Midwest Confluence '06 Pics

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:47 am

It looks like a great time.....I'm sorry I missed it!

Thanks for the 4004 pic!

melibreits · Post by **melibreits** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:56 am

I'm sorry I missed it, too....

If I had been there I surely would have brought my two Paul W. refins (330 Purpleburst and 481 BBR), my Turquoise 325v59, and probably my Comstock as well....

Well, hopefully next year!

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:32 am

Great stuff guys...

I like the 5 strings... I see a MID.. is the other one a BG or Ruby, I cannot tell....

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:37 am

Nice, thanks for the pics. I like the 5ers also!!

bitzerguy · Post by **bitzerguy** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 6:43 am

Great pics. Looks like everyone had a great time. And LOTS to see! Wow.

...Dean

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:21 am

I had a lot of fun at the Confluence. So did my 13-year old stepdaughter, a beginning guitarist.... Nice pics Bill... you got me, Krista, and all 4 of the Ricks I brought, plus a lot of great other photos. I think there were 18 attendees. If you haven't been to a confluence, consider it - it's great fun seeing rare guitars and more importantly meeting and talking and telling stories with fellow Forumites. We enjoyed it!

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 2:25 pm

What a great , great time! Thanks to Paul for putting everything together, it was a fantastic experience. I've always thought that members of this Forum were an outstanding group of people, but even so I must say that we are lots more fun in person. Can't wait until next year.

Some things you don't see every day, at least at my house:

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 2:49 pm

That 381 is absolutely sweet!

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:50 pm

You guys tagged all the instruments, was that so you knew the model and who it belonged to?

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:13 pm

Joey, yes, that was the idea. That would have been necessary in a big turnout, but as it was, everyone knew what belonged to who in short order. Great times!

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:30 pm

Good idea, glad it went well. While you guys had your Rick fun, I had some also...

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:58 am

Great photos, guys. Yes, fun times were had by all! Some really nice Ricks, some great musicians and fun people. And Bill's little Eden amp sounded great too.

Thanks to Paul Boyer for putting it all together. It was great to see Paul and Ted S again, as well as to meet everyone else who showed up.

Answer to Dave P: The red 4003S/5 is a 1989 Ruby.(Which is...what, 5 years after the Mike Parks finish timeline says the color was discontinued?)

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:10 am

Nice bass Jeff...

In the 80's, nothing will surprise me..

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:40 am

Jeff, I had an '88 Ruby 4003.

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:14 am

Well 10 hours of driving seemed a small price to pay for this weekend! First let me personally thank Paul Boyer from all of us for the arrangements. Everything went off without a hitch and the venue was just right. It was a pleasure for me to finally put a face to so many manes and guitars. Another surprise that can’t be gained from just posting is to hear everyone playing, and all the various wonderful Rick tones. I mean you’ve got Vs, and Cs, and vintage, and new, and HBs, and horseshoes growling all day long in very capable hands. All this as the soundtrack while looking over guitars that just aren’t going to be seen elsewhere in these numbers.

All attendees were very gracious in allowing others to sample their wares. For instance, I was allowed to actually play a real ’63 and V63 side by side (thanks Ted.) I have never previously held a 4004 or heard Rick humbuckers. Colors such as Ruby and Midnight blue just don’t jump off a monitor like they do in person. Basses like Jeff Thomas’s are almost too nice to play, yet by the sounds of his chops, they’re played often. There was a Monty, Autumn, and Walnut all laying together on the table for direct comparison over beer. Where else are you going to put a V63, C64, and C64s side by side with caliper in hand to settle a dispute? It’s enough to make you cry. Linsay Hahn, Paul Boyer, and Bill Henshell brought along nice collections as well. And for the jangle minded there were plenty of guitars and even a non-canabilized lap steel.

It’s been mentioned already, but thanks also to Bill for the Randal amps and the knowledge to run them. Bill also handed out copies of his band’s CD, which kept me rockin’ half way across Wisconsin. Sitting at the isolation of my keyboard somewhere in the Midwest, it’s hard to get a feeling for a real collection until someone like Jeff Thomas or Ted Staberow pulls up and starts unloading cases. I would have a hard time just justifying the stands necessary to display them all, and they actually left some home! My only disappointment was not seeing my first 4080 and feeling its heft.

But seriously, meeting and discussing a shared passion with others is something to be remembered for a long time. I’m already looking forward to attending my next confluence perhaps with a growing collection of my own, that is if a certain auction goes my way today.