DOWNLOADS and INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Here are downloads that I feel are useful. These all represent my personal works, and are based on my own experience and knowledge.
THIS PAGE LAST UPDATED 8/6/2009
HOW TO BUY A GUITAR
This is a guide on how to buy an acoustic guitar. This is useful if you are a beginner or are wanting to learn, but don't know what guitar you should buy. Keep in mind that this is a guideline only. But I believe you will find it useful if you are a beginner or are wanting to learn, and don't really know much about what to look for, what brands to select from, etc.
WHAT IS A SELECT SPRUCE TOP??? (ALLOW ME TO VENT, PLEASE):
One thing that completely irks me about buying a guitar is the manufacturer's descriptions. Specifically, the terminology "Select Spruce Top". I have grown so weary and frustrated with that term. It is not a consistently-used term. So if you are looking for a nice guitar and you think it might be a solid-top guitar, you might be fooled into thinking that is the case because a manufacturer states "Select Spruce Top" on his web site. Then, making matters worse, resellers such as Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, Woodwind and Brasswind, etc. simply copy the manufacturer's description, and offer the instrument for sale. You, as the unsuspecting trustful buyer might be getting a guitar with a grade 00 solid spruce top, or you might be getting a laminated top. There is no standard for the use of the description "Select Spruce Top" so one manufacturer might use that term to describe a solid spruce top of 00 grade or less, while another might be using the term to describe a laminated top. It is then a crapshoot forced upon the buyer by manufacturers and resellers who would rather mask the product they're selling. An age old propaganda sales technique. Sad but true that the buyer is left to guess. So ultimately, ASK THE QUESTION. Buyer beware. Hopefully the seller will know the answer and not speculate. When you call the seller and ask, beware of answers that contain the phrase "I think it is..." or "I believe it is..." or "I'm pretty sure it is...". These are noncomittal responses and indicate that the seller is speculating, and you're still going to get what you get--regardless if it is what you want. When given that response, I always ask, "Then you are saying you're not 100% certain?" That usually draws out an honest confession of "No I'm not really sure.". At that point, I take my business elsewhere. I struggle with salespeople who speculate on a response and pass it off as an acceptable response. Ok...done venting. Now download my document.
Click on the picture to open or download this document.
STRINGED INSTRUMENT CARE: 
This download is an instruction sheet for general care for stringed instruments. Stringed instruments are susceptible to environmental and handling problems, as well as problems inadvertently caused by owners who may cause problems simply by a lack of knowledge. A little bit of care and prevention can make an instrument last a long time.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO OPEN OR DOWNLOAD THIS DOCUMENT STRINGED INSTRUMENT 101
This is a general all-encompassing information guide on acoustic guitars, guitar parts (terminology), what woods are used on guitars and what they look like, etc. Feel free to download this for your own reference and education. This is an Excel spreadsheet with several tabs--each with an individual topic. You can download, view, print, but cannot modify the file.
CLICK ON THE GUITAR PICTURE to OPEN OR DOWNLOAD
MANDOLIN CHORDS:
This is a
list of mandolin chords, some of which are very easy to master, and others which require a little more practice. If you are new to the mandolin and would like to learn some relatively easy chords, download this sheet and you'll be on your way.
Adobe Reader© is required to view this document.
Click on the mandolin to download this document. PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE KNOWN ERRORS IN THE MANDOLIN CHORD SHEET, AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CORRECTING THEM...CHECK BACK. THE SHEET IS STILL SOMEWHAT USEFUL AS IS, BUT DOES CONTAIN SOME WRONG INFORMATION. THIS WILL BECOME OBVIOUS AS YOU ATTEMPT TO PLAY A FEW OF THESE CHORDS.
MANDOLIN BRIDGE SET-UP
This sheet is copied from
www.johnsongtr.com. I have copied it intact, but have added additional information to clarify and assist in proper bridge set-up. All credit for this procedure belongs to the web site from which it was copied--with the exception of the markups in red--which have simply been added to the original work. The additions are standard luthier practice and knowledge.
Adobe Reader© is required to view this document.
Click on the shadow picture of the mandolin to download this instruction sheet.
OTHER SOLUTIONS
SET UP MICROSOFT OUTLOOK (TM), OR OUTLOOK EXPRESS (TM) AS A CLIENT FOR YOUR AT&T EMAIL, SBC EMAIL, OR YAHOO MAIL PLUS:
If you want to set up Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express on your computer to retreive, read, reply to and store your email from AT&T, SBC Global, or Yahoo Advanced (Mail Plus), this slideshow will walk you through the steps. If this doesn't work for you, you can "have your money back" (yuk-yuk).
CLICK (Acrobat) CLICK (Powerpoint Slideshow)
(Adobe Reader©
is required to view
this document)
PROBLEM WITH HP DIRECTOR NOT WORKING - A SOLUTION
Do you have a printer/scanner copier, multifunction HP brand printer, whose "HP Director" softare suddenly and unexpectedly quit working? My own recent problems with HP Director began when I downloaded Explorer 7 (I had Explorer 6 before that). I did not realize that this was the culprit at first, because it was some time before I could put my finger on the fact that the HP Director quit working properly about the same time that I upgraded my Windows Explorer to version 7. As it turns out there are some files in Explorer version 7 that conflict with HP Director and cause it to seeming no longer work. In reality, when you click (or double-click) it, it IS working...but you just cannot see it. That is the problem. And no amount of magic that you've probably already tried will solve this. There are a couple of solutions. The first solution involves allows you to continue to use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 7 as your browser (I do). I put the solution into a separate attachment for a couple of reasons:
1) It is odd in the way it works, and is thus is difficult to remember, without having a "cheat sheet".
2) You can print it out for future reference,
3) You aren't going to believe this actually works til you see it written down and try it for yourself. I use this solution frequently (whenever I scan on using my Dell laptop with Explorer 7 loaded on it).
When you click on the link you'll be offered an option to download or save. It is an Adobe Acrobat file, so feel free to download and pass it on to other users who are also experiencing the problem with HP Director. Keep in mind when you read this that it sounds like one of those "OUT THERE" solutions. But believe me, this works. You'll be glad you arrived at this page. Click on the HP Director Logo Picture above right to save or view this instruction.
The second solution is to go to your control panels, choose "Add or Remove Programs", and choose the icon "Add / Remove Windows Components", and uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer. This will, however, disable any attempt to use the internet for browsing, unless you've first downloaded and installed Firefox, or some other internet browser.