Nik Huber Redwood Dolphin

Nik Huber Redwood Dolphin
Originally uploaded by Uncle GroOve.

This one could have been for sale.
As a matter of fact, it was.
It lasted only sixty minutes from the beginning of the Milano (Italy) Second Hand Guitar Show (SHG27).
This timeframe includes at least 20 minutes of loving admiration by the new owner, so actually it's lifetime as a "free" guitar is even less.
Nik Huber had originally planned this one to be the guitar he'd send for a review that Guitar Player had planned for year end. They'll be getting something else. This one is joining an impressive collection and will be "sitting" (?) next to a very vintage original D'Angelico.
Man, am I proud of having sold this one - my only regret?
I didn't get one minute to try it out... :-(

Nik Huber rocks Milano (Italy)

So...
Sunday November 20th was The Day for Nik's Italy baptism.
Wake up call at 6 o'clock (am), fast coffee.
Off to Como (Italy) to pick up an amp a Goldtop and some other stuff... it's 7:15 a.m.
8:07 a.m. we're in front of the venue - still closed despite pleas of the organizatione to be there at the opening (they were still setting tables up, the dorks - and it's freezing)
9-ish - grab the passes and go to the table... Where are the bloody guitar stands... uh oh...Oh No!
Let's just prop up the guitars in the cases lying. Not bad. A couple of brochures, even better...
9:30 Official photog comes up to our table - "Hey! I saw that guitar from the entrance" (80 feet away)... He starts congratulating me but I point him over to Nik - "you need to congatulate him, you know...". "YOU MEAN HE IS NIK HUBER?!? Ohmygod...!" Nik is almost embarrassed. It's going to be the first of many such encounters...
10:30 - A guy strolls up and enquires about the Blue Orca - he is the new buyer, coming up to scope his goods "Hey - keep it under lock & key, ok??" - Beams like crazy...he's a happy chappy :)
11:30 - A distinguished man walks up to the table and starts inspecting the goodies. Asks about the Redwood (*story above). Walks away and then comes back, again and again. Talks to Nik, plays the guitar. After a while he comes back, hands me his business card and just tells me "Tell my guy to put it on the side for me". sold...

From there it's just smooth gliding all along, despite a very noisy neighbour (Jacques Guitar Pedals), who blasts away with glee, despite the risk of being linched by most of the other participants, including myself...
Fabio Molinelli, a luthier from Milano, shows off one of his guitts that sports Harry's new blade puppies... He's grinning, giving me the thumbs up. The Harrybardens sound GREAT (even though they're NOT a barden - pretty close and excellent sounding, but not identical).
6:30 p.m. the dealer who has purchased the Orca and the Redwood passes by, smiling. Cool. Picks up the goods, grinning, cash changes hands...
By 9 o'clock I'm back home, ears buzzing and slightly worn from a long stand-up show.
The day after... more enquiries for Häussels and for a trem dolphin with an extraordinary quilt top.
Life feels good, indeed!


*
http://www.nikhuber-guitars.com/pics/redwoodonepiece2005.jpg

Good Stuff Happening

A friend took over his Dolphin and the Blue Orca to a relatively famous shop in northern Italy just so they could appraise them as I still hadn't found time to meet with the owners.
They deal Tyler, PRS, Gibson, Fender CS and nice amps - Roccaforte, Mesa, Koch, Fuchs...
Four of Italy's leading session / live players stopped by coincidentally all the same day.
Needless to say, the Hubers were centerstage for a few minutes, then several minutes, then several hours.
The shop owners were amazed, the pros positively surprised.
In one fell swoop I managed to sell the Blue Orca and to get the Atlantic Blue Dolphin in the main store window.
Things don't get any better than this, really.
I'm a happy man :-)

Master @ work!!!!

Master @ work!!!!
Originally uploaded by Uncle GroOve.

Master Huber is preparing a batch of singlecut guitars. The observant eye will have noticed that the tops are all hand sculpted. Premium price work for premium price guitars.....
Mahogany or Korina are used for the body woods, while the tops usually are flame maple. Quilted and exceptional tops are available too, as well as some stunning flamed redwood pieces.

Nik Huber - Dec.'04 Guit. Player Dolphin

Nik Huber - Dec.'04 Guit. Player Dolphin
Originally uploaded by Uncle GroOve.

A truly stunning Dolphin. The top is Private Stock quality. The guitar is extremely light and resonant with an enormous woody yet defined tone. Italian jazz guitarist notable Gigi Cifarelli (Heritage endorsee) took it to stages all over italy during most of 2005.