I was so proud of my 15 dollar Suzuki guitar . You know how it is. You get something you like and assume it is the best. So imagine my surprise at seeing this dream of an instrument…
Tag Archives: Steve Barkman guitar
Steve Barkman Guitars
The new Steve Barkman 12 string arrived last week. The guitar is a masterpiece handcrafted by Steve over many months. This is the third generation of the 12 string series. My brother Chris bought the very first one he made and gave it to me. It’s a sensational guitar. Someone with big dollars ought to get Steve to oversee the manufacture of this model cause its a world class instrument with a unique sound.
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Faith In Human Nature Restored
Thanks to the huge generosity of supporters the SB 12 string has arrived. It was made by Steve Barkman to replace the one that was stolen and surpasses even my highest expectations. Once it became clear that there were the funds to support us we gave the thumbs up for the finishing touches. There was a shortfall which was covered by my brother Paul who visited Steve recently and made the way clear. To cut a long story short…Anthony Skegg…my bro Paul and a few very big hearted readers of this blog chipped in to make it possible to purchase this phenomenal guitar.
Photo: Steve Hardy
Without the great media skills of Jason (Dialogcrm.com) who both encouraged and facilitated this mini crowd funding activity and manages this site…without him this would never have happened.
- I would not have had the confidence in myself
- I would not have believed that there would have been such strong support
We raised enough not only to get the SB12 but also to service the six string guitars. In the very last stage of this drive it would be good to have a budget to insure the gear also….so we will leave the donate button flashing for a few more days if that’s ok. Turns out insurance for work gear including guitars is expensive.
The feeling I have reminds me of something Douglas Adams wrote. Marvin the Paranoid Android was asked where he had been and his answer was something like
I “went into a bit of a decline” too 18 months ago when the previous SB was stolen. and prior to that when ANOTHER SB was stolen along with the car from the 14th floor of a parking building. It wasn’t just the loss of the SBs. A whole pile of brown stuff hit the whirly thing and I kinda lost faith in human nature…or should we say faith in human nurture.
Safe to say that all is well now and the conversation is a new one.
Question “Did you find the stolen guitar”
Answer “I gained a greater one…..as you can see and hear”
“Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”
You have done great. Even if you only read this blog – the good vibe of that support is helpful.
All I can do in return is play for my supper. SO ! If you would like to invite me to yours I would be happy to play some songs for you. House concerts are a specialty. A house concert is not only home entertainment …..its REAL home entertainment. Call me if you are keen 021 0259 2919
Home cooking and home live entertainment. Nothing beats that buddy!
I have been listening to a podcast called HICKS FROM THE STICKS. You heard of the EVERSONS? These guys have such a great attitude. In their latest podcast they are addressing the issue of the big OE and living off music and the pros and cons of going pro. I felt a bit shamed tho.
They say that a musician should not expect any financial support from their “ardents” (to use a Dylan Thomas term. He called his supporters ardents) and that you need to support yourself by working a real job alongside the music until such time as you get a real record deal. I kind of don’t agree. I believe that things need to go back to patronage and away from “business”. Going back centuries artists had patrons. More recently Dylan Thomas had patrons. Hone Tuwhare also…and he was also very kind to me whenever I visited him> I know of many great artists who had patronage. No shame in it so long as they work on their art as a result
Anyway the sun is shining again – I got to go play.
Be safe
Talk soon. Thanks especially to:
Peter Cram (Larry), Doug Blakeway, Greg Morison, Eliot McLean, Jeremy Belcher, Kevin Sellar, Danielle Boven, Marianne Everson who have helped out with donations this week.
Donation buttons below for insurance if that is OK. Thanks.
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If you are in Auckland next week come to the gig and say hi
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand (map)
Thursday, September 3, 2015
If you need help just ask
We are getting used to consuming instant, ready-mix, rehash entertainment, Like a river flowing out of wide screens, Endless Home Box Office films and series deliver violence, sex, and psychotic fantasies of the highest production value but devoid of any real nourishment.
HOME ENTERTAINMENT WITHOUT THE BOX OR THE OFFICE
Who has the gumption to ask for simple, live original music played in their own space? It’s direct and intimate, and without the general craziness we have come to see as normal in canned corporate entertainment.
Update: Live show coming up at Scarecrow on Sept 3rd
IN-HOUSE ENTERTAINMENT
In my last post, I offered to play in-house gigs, To prove that there can be a viable house concert circuit here.
WHY?
NZ has an area as big as Great Britain inhabited by 20 times fewer souls.
Yet we act as if we live in a country that has a huge population. Consequently most gigs are in venues way bigger than called for.
The cost of putting on such shows often outweighs the returns.
The average venue gets such small turnouts that you could literally invite the audience back to your own living room. So why not do just that?
START WITH ME! Book a house concert
Ed says: here is a button then… Booking fee buys a coffee and secures the date which is subject to confirmation.
Thanks again for the huge help with the new SB guitar to replace the stolen one. Soon I will no longer be famous for having lost a guitar but famous for having friends who replaced it! Thanks to y’all
REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT SO FAR and
Many thanks to Siobhan & Bernard Demeester, Geoff Wiklund, WonderWebs, Larry Freilich, William Paynter, Jeremy Belcher, John Buckeridge, Darren Bayliss, Penny Cliffin, Nick – Stone Arrow Jewellery, Gordon Becket, Gregor Cameron, Glen Molesworth, Corene Higgins, Derek Butland, John Payne, Andrew Nash, Alysson Parker, Jason Kemp, Lance Flavell, Anthony Skeggs, Taylored Artwork, Julz, Duncan Gillies, Nicholas Tufillaro, Richard Trotman, Elizabeth O’Connor, Leon Earl, David Parker and last but not least my amazing big hearted brother Paul.
So please keep me in mind for a gathering and see if I can compete with Game of Thrones. Ha ha!
If you are a guitarist and would like Steve Barkman to make you a guitar, or repair or restore one, then I would highly recommend him. Address: 15 Dickson St, Macandrew Bay 9014, Dunedin Phone: 03-476 1463 (021) 180 6249 If you want to help more directly, please use the buttons below to make a supporting donation towards the guitar.
Make a donation towards guitar
If anything is raised above the target it will go towards Steve repairing my other guitars and recording the new album. You will be emailed directly by Paypal P.S click on red buttons if you make a mistake & need to deduct amounts from the shopping cart.
Donate $5 (NZD)Donate $10 (NZD)
Donate $50 (NZD)
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SB 12 is now ready
It is with great pleasure that I can report that Steve Barkman has completed work on a replacement for my 12-string guitar. You will (remember when) _the last one got stolen_ ages ago and the media got involved trying to find it. For a long time now I have been answering the same question over and over: “Did you ever find it?”
We finally have a solution, and it is a brand spanking new Mk3.
The old Mk1 reached a point where I had played it so much it was totally gone, and Steve had to cannibalise it for bits and pieces to make the Mk2. Which ended up getting nicked.
The new one is exquisite, and just waiting for me to pay the price.
After the last one got stolen, I received much support which kept me going. I used what I had to pay for a new neck on my six-string Takoma.
This was the only guitar I had which I could use for gigs, and I still use it to this day, but now my signature instrument is ready and I can get back to normal. I can’t tell you what a relief it is, since this comes at the time when I am due to record a new album. My studios of choice are Roundhead and Eieio in Te Puke. So! The plan is simple: 1. Purchase the new SB 12. This will be easy if I get the kind of support I got last time. 2. Record the next album (yes – new songs coming!).
If you feel like supporting the cause I won’t get in your way! I am not ashamed to ask for help in an industry where we are expected to give 99% of our material away with no way of profiting*. So you see… if the biz don’t work – and it clearly clearly doesn’t – then the best next option is to hold out my tiny hand and smile nicely and promise to make you a lovely, lovely album and play at yours any time you please! Call me now!! 021 025 929 19.
Anyone who donates $50 or more (buttons below) gets the first release of the new songs. I’m also thinking about holding a group guitar workshop and hopefully a concert or two. Let me know what you want. I’m working on the new album but need the new guitar to make the sound the best it can be.
Thanks for the huge support and encouragement in the past, but please keep doing it, ’cause I really need to pay off this guitar. Once it is in my hands I will be able to reply to, “Did you ever find your guitar?” with, “No, but this one is WAY better!”
If you are a guitarist and would like Steve Barkman to make you a guitar, or repair or restore one, then I would highly recommend him.
Address: 15 Dickson St, Macandrew Bay 9014, Dunedin Phone: 03-476 1463 (021) 180 6249
If you want to help more directly, please use the buttons below to make a supporting donation towards the guitar.
You will be emailed directly by Paypal P.S click on red buttons if you make a mistake & need to deduct amounts from the shopping cart.
Donate $5 (NZD)Donate $10 (NZD)
Donate $50 (NZD)
Donate $100 (NZD)
Donate $200 (NZD)
Update: 10 August. Thanks to those of you who have made donations or bought more music in the store. As of today you /we have raised 67% 74% of the cost of the guitar. A few more donations would be welcome to pay off the last 33% 26% thanks.
Summary below – but read the full article.
“Local band She’s So Rad earned multiple 5-star reviews for their album Tango and have two songs on A-rotate on Hauraki.
• Yet they’ve only sold a total of 20 physical CDs and 50 digital albums.
• They have had 90,000 songs streamed on Spotify, earning them $130
• Toy says: “It’s just much worse than we expected. I expected it to be bad, but this far surpasses it.”