I guess I never did update, lots of the listings are down or read as “Temporarily Unavailable.” I would like them to read as “⚠ 404 Page Not Found.“
I did get two short emails from the offender. Thank you to Jakob Mewes for reaching out! I never did hear back from Jakob after reaching out for further details. Did you Google AiXeLsyD and/or Gasoline Dion and find me here? I’d love to know!
I did get two emails from Mr. Heppke.
From: Kurt Heppke <mail@kurtheppke.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: Unauthorized Use of My Artwork in Your Book – DMCA & Cease-and-Desist
To: Eric Carroll <red@acted.yo>
Dear Mr. Carrol,
I'm sorry for using your trademarked images and I really want to apologize for that. I took the images from Pinterest and did not check the license. I made a mistake.
I have requested today that the book be stopped selling immediately and will send you confirmation as soon as I have it.
I hereby give you written confirmation that I will no longer use your work.
I also confirm the immediate cessation of any further use or reproduction of your work in any form.
I am truly sorry for the trouble I have caused you.
I would like to make one more point about your WordPress post " Stolen Mazes! (Someone took my art.)". It gives the impression that I have flooded half the world with my books. No. I've sold the book 8 times in the last 3 years. So I think the damage is limited.
That's not an excuse!
Anyway, thank you for your patience and kindness and I will definitely change my behavior when it comes to checking licenses.
Best regards
Kurt Heppke
---
Kurt Heppke
Tel: +## ### ########
Mail: mail@kurtheppke.com
Homepage: www.kurtheppke.com
And, then this, referencing the photo below:
From: Kurt Heppke <mail@kurtheppke.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 1, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: Unauthorized Use of My Artwork in Your Book – DMCA & Cease-and-Desist
To: Eric Carroll <red@cted.yo>
Dear Mr. Carroll,
I have withdrawn my book "Labyrinthe" from sale and would like to inform you of this, as promised:
Labyrinthe
Leichte Schwere und ganz ganz Schwere
ISBN-13: 9783756233120
Verlag: Books on Demand
Erscheinungsdatum: 30.06.2022
the German sentence:
"Wir haben Ihr Buch wunschgemäss für Bestellungen aus dem Buchhandel gesperrt. Auch die Listung für den internationalen Vertrieb und der E-Book-Vertrieb wurden damit automatisch ausgesetzt."
means:
"We have blocked your book from bookstore orders as requested. The listing for international distribution and e-book distribution have also been automatically suspended."
I would like to apologize once again and thank you for your patience and kindness.
Best regards
---
Kurt Heppke
Tel: +## ### ########
Mail: mail@kurtheppke.com
Homepage: www.kurtheppke.com
And this was in there:
✍️
I did not reply, as I am still salty about it. A little theft is still theft. I know Joe Wos sent something over to the effect of a Cease & Desist or DMCA, and Brian Hilbert commented on my last post. I never did get a comment from Sean C. Jackson. Not sure how many other maze artists were robbed. I never did track any others down.
I’m sadly still morbidly curious to get my hands on a copy of this outrage. Share your stories of art theft in the comments, or comment here if your stuff was also uncredited in this book!
So, I recently got an interesting message via my contact form:
I did write back, but have yet to receive a reply. I would like to thank you Jakob, for reaching out! Not sure how you found me, but then again maybe I am sure as the one stolen maze is kind of highly specific in subject matter, but we’ll get to that.
I did do some light Googling though, like a modern-day super lazy Sherlock Holmes (or at least Dick Tracy). The ever-so-helpful auto AI summary was actually kind of enlightening…
Yeah. That one past stuck out.
“He finds inspiration for his books by browsing graphic portals and libraries.”
I take that to mean “Bruh finds shit on Pinterest or Google image search and steals it to put into his books.”
Mr. Heppke has a website, and apparently several books. I know that print-on-demand can be looked down upon by “real” publishers, and these are considered “low content” books, but theft is theft.
I know I have pinned them in the past, so they may be floating around there too. There are probably about 100 people on the planet who have heard, saw, heard about, or remember my old punk band, AiXeLsyD. Why take that maze? Our logo is right there beside a terrible drawing of my 1986 Buick SkyHawk. Weird. Also, it name drops Sheetz & Wendy’s as places to not stop (as well as a nudie bar). They may have a harder copyright infringement case than me? 🤣 I’m sure the maze is much older than 2012. The quality of the scan & the coloring is BAD.
I have thought about collecting all my old stuff for a book… but the thought of checking to see if they’re passable & providing solutions is overwhelming, and now that I put out You Can See Yourself Out, I feel like I have a level of quality that I need to maintain. Drawing the mazes & posting them has always kind of been a creative outlet & stress relief for me. I think I’d need to re-scan the pile of stuff that I have, and the stuff that I just posted to social media with phone pictures if I were to do it right… and include solitions.
I’m not doing art to get rich, or even make a living… but if I can fund keeping this blog AiXeLsyD13.com, and buy some art supplies, that would be awesome. I have made tens of dollars off of my books and merch. That’s not a complaint by any means, but some dude across the globe shouldn’t be making money off of my art. (As an aside, check this shit out! Art theft is rampant, and following @kilkennycat_art on Threads has opened my eyes to it.)
I’m unsure of my next step. Is reaching out directly to Norderstedt Books on Demand and/or Kurt Heppke directly via email with some sort of cease and desist the way to go? Is that at all official? Is Google Translate even gonna get it right?
I don’t have any written verbiage here about my mazes being copyrighted, but I do have dated posts, and I think copyright is implied with any created works… no? I have no idea how any of it works really within the US, let alone internationally & specifically in Germany.
It also looks like this damn thing is available on more than a few sites:
At any rate, I implore you to by mazes (or any art) from the artist through their official channels… or enjoy the many free mazes that are put out there by all of us.
So, Cease-and-Desist email or letter? DMCA Takedown? Both? Lawyer up? I’m assuming there is not much to financially recover with print-on-demand sales. I just don’t want anyone making money off of my art other than myself.
Are you with me so far? I bet you thought I forgot about #GreenPotatoGate. Maybe you had, and wish I had. I think this may be it, as I’m never going to get a full response from Giant Eagle, and I did get some coupons! First, are you all caught up?
Had enough? Of course you haven’t. Read on, brave soldiers for spuds and titans for tubers!
As promised, I did receive some coupons from Tasteful Selections. Way to stand behind their products! There was a cool ingredient card too, so I may check that out. I do like purple potatoes.
Giant Eagle reached out with a DM on Twitter, then nothing. 🦗🦗🦗
Hmm. @GiantEagle still hasn't replied about these @SideDelights potatoes… even though Side Delights has. They cite improper handling by the big bird. All I get are crickets, no chirps, tweets, or even screeches.
That was anti-climactic. They didn’t comment on the maze or the green potatoes.
I did, however, get one super awesome response to a positive message that I sent out about some potatoes from The Little Potato Compnay that I bought at Shop ‘n Save. I reached out like this:
From: Me <me@nunya.biz> Date: Sun, Jan 1, 2023 at 10:44 PM Subject: Thank you for a great product! 🥔 To: <feedback@littlepotatoes.com>
Salutations Spud Specialists!
I just wanted to reach out to thank you for your tremendous tiny tubers, or your perfect potatoes if you will.
Saturday I picked up a bag of the Terrific Trio style spuds from Shop ‘n Save in Heidelberg, PA, …and they were all fantastic.
You may think it’s odd to be so elated with a perfect product, but lately I have been on a crusade of sorts as I feel that nearly ¼ of all my purchased potatoes are green and arguably poisonous. Albeit very slightly poisonous.
I eat a lot of potatoes. So I buy a lot of potatoes. It seems like no one is immune to the great greening that has taken place iver the last few years. Yours were absolutely delicious though.
If you would like a window to my spiral into spud shenanigans, please feel free to catch the saga as it has unfolded so far at my blog:
I’m sure that I’m up to at least 2 readers semi-regulartly that aren’t me or AI bots. Well, I think.
I draw mazes. I sent mazes to some of your competitors as a means to get their attention, and perhaps stand out among all rhe other missives.
I am sending them you you as a thank you. Please, enjoy them and pass them along to your potato people! I would love if you got a chuckle out of them and if you took the time to try them out.
I really appreciate your multiple avenues of contact, prominently displayed right on the packaging, and a super easy to navigate website. I need to poke around the recipes!
I hope the new year brings you many new opportunities, great joy, & happiness.
Auld Lang Syne
-Eric
PS – Also attached is a photo collage of breakfast home fries with those fantastic tri-color delicious beauties.
And attached this photo (along with my potato mazes):
And I got this response:
From: Feedback feedback@littlepotatoes.com Date: Tue, Jan 3, 2023 at 12:21 PM Subject: RE: Thank you for a great product! 🥔 To: Me me@nunya.biz
Hi Eric,
Thank you so much for the aMAZEing feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed your Terrific Trio home fries!
Well. The garden plot thickens. Or something. I have a few more potato-related emails. All signs point to the grocery stores being at fault, and funnily enough the grocery stores have not replied, at all.
This happened, and we got a refund from Instacart. It’s not green potatoes, but they definitely weren’t ready to just toss into the crock pot with a roast.
If you’re wondering what the hell I am talking about, you must have missed the saga as it uprooted…
Thank you for reaching out. It’s always great to meet another potato enthusiast! As you may know, while we don’t represent any one brand, Potatoes USA works on behalf of more than 2,000 potato growers and handlers across the country to promote the benefits of eating potatoes. We’re happy to provide general feedback, and the individual brands and retailers can tell you more about their practices.
As far as green potatoes go, you’re correct that the color signifies the build-up of solanine. It’s a natural reaction to the potato being exposed to too much light. If there’s slight greening, you can cut away those green portions before cooking and eating. Generally speaking, you’re unlikely to ingest enough solanine to do you any harm.
However, I know you’re a potato skin fan (and rightly so). One bit of good news on the nutrition front is that the only nutrient significantly lost when the skin is removed is fiber. (A medium (5.3 oz) potato contains 2 grams of fiber with the skin and 1 gram of fiber without the skin.) Potassium and vitamin C are found predominantly in the flesh.
Potato growers take a number of steps to reduce greening, including maintaining enough soil cover over potatoes in the field and storing harvested potatoes in facilities with minimal light.
If you aren’t already, I’d encourage you to store your fresh potatoes in a cool, dark place. If you’re finding green potatoes upon returning from the store (or after Instacart delivery), you can often return them.
Thanks again for your note. We hope you have a spud-tacular holiday season, filled with plenty of potatoes.
Thank you for your response! I really appreciate your time and the imparted potato knowledge.
In my reaching out to several potato producers, it seems that they all want to lay the blame on the distribution and storage by the grocers.
So, the “all the vitamins are in the skin” that I got from my grandma when I was a kid was just potato public relations? 🤣
No matter, I agree they are delicious.
Please, enjoy the attached mazes with your friends, family, & co-workers!
I hope you enjoy you have a pleasant holiday season and a happy new year, and a great going season next year. I know I am looking forward to planting some potatoes myself.
I may leave out some potato candy for Santa, if I don’t eat it all!
Tuber-ular Tidings to you & yours!
-Eric
I sent the mazes again, like an idiot. Ha ha. I forgot I had sent them previously. No reply or acknowledgement this time.
This came as response from Tasteful Selections, which are the ones pictured above:
Hi Eric,
Thank you so much for contacting us. I am terribly sorry for the poor experience you had with our product. I can assure you that the quality you saw is not our standard, and for this I apologize.
We strive to ensure that every package of potatoes that leave our farm is handled with the utmost care in order to deliver a quality product to our consumers. Unfortunately, sometimes temperature changes and changes in light make potatoes break down or decay faster than they normally would.
The greening you’re experiencing occurs when potatoes have been exposed to too much light, either natural or artificial, that gives the potatoes a sort of “sunburn.” While greening is a result of light exposure, the visible greening can be delayed. Potatoes exposed to light may be packaged and continue to green beyond our last inspection point. We make every effort to avoid this, however, in your case we were not successful. You can cut the green out of the potatoes and use the rest (although that’s a bit tougher with small potatoes), but eating the green portion of the potato can give a very bitter flavor.
I am sincerely sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you. We stand by our products and you should not have had to have an experience like this. I would like to make it up to you by offering you a product voucher to hopefully help compensate you for your troubles.
If I may please have your mailing address, I would be happy to send you a product voucher straight away. Again, my personal apologies for the frustration this has caused you.
Thank you for your response! I have been exasperated lately with the amount of green or sprouting potatoes from the grocery store. It is a consistent issue across brands and stores, and whether we use a service like I Instacart or pick a bag ourselves.
I understand, from your reply among others, that the issue is most likely occurring after it leaves the potato farm.
Can retailers like Aldi, Giant Eagle, or Target be better educated about potato shipping and storage?
Instacart already refunded us for the purchase of the recently sprouting spuds as that was clearly a shopper error.
If it was spring, I would just plant them! You have a delicious variety of golden potatoes, perfect for home-fries!
Sometimes, the green potatoes don’t reveal themselves until you crack open that bag about to prepare a meal.
I would just like some sort of solution going forward. What can the potato industry do to hold grocers accountable?
If I wanted the gastrointestinal distress and discomfort associated with eating green potatoes, I would just dine at Taco Bell or Pizza Hut. Right?
My mailing address is…
Eric AiXeLsyD
#### Nunya St.
Bidness, PA #####-####
…but again I’m not really looking for free potatoes, I just want to get what I pay for.
I appreciate you reaching out, and pride in the quality of your product. Please find my gift of the attached potato mazes, and share them with your co-workers and friends if so inclined.
Have a very starchy Christmas and a tuber new year!
-Eric
And I got a reply:
Hi Eric,
Thanks so much for getting back to me. I definitely understand your concerns. Our sales & business development team are already working with Produce Managers and providing resources for storing and caring for potatoes. We’ll continue to do our part, however, it ends up being the responsiblity of Produce Managers to not only train their staff, but also make sure they are following through with the potato best practices.
I have a few coupons headed your way.
Sincerely, Jenny
I like free potatoes. I will be on the lookout for potato vouchers!
Now, I have reached several road-blocks with getting a message to Aldi. They apparently do not like to give out email addresses.
I dug up some email formats & corporate names on teh Google mosheen and sent this, also to no avail (so far):
Greetings My Frugal Friends,
I hope you are gearing up for a pleasant, festive, and relaxing holiday season! I appreciate your role in bringing food & other goodies to our homes.
I write to you today with some tuber related shenanigans I have noticed over the last few years. I have submitted a missive to your contact form at the Aldi website to no avail. I have been checking my junk/spam folder too.
I also tried reaching out via Facebook and Twitter… only to be told that your social media teams are unfathomably unable to forward messages to your customer service team or provide an email address. I had to do some Googling, and I pray to a higher power that this reaches a live intelligent and empathetic human being.
I love potatoes. At rhe risk of sounding like Forrest Gump’s friend Bubba droning on about shrimp…
I love potatoes. I like home fries, hash browns, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, cheesy potatoes, hassleback potatoes, scalloped potatoes, potato candy, potato soup, lyinnaise potatoes, potato filling, tater tots, potato salad (hot or cold styles), shepherd’s pie, and sometimes even potato pancakes. Twice baked potatoes are a fantastic treat too. I hear potato vodka is good too, but I am not much of a drinker. Perhaps a potato beer would be more my speed if such a thing exists?
Nearly every bag of potatoes that I have purchased from your and/or your esteemed competitors over the last few years has had an alarmingly large amount of green solanine-filled potatoes. Glycoalkaloids are not our friends! On the mild end, eating green potatoes would be like chasing a Taco Bell meal with a laxative.
The straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back was one night at dinner when ready to bake 8 potatoes as a side to chili… 2 of the potatoes were totally green on the outside. They had been delivered by Instacart, but the green potatoes were not evident upon eying the outside of the bag.
That’s ¼ of rhe potatoes unusable for their intended purpose. Yes, I could have peeled away the green, but who wants a baked potato with no skin? That’s just craziness. Do I get ¼ of my money back?
I have written to and received replies from quite a few potato farms, and they all seem to point the finger at the end retailer… which in some cases is Aldi. They cite importer handling and storage… specifically exposure to light and longer than optimal time frames.
Perhaps the powers that be within your fine organization can put their heads together, asses your handling of these tiny starcchy underground gifts from heaven, and come up with ways to prevent waste? It may need to be a highly coordinated effort with logistics, distribution, shipping, and warehousing.
As an effort to aid exercise in meditation and clearing your thoughts, I have attached some potato themed mazes. Mazes and labyrinths have a history of assisting people to achieve a zen like state. Perhaps this will provide the needed clarity to prevent ultra violet potato decimation.
You have a fantastic business and I appreciate your effort to bring quality goods to the more budget-concious among us.
If requested, I can even forward my original (perhaps lost?) message.
Thank you for your time, I look forward to your thoughts on the matter!
Let’s root for a starchy Christmas and a tuber new year! -Eric
So, maybe that will get something. Maybe not. Giant Eagle hasn’t bothered to reply either.
Hmm. @GiantEagle still hasn't replied about these @SideDelights potatoes… even though Side Delights has. They cite improper handling by the big bird. All I get are crickets, no chirps, tweets, or even screeches.
@tastefulselect we got these from @aldiusa via @instacart yesterday. Instacart has refunded, but what gives with the ongoing potato issues? I have had so many green ones this past year or so. Are stores shipping/storing improperly?
Yeah, tried that. Got a phone number. Not interested in calling. I would like to send an email, but no one will provide an email address, and apparently your social media team can't just forward a DM to the customer service department. 🤷♂️🤦♂️
Juts some thoughts posted on Facebook at Twitter that I thought I’d also share here. I feel like its been a long time since I posted any food allergy content.
In case I ever make the FB stuff not public:
As a proponent of Food Allergy advocacy, this is concerning. You would think that responsible reporting from CNN would include the triggering protein(s) of those that suffered an anaphylactic reaction. I call shenanigans on it not being immediately obvious, let alone warranting further research or investigation.
From what I have read about allergies and vaccinations in the past, sometimes they contain egg protein. Personal results can vary… much like some people with peanut allergies report deep fryers with refined peanut oil trigger a reaction, and others seem to not have any ill effects.
Is this that same type of issue, or have new ingredients or a new combination of ingredients been introduced?
Obviously this is something that would be sussed out and analyzed over time in a clinical trial with a more traditional timeline.
I look forward to keeping an eye on this and how it progresses. Is it approx 1 in 30 kids any more have a food allergy? This could potentially affect a large portion of the population.
Is a vaccine a more viable solution than actual produced human antibodies, or are they one-in-the same here?
Keeping an eye on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the others to follow.
While by no means a scientist of medical professional, I find this stuff fascinating.
I also would hope the comments here don’t devolve in to anti-vax or mandatory-vax sentiments.
Since the world is a bit strange right now, I decided I wanted to see more guitars on social media. Maybe it’ll start a trend, maybe not.
I like classic guitars, I like modern guitars, I like classy guitars, I like ugly guitars. I like guitars. I like playing them. I like looking at them online. I like looking at them on my wall. I like looking at them in the store. I like hearing them. I like arguing about them on the internet. I also like other assorted stringed instruments.
Maybe this will make the world a little brighter. Maybe people will like these guitars. Maybe people will argue about these guitars. Maybe absolutely no one will notice. Who knows?
Below the collage, here are the ones I have posted so far via Instagram with the #AllMyAxes hashtag, minus today’s. The rest will be in the next post. This is the bulk of my guitar collection. The rest of the stuff in the house are my ukuleles and mandolin, the wife’s ukuleles, and the kids’ guitars and ukuleles.
There is a little bit written about each guitar if you click through to Instagram or follow me on Facebook. I hope to blog more in-depth about each of them, or more than I have in the past anyway… reaching out to some manufacturers and designers, especially for the most interesting ones.
So, AxVault.com has featured my guitar collection. How cool is that? I’m honored & proud to have been selected to be a featured collection! Of course, I dig anything that encourages me to buy more goofy guitars.
Karera, Galveston, Eagle, Un-Sung, Silverstar, Brownsville, Galaxy, New York Pro, I’m sure we could name a bunch, in fact… please do!
...at the same overseas factories...
The Galaxy/New York Pro brand insinuates on their website that the stuff is made in the Fender factory. They have the New York Pro line and the Starfire line that seem identical to me. Which “overseas factory”? Is it in Japan? Korea? China? Sweden? Indonesia? The Philippines? France? I don’t know. Can they not name the other manufacturers? Does Fender not want them telling people that this stuff is made in the Squier or Fender factory at night? Do they use cheaper or B-grade wood? They certainly use crappy electronics.
What’s the name of the factory? Can I call them? Do they have a website?
I have heard that the Samick factory makes a bunch of brands that aren’t Samick. Which brands?
So, is it a Galaxy or is it a New York Pro?
My New York Pro (an NY-9303 or NY-111?) is on their site… but it’s called a Galaxy New York Pro Star Gazer . Is the brand Galaxy or New York Pro? How are the Star Gazer & Starfireany different?
I wrote to them with some pretty detailed interview-style questions, but they never wrote back.. Perhaps I was a little too wordy? Maybe I’m asking the wrong questions? I mean, I didn’t even get an “F U” email.
From: Galaxy Guitar Products USA. <sales@galaxyguitar.com> To: me@my.email.address Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Subject: Your Galaxy New York Pro Guitar Question
Hi Eric,
We sell many New York Pro models, please let us know what model you are inquiring about.
Visit our website for more information. Our New York pro guitars are $277.00, this includes quality triple padded gig bag, amp cord & Free shipping any where in the USA.
We are introducing our new line of Galaxy Custom guitars next month.
Thank you for visiting our website & interest in our products.
Our Best Regards,James Westbrook
Support Team
Galaxy Guitar Products USA
A division of Stargate Corporate Alliance, LLC.
Web: www.galaxyguitar.com
email: sales@galaxyguitar.com
Original Message
_____________________________________
Name of sender: Eric
Email of sender: me@my.email.address
————————- COMMENTS ————————-Hello, I heard that you guys also make New York Pro guitars. Is that true?
Where can I go to find information on them? I picked up a natural finish one this weekend at a second-hand store!
Rock on!
-E.
That was my original inquiry via the web & their reply. They must not have understood that I already owned one. Maybe I didn’t even understand that.
Then I sent this:
Hello James,
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! I guess my questions are general ones about the brand as well as specific ones about my guitar. Is it cool if I ask them like an interview and post the info on my blog? I wrote a blog about my awesome recent New York Pro find here: Inspiration from Hoke·E·Geez (My new ‘New York Pro’ Strat copy)
I’d like to follow-up & maybe hope to raise awareness of your brand(s) and Galaxy Guitars in general? If this is OK with you, I’ll have the questions below. If not, it’s all good… no harm done, right?
On to the Q’s…
So, New York Pro is a brand made by Galaxy Guitar Products USA?
How is it related to the Starfire brand? (Or is Starfire a line of New York Pro guitar?)
What’s the same/what’s different between the two lines or brands? Do they share the same headstock shape?
Are there different “levels” of quality (& SRP) within the New York Pro line?
Is the official model name “Star Gazer” instead of just calling it a Strat Clone or Strat Copy? Why isn’t the model name or number located anywhere on the guitar?
Anything behind the “New York Pro”, “Star Gazer”, or “Starfire” names? Why’d you settle on those?
On some of the sites selling your guitars, I see model numbers like NY111, NY-9303, or NY9330. What do the designations mean?
(Can we get a full list of model numbers, description, colors, etc.?)
Do you have photos of all the available finishes/models?
Are there serial numbers anywhere on the guitars? (I can’t seem to find one on mine.)
Where are the guitars made? (Country, and/or can you name the factory?)
Can you name the other lines that come out of the same factory? (I understand if that’s a no-no. It always seems to be a big mystery! I have a Galveston B.B. Stone & any information about the company online is nonexistent, same with a Batman Logo prize guitar from Six Flags. I wish I had this opportunity to talk to their creators!)
What kind of electronics/hardware are in there? Do you guys make them too? Are they “no names”, or are they by someone we might have heard of? (Looks like the site has Kluson tuners listed.)
What other lines of guitars do you make? Do they all say “New York Pro” or “Galaxy Guitar Products” on the headstock?
How are these guitars so affordable? (& what’s your suggested manufacturer’s retail price?)
Where can you get them online or in person?
Now, on to my specific guitar (I have some photos attached)… The natural wood-grain finish caught my eye. I’ve been told it’s a mahogany body. Is that true?
Can you tell the model name/number from the photos?
Is this a Star Gazer?
Does it have an NY#### number?
Any way to tell what year it was made? (I have my guitars registered at Ax Vault & Share My Guitar, looking to fill in model names, wood types, years made, serial numbers, etc.)
What type of wood is used on the body/neck/fingerboard? (The site seems to indicate a 24-3/4 rosewood fingerboard, but says it’s a hard rock 1-piece maple neck, and the stripe in the back of the neck is mahogany, right? It calls it a bass wood body… is it basswood, or mahogany?)
Anything else you’d like to put out there about Galaxy Guitars, the New York Pro, Star Gazer, or Starfire names? I’m hoping some odd-guitar/budget-guitar geeks will find this page when they’re doing research!
Thank you for your time & help, I’m very happy to have found such a great axe at such a bargain price!
Rock on!
-E.
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
Which they must have found annoying, because they never answered. I’m inquisitive. I can’t help it.
I absolutely love my Galveston B.B. Stone… but can’t find squat about Galveston online. (Come on! I mean even Cort & Hamer have websites!) I know my guitar was made in Korea, and some have the Eagle brand. Are they all made in the same place? Are they one-offs? My Batman logo guitar… I have no idea where it was made either. Was it in a mysterious overseas factory? Was it from bad parts? (The nut is crooked.) The FlipOut has a website, but they seem to be defunct, and I have no idea where it was made.
Was My New York Pro made at the same place they make Fenders or Sqiuers with inferior parts & under cover of night? Why does everyone and their mother make Stratocaster and Les Paul copies? Don’t get me wrong, companies like Agile make some absolutely beautiful Les Paul style axes… and I do own an Epiphone Les Paul, a generic LP copy, a Japanese Strat, & now a generic Strat copy. I guess there’s a market for these guitars or no one would bother to make them.
What’s the deal with headstocks again? Some rule about being able to patent/copyright the headstock shape, but not the body?
Someone needs to put together a chart… of all the brands, who makes them, and where they’re made. Is it even possible? Does it already exist & I’m the last person to know about it? Why is this stuff such a secret?
Please tell me about an off brand, who-makes-who, what’s made where, or anything that you know. A link to back it up would be incredible.
And a question no one can answer… Why do I like weird & knockoff guitars so much?
I have a few guitar related questions/subjects that I just want to get out there. I really need feedback on these, so please let me know your thoughts in the comments here below… not on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or wherever I happen to share this link.
Where do you buy (or if you’re like me, window shop for) your gear online?
Here’s my list, but I know there are more good “secret” ones…
Or when you’re traveling… Any shops with killer deals, cool people, great gear, etc.? I’ve noticed more “We Buy Gold” stores popping up with guitars in the window in the Pittsburgh area. Has anyone checked those out yet? I know I was in one of the Pawn Shops on East Ohio Street one time helping my cousin find a guitar… and this old cat took us down some old shady-looking stairs to this long dark room filled with nothing but guns and guitars. I felt like I was in a movie.
I dig these stores…
Lawrence Music – Has been my go-to repair shop lately, close to home, great work, cool people. Also some cool Godin guitars hanging around…
Pittsburgh Guitars – Have had work done there too. Cool cats. It’s the first place where I spotted the FlipOut.
Pianos N’ Stuff – I mean, come on. They’re the legendary area music store.
I know others exist. What are your favorites and why? There are sadly a few that I’ve driven past, but haven’t been in. You may help me decide to go there.
Is there a definitive site (or at least a site attempting to be definitive) with a real complete listing of all guitar brands & perhaps photos of the varying headstocks & logos?
GuitarSquid.com | Flow Chart: Do You Have Too Many Guitars?
I’m guessing that if it did exist, I’d already know about it. When looking at the sub-par guitars online, sometimes there’s not always a good closeup of the headstock… you can make out the 1st letter of the logo or the shape of the headstock… but not the full name. It’s be cool to see an ever-growing list. Most sites I’ve seen resort to “other” before “add”.
I think I have another blog brewing about the insanity that is off-brand guitars & companies like Galveston that don’t seem to exist.
I’d really like to hear about all your favorite guitar-related stuff in the comments below. If it goes well, there will be others. I’d like to talk about modifications some time too.
World (and Lunar) Domination 