Hacker Speak

In the basic scenario of book publishing, a writer finishes a book and then finds an agent who helps sell the book to a publisher. When someone asks, “How do I find a publisher?” they’re often looking for the details of this scenario. But let’s backtrack a little. The answer to this question has to do with what you as a writer want out of the publishing process as well as what the publisher wants. It’s best to be as clear as possible on both counts. Here are a few things to consider.

What You Want

What exactly do you want for your book? It’s possible that your answer can save you a lot of time and heartache. Here’s an example. A writer recently emailed me about wanting to find a publisher for his book on dealing with sickle cell anemia. He said he felt it was a really important book and that people would be interested in the information. That’s great, but if his main goal is getting his book into the hands of those coping with the disease, he doesn’t have to go with a big traditional publishing house in order to do that. He can self publish and take the book directly to doctor’s offices, support groups and sickle cell organizations.

Do you want a book that tells a family story that will be a legacy for your children? Do you want a book that will establish your expertise and help you get started on the speaking circuit? You can accomplish these things by self publishing. A prominent ghostwriter recently published a book about his trade and landed a television interview where he discussed how politicians get their books written. The author was introduced as a “ghostwriting guru” and his book was prominently displayed at the end of the story. There was nothing that would have told you the book was self published. It didn’t make a difference that it was. He still got the notice, was still seen as an expert.

Do you want to go for the whole enchilada–traditional publishing house, book tour, the status of having the validation of a publisher? That’s fine too. Which brings us to…

What Publishers Want

Publishers are reviewing tons of manuscripts daily. How do you get your submission package to stand out from the others? By giving what they’re looking for.

They want good writing. That’s a given, but how do you deliver? First of all, be in a mode of constantly learning about your craft. Take classes, workshops, join a writer’s group. Next, hire someone to help you. There are many editors who assist writers in getting a manuscript ready for submission. Some agencies even provide editing as part of their services.

The next part is harder. It has to do with that magical term “platform”. Everyone these days talks about how publishers buy on the basis of your platform. In fact your submission package, fiction or non-fiction, will be all about showcasing your platform. Here’s what they’re looking for and how to demonstrate it.

Who you know and who knows you: Have testimonials and blurbs from known and noted people featured in your package. If you have a few big names behind you, that’s more power for your marketing machine.

Do you have a following? If you put out a newsletter or other regular media you’ll want to show how many subscribers you have. If you have a killer website, tell the number of hits you draw each month. If you sell a product, give sales figures to show you know how to produce what your customers want.

Are you in front of people all the time? Tell what media you already have under your belt. When and where were your last speaking engagements? Describe any radio, television, newspaper or magazine interviews you’ve done recently.

If you’re lacking in any of these areas, it’s never too late to change your situation. Polishing your prose and your persona are the best steps you can take to attract a publisher. They’ll also help ensure your success if you decide to go it on your own. Remember, any improvement on your writing or marketing fronts will never go to waste!

© 2005 Sophfronia Scott

Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is “The Book Sistah” TM. Get her FREE REPORT, “The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published” and her FREE online writing and publishing tips at www.TheBookSistah.com

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“Extreme” best describes Alaska, America’s outermost
northern state, one-third of which lies in the Arctic Circle.
Although Alaska is the largest state in the Union, (two and a
half times bigger than Texas), its rough terrain prohibits
intercity travel. As a result, each Alaskan city and town
preserves its unique charm and village-like quality, marked
with ancient totem poles. Towering snow-covered
mountains with menacing jagged peaks preside over
charming little towns of humble, one- and two-story wood
buildings. American Bald Eagles soar over the onion
domes of Russian Orthodox churches, reminiscent of the
time when Alaska belonged to Russia.

Alaska’s landscape is primitive, pristine and perilous. Its
exotic “blue ice” for example, (referring to Alaska’s turquoise
ice floes that sail passively over a midnight sea), seems as
gentle as deer, yet as deadly on waterways as deer are on
highways. This stunning blue ice floats silently beneath
towering glacier walls called “white thunder,” so called
because they look like white, foamy tidal waves frozen in
midair.

Although the modern world’s cruise ships and airlines
frequently penetrate this massive snow-fortified land, much
of the state remains a vast wilderness that defies man’s
taming or domestication. Alaska is full of awe-inspiring
beauty and deadly dangertwo extremes of Mother Nature’s
personality. As the state’s unofficial nickname claims, it is
“The Last Frontier.”

STATE TOURIST INFORMATION (907) 929-2200, JUNEAU

Juneau is the only landlocked capital in the United States.
No major roads travel in or out of the city. However, frequent
air and boat service make this hard-to-reach capital a
manageable trek that’s worth the effort and expense to get
to. Where else can you find state business being conducted
at the base of a snow-covered mountain, down the street
from a moving glacier, close to a lush rain forest, in a
wilderness where bears roam freely, Bald Eagles soar; a
city where Tlingit totem poles stand, onion dome Russian
Orthodox churches rise, and the remnants of 19th century
gold miners mark their distinctive claimall in one city?

Things to See in Juneau:

• Alaska Statehouse

Built in 1931, the Territorial and Federal Building became
the State Capitol in 1959, and has housed the state
legislature, governor’s office and Lt. governor’s office ever
since. Four columns of Tokeen marble from Prince of Wales
Island south of Juneau, embellish the exterior brick-faced
concrete structure. The Alaska State Seal in the lobby, made
of gold nuggets from Alaska’s Gold Rush era greets
visitors. The doors to the Senate Chambers have handles of
hand cast brass etched in totemic symbols representing an
eagle, a whale and a bearstill commonly found in Juneau
to this day.

Check it out . . . The portrait of former state senator Bettye
Fahrenkamp shows her wearing earrings of native symbols
that mean “in one ear, out the other.” She wore them during
all Senate sessions.

Check it out . . . The map of Alaska on the third floor is made
from a piece of the Trans-Alaska pipeline.

• Alaska State Museum

Founded as a territorial museum in 1900 the Alaska State
Museum today displays Alaska’s natural history, native
history, state history, art and culture with exhibits containing
more than 23,000 artifacts and works of art.

Check it out . . . The Alaska Native Gallery includes a
Northwest Coast clan house complete with totems, a 38 ft.
umiak, a whaling boat made from driftwood covered with
walrus skins and the state’s unique bentwood hunting hat.

Check it out . . . The Natural History Gallery exhibits Alaska’s
bald eagles in a full-sized nesting tree that includes seven
eagles at various stages of life, from egg to adult.

•St. Nicholas Church

St. Nicholas Church, situated above downtown Juneau is
the oldest original Russian Orthodox church in Alaska. A
gilded gold onion dome crowns a humble, thatched roof
cottage of white clapboard trimmed in Nantucket blue. The
bell hanging from a small steepled doorway beckons
visitors inside where solemn, 19th century Russian icons
and liturgical items transport one to Russia’s past.

Tip: Weekend services sung in English, Tlingit, and Old
Slavonic are held Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings.

• Mendenhall Glacier

One of Alaska’s most popular attractions, Mendenhall
Glacier, is just few miles from downtown. So close to town,
yet so far from civilization, this primordial mass of ancient
ice stretches 12 miles, spans a width of 1-1/2 miles, and is
400-800 feet deep, depending on where you stand.
Naturalist John Muir considered it “one of the most beautiful
of the coastal glaciers.” An easy trail along Mendenhall Lake
leads to close-up views of this massive chunk of ice and
rock, which is merely one arm of the colossal Juneau Ice
Field, a 1500-square-mile block of ice larger than the state
of Rhode Island.

• Tracy Arm Fjord

A natural fence of jagged white mountains surrounds this
narrow, deep waterway. The base of the mountains
descend almost in equidistance to the depths of the
greenish blue water below. Triangular ice floes that look like
huge wedges of aquamarine pie topped with whipped
meringue on a crust of snow sail past boats half their size.
Waterfalls spew out between a fringe of evergreens,
cascading into an awaiting green sea, synchronized like the
well-rehearsed leap of a ballerina into the arms of her
anticipating partner. The wide-winged Bald Eagle
commands the skies overhead as whales, seals, porpoise,
and other wildlife splash and splatter below in their private
swimming hole, protected by glacial stone palisades. The
waterway is like a gigantic moat shimmering past a glorious
ice palace. Glaciers, waterfalls, feathery green pines, and
flirtatious ice floes of translucent blue and opaque white
make this a wintry fairyland to dazzle the eye and make
one’s heart soar with the eagles.

Priscilla Faith Rhodes is the author of DISCOVER AMERICA
DIARIES: 50 STATES, 50 STATES OF MIND, and
co-publisher of the award-winning website, Postcards from
America, http://www.postcardsfrom.com, a edu-travel site
that helps students and families learn about America
through postcards.

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The term global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of Earth’s surface. Research shows that the temperature has already increased from .7 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the late eighteen hundreds. Scientists speculate that by the year 2100 the temperature will rise another 2.5 to 10.4 degree Fahrenheit. Scientists warn that humans and the ecosystem are incapable of adapting to the drastic climate changes. It is believed that the change is influenced by human activities. The Kyoto Protocol, a protocol with the objective of reducing greenhouse gases that change the climate, was created on December 11^th 1997.

Research states that human activities are the main cause for most of the warming. Human activities enhance the planet’s natural greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect in return contributes to the warming of the Earth’s surface. Burning fossil fuels and clearing the land are the two main human activities believed to contribute to global warming. Fossil fuels are released from factories, automobiles, and power plants that power homes and office buildings. As the fuel is burned it releases carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide slows down the heat from escaping into space. The clearing of land results in a decrease rate in which gas is removed from the atmosphere.

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You’re getting older and you can see all the equity sitting in your home, but you need money now! What are your alternatives? Well, you could sell your home and buy something smaller and spend the difference or you could consider taking out a reverse mortgage. But if you opt for a reverse mortgage, there some very important things you need to know. Basically it works like this. You have equity that has grown in your home by either house prices going up or you paying off your mortgage. You can now actually borrow the equity and pay interest on it which is basically backwards from a traditional mortgage. Now you may be asking yourself why you would do that. First, you get a monthly check from the bank that you can spend anyway you want. You or your estate pays the total amount you were given over time plus interest.

This is where you have to watch reverse mortgages. The interest rates can be extremely high and you can often owe up to 3 times what you were paid. Often these mortgages are paid back when you die and your estate handles it or when you sell the home. To qualify for one of these, you have to actually be the owner of the home and live in it. Remember, it doesn’t work for rental properties. Each company that offers reverse mortgages establishes their lending guidelines on the amount of the loan but a good rule to follow is the older you are and the more expensive your home, the greater the loan amount.

One of the advantages about a reverse mortgage is that you can actually pay it back anytime you like. They become immediately due if you die however, so make sure to include it in your will. If you decide not to pay your property taxes, insure the property or maintain it, the lender can actually call the loan. So be sure to take care of these things or you may get yourself into trouble. We recommend that you speak to your lawyer before going ahead with a reverse mortgage. They can be complicated and confusion and it is critical you understand exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Amy-Jo Strutt is a successful writer and regular contributor to reverse-mortgages-loans.com - An online resource to help you find the very best information on mortgages, foreclosures and loans.
Amy-Jo Strutt is a successful writer and regular contributor to reverse-mortgages-loans.com - An online resource to help you find the very best information on mortgages, foreclosures and loans.
http://www.reverse-mortgages-loans.com

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Sometimes inspiration is found in the most unusual places. Today, it was a car commercial. In the commercial, the uniqueness of the car was equated with a snowflake. Millions of snowflakes, no one alike, each unique and beautiful in its own way. People are snowflakes. The thought is cause for a real pause and genuine self reflection.

Each and every person is original and amazing. It’s been said a million times in a million different ways and is one of the rare, positive, universally agreed upon notions. It’s been repeated time and time again for a reason - it’s true! Why then is lip service given to this amazing aspect of people? Each of us has great things about us. Its our compassion for others, our ability with oil paints, our dedication as a mother, our finesse in giving talks and presentations, or that special thing that makes you, you.

So often, we focus on our weaknesses, our regrets, and our mistakes. What we don’t fully realize or admit is that this focus is our biggest mistake. Each mistake, each weakness, and each missed opportunity is mirrored by our remarkable strengths, successes, and experiences. Without a doubt, our goodness and beauty far, far overshadows our shortcomings. Embrace the wonder of you. Embrace the beauty of you. Pay attention to the mistakes and the weaknesses for they are your teacher. The bumps are there to help us learn and grow. But we cannot see them for what they are when we do not fully appreciate and genuinely love ourselves. You are a snowflake.

Heather Coulter is the Founder and President of The Femme Forum. The Femme Forum is an on-line membership based community of women offering information, resources, and one-on-one advice in the interest of empowerment, friendship, and personal growth. Please join us at http://www.thefemmeforum.com

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Confused by EDTV vs HDTV? We don’t blame you. The number of acronyms floating about with regard to digital TV is frightening. What’s even more worrying is that very often they are used by people who have little or no knowledge about what they mean. If the person selling you doesn’t know the difference between EDTV vs HDTV, how are customers supposed to decide which TV or projector top go for?

In our guide below, we’ve tried to distill the technical info into as few words as possible and make it as straightforward to understand as we can.

To properly explain EDTV vs HDTV, we need to step back a bit. Traditional TV has 525 lines of video which are interlaced. Interlacing just means that every frame of video is split into two fields and each field is shown alternately. Although there are 525 lines in the signal, only 480 lines contain video, so it is sometimes referred to as 480i (480 lines interlaced). This is known as Standard Definition TV, or SDTV. While this has worked well enough for fifty years, as TV sets have got bigger and projectors more popular, the quality deficiencies have become increasingly apparent.

The ultimate answer to improving the quality of the image displayed on your TV is HDTV, however, as a step on the road to HDTV, the industry came up with Enhanced Definition TV, or EDTV. This system contains the same 480 lines as SDTV, but they are progressive scan. Hence EDTV is also known as 480p. Progressive scanning just means that instead of splitting the signal into two fields and showing half the lines at a time, all 480 lines of video are shown at once. This results in a noticeable improvement in the quality of video.

The bad news in relation to EDTV vs HDTV is that you need a completely new TV or projector to display both EDTV and HDTV. Most DVD players on the market today are progressive scan, meaning they output EDTV signals, however, in order to view the progressive scan picture in all its glory, you need a TV or projector capable of displaying it and that, unfortunately, means getting a new TV.

In terms of content, there is very limited TV content available in HDTV format, and there is still wrangling about the standard for HD DVDs. However, every DVD disc on the market can be displayed in EDTV right now.

Bottom line? Pretty much every HDTV projector or TV on the market today will display EDTV as well. So while there may not seem like a great deal of point in getting a new display for the limited HDTV content that is available today, it is worth it to watch your DVD collection in EDTV, the difference between SDTV and EDTV really is that big.

About The Author

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner (http://www.the-hdtv-tuner.com).

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Here is a fast and easy homemade ice cream recipe just for the kids!

Chocolate Pudding Ice Cream is a snap to make-just 10 minutes prep time and the kids will love it! This extra thick, smooth, rich and creamy chocolate ice cream has a lot of body to it and is so simple to make. Instant chocolate pudding is the secret to making this ice cream recipe turn out great time after time.

1 Cup whole milk

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1- 3 1/2 ounce box instant chocolate fudge pudding

2 Cups whipping cream

1 Teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients with a whisk in a medium bowl. Cover, refrigerate, and chill for 2 hours. Whisk again before pouring into your ice cream maker.

Following the directions on your ice cream maker, pour the mixture into the container and let mix until thick, about 15-20 minutes. Can be enjoyed immediately or if you want a firmer ice cream, transfer into an airtight freezer container and place in the freezer at least 2 hours.

Optional:

Easy Ice Cream Pudding Pops: After removing the ice cream from your freezer container, pour each evenly into paper cups. Insert a Popsicle stick into center of each cup.

FREEZE 4 hours or until firm. Peel off paper cups just before serving.

Score a home run with your kids tonight and let them help you make this extra easy homemade chocolate pudding ice cream! You will be making a second batch very soon!

Happy eating!

Laura Warnke is owner of an online gourmet retail store, The Topping Shoppe LLC. Here you will find a great selection of dessert sauces and ice cream sundae toppings for sale. Visit my website at All-About-Dessert-Sauces.com to find out more about dessert sauces and how to serve them, along with easy ice cream and dessert sauce recipes to make yourself.

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eBay Membership sites can be a great way to learn from experienced eBayers, guiding you though the complete A-Z of eBay. However, with may new sites emerging over night you need to ensure your getting value for money. So, before parting with your cash the next question you should ask is:

Whats included in my membership fee?

There are many avenues of how you can make money from eBay, from selling your own goods, by becoming an eBay Trading Assistant or by referring eBay to friends & family acting as an affiliate to eBay.

So what does the membership site focus on. Is it all of the above (and more ideal!) or is it purely a site for selling on eBay. This is not necessary a bad thing, as long as the membership site focuses on your needs.

Ask yourself what your needs are. Do you want to

• - Learn to sell on eBay
• - Drive traffic from eBay to your own website
• - Become an eBay PowerSeller
• - Become an eBay consultant
• - Sell digital goods on eBay

Additionally, does it offer you specific goals & help you set targets for your sales or just general advice. Most people need some serious motivation to put advice into action.

You’ll also want to find out are the materials available in .PDF files, eBooks, Articles, Audio files or Camtasia Videos. Ideally you want a complete mixture of the above, plus some kind of personal consultation whether by email, though a members forum or even by phone.

Trinity Tooke makes a full time living from turnkey websites, purchasing them cheaply from eBay & running them on a full time basis. You can check out her blog at: http://turnkeywebsites.blogspot.com/

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When others do something for us, we feel a strong need, even a push, to return the favor. Returning the favor rids us of the obligation created by the first good deed. The adage “one good turn deserves another” seems to be a part of social conditioning in every culture.

And, even beyond that, the maxim serves as an ethical code that does not necessarily need to be taught but nevertheless is understood. For example, when someone smiles or gives a compliment, we feel a great need to return the smile or compliment. Even when these gestures are unsolicited, we feel a sense of urgency to repay the person who has created the mental or psychological debt. In some cases, our need to repay this debt is so overwhelming that we end up dramatically exceeding the original favor. The obligation trigger created by the car salesman’s soda offer is a classic example of this principle.

People often conscientiously trigger feelings of indebtedness and obligation in others by carrying out an uninvited favor. Even if we don’t want or ask for the gift, invitation, or compliment, we still feel the need to return the favor when we receive it. Merely being indebted, even in the slightest sense of the word, can create enough psychological discomfort (and sometimes even public embarrassment) that we go to extraordinary lengths to remove the burdensome obligation we feel. This is when we often disproportionately reward the original giver.

Maybe this has happened to you. You are attempting to buy a car and are playing hardball with the sales rep. You’ve negotiated back and forth and are getting nowhere. You are ready to walk away when he says that he will talk to his manager one last time. As he gets up, he says, “You know, I’m thirsty, so I’m going to get myself a soda. Would you like one?” “Sure!” you say, oblivious to his tactic. He comes back with the soda and a better deal from his manager. It’s not the deal you wanted, but you feel it’s the best you’re going to get. So, you accept it. As you think about it later, it dawns on you that you bought the car because of a subconscious trigger. The moral of the story is to never take a drink from the car sales rep before you’ve settled on a price. That drink serves as an obligation trigger. You feel indebted to the car dealer because of this small courtesy, and he knows it. He created the obligation with a can of soda. You return the favor and get out of his debt by buying a car.

When my family moved to a new area, we gave a small Christmas gift to all our neighbors. I don’t think the gifts cost more than five dollars each. We were new on the block and wanted to get to know our neighbors. About thirty minutes after hand-delivering the gifts to our new neighbors, the doorbell rang. There stood one of the neighbors with a large box of truffles in one hand–this box had to have been holding at least fifty dollars worth of chocolates. She said, “Welcome to the neighborhood, and Happy Holidays,” and with that she was off and on her way. She couldn’t cope with the sudden debt she felt toward my family so, to rid herself of her feelings of obligation, she gave back ten times more than she’d originally received. This is why many people buy extra holiday presents to have on hand just in case someone delivers a gift they did not count on.

Obligation has been used as a persuasive technique since the beginning of time. Door-to-door salespeople offer free brushes, free encyclopedias, and free estimates in the hopes of securing a sale. People throw parties in their homes, serving refreshments and giving away free Tupperware or other products. We all know how hard it is to attend a friend’s party, eat their food, take their free gift, and then go home without buying a thing. So, what do we do? We order the cheapest item in the catalog to get rid of the obligation or indebtedness we feel to the host.

Everyone persuades for a living. There’s no way around it. Whether you’re a sales professional, an entrepreneur, or even a stay at home parent, if you are unable to convince others to your way of thinking, you will be constantly left behind. Get your free reports at Magnetic Persuasion to make sure that you are not left watching others pass you on the road to success. Donald Trump said it best, “Study the art of persuasion. Practice it. Develop an understanding of its profound value across all aspects of life.”

The Law of Obligation can be used to eliminate animosity or suspicion. In one study, researcher Dennis Regan had two individuals try to sell raffle tickets to unsuspecting workers. One individual made a conscientious effort to befriend the workers before attempting to sell any tickets. The other individual made a point of being rude and obnoxious around the workers. While on a break, the individual who had previously been rude to his prospects bought them drinks before trying to get them to buy tickets. The results of the study showed that the rude individual actually sold twice as many raffle tickets, even though the other had been so much nicer and more likable.

The pressure to reciprocate is strong enough that when people don’t return the favor, they are viewed with contempt and disgust. Accepting gifts or favors without attempting to return them is universally viewed as selfish, greedy, and heartless. It is often strictly due to this internal and external pressure that people conform to the rule of reciprocity.

The Law of Obligation also applies when there are favors we wish we could ask, but we know we are not in a position to repay them or perhaps even ask for them in the first place. The psychological and emotional burden created by such circumstances is often great enough that we would rather lose the benefits of the favor by not asking for it at all than experience the embarrassment and likely rejection that might come from asking. For example, a woman who receives expensive gifts from a man may complain that, although she is flattered by and likes getting the gifts, she feels an uncomfortable sense of obligation to repay her suitor. Furthermore, she may express frustration at the perception held by the suitor that, because of his gifts, the woman would or should be more sexually accessible. Studies have shown that the converse is also true: When individuals break the reciprocity rule by showering favors on someone without giving them a chance to repay, there is an equal amount of discomfort.

The drive to alleviate feelings of obligation is so powerful that it can make us bend toward people we don’t even know. One university professor chose names at random from a telephone directory, and then sent these complete strangers his Christmas cards. Holiday cards addressed to him came pouring back, all from people who did not know him and, for that matter, who had never even heard of him.

You have a client name Robin that will not give you the time of day. You know you can help her increase her profits but have been unable to get in the door. You have tried everything but to no avail. How could you use the law of obligation to increase her willingness to listen to your proposal?

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you’ve seen some success, but think of the times you couldn’t get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

Kurt Mortensen’s trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report “10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands.” After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

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Both of these timbers make great soundboards on flat top acoustic guitars. They have had popularity at different times in history heres the story so far.

Adirondack or Red Spruce was very popular piror to WWII. It is found on a lot vintage acoustic guitars. The high weight to strength ratio made it useful in the construction of aeroplane wings during the war. The ratio is what makes it so prized amongst guitar Luthiers. After the war most of the good trees were gone, and what is still available, has cosmetic flaws. If you can put up with this it still makes great sounding guitars especially if you want a new guitar with that vintage sound.

This scarcity led to the use of Sitka Spruce as the number one guitar top of the big guitar Luthiers. It is found on most guitars. If you step into some guitar shops like I have and ask to play an Adirondack you will often be greeted with a puzzled look from the shop assistant. The easiest way to get you hands on one is to play a vintage instrument or have a custom guitar built.

SITKA SPRUCE

Source: Western North America

Colours: Pinkish white to Light Brown, silky, even grain

Tonal: Good balance, clarity and resonation, bright, crisp

Suitable: Steel Strings sound boards, hard flat picking

ADIRONDACK (RED) SPRUCE

Source: North America

Colours: Irregular grain, creamy white, little silking

Compares: Engelmann

Tonal: Strong, clear. Brilliance of Sitka/warmth of Engelmann

Suitable: Flat picking,

Andrew Ellis is gaining recognition for his world class guitars. Andrew has made guitars for many full time professional musicians. He has been asked to export to Europe, America and Canada. All instruments are made from the finest materials and a high standard of workmanship.

www.ellisguitars.com

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