Rayco's Latest Info

February 2011

Hello All

I love it when we are given artistic license to create something unique. We have just finished the tricone squareneck we have been working on. Pics attached. It is now on its way to be shown at Wintergrass then on to its new home.

This was a real treat to design and build. Thanks Bruce. The sound is all we were hoping for. Punchy throughout with warm wood overtones, enhanced lows mixed with that traditional tricone tone. (I'll provide sound clips). I hope to have someone photograph it while in Washington but thought I might send along these quick pics for now.

Best regards

Mark, Jason and Chris.

Christmas 2010

Hello All.

Took a few photos of some of the instruments in progress that we will be showing at Wintergrass. Check out the figured birch squareneck Tri-cone with koa bindings.

The magnolia pictured will have all black hardware.

Best of the Season

Mark Jason and Chris

December 2010

Hi

I have attached some photos of a few things we have on the go. All these guitars are being finished to show at Wintergrass. Will have a few others as well including a Mastergrade Weissy. Of special interest in the attached photo is our second custom Tri-cone we are building for a friend. This one will be a squareneck. Check out the wood coverplate. The aluminum T bridge and cones visible through the sound holes will have an aging patina and the cones are seated on flame maple that will be stained translucent black. This has been a great project to work on and looking forward to the end results.

Will keep you posted.

Also shown here are a quilted maple model, magnolia and an incredibly flamed mastergrade koa.

Of other interest we have been developing a guitarbuilding course and hope to attract some people to this beautiful part of the world. Vacation in Smithers while building yourself a fine reso, weissy or guitar. Keep checking in. Inquiries welcome.

Best regards

Mark, Jason and Chris

April 2010

Hey All

Check out the new Rayco played by Orville Johnson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Xuy74X4wc&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ShCSF40B0

To hear more of Orville's music follow this link .....http://www.orvillejohnson.com/

Huge thanks Orville.

Best

Mark, Jason and Chris

April 2010

Hey All

Check out of some of the guitars we are producing with a very talented luthier from Whitehorse. Chris George studied luthiery for one year with David Freeman of Timeless Instruments in Saskatchewan. Chris now makes his home here in Smithers and has been helping us develop new products. The guitars pictured here are all mahogany small body. Lots of volume and punch.

Great stuff. Also available with spruce top.

We have been busy here with the introduction of the ResNick resophonic banjo. If you have not received a soundclip of it as played by Ivan Rosenberg let me know and I will forward one to you. They sound very hammered dulcimer-like with sweet sustain......

Best

Mark

December 2009

Hey All

Thought I would take a moment to post a couple photos of the clawhammer resophonic banjo we made for Ivan Rosenberg. Hours after he received it he sent me a clip of a song he was writing on it. Beautiful stuff!! Keep an eye and ear out for his new project.

Best of the Holiday Season

Mark

November 2009

Hi All

Just a quick note to let you know that we are now offering Peterson tuners as an option when ordering a Rayco instrument. I just received my StroboFlip and use the presets for pedal steel and reso and LOVE IT. Can’t say enough about them. Check it out here.

On another note, koa is coming!!!! We have 2 mastergrade reso and 2 mastergrade weissy sets en route from Hawaii. Attached is a photo of a Rayco reso prior to buffing made with one of the last sets we received.

We have also just received 6 sets of beautifully quilted maple too. One of our quilted maple resos from our site’s gallery section.

Best regards

Mark

September 2009

Hey All

A few people have asked if we will be at IBMA this year. Though Rayco will not have a booth, 2 incredible guitars are en route to Elderly Instruments and will be shown at the Elderly Instruments booth (thanks guys). I have attached a couple photos we took before they left the shop – 1 indigo and the other burst. Be sure to come by the Elderly booth at IBMA to check them out. Chad Graves will be spending some time there with his Rayco and if all goes well will have his new sea foam green Rayco Lectrophonic prototype too. We are currently playing with some pickup configurations to make sure it is just right before he gets it. These will be available with different woods, round or squareneck, biscuit or spider and oh yeah ... other colours too. Call to design one to your liking.

We are also excited to introduce the “ResNick” resonator banjo. You can find out more and hear it at http://www.banjoteacher.com/resonator-banjo/index.htm

This instrument is beginning to get a lot of attention and is quite beautiful and unique sounding with more volume and tone then previous cone resonator banjos thanks to a specially designed tailpiece, body and bridge.

Customer quote

“I recieved the Resnick this morning and have been playing it all day...

It plays beautifully, Thanks.......I've been showing it off all over town and people are loving it. Cool eh?

Some of the songs I wrote with a normal Banjo sound so unique with the Resnick. It opens a whole new way of creating music. Thanks again, Jack”

Ross Nickerson will be at IBMA for a couple days. For a demo or to try it out call Ross at 866.322.6567 to make arrangements.

Best regards

Mark

May 2009

Hey All

We just received some of the most beautiful koa we've seen. Pictured here is a Master reso set. Master Hawaiian guitar sets from the same billet and 2A reso and weissy sets also available.

Best

Mark

March 2009

Hey All

Just a quick note to introduce you to a cool magazine we are currently featured in. Premier Guitar is available online and print. Our feature in the current April issue is part of an article titled "5 Resonator Builders You Should Meet" and in addition featured Paul Beard, Crafters of Tennessee, S.B. MacDonald, and Terraplane Resonator Guitar Co.

Rayco Feature

Complete Article

Best

Mark

November 2008

Hi All

We are extremely pleased to announce that we now offer parts on all of our resonator guitars. Tim Scheerhorn personally spins all cones and the resulting tone is incredibly rich and clear. Scheerhorn coverplates are plated to the highest standards and have removable palm rests for added convenience. How cool is that. Thanks Tim

Mark and Jason

September 2008

Hi All

Just a quick note to let you know that we will be attending IBMA this year with 4 beautiful resos and a master grade koa Hawaiian guitar. Should be lots of picking there too. We are at booth 142 for the full week. Stop in and check us out. Mark will be there to answer any questions.

Best regards

Mark and Jason

March 2008

Hello all

It has been a while since our last update. Many things going on. Real proud to announce that we will be at MerleFest 2008 for our second year as an Official Sponsor. Matt Leadbetter will be at MerleFest on Thursday the 24th so come by, say hi and check out the Matt Leadbetter model we designed with Matt.

Todd Livingston will be there on Saturday evening and Sunday to pick up his new Rayco and do some picking.

Along with Todd and Matt we are pleased to announce that we are now working with Randy Kohrs, Rob Ickes, Sally Van Meter, Wolfgang Reimer and Chad Graves as well.

Wolfgang is helping to spread the word in Germany and Europe. Check out some of these beautiful photos from his site. www.dobro-wolfgang-reimer.de

Wolfgang and his Oxblood Sunburst Rayco

We are working on getting some new sound and video clips up on the site so keep checking in.

We have just recently finished a rosewood/spruce top with herringbone trim that I am now touring with in Hungry Hill www.hungryhill.ca and I am loving it huge.

We will be showing a Mastergrade koa, Matt Leadbetter model, Master Hawaiian guitar and several maple models at MerleFest so stop by and check them out.

Most important news of all is the arrival of Claire Leannah Ella Friesen. Following is from Jason’s post on reso-nation;

Hi Folks, Jason Friesen from Rayco Resophonics here. I know I don't post much, and I apologize for that, but I just couldn't help myself this time. I'm excited to announce that I just welcomed my first child into the world. Claire Leannah Ella Friesen was born on Feb 20 under the lunar eclipse, evoking the old traditional song Claire De La Lune. Does it mean anything? I don't know, but I thought it was pretty cool. It was a complete fluke since we had names picked prior to the birth, and it made me chuckle. Also, another strange coincidence is that her initials unintentionally spell CLEF. How cool is that! Anyways, well wishes to everyone.

See ya
Mark

March 2007

Hi all

Wintergrass was great fun. Lots of picking around the Rayco booth. Just wanted to let everyone know that our first Tri-cone pictures are posted. You can see it here in our gallery section.

We have also added a new In Stock page.

We will also be working with some great artists this year in addition to Chad Graves of Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike http://www.valeriesmithonline.com/. and Todd Livingston www.myspace.com/toddplivingstoncom. Keep checking in.

Hope to see you at MerleFest 2007

All the best
Mark

February 2007

Hi Folks

Jason and I have been quite busy gearing up for Wintergrass and MerleFest.

Hope to see you there.

I wanted to pass along some photos of some of our steel string, flat top acoustics. As some of you may know Jason and I spent a collected 14 years building guitars at a prominent guitar shop in Vancouver before deciding to build Rayco resos. We have since built a number of Rayco Dreadnaughts and OM models for friends and family.

We are real glad to introduce our newest model. So new in fact we haven't quite come up with a name yet. It is smaller than a jumbo and larger than an OM with the body depth of an OM. Great sound with a real nice bass response and clean highs - quite an even sound.

Rayco acoustics now available to order. Prices start at $2199.00 USD plus S & H.

We also just finished a beautiful wood-bodied tri-cone (our first). Keep an eye out for the photos in our gallery section.

All the best

Mark

January 2007

We have just received some incredible billets of show-grade maple and will begin building guitars for MerleFest in early February. We will also be showing some birch and mahogany models as well as Master-grade Koa and Yellow Siris Hawaiian Guitars.

Save on shipping

Going to MerleFest and considering a Rayco? Now is the time to contact us with your preference for binding, stain and other appointments. Pick up your Rayco at MerleFest and save on shipping.

See you there

Mark

October 2006

Rayco Resophonics is extremely happy to announce that we are a MerleFest 2007 Official Sponsor. Please come by the booth in the Expo Center (formerly known as the Sponsor Tent) and say hello.

Other news

Serial number 100 is almost complete. Made of figured Koa in our newest reso body style. Keep checking in for photos.

We have also just received some beautiful Koa from Hawaii for our Weissenstyle Hawaiian guitars. AAA, AAA+ and Master. Real nice stuff.

July 07, 2006

We are extremely pleased to add our latest body style as an option. It is being shown for the first time at the Vancouver Island Music Fest July 7, 8 and 9. May be ordered with a contoured back and profiled sides or parallel sides with thicker back.

See more photos in our gallery