Author: Stephen Patt and Guest Reviewer Don Teschner
One of the more versatile players on the hot L.A. music scene is Don Teschner, often seen playing fiddle and mandolin with Rod Stewart, when he’s not pursuing his own personal muse.
Currently playing sideman to singer/songwriter Danny Peck, Don is comfortable on guitar, resophonics, violin, viola, and mandolin, as well as devoting himself to a pretty sophisticated home studio, complete with computer and keyboard.
"One of my favorite things right now is just playing in clubs by myself," he confides. "With my foot stomping out the rhythm, thumb slapping out the bass on my National, and the treble strings carrying the melody..."
His own songs run the gamut from down home blues hollars to swamp boogie, rock and roll, and funky stuff, not to mention the sweet ballads.
"As amazing as it was to tour and play live
with Rod Stewart, plus to record the Two Rooms and the "Unplugged"
material, I still love doing my own stuff," Don says.
The 4-year stint with the Rod Stewart band continues, although there’s been
room for side projects like Fox TV’s Florida-based cutting edge "Party
News Network" (Don was congenial co-host), and his eclectic solo album
Still The Water, a project currently being shopped to record labels.
Don’s personal guitars include his custom-designed Taylor acoustic and a beloved National Resoelectric, with some proprietary refinements by his own hand. Don currently is trying the new Highlander system from Bob Wolstein in his National resophonic acoustic, and he loves it. He is also the proud father of a Stereo Vibrato Pedal by Jim Dunlop that "...does exactly what a vibrato pedal is supposed to do, plus looks real cool."
Besides an upcoming "mother of all Wah-wah pedals" that Dunlop is also introducing for Don, there’s an as-yet unnamed pedal in the works that is "...secret enough that I can’t even describe it." Okay, I’ll just hold my breath.
This month brought us riches from the hand of Mike Lull Custom Guitars, with not one, but two electric classics. Situated in Bellevue, Washington, the Guitarworks produces a full line of guitars and basses, and does restorations and repairs on vintage guitars. Our Strat-ish Vintage Model boasts an alder body (extremely light) with rock maple neck and a flawless rosewood fingerboard. The compound radius of the neck is extremely comfortable, with a lived-in feel that I liked, and the 6150 Dunlop frets were finished to a ‘T’, making this one of the more playable guitars out of the box.
A note for you budding geniuses out there: no one I know of (or have heard of) is making really decent tortoise-shell type pickguard material, and even Roger Gee, the sales manager from Lull, admitted that they’ve had trouble finding the really good lookin’ stuff. Won-’t somebody devote their brains to this pressing problem, and bring us one step closer to world peace?
Anyway, the Vintage sported a lovely sunburst, that old 2-tone tobacco burst we all love, and the finish work was, again, superb – I give this company an ‘A’ all around for consistency of workmanship and fine materials. My bud, Don, agreed.
"This is a very cool guitar," he said. "The wiring is done with a real guitar player in mind, so I can roll down the volume without losing the highs, a small touch I like. The guitar has a great vibe, with a genuine Strat-type sound. Now, I’m reaching for a vibrato arm here," (he makes that grabbing motion we all do once in a while,) and although the Vintage does come with a hardtail Mike Lull bridge, a trem is available. The pickups are Van Zandts, and have just the right balance of tone and aggressiveness without losing that special sound.
This guitar, as equipped, runs at list $2,295, and is the equal to or better than anything coming out there, with its’ own panache and flair. While dealing direct may mean a lack of instant gratification for the potential purchaser, all the variations are available with your order from the shop. Not a bad deal at all. Contact Mike Lull at the website http:\\www.mikelull.com or use normal modalities to call (425) 643-8074. Mail is to 13240 NE 20th, Suite #2; Bellevue, WA, 98005.
Our second beauty from the guys at Lull (hey, is there ever a lull in the rain up there? Just keeding) was the Tele-styled Classic, and it was all you would wish from this quarter: Swamp Ash body (again, real choice wood with nice grain) and light as ze feather, a Rock Maple neck and fretboard, and a peachy looking translucent white finish that showed the wood to good effect. Without belaboring the obvious, this guitar was every bit as sweet as its brother, had the same careful attention to fret dressing, wiring, and finish work as the Vintage, played like a little demon from hell – very hot pickups from Van Zandt, with all the twang one could want.
Mr. Teschner found himself smiling and liking this guitar in spite of himself, because, "...I’m just not a Tele kind of a guy, but I really like this."
Yep, that’s why all those guys married to brunettes end up cheating with redheads, Don. Played through a blackface Princeton Reverb and a Riviera 120 combo, this instrument had a balanced and lush sound, pleasing as all heck to play and hear. Wiring is, of course, standard (why mess with a good thing), and the list price is only $1995, case included. Contact the guys at Mike Lull, as above, and enjoy.