Happily getting the ax

Paul Saitowitz

It’s the heart of rock ‘n’ roll. Beyond any metaphor by Huey Lewis or

hyperbole about Elvis Presley or the Beatles, the one constant at the

heart of American music -- blues, rock -- is the guitar.

From the electric surge of Jimi Hendrix plugging into a Marshall

full stack to the quiet sounds of James Taylor finger-picking a

nylon-stringed classical guitar, no other instrument has captured the

imagination the same way.

This weekend at the Orange County Fair and Exposition Center, the

Tex*us Guitar Show will celebrate that.

“When you’re playing the guitar, you’re literally feeling the

vibrations of the music,” said Larry Briggs, president of Guitar

Shows. “It’s not like a piano ... it gets in you. It’s something that

you can take with you everywhere, and to see all the rock stars

playing the instrument makes a lot of kids want to pick it up.”

The show has taken place in Orange County before, and the

burgeoning rock scene behind the Orange Curtain, which has spawned

local faves like Social Distortion and No Doubt, makes it a popular

attraction.

“There are so many garage bands in this area, and there are so

many kids that play, so it’s neat to see them come out to the show,”

Briggs said. “We also see our fair share of veterans and those just

looking to pick up instruments to sell on eBay.”

One rock star expected to make an appearance at the show is Ben

Harper. Harper -- whose sound varies from gospel to reggae to blues,

folk and rock -- is known for playing a rare guitar known as a

Weissenborn. It’s normally played while sitting down with the

instrument resting on your lap.

“We’re expecting Ben to show,” Briggs said. “He’s not going to

play, but he’ll be looking around. He’s such a great player, and he’s

really into to a lot of the vintage instruments that we have at the

show.”

Guitar shapes vary as much as the sounds they can produce, and

several will be on display. From the classic Gibson Les Paul,

fashioned by such luminaries as Slash and Jimmy Page, to independent

homemade brands from around the globe, there should be something for

everyone.

A company called M.J. Guitars in the Bay Area specializes in

making guitars shaped like Harley Davidson motorcycles, and a small

store operating out of Glendale makes flaming guitars with wood that

actually flickers.

“There’s a lot of specialty stuff, and we get a lot of serious

collectors,” Briggs said. “The guitars made between the 1930s and

‘60s are the favorites among that group,” Briggs said.

Those guitars don’t come cheap, but real collectors know exactly

what they are looking for. The Gibson Les Paul of 1952, the first

year they were issued, will fetch as much as $150,000. They were made

in a sunburst color, and only 1,700 were produced.

Whatever your fancy is, if guitars strike a chord with you, there

is only one place to be this weekend.