• Guthrie Govan Signature
• Mike Landau Classic, 3- Tone Sunburst
• S4, Trans Whale Blue
• Andy Wood Signature
• Hollow Classic T, Bahama Blue
• Standard Flamed Maple Top with Scraped Binding, Chilli Pepper
• S3, Fireburst
• Standard Mahogany, Natural

• Bulldog, Burnished Orange
• Drop Top Flamed Maple on Alder, Sweet and Sour
• Drop Top Classic Quilted Maple top on Basswood, Tiger’s Eye
• Drop T Classic Falmed Maple Top on Basswood, Trans Yellow
• Drop T Quilted Maple Top on Basswood, Jack’s Pacific Blue
• Classic Alder, Sage Green Metallic
• Classic Alder 3-Tone Sunburst
• Classic T Swamp Ash, Trans Butterscotch
• Drop T Classic Hollow Flamed Maple on Basswood, 3-Tone Sunburst
• Drop Top Alder with Flamed Maple Top, Natural
• Classic Swamp Ash, Candy Apple Red

• Burning Water 2K
• Mongoose retro with Burning Water 2K finish
• Studio Elite HD, Arctic Mint Schmear
• Black Classic
• Ultimate Warrior HD, Black with Blue Pearl
• Mongoose Special, Goldtop

• Bad Bone  (2)
• Topanga (2)

• GSC-1, Natural
• GSC-1, Tangerine Burst
• GSC-1 Autumn Burst

And Golden Age has a brick and mortar storefront too. Every guitar on our stock list is on display and ready for you to play. No going over to someone’s house and having to ask to play everything. Golden Age offers a comfortable “hands on” guitar shopping experience. You can help yourself to anything you’d like to play. When I initially started Golden Age I worked from home and the experience was not a great one. I never find it a comfortable situation shopping in someone else’s home and I’ll bet most of you don’t either. And guess what? I actually have regular business hours too! Appointments are optional. It would be very easy (and inexpensive) for me to go internet and by appointment only, but I prefer to do it the old school way; a comfortable store where players can hang and meet other players as well as try out some world class instruments through some of the finest amplification available.  It’s like having your own clubhouse which makes me happy allows me to be my charming, witty and fun to hang with self (well, most of the time at least).

In summary, it’s all about relationships. My relationship with the instruments, your relationship with me and Golden Age and also, the customer’s relationship with the instruments they purchase here. It’s my job to make sure that last one is a great relationship that will, in turn, lead to a positive relationship between me and the clients, which is one of the most enjoyable aspects of what I do. Even when people don’t buy, I’m always glad to see them, to talk guitars with them and generally enjoy the time spent. When discussing the store with others I always mention that 99% of my interactions with customers are positive ones. I think that’s because I’m doing something I love and clients are spending their downtime be around something they love  –  guitars.

PS. I’ve finally gotten in an appreciable number of Tom Andersons and they certainly have all the juice I was hoping for. Especially the Drop T. It’s very light (7 lbs., 3 oz.) beautiful,  plays like a laser and has array of tones to die for. Come on in and try them out if you’re local.

Well, with all this in mind, I think a short bio of Harry is in order.  Harry was born in Plattsburg, NY on September 1, 1935 and started playing guitar at age 13. Over his life he studied with the great Johnny Smith, Dennis Sandhole and at the highly respected Manhattan School of Music in NYC.  He also worked with many different jazz combos including those of Gerry Mulligan, Ira Sullivan, Eric Kloss, Jack Six, Al Cohn as well as his own combo which worked extensively in the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania area. His most well know association was with Phil Woods with whom he recorded the albums “Songs for Sisyphus” (1978) and “Six – Live at the Showboat” (19787(featuring Harry’s composition “Rain Danse” and his arrangement of Django’s “Manoir de mes Reves”).  Unfortunately, Harry left us little in the way of recorded work. His discography includes the 2 Woods albums, ” “Silver Threads” Harry Leahey and Steve Gilmore (1981),  “Giant Box” Don Sebesky (1973), “Le Jazz Grand” Michel Legrand (1978) “Living Room” Mark Murphy (1984) “Ceora” James L. Dean (ca. 1992) and Harry’s own “Unaccompanied Guitar” (1989) and “Still Waters” (1980) are left to speak for him.

Harry was a devoted teacher who touched thousands of lives through his efforts. Teaching for over 30 years he taught many who went on to professional careers, among them: Bob DeVos, Vic Juris, Jon Herington, Jack Six, Walt Bibinger, Larry Barbee and Chuck Loeb. He also taught at William Patterson College from 1974 to 1988.

Harry died on August 12, 1990, at the far too early age of 54. He never attained wide notoriety, but was very well known and respected among his peers.  Some of their quotes about Harry include: “The most complete guitarist I ever heard” – Vinnie Correo, “He was the top of the heap. He was the best guitar player that I had ever played with  – and I played with every one.” – Phil Woods, “He was a great guitarist and a very beautiful man” – Leo Johnson.

Which brings me to my closing comments.  Apparently, Harry Leahey was more than a great guitar player – he seemed to be a wonderful human being as well. Of all his students I’ve met, I’ve never heard anything approaching a bad word about him. His student loved him without exception. And I feel at a great loss never having met him.

One of my hopes for 2011 is to organize a guitar event/concert commemorating Harry Leahey and to celebrate his musical and personal legacy.  More to follow.

The most obvious change on the Excel EX-SS is that it has gone from a laminate Spruce top to a laminate Maple top. This improves the instruments sustain and allows for a clearer more detailed sound. Also the top carving is more heavily dished which results in a louder more acoustic sound. Another change is that the original solid block was scaled down to a shorter block that sits directly under the bridge resulting in a lighter more resonant guitar. The fretboard has been beefed up from 6mm to 7 mm and the neck profile has been slightly beefed up as well. The body joins at the 16^th fret rather than the 15^th giving some additional access to higher frets. And, in general, all the build tolerances are now more precise than they had been. The rest of the changes are largely cosmetic: engraved shield on headstock, more defined engraving on gold plated tailpiece, new wooden knobs with Deco design, new binding pattern and smaller headstock. The EX-DC has undergone similar changes except that it has retained its laminate Maple top and full interior body block.

While Bill has been putting in a lot of time and energy on the D’Angelico project, he is still devoted to his regular hand crafted line, which remains among the best line of guitars you will ever play.