Scott Ainslie in Memphis: Crossroads Blues

A showcase performance of Robert Johnson's Crossroads Blues recorded at the National Folk Alliance showcases in Memphis, Feb. 2007

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Robert
• Johnson
• Blues
• Crossroads
• Clapton
• Ainslie
• Cattail
• Music

[pjpdemo]

I had another question, using a national such as yours is it ok to tune up to open E with medium guage strings

[scottainslie]

@pjpdemo The set-up of these instruments is critical in deciding whether to tune up to E or A tunings. Higher tunings exert more pressure on the neck and body of the guitar, drawing the headstock and tailpiece towards one another. This is obvious. But with resonators, as with archtops, the increased pressure will also be pushing down on the bridge and saddle, wanting to crush the cone of the National (flatten the top of the archtop). There is no one answer to your question. I do tune up.

[pjpdemo]

can you tell me the string gauge that you use for your reonator and do you change tunings for different songs

[scottainslie]

@pjpdemo I do change tunings as indicated: Crossroads is in open-A or open-G. And I prefer John Pearse 80/20 medium gauge strings. They remain, after twenty years, my favorites.

[pppicker]

Thanks Scott...the DVD is great and I've been working through it....was lucky enough to get a 1930 triolian...there's no sound like it...hope to see you up in my part of Canada (Ontario) some day...great stuff!

[scottainslie]

PPP,

Glad that's useful to you. And always happy to hear of a vintage National falling into a lap where it will be loved. Not the guitar for serenading your darling on the couch, but mighty good in a fight.

Best wishes,

s.

[MsCMcGrath]

Fantastic co co :)) x

[scottainslie]

Thanks for this. The National is actually sand-blasted, which is how they accomplished these images. A rubber stencil was laid over the plated instrument and they sandblasted it for mere seconds, more and they'd cut a hole it it. It's how they etch granite gravestones. Interesting bit of production trivia, eh? Oh, 1931. Pawnshop find.

Best wishes,

s.

[kokoro86]

Beautiful Reso. It looks like a laser-etched National.

Also, a faithfully-rendered rendition of a time-honored  blues standard.