The article on Django Reinhardt (February 1996) was great. I was especially interested in the part on Stochelo Rosenberg. I am a great admirer of the Rosenberg Trio, and there are a few things you should know. Stochelo doesnt play the Favino anymore. He has been the proud owner since 1993 of Selmer No. 504. The former owner, a Dutch musician, bought the guitar before the war from Django Reinhardt himself when he was in Amsterdam. They say he paid 85 guilders for it.
Mary Honcoop-Versteeg
Ijsselstein, Holland
I found the top ten songs that music store owners hate [No Stairway, Jump Street, December 95] to be quite amusing. I play about half pretty fluently and have at least dabbled in the others. What this really means for the rest of us, I think, is that these are ten of the most interesting and inspiring songs of this era.
Pat Daley
Newburgh, New York
Shame on all those sissies who cant take a joke [No Stairway]! Hang em up by the G string I say. I am guilty of playing almost all of the songs mentioned (Blackbird, Embryonic Journey, etc.) each time I try out a new guitar, so I thought the article was right on target.
Mike Nibert
Taylor, Michigan
As a customer of Gryphon for 20 years, Id like to comment on the letters regarding Michael Simmons No Stairway. The letters printed have missed the point. Words like critic and snob do not fit in a description of Michael. His article was meant to be a light-hearted viewpoint from a sales perspective, not critical of customers. Ive had many opportunities to view Michaels customer relations. I can assure you that a prospective customer has no better friend than Michael. Hes as much a teacher/philosopher as a salesperson, and hes greatly appreciated.
Steve Adkins
Santa Clara, California
Thanks for a continuously great magazine and the coverage on all the great guitar people. Being originally from Europe, it still amazes me how American musicians who enjoy a great following in Germany, Denmark, and England are virtually unknown in this country. The guitar player Woody Mann seems to be exemplary of this phenomenon. A consummate songwriter and fingerstylist who draws from the vast scope of American music, his records are hardly available here, and it is almost impossible to catch him playing live concerts in the U.S. In cases like his--and with a lot of other contemporary acoustic musicians who are not labeled too easily--I have the feeling that Europe opens its ears more willingly than the U.S. But that seems to have been the case throughout the history of blues and jazz.
Holger Hoetzel
New York, New York
Was picking up a copy of your magazine worth it? Several years ago, after the passing of a relative, I was offered an old, beat-up flamenco guitar with the ultimatum that it would go out with the refuse if I did not accept it. I reluctantly accepted and let my children play with it in the rockin room, as they call it. The guitar was on the short list for our annual spring garage sale. Imagine my shock after reading your magazine and discovering through one of your advertisers that the neglected flamenco is a 1965 Arcangel Fernandez with a current resale value of between five and eight thousand dollars! Since then I have used your magazine to locate and discuss plans with your advertisers for the future of the guitar. My children are a little upset. Now when they go into the rockin room, they just look up at the wall and stare at the Arcangel. Sometimes we all stare at it together.
Mike Lo Primo
Holbrook, New York
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