMEN, AND I’VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED FOR ME OVER THE LAST 41 YEARS.

HAD A COUPLE PULL OUT BACK THERE.

MAN ON RIGHT: OH, I HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED ON THESE.

GEOFF: YOU GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

MAN ON RIGHT: YEAH, I DO.

GEOFF: PEOPLE LIKE TONY ELLIS MAKE MY BANJO SPECIAL BECAUSE THEY GET THE BEST SOUND OUT OF IT.

TONY: SO, BACK IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE I GREW UP--SYLVA, NORTH CAROLINA--YOU DIDN’T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF ENTERTAINMENT.

PEOPLE MADE THEIR OWN ENTERTAINMENT.

I LIKED THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET, AND SO I STUDIED THE HORN IN SCHOOL, AND THEY WANTED ME TO PLAY SOUSA MARCHES ALL THE TIME, AND I DIDN’T LIKE THAT STUFF.

I WANTED TO PLAY SOMETHING THAT HAD A MELODY TO IT AND THAT WAS PRETTY, YOU KNOW, AND HAD SOME SOUL TO IT, NOT JUST BEATING AND BANGING AND MARCHING.

SO I HEARD EARL SCRUGGS ON THE RADIO ONE DAY, AND I HEARD THAT BANJO, AND I THOUGHT, "THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO," SO I GOT RID OF MY TRUMPET AND NEVER TURNED BACK.

>> THE RINGS AND THE RESONATOR ARE VERY NICE.

GEOFF: YEAH.

THEY STAND OUT AGAINST A ONE-PIECE BACK A LOT BETTER THAN THE TWO-PIECE.

A LOT MORE DIFFICULT... TONY: GEOFF STELLING’S BANJO HAS CLARITY.

IT HAS TONE.

IT HAS POWER.

IT CAN BE GENTEEL AND SOFT AND SWEET AT THE SAME TIME.

GEOFF: THE BANJO IS ONE OF THE MOST ORNAMENTED INSTRUMENTS.

IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE OLD DIXIELAND BANDS, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY PUT LIGHTS INSIDE THE BANJO TO SHINE THROUGH THE HEAD, AND THEY HAD FLASHY MUSIC AND FLASHY PEOPLE.

SO THE BANJO BECAME A REALLY FLASHY INSTRUMENT.

JOSHUA: I’M CUTTING THE INLAY OUT WITH A JEWELER’S SAW.

THE MATERIAL IS SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS, BUT MAINLY SHELL--ABALONE, WHITE MOTHER-OF-PEARL, GOLD MOTHER-OF-PEARL.

IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

YOU HAVE TO GO SLOW.

PIECES CAN BREAK IF YOU’RE NOT TAKING YOUR TIME.

I’LL TAKE THE BIRD OFF OF HERE AND TRIM UP THE EXCESS GLUE.

I’LL HAVE TO PLACE IT CENTER OF THE RESONATOR AND GET MY MEASUREMENTS.

WE HOLD IT DOWN VERY CAREFULLY AS WE TRACE AROUND IT.

AND THEN WE’LL TAKE A DREMEL TOOL WITH A ROUTER BASE ON IT AND SET OUR DEPTH VERY SPECIFICALLY TO THE THICKNESS OF THE INLAY, AND WE’LL CUT OUT A POCKET.

I USE AN X-ACTO KNIFE TO TRIM UP ANY CORNERS OR SHARP ANGLES.

GEOFF: THE RESONATOR IS MADE OUT OF, BASICALLY, MOLDED PLYWOOD A QUARTER-INCH THICK, AND IT RESONATES THE SOUND UPWARD AND OUTWARD THROUGH THE TOP OF THE BANJO.

ZACHARY: I’M PUTTING THE POT TOGETHER OF THE BANJO, AND THE PARTS ARE...

THIS IS CALLED THE RIM.

THIS IS THE GUTS OF THE BANJO.

THIS IS WHERE THE SOUND COMES OUT OF, AND THIS IS OLD WOOD THAT WAS RECLAIMED FROM THE GREAT LAKES.

ONCE THEY DRIED IT OUT, WE GET A REAL, YOU KNOW... [KNOCKING] REAL RESONANT WOOD.

AND THIS IS CALLED THE FLANGE, AND THIS IS WHAT WILL CONNECT THE BANJO TO THE RESONATOR.

IT’LL SIT RIGHT INSIDE THE LIP.

THE TONE RING.

IT HAS A BEVELED EDGE THAT FITS RIGHT UP ON THE TOP OF THE RIM, AND YOU GET FULL CONTACT AROUND THE RIM.

THE HEAD--FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE, AND YOU CAN REPLACE THEM PRETTY EASILY.

THIS IS THE TENSION HOOP ON TOP, AND IT HAS GROOVES CUT OUT.

THESE J-HOOKS CONNECT THE FLANGE TO THE TENSION HOOP.

GEOFF: TENSION HOOP, HEAD, TONE RING, RIM, FLANGE.

IT’S A SANDWICH OF METAL AND WOOD.

[BANJO PLAYING] ZACHARY: FROM THE FRETBOARD IN THE NECK, THE SOUND TRAVELS AROUND THE RIM, THROUGH THE HEAD, AND COMES BACK FROM THE RESONATOR, AND IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER IN MAKING THE BANJO SOUND LIKE IT DOES.

[BLUEGRASS PLAYING] GEOFF: WHEN I GET A BANJO FROM THE GUY THAT PUTS IT TOGETHER, I HAVE TO LOOK IF THE NECK ANGLE IS CORRECT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BOW IN THE NECK FOR THE STRINGS TO VIBRATE.

THE BRIDGE POSITION HAS TO BE TO WITHIN A THOUSANDTH OF AN INCH, AND THE STRING HEIGHT HAS TO BE CORRECT TO BE PLAYABLE.

ALL THAT HAS TO BE PERFECT TO MAKE THE BANJO SOUND THE WAY I LIKE IT.

POLISH IT ALL UP, AND THEN I PACK IT.

I’M THE LAST PERSON TO SEE EVERY BANJO.

I SHIP IT.

I’M THE SHIPPING CLERK.

THAT’S A GOOD ONE.

WILLIAM: THE AFRICAN DIASPORA GAVE US THE BANJO IN AMERICA.

THERE ARE MANY PROTOTYPES OF THE BANJO THAT COME WITH THE SLAVE TRADE, AND THESE STRINGED INSTRUMENTS MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE NEW WORLD.

1781, THOMAS JEFFERSON NOTES A "BANJAR," AS HE CALLED IT, AND NOTES, TOO, THAT IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY AN AFRICAN INSTRUMENT THAT HE IS WITNESSING AND DESCRIBING, AND IT GOES THROUGH VARIOUS NAMES-- THERE’S THE STRUM-STRUM, THE MERRY-WANG, AND IT BECOMES, ULTIMATELY, THIS COMMERCIALIZED INSTRUMENT CALLED THE BANJO.

JIM: I MAKE BANJOS.

I DON’T MAKE MODERN BANJOS.

I MAKE BANJOS THAT WERE MADE DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE 19th CENTURY--YOU KNOW, AROUND 1850.

IT WAS WHEN THE BANJO WAS STARTING TO BECOME INVENTED, SO THERE WAS A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF BANJOS.

A LOT OF THEM WERE MADE BY CARPENTERS OR PERFORMERS.

AND MOST OF THE BANJOS MADE DURING THAT PERIOD WERE WITH A WIDER NECK THAN THE MODERN BANJO.

[WHIRRING] AND MOST OF THE BANJOS WERE WITHOUT FRETS.

FRETS ARE THOSE METAL PARTS FOR MARKING THE DIFFERENT NOTES ON THE FINGERBOARD.

THE RIMS WERE A LOT LARGER THAN THE KIND OF BANJO RIM THAT WE SEE TODAY, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT 11 INCHES.

IN THOSE DAYS, THEY HAD BANJOS AS BIG AS 15 INCHES IN DIAMETER, AND THEY HAD ALL NATURAL SKIN HEADS ON THEM.

THERE ARE STILL BANJO MAKERS THAT ARE MAKING BANJOS WITH SKIN HEADS, BUT IT’S NOT AS COMMON ANYMORE.

I GOT REALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING THIS KIND OF BANJO BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST POP INSTRUMENT, AMERICAN POP INSTRUMENT.

THIS IS A COPY OF A BANJO THAT WAS MADE BY JOEL WALKER SWEENEY, WHO BASICALLY WAS THE ELVIS PRESLEY OF THE 1830s.

HE WAS THE GUY, YOU KNOW, WHO’S CREDITED WITH COPYING SLAVE MUSIC AND PUTTING ON A SHOW.

BY ABOUT 1843, THERE WAS A THEATER PRODUCTION OF BLACKFACE MINSTRELS.

RHIANNON: MINSTRELSY WAS THE MOST POPULAR FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND IT, YOU KNOW, STARTED OFF WITH ONE GUY SINGING AND PLAYING THE BANJO TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, THESE HUGE EXTRAVAGANZAS OF DANCERS AND MUSICIANS.

THE THING THAT WAS ALL IN COMMON ABOUT MINSTRELSY IS THAT IT WAS ALL DONE IN BLACKFACE.

AND SO, IT’S A PROBLEMATIC TIME PERIOD FOR US TO LOOK BACK ON BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT A VERY GOOD WAY OF TALKING ABOUT RACE IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE’RE NOT VERY GOOD AT IT.

YOU KNOW, AMERICAN HISTORY IS NOT ALL BAD, AND IT’S NOT ALL GOOD.

YOU KNOW?

IT’S A MIXTURE OF THINGS, AND THAT’S WHAT MINSTRELSY IS.

THE MORE THAT I’VE GOTTEN INTO IT, THE MORE THAT I HAVE REALIZED THAT IT’S A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME BECAUSE IT’S WHAT SETS UP THE AMERICAN CHARACTER.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE’S JUST BEAUTIFUL MUSIC IN IT.

THE BANJO LED ME THERE.

JIM: ANOTHER MAKER IN THE 1850s WAS THE JAMES ASHBORN COMPANY, AND THIS IS AN ORIGINAL ONE.

THIS IS A BANJO THAT I COPY.

I LIKE TO REPLICATE THIS ONE.

IT’S KIND OF A DIFFICULT RIM TO MAKE, AND THEY COME APART VERY EASY.

SO, BASICALLY, JUST PULL THE WEDGE, LIKE THAT, AND POP IT OUT.

THIS GUY WAS WAY AHEAD OF HIS TIME WHEN IT CAME TO MAKING BANJOS.

[STRUMMING] YOU CAN HEAR HOW HOLLOW IT IS.

YOU KNOW?

PEOPLE WANT THESE FOR THE SOUND.

RHIANNON: BUT YES, IT’S HELD UP REALLY WELL.

JIM: WELL, GREAT.

RHIANNON: YOU KNOW?

I’VE PLAYED THIS THING ON MANY DIFFERENT RECORDINGS AT THIS POINT NOW.

HA HA HA!

JIM: LET ME JUST CHECK THE SIZE OF THAT.

I MET RHIANNON GIDDENS AT A GET-TOGETHER FOR PLAYING EARLY BANJOS.

RHIANNON: I COLLAPSE IT WHEN I’M NOT USING IT.

JIM: RIGHT.

GOOD.

RHIANNON: I WAS KIND OF HOPING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE A MINSTREL BANJO FOR SALE.

I’D BEEN REALLY WANTING TO GET INTO IT, AND HE WAS THERE.

IT WAS LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS, WHERE YOU PICK UP AN INSTRUMENT AND YOU START PLAYING IT, AND YOU’RE JUST LIKE, "HOW MUCH IS THIS?

I DON’T CARE.

HERE’S MY BANK ACCOUNT.

JUST CLEAR IT OUT."

AND EVERYWHERE I GO, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, "WHO MADE THAT?

WHAT IS THAT?

WHAT IS--" YOU KNOW?

AS SOON AS I START TO PLAY IT, YOU KNOW, OTHER MUSICIANS, THEY’RE JUST LIKE, "THAT IS THE COOLEST THING EVER."

IT WAS LIKE COMING HOME, FINDING THE SOUND OF THIS MINSTREL BANJO.

IT’S BECOME A PART OF MY SONGWRITING.

[APPLAUSE] THE HISTORY, YOU KNOW, KEEPS ME THERE, AND THE DESIRE TO RECAST SOME OF THIS MUSIC IN A MODERN LIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT WITHOUT COMPLETELY DECONTEXTUALIZING IT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THE MUSIC’S NOT JUST COMPLETELY DIVORCED FROM THE CONTEXT FROM WHICH IT CAME.

♪ JULIE, OH, JULIE WON’T YOU RUN ’CAUSE I SEE DOWN YONDER THE SOLDIERS HAVE COME JULIE, OH, JULIE CAN’T YOU SEE THEM DEVILS COME TO TAKE YOU FAR FROM ME MISTRESS, OH, MISTRESS I WON’T RUN ’CAUSE I SEE DOWN YONDER THE SOLDIERS HAVE COME MISTRESS, OH, MISTRESS I DO SEE AND I’LL STAY RIGHT HERE TILL THEY COME FOR ME ♪ [DRUMMING] >> THE TIMPANI ARE A ROMANTIC PERIOD INSTRUMENTS-- BIG, RINGING DARK SOUND.

IN THE ORCHESTRA, I’M THE ONLY ONE THAT PLAYS TIMPANI.

I JUST HAVE THESE BAMBOO STICKS, FELT--PIANO FELT--CALFSKINS, METAL BOWLS.

I MEAN, IN SOME WAYS, IT’S NOT THAT FAIR THAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE MUSIC WITH IT.

[ORCHESTRA PLAYING CLASSICAL MUSIC] A LOT OF PEOPLE OFTEN SAY THE TIMPANI PLAYER IS A SECOND CONDUCTOR.

IT’S A LITTLE BIT SILLY.

BUT YOU HAVE TO STUDY THE SCORE LIKE A CONDUCTOR.

I HAVE TO KNOW IT TO GET THE RIGHT SOUND.

I HAVE TO BE FOCUSING 99% OF MY EARS ON WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE TRUMPETS, WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE STRINGS, WHAT IS THE CONDUCTOR DOING.

I HAVE TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME WITH MY PLAYING, OR IT’S GONNA MUDDLE THOSE HARMONY CHANGES, WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN SYMPHONIES.

JASON: THE MALLET CREATES THE SOUND, BUT THE IDEA COMES FROM THE PLAYER, AND THE IDEA IS DRIVEN BY THE MUSIC, SO ALL OF THE DESIGNS FOR THE STICKS COME DIRECTLY FROM THE MUSIC.

IF WE PLAYED A PIECE BY MOZART, WE WOULD WANT A STICK THAT IS ARTICULATE AND BRIGHT, LIKE THIS STICK, WITH LAYERS OF SUEDE LEATHER.

SO YOU CAN REALLY HEAR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND THEN A STICK WITH FELT ON IT.

IF I PLAY THAT SAME MOZART PASSAGE... TO ME, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE SOUND IS TOO LEGATO... [MAKES SLOW, ECHOING SOUNDS] WHEN THE MUSIC NEEDS... [MAKES RAPID, SHARP SOUNDS] JOSEPH: I HAVE EVERYTHING THAT I NEED.

I HAVE A TON OF MALLETS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE REFINED YOU GET IN THINKING ABOUT SOUNDS, THE MORE YOU WANT TO DIG DEEPER INTO GETTING THE SOUND THAT YOU WANT.

JASON: ALL OF OUR MALLETS ARE HANDMADE, AND THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR JOE PEREIRA AND FOR THE L.A. PHILHARMONIC.

[ORCHESTRA PLAYING CLASSICAL MUSIC] WE START WITH BAMBOO CANES FROM CHINA, AND THE CANES ARE SANDED AND DRIED, AND THEN THE CORE OF THE MALLET IS GLUED ON.

SO, THE CORE DETERMINES THE SOUND OF THE STICK.

A WOODEN CORE HAS AN ARTICULATE, BRIGHT SOUND.

A CORK CORE HAS SORT OF A SOFTER, LIGHTER SOUND.

A FELT CORE GIVES A DARKER SOUND.

ONCE THE CORE IS GLUED ONTO THE STICK, WE’RE GOING TO GLUE PIANO FELT.

SO WE TAKE A LAYER OF THIS AND GLUE IT ON THE STICK, AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

NOW IT’S READY TO BE COVERED WITH TIMPANI FELT.

IT’S WOOL FELT, AND IT COMES IN VARIOUS DENSITIES, SO WHAT WE DO IS CUT CIRCLES OUT OF IT, AND WE DO ALL THE SEWING WITH DENTAL FLOSS BECAUSE IT HAS A HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH AND BECAUSE IT’S WAXED, SO WHEN YOU DOUBLE IT OVER, IT STICKS TO ITSELF.

THIS IS WHERE IT’S A TWO-MAN JOB.

EVEN FOR SOFT MALLETS, WE WANT TO HAVE A VERY TIGHT WRAP SO THAT THE STICK WEARS EVENLY OVER TIME.

WE’RE GONNA DO A PROCESS CALLED VOICING.

IT HELPS TO BREAK IN THE FELT BEFORE WE PLAY IT.

JOE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO EXPLORE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SOUND POSSIBILITIES THAT HE CAN GET OUT OF THE STICKS, SO WE’VE DONE A VARIATION OF THIS WITH MORE FELT.

WE DID ONE WITH LESS FELT, DIFFERENT BAMBOO, DIFFERENT SIZES.

AND THAT’S IT.

JOE: COOL.

YEAH.

IT’S VERY CONSISTENT, YOU KNOW?

FROM SOFT-- THE ATTACK SOUND IS CONSISTENT FROM SOFT TO LOUDER DYNAMICS IN THE WHOLE RANGE.

CLEAR TONE, AND THE STICK FEELS REALLY GOOD, TOO, SO IT’S GREAT.

THE TIMPANI HAS BEEN USING CALF- AND GOAT-SKIN HEADS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE TIMPANI IN THE ORCHESTRA.

HOW LONG THESE HEADS LAST, IT REALLY BASICALLY DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU PLAY ON THEM.

PROBABLY TWO TIMES A YEAR, I HAVE TO CHANGE THEM, SO I’M TRYING TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, CENTERED AND TUCKED ON HERE ON THIS METAL HOOP AS EVENLY AS POSSIBLE.

TRY TO GET AS MUCH AIR AND WATER OUT OF THERE AS POSSIBLE, AND THESE WRINKLES WILL COME OUT AS I TUCK THIS UNDER.

I LIKE THE CALF HEADS BECAUSE IT NATURALLY HAS A RICHER, WIDER SOUND, YOU KNOW?

YOU GET THE ATTACK SOUND OF THE MALLET HEAD HITTING THE HEAD OF THE DRUM, BUT YOU ALSO GET THIS WARMTH THAT HAPPENS AFTER I PLAY THAT FILLS IT IN.

AND I CAN PLAY WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT--MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BRIGHTER WITH A HARDER STICK OR MAKE IT A QUICKER STROKE.

THAT’S WHERE THE TECHNIQUE COMES IN.

OK.

SO, THAT’S PRETTY MUCH IT.

NOW JUST TRY TO GET SOME OF THE AIR OUT REAL QUICK.

IN HERE, KEEP THAT... NOW THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS GETTING IT ON EVENLY SO IT DRIES EVEN, AND THEN IT’LL BE A NICE, CLEAR RINGING TONE.

THEN I PUT THE COUNTER HOOP ON.

TUNING RODS, BACK IN THE SAME SPOT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY IN.

THAT’S PRETTY EVEN.

LOOKS GOOD.

I WANT THE PART THAT I TUCK TO DRY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, SO I COVER THIS, AND IT SHOULD BE DONE IN 3 DAYS FROM NOW, AND THEN IT’S READY TO PLAY, AND THAT’S IT.

YOU CAN ALWAYS ARGUE THAT TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT SOUND IS ENDLESS, BUT FOR ME, THE EXCITEMENT IS ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE, THE STICKS, THE DRUMS, THE HEADS, THE CONCERT HALL, THE CONDUCTOR ALL WORKING TOGETHER.

[APPLAUSE] EMILY: HMM.

WHY ARE MARTIN GUITARS SO REVERED AND LOVED?

WELL, YOU GOT TO PLAY ONE.

I MEAN, IT’S HARD TO PUT IT INTO WORDS.

TUNES JUST COME TO YOUR HEAD.

YOU KNOW, GREAT GUITARS WILL BRING SONGS OUT OF YOU, AND I THINK THAT THE EMOTIONAL PART OF THAT IS WHAT MAKES MARTIN SO LOVED.

DICK: THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY IS THE OLDEST SURVIVING MAKER OF ACOUSTIC GUITARS IN THE WORLD.

JUST ABOUT ANYBODY YOU CAN THINK OF THAT PLAYS GUITAR SOMEHOW HAS LANDED ON MARTIN GUITARS AS BEING THE TOOLS OF THEIR TRADE.

ALL THE GENRES, ALL THE STYLES OF MUSIC--WHEREVER YOU LOOK, YOU SEE MARTIN GUITARS.

C.F.

MARTIN SR.

CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1833 FROM GERMANY.

THE FAMILY MOVED INTO TOWN.

THEY BUILT A FACTORY.

THEY OCCUPIED THAT BUILDING MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS.

THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE MARTIN GUITAR HAS CHANGED VERY LITTLE.

IN 1843, MARTIN INVENTED THE X-BRACE PATTERN THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY GUITAR MAKER IN THE WORLD USES.

IN 1930, WE INTRODUCED THE FIRST 14-FRET INSTRUMENTS, AND VIRTUALLY EVERY ACOUSTIC GUITAR THESE DAYS IS BASED ON THAT DESIGN.

THE CUSTOM SHOP WAS STARTED IN 1979.

WHAT HAPPENED IS, PEOPLE STARTED TO DO REPEAT ORDERS OF CERTAIN CUSTOM GUITARS, AND WE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS, IN EFFECT, KIND OF OUR OWN R&D DEPARTMENT TO PRODUCE EXEMPLARY INSTRUMENTS.

EMILY: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CUSTOM SHOP GUITARS AND A STANDARD MODELS IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE CUSTOM SHOP, IT’S KIND OF LIKE PHYSICALLY TAKING A STEP BACK IN TIME.

A LOT OF THE METHODS THEY USE ARE OLD SCHOOL.

THEY BUILD THE BODIES WITH HIDE GLUE, LIKE THEY USED TO DO IN THE TWENTIES AND THIRTIES.

CHRIS: THE HIDE GLUE DEFINITELY HAS A DIFFERENT SOUND WITH THE INSTRUMENTS, THE WAY IT TRANSFERS BETWEEN ALL THE PARTS OF THE GUITAR.

THIS IS AN IN-HOUSE BODY PRESS WE DESIGNED.

IT HAS HEATING, SO IT ALLOWS US TO PUT BODIES IN AND GET THEM OUT A LOT QUICKER.

EMILY: YOU’LL SEE THEM OVER THERE WITH THEIR DRAWKNIFE SHAPING THE NECKS.

MICHAEL: A DIFFERENT SHAPE OF THE NECK COINCIDES WITH WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS.

DEPENDING IF YOU GOT SKINNY HANDS WITH SMALL FINGERS, YOU’LL WANT SOMETHING SMALLER THAN A WIDER FINGERBOARD OR A WIDER NECK.

EMILY: THE BRACES CAN REALLY AFFECT THE SOUND--YOU KNOW, DIMENSIONS OF THE BRACES AND PLACEMENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF THIS X-BRACE IS MOVED UP, IT’S GONNA SOUND DIFFERENT-- EVEN A HALF AN INCH.

I’VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BRIDGE IS GONNA LAND IN THE RIGHT SPOT; MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT IT’S NOT GONNA SOUND BAD.

IT’S GONNA SOUND LIKE AN AWESOME GUITAR STILL, SO THERE’S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.

I WORKED IN STRINGING FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

I LEARNED ABOUT THE FINAL SETUP OF THE GUITAR, AND YOU GET TO PLAY GUITARS ALL DAY.

HOW COOL WAS THAT?

DICK: THE TIME PERIOD BETWEEN 1920 AND 1944 IS REALLY CONSIDERED THE GOLDEN AGE OF GUITAR BUILDING.

THIS IS THE DREADNOUGHT, THE D-45.

THEY BECAME SOUGHT-AFTER FOR THEIR TONE BY MUSICIANS LIKE CROSBY, STILLS, AND NASH, AND PROBABLY WORTH ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.

HA HA HA!

THROUGHOUT JOAN BAEZ’S CAREER, SHE PLAYED AN EARLY 1920s O-45, A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PARLOR GUITAR.

JOAN: I THINK IT COST $250 IN 1963.

IT WAS MY FIRST SERIOUS FOLK GUITAR.

I HAD A GOYA WITH GUT STRINGS, AND I HAD A GIGANTIC GIBSON WHICH HUNG DOWN AROUND MY KNEES, AND I’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DEAL WITH A REALLY LARGE GUITAR AT ALL, SO THIS ONE JUST BECAME HOME, YOU KNOW?

♪ OH OH, FREEDOM OH OH, FREEDOM... ♪ IT HAS BEEN EVERYWHERE WITH ME.

THE FIRST DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT I REMEMBER IS AT AN ANTI-NUCLEAR RALLY WITH PETE SEEGER, AND THEY STARTED PELTING US WITH TOMATOES AND EGGS, AND I TOOK THE GUITAR AND PUT IT BEHIND ME, BECAUSE I DIDN’T CARE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, BUT I DIDN’T WANT THE GUITAR TO GET HURT.

PETE, MEANTIME, WAS GETTING, YOU KNOW, BASHED WITH ALL THE VEGETABLES AND FRUIT.

HA HA!

♪ THERE’S NO... ♪ PEOPLE SAY MUSIC CHANGES THE WORLD, AND IT DOES, BUT THE GUITAR AND THE SONGS HAVE TO BE BACKED UP BY ACTION.

♪ NO MORE MORNING... ♪ I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN HAPPY, REALLY, WHEN I’M WEARING POLITICAL AND MUSICAL HATS AT THE SAME TIME.

THEN I’M HAPPY.

♪ AND BEFORE I’LL BE A SLAVE I’LL BE BURIED IN MY GRAVE... ♪ DICK: BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST IN JOAN BAEZ, MARTIN DECIDED TO INITIATE A SPECIAL O-42 GUITAR, MUCH LIKE JOAN BAEZ’S GUITAR.

DALE: I’VE BEEN HERE FOR 42 YEARS, AND I BUILD GUITARS FROM START TO FINISH.

THE GUITAR THAT I’M WORKING ON NOW IS THE JOAN BAEZ MODEL.

THESE GUITARS REALLY SOUND GOOD BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE BODY.

BEING HANDMADE, I THINK IT ADDS A LITTLE BIT MORE UNIQUENESS TO IT.

EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT, HAS JUST THAT LITTLE DIFFERENT SOUND, LITTLE DIFFERENT QUIRKS.

♪ WELL, YOU BURST ON THE SCENE ALREADY A LEGEND THE UNWASHED PHENOMENON THE ORIGINAL VAGABOND YOU STRAYED INTO MY ARMS... ♪ TO MAKE THE NEW ONES, THEY HAD TO TAKE THIS ONE ALL APART AND SEE THE STRUCTURE AND SO ON.

I MEAN, I CAN’T IMAGINE HOW THEY DID IT, BUT WHEN THEY WENT IN THERE, THEY FOUND WRITTEN ON THE INSIDE, ON ONE OF THE PIECES OF WOOD, "TOO BAD YOU’RE A COMMUNIST."

WHOEVER WAS THE PERSON BEFORE WHO HAD FIXED IT--NOT MARTIN-- HAD APPARENTLY WRITTEN "TOO BAD YOU’RE A COMMUNIST" IN THERE, SO WHEN THEY MADE THE SPECIAL EDITION, THEY WROTE IT IN EVERY GUITAR.

♪ NOW YOU’RE TELLING ME YOU’RE NOT NOSTALGIC WELL, GIVE ME ANOTHER WORD FOR IT YOU WHO ARE SO GOOD WITH WORDS AND AT KEEPING THINGS VAGUE ’CAUSE I NEED SOME OF THAT VAGUENESS NOW IT’S ALL COME BACK TOO CLEARLY I ONCE LOVED YOU DEARLY AND IF YOU’RE OFFERING ME DIAMONDS AND RUST WELL, I’LL TAKE THE DIAMONDS ♪ HA HA HA!

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