TheEvan

I assume you're gently pulling my chain, Tom. But just be sure, I'll elaborate. Wes Montgomery, Herb Ellis, Joe Pass (a few preeminent jazzers, each of whom has, or had, more musical sense in their little finger than the bunch of 20 have in their collective array of effects pedals & Marshall stacks. The same is true of the classical masters I listed who are really just a sample of a number of superlative musicians expressing in that genre. I suppose I should have included Tony Rice as yet another master in another genre.

That the list even exists is another example of small-mindedness. That it fails to include great solos by Wes or Herb or Joe, or by Segovia/Bream/Barrueco etc is laughable.

Awright, let's see if that worked...

I'm baffled

Close, but i'd say that rock & roll is derivative of the blues. Those are some great artists but I don't think you could call them a starting point. The 'essential 10" list above, or similar, is a good starting point.

Based on what you've listed, I'll add a few: Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, John Mooney, the Staples Singers (there are some spectacular reissues of some of their early work, hair-raising!), Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Gatemouth Brown. That should provide a decent primer in various blues styles. I put the relatively obscure John Mooney in the mix not only because he's an amazing artist, but also because of his mix...he channels Son House to great effect (make sure you're sitting down!) and does a lot of New Orleans second-line/Professor Longhair type stuff as well.

I'll post this in ignorance, so y'all don't shout me down all at once: 3 channel amp? (I'm basing my uneducated guess on the 3 pairs of output tube sockets) Happy NewKlipschYear!

I'm not sure either, but I had both a P3 and a Technics SP10 w/3009II tonearm. I sold the Rega. The Technics combo walked all over the Rega in that particular case...

Why limit ourselves to a genre? Alison Krauss Ella Sarah Vaughn Marilyn Horne Eva Julianne Baird (wow!) Yolanda Adams It's all good...

Both look Mahvelous, though my vote goes with the one Paul is modeling. Love that ribbon mahog.

And a real gentleman. He came to our jr. high orchestra practice (lesee about '64 I guess) and talked with us passionately about music, blew his horn for us and went on his way. High on the charisma factor, too.

I'd like to contribute two that have utterly captivated me of late: Medeival troubador music, 1100-1300. The performance is alive, loose and convincing. You can just about hear them dancing. The sonics are top notch. Paul Hillier is already famous as one of the great choral directors ever. His new association with the nearly supernatural Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir has to be heard to be believed. Ravishing, meditative and thrilling, only enhanced by HM's great sonics. I've not heard the SACD version.

I know Cooter Browns...down at the end of St. Charles Ave. A favorite hangout of my son...

Oyster Po-Boys at Uglesich's for lunch! Or a messy RB Po-Boy from that nasty little grocery on Magazine down in the Garden District. Sorry, forgot the name. Ohhhh-ohhh-oooh, Parasol's in the Irish Channel. Too many good choices; so little time.

Great account of the meal, coulter! That Bush seafood buffet is legendary but I've not caught it as yet. Hey, we're a bit disorganized in thse parts but we more than make up for it in joie de vivre.

Standard practice is 90 days...ymmv

Thhe Ogden is recommended. The D-Day (now the WWII) Museum is one of the great museums in America, without a doubt. But you won't be in a party mood when you exit the place. It always disorients me a bit to walk out of that place heavy of heart into the joie de vivre, devil-may-care atmosphere of the Big Easy.

It's impossible to get a handle on the situation there without seeing it up close & personal. People just don't know. Y'all enjoy.

I'll take the D'Angelico (Then with the proceeds get a Ruck, Southwell or Velasquez classical...or all three)

The selection cannot be made in a vacuum (pun intended). The question is what is the best amp to drive my particular speakers, where they are placed, into what room they are playing and for their anticipated extremes of program material. I want purity, yes, but it has to be consiered in context. In the context of Khorn, for example, noise floor and gain are other important considerations.

Rift-sawn ash.

Nice idea, Meagin. Dittos to all the above. Get yourself Klipschorns and use the single as a center channel.

Oooooooo, the Abarth is Keeeeeeee-yute. Gimme!

I'm going to venture a good deal of it has to do woth the speed, effortlessness and "truth" coming from the bass bins. The subjective experience is so different than an equivalent amount of bass being pushed at you from a direct radiator.

Indeed. Same 5db jump. That thing must speak with...immediacy.