Axefactory – News

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

I’ ve known Gae for several years, we met at one of the first music trade
shows I was attending with the by then newborn Axefactory. The passion,
curiosity and enthusiasm for all things guitar were so strong for us that you
could actually touch them.

It was definitely a lucky chance meeting that blessed me with a friend,
collaborator, excellent advisor and superb lead guitarist – all in one guy!

That period was when we made the GM model.

Gae has always had a very active role in this project, from choosing the woods
(honduras mahogany body, flamed maple neck, 24 frets ebony fretboard) to the
hardware (wilkinson sure claw, sperzel locking tuners) and finally the shape of
the body and Gibson old style back of the neck.

The success was immediately evident and Gae recorded his following cd,
instrumental treatment
with the resulting guitar.

During the last months we have re-styled that same guitar. After having been
put to good use for years on many Italian stages, a refit was much-needed.

Gae chose to go for a nitro sunburst finish, preferring lighter shades. We
performed a complete re-fret and swapped the two Seymour Duncans in favour of
more modern Mama pickups, a feature of all our instruments.

SRA Axefactory GM model

GM model

SRA Axefactory GM model back

My pat.: System for fixing the neck onto the body of stringed instruments United States Patent 5973242

Shaller sure claw

mama pickups and silver shield coat

double wafer 5 way switch

Gae Manfredini & Axefactory GM Model

What can I say... another mission accomplished!

See you soon Gae!

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

Why does music always have to be involved with money? And worse still why is there
always a mirage of money making or the idea that music should have a price?
And therefore a cost! But why should making music have a price?

And why pay to let one’ s music be heard by friends or perfect strangers on the other
side of the Earth if it truly is round?

When I take a break in between my jobs, sometimes often sometimes very rarely,I strum
the last instrument I’ ve built or repaired and the pleasure of playing and making
music is immediately back. And sometimes I’ ll stumble upon
a nice idea, a strange rythmic pattern or a catchy riff (all things I’ ll always keep
for myself, don’ t worry guys!).
But those ideas are priceless, not because they’ re particularly good but because
playing is first and foremost a passion.

My job is the best job in the world, it lets me get in touch with brilliant clients,
some of which have a surprising musical enthusiasm!

Music is above all passion and enthusiasm.

Music is priceless.

Letting one’ s music heard doesn’ t cost anything.

The results, often unpredictable, always repay of the energies spent.

Yes, I mean it, I’ m not going crazy. One of the guys I was telling you about made me
understand this.

He is a composer – musican – producer currently busy recording his second album.
His music can be downloaded for free thanks to the Creative Commons license he uses.

His first creative commons album came out in 2007 and was called “Drop
Alive”.

Thanks to the CC licence and to websites such as

Jamendo, Purevolume, Garageband, Download.com, Virb, Reverbnation, it can be listened to anywhere in the world.

“It’ s a trip that thanks to the net you can come to the attention of people who
live in Poland, Germany, the US,
Israel, Spain, France… especially if you consider that Drop Alive played something
like ten gigs -
all in Lombardy!”

And I want to add that his songs have been and are still used as soundtracks on the
web and on tv formats, obtaining positive reviews from web radios in various
countries
and is, needless to say, absolutely worth a listen (that goes without saying).

This is a concrete expression of passion for music.

Would a regular cd, with a superb content but all rights reserved, have gone that
far?

Think about it people, think…

See you soon Simon Act, I’m impatiently waiting for your next record.

See you next time.

Traslation by Simone Attivissimo

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

It’ s been some time since since I
last updated this blog but I have my good reasons…

Let me tell you everything:

A few months ago I was watching some videos on youtube and I found
one that really caught my attention and opened my eyes,
or I should say my ears!
It was about an instrument that many people (including myself,
I have to admit my ignorance about it!)
only know as a noise-making tool, used to create sound effects
for science-fiction films or ghost noises in the Scooby-Doo
animated series!!!!!!
An instrument that was widely mistreated in the seventies but
which can find a surprising and at times moving expressivenes
when played by the right hands.

Before the seventies though, when “His Master’s Voice”
gramophones were still in use and radios were as big as washing
machines,
Lev Termen sought to create a hassle-free instrument, aimed for
people willing to make music.

RCA (the first company to start series production) advertised
the instrument’ s playabiltiy “as easy as whistling.”

Or at least that was the idea, but it actually isn’ t that easy!

It is nevertheless a unique instrument which keeps all of its
charm even after almost a century!

Ok, too long of an introduction!

Here are some HUMANS (yeah, I swear they’ re humans,
and not even using a transporter!)
who can do marvels with this instrument.

There, it all started from here, I got a theremin fever so bad
that I thought about introducing a new version of this instrument
in the Axefactory production!

I’ ve had the privilege and honour of collaborating
with one of the best Italian theremin connoisseurs:
Giorgio Necordi.
He experiments with different models,
solid state and all-valve, and builds superb, all-valve instruments
with the help of Augusto Traiani, based on
(and improving) the RCA model.

Giorgio is currently taking care of the electronics of this model
and is really doing a great job!

I took care of design and playability:

This Theremin is conceived for a live setting so we chose to go
for a solid state version, which is easier to carry around,
but we were careful not to just build a cold metal box like
those you find in music shops.

To keep intact and pay tribute to the charm of the theremin
and the idea of its creator

I chose to fuse electronics and design by leaving in sight
some of its most important components,
just like they used to do back in the day.

The same thing can be said about the materials:
copper, mahogany, brass, ebony, plexiglas… a cross between
classic and modern.

Another important feature is the simmetry of the instrument,
which makes it equally playable with either the right hand
for volume control, staccatos and legatos and the left hand
for the melody or the other way round in a classic fashion.

Traslation by Simone Attivissimo

Today we are butchering an original CHINESE MADE Fender Strat.

Well, actually pickups and machine heads have already been replaced, but anyway…

My dear friend and customer French Scala ( http://www.myspace.com/frenchscala )

asked me to turn it into a custom-minimal-set-slide-guitar … !!!

The experiment: we’ re gonna place a humbucking pickup almost in a central position on the top.

We draw a new scratchplate with cad

Today we are butchering an original CHINESE MADE Fender Strat.

Well, actually pickups and machine heads have already been replaced, but anyway…

My dear friend and customer French Scala ( http://www.myspace.com/frenchscala )

asked me to turn it into a custom-minimal-set-slide-guitar … !!!

The experiment: we’ re gonna place a humbucking pickup almost in a central position on the top.

We draw a new scratchplate with cad

and cut it :

A nice coat of shielding spray on the back of the brand new scratchplate.

We connect the pickup to the volume and tone controls.

We need more room on the body in order to place the new pickup and screw-lock everything!

That’ s it … 6 x 6 = 36 !!!

Traslation by Simone Attivissimo

A year ago I received a flattering comment on the myspace page dedicated to my EUB instruments ( myspace.com/arseub ) :

”

Marco Panascia

3 ott 2007 00.32

Congratulations, I hope I’ ll get a chance to play this double bass one day.

”

Marco is an excellent musician and a friendly, helpful guy despite his many commitments.

Right now, after many months spent around the world, he’ s touring this side of the pond.

(here’ s a link to his touring schedule, if you wanna listen to some killer jazz don’ t miss this chance!)

And while even comets wander the space following a regular timing… well he just doesn’ t!

So today is the right day to meet him!

Magenta Jazz Festival, Teatro Lirico 6:30 pm

To reach Magenta Marco left from New York, landed in Rome, visited Santa Margherita and then got here. Km 6902.72 km + 674 km Tot Km. 7576.72 according to Google Maps.

Leaving home to reach my destination I have 88 km ahead of me and 88 more to come back…

Anything for a friend!!!

I’ m taking an ARS-EUB with me and off we go, through the land of the ice and snow!

When I reach the Teatro Lirico I have the pleasure to listen to the CINZIA RONCELLI QUARTET as they rehearse:

C. RONCELLI, vocals – GIOVANNI MAZZARINO, piano – MARCO PANASCIA, double bass – PAOLO MAPPA, drums

This alone is worth the trip!

We haven’ t had time to say hi during rehearsals so I take this opportunity to do so and to express my compliments to the guys – BRAVO!

When rehearsals are over Marco finally takes a closer look at the ARS-EUB

ars-eub + shertler stat + gallien-krueger

Video and audio recorded with a digital photo camera (not the best audio quality – sorry guys! ):

Marco Panascia at Teatro Lirico

Marco Panascia at Teatro Lirico

Well Maestro Panascia, as I said earlier the pleasure is all mine!

Good luck for your tour and for everything and a big hug!

See ya soon!

Marco Panascia Official Website

Myspace page

Ars-Eub Myspace page

Cinzia Roncelli Giovanni Mazzarino Paolo Mappa

Marco:

Marco during rehearsals

Here’ s a “rainy” sight of the Teatro Lirico in Magenta!