Bill Mecca said:
Or maybe Dave has just had it with Powell and the ill will he has created, because you know, HE did it all.
Basically they made some poor business decisions and the business is kaput.
And Abbedd's public relations work needs a bit of tweaking :lol:
Bill, for years...I did product consultation-clinics for Guardala.
Dave was a gifted,innovative guy. Who in his teens worked L.I
wedding club date bands and played anchorman bari in big bands local.
There was nothing to do with Powell,at all.
In those days Jeff never dealt with the public-he spent ALL DAY behind a lathe or machine. Even on Xmas or Thanksgiving they worked.I 'd get calls from the shop from Dave and they'd be eating pizza making mouthpieces on holidays/Sundays.. :shock: . or taking orders. Jeff never dealt with the public. These guys made a committment to raise the bar in mouthpieces and they DID.
I WAS THERE. Just so folks know.
Dave just hit a emotional turning point. Of couse Guardala STARTED a high end market that went wild as we know. But, Dave had the HANDS. The gift. Plus he knew sound. He knew the difference betweeen a King Curtis sound and a Brecker sound. And could get the imagery, sonically going within the mouthpiece tobe a tool for the artists tastes. ( IF, of couse YOU knew where the tool was to be used )
SO,I know Jeff for years. Lot of stuff went down via lawyers and court
on patents and such. Jeff got /and wasn't always this dark or combative.
Reverse the roles.
Jeff really took a loss.
So did Dave. Look at the results. sad,imho.
If you'd meet Dave in person, and talk to him, you'd enjoy his knowledge and smarts. we used to speak 2-4 times a day. Once in Texas Dave was LATE for a clinic Brecker & I were doing...there was a set of drums on the stage..somehow...we just looked at each other...
and Mike went on the drums and we got into a pretty intense sax-drum free-duo thing. Dave comes in, with this LOOK on his face. It was pretty fun. ( Brecker is a guy who could make a living as a drummer.imho )
Those were good times. Dave Guardala knew his stuff and was seriously gifted. The way he used to put Jeff in his place was funnier than anything.
AND~ jEFF LOVED IT.
( they were friends too )
Anyhow- just so ya know the facts.
For years I couldn't say much about it cuz it was such a drag,but I'm ok on it these days. It was upsetting tho' to those of us near Dave G. He was a exceptional dude.Loved by all us.