Q What do you think about acoustic guitar simulators?
Blase Fagone
Marlboro, New Jersey
A There are a number of new products on the market that promise acoustic sound from electric guitars. Basically these products can be divided into two groups: external effects units and piezo pickups that mount on electric guitars. These systems can be handy in situations where you're looking for the occasional "acoustic" sound in an otherwise electric set.
Effects units such as the Boss AC-2 ($169.50, Roland Corp.) and the Rockman Acoustic Guitar Pedal ($164.99, Dunlop Manufacturing) rely on EQ circuits to "acoustify" the electric guitar's output signal. Some, such as the Zoom 504 Acoustic ($129, Samson Technologies Corp.), also function as multi-effects units. Although you should not expect miracles from these stomp-box-type designs, you can get satisfactory results by using relatively warm settings on the guitar and a clean amp with plenty of headroom.
Several manufacturers now make piezo pickups for electric guitars. Fishman's Powerbridges (starting at $179.95) are available for both Stratocaster- and Telecaster-style guitars, L.R. Baggs makes the X-Bridge ($249) for Stratocasters, and Mike Christian pickups (starting at $155; Mike Christian Guitar Technology, 390 Northrop St., Bridgewater, CT 06752; [860] 354-5150) are available for Fender as well as Tune-O-Matic-type bridges. Also falling in this category are electric guitars such as the Parker Fly and the Hamer DuoTone, which come equipped with factory piezo pickups. Played through an appropriate amp, these systems really do generate a sound that is a lot like that of a standard acoustic guitar with an under-saddle piezo pickup.
While it is possible to approximate a somewhat acoustic sound with one of these systems, it's hard to get the feel of an acoustic guitar, for physical reasons. The generally lighter string gauge and thinner neck of an electric guitar will make you approach the instrument differently than you would a standard acoustic.
--Teja Gerken
QI have a 1973 flamenco guitar made by S. Yairi. What is this maker's background? Is he associated with Alvarez?
G. Yee
Sacramento, California
A Although S. Yairi (the S stands for Sadao) is a distant cousin of K. Yairi (the K stands for Kazuo), there was no connection between the guitars they built. Both men were respected classical guitar makers in Japan who set up small factories. In the late '60s there was a huge increase in the popularity of the guitar, and American builders couldn't meet the demand. Distributors turned to Japan for high-quality, low-cost instruments, and soon stores were stocked with guitars bearing names like Yamaha, Takamine, Tama, Tanaka, and of course S. Yairi and K. Yairi. The guitars of K. Yairi were called Alvarez-Yairis and imported by St. Louis Music. (Today the guitars labeled Alvarez-Yairi are still made in Japan, while the instruments labeled Alvarez are made in Korea or Taiwan.) In the early '80s, during the synthesizer boom, the sales of guitars plummeted, and many companies, including S. Yairi, went out of business.
--Michael Simmons
QBack in the '70s, I saw Jose Feliciano playing a Candelas nylon-string guitar. It was much larger than a standard classical and seemed to have a narrower neck. Is Candelas still making guitars?
Elliot Easton
Bell Canyon, California
A The Candelas shop (2716 Brooklyn Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033; [213] 261-2011) is alive and well. It got its name from Candelario Delgado, who started building guitars with his brother Porfirio in 1933. The third-generation family-run business is now in the hands of brothers Manuel and Tomas Delgado. The shop specializes in building not just guitars but a whole range of stringed instruments. Candelas built a requinto and an electric bajo sexto for the band Los Lobos. Although there are some standard models, most Candelas guitars are custom made, with prices starting in the $1,800 range.
Jose Feliciano has used a couple of Candelas guitars during his career. He commissioned the instrument that you are referring to in 1971. It has the body size of a Martin dreadnought with a wide, classical-style neck. Other performers who have played Candelas guitars include artists as diverse as Arlo Guthrie and Andres Segovia.
--Teja Gerken
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