The 2012 Central Coast Guitar Show was a success!
Thanks to all of the exhibitors and those who attended the show the first year. More info and photos of the show
will be posted in the next two weeks, so keep checking back. 

 Click here to reserve a booth for the 2013 Show, tentatively scheduled for April 6&7 


Winner of the CCGS Guitar Giveaway!



Zhanna Stinson of Oceano, California, is the winner of the 2012 CCGS Guitar Giveaway. Zhanna and her
husband, James, took their son, Justin, to the show. Justin, 10, has been taking guitar lessons from Glen Rathbone at 
Lightning Joe's Guitar Heaven for more than 3 years. Justin heard about the show while listening to 99.1 The Fox radio station
and talked his parents into taking him. Justin liked the show alot, especially "the amp in the trailer" (the Quilter Amplification booth, 
with the amp demo room in the 1967 Airstream trailer). Justin said will come to the show again next year. 
And, of course, Zhanna has given the new Fender Squire Stratocaster she won to her son, Justin. 
Congratulations to Zhanna and Justin!

CCGS Media Coverage


See CCGS photo in July 2012 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine, Page 98

Click here for article in the Santa Maria Sun

Click here for article in the Santa Maria Times

Click here for more Santa Maria Times photos

Click here for the feature story on KSBY TV 

Click here for the article in the Adobe Press

  


CCGS 2012 Photos
(photos by Karen Witt and Ed Miller)

 
 
 
 

 
Ryan Cook, right, and Esoterik Guitars staff                          Gary Hernandez, Guitars West                            Caroline Brass (right) & Dustin Jack (left) of 
                                                                                                                                                                                  Fretted Americana, Inc.,
with the Evil Robot
                                                                                                                                                                              guitar amps in their vintage guitar display.

                           
1960 Gibson Les Paul displayed by Ricky Beck Mahler,                                        John Nelson (fourth from left), formerly with Eddie Money,
         owner of  The Chud King Vintage and Used Music Gear                                 chatting with Seymour Duncan (second from right) and Tom Benedickt
based in Sherman Oaks. Note the $325,000 price tag.                                                                    (third from left), Handlebar Guitars.                 



             
          Ed Miller, CCGS, with Seymour Duncan                     Dean Coy, Schoenberg Guitars             Peter Yelda and Jim Witt                    Steve Swan, Steve Swan Guitars                 
and Tom Benedickt, Handlebar Guitars (left to right)                                                                                                                                                                                                       

             
Rob Szpuk (right), The Slide Zone, demos a lap                 Jim Witt (left) and Dan Duehren             Jim Robinson, Robinsong Guitars      Mike Marino (left), Tone Candy pedals, and  
steel for Los Angeles producer and artist Gio Loria                          of California Vintage                                                                                   Kevin Coombs, Seymour Duncan Company          

           
              Zach Wagner (left) of R.Zach Guitars     Dana Thorin, Music Caravan, Ed Miller, CCGS,            Central Coast artist Ron Miller of                                        Ed Miller, CCGS, with                        
          and Ed Miller, CCGS                     and Bob Page, Buffalo Brothers Guitars (L-R)                               Full Gallop Music                                   Dewey Bowen (right), Freedom Guitar 

 

         
Quilter Guitar Amplifiers Staff with Ed Miller (right), CCGS               Quilter Guitar Amplifiers "woodie" van                   

 

   
James Demeter, Demeter Amplification                                         Mark Oberg and Gail Anderson                                       Terry Veal, Community Volkswagen (CCGS
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
sponsor), three Santa Maria Police Explorers,     
                                                                                                                                                                                                          and Johnny Winter autographed National guitar

    
Guitars Not Guns booth (local non-profit)                                        Keith Copas (left) of Musical Rarities 


   
         CCGS Staff: DJ, Mike, Art, and Ben (L-R)            CCGS Staff Karen, Barb, and Kathy (L-R)                 Nipomo Rotary Club Concession                     

 

            
    CCGS Staff member and U2 keyboardist,                          CCGS Staff member Brian Herrmann        
Terry Lawless (right), checking in an instrument                                   with vintage Epiphone                     

 

CCGS 2012 Exhibitor Jam Photos
(Hosted by The Historic Santa Maria Inn, with house band Unfinished Business : Jim Witt on bass and vocals. David Hollister on drums, 
Ben Davis on rhythm guitar and vocals, "Toes" Cuffe on keys, and Ed Miller on lead guitar and vocals)

 


Unfinished Business

    
Ed                                              Toes                                                Jim   

 
Ben                                                                                     Dave                        

           
Dudley Gimpel, Ernie Ball Company,                        Mark Oberg                   
      with Musicman prototype                                                                     

         
     Rich Severson, Guitar College (third from right)     Zach Wagner, R. Zach Guitars    Alexander (right) sings Beatles' "Drive My Car"



* Click here to request Sponsorship info*

Click here to join CCGS mailing list

More information: click here

or call
Ed at (805) 431-3067

The Central Coast Guitar Show is a new guitar show that was launched in March of 2012 in Santa Maria, California, roughly midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Santa Maria is central to an area called the Central Coast, which includes Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with a combined population of approximately 671,000. This area is quite well known for its climate, wineries, BBQ, and a wide range of recreational opportunities. Please plan to attend The 2013 Central Coast Guitar Show, next April 6&7!  

Latest News:  Click here to download the latest CCGS Newsletter

  • The Santa Maria Sun did a feature story on the Central Coast Guitar Show the week of the show

  • KSBY TV Channel 6, the local NBC affiliate, did a feature story on the Central Coast Guitar Show the week of the show

  • CCGS guest passes were given away on all of the following El Dorado Broadcasters Central Coast radio stations during the two weeks before the show. 

     99.1 The Fox (classic rock)
    107.3 New Rock
      96.1 Cat Country
    102.5 Sunny Country
    106.7 El Compa (Spanish speaking)

  • 2012 CCGS Guitar Giveaway!

    A drawing was held at the end of the 2012 Central Coast Guitar Show for a free Fender Squire Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster, candy apple red with lipstick pickups.
    Very cool! See story on winner above. 

  • Rotary Club of Nipomo operated a concession for the CCGS, including coffee, soda, water, donuts, and BBQ
    tri -tip sandwiches

  • Costa de Oro Winery had their "Friday Wine Down" with live music after load-in on Friday, March 23rd, from 5-8pm. And after the show closed on Saturday, March 24th, Costa de Oro will presented a special live music performance by Lawless & Dean from 4-6pm. Costa de Oro is located across the freeway from Costco and In and Out Burger at 1331 South Nicholson, Santa Maria, phone 805.922.1468.

  • The Santa Maria Inn, our CCGS host hotel, hosted an Exhibitor Jam after the show on Saturday, March 24th, from 7-10pm. The "house band" was Unfinished Business. The public was welcome and there was no cover. The Santa Maria Inn is located at 801 South Broadway, Santa Maria, phone (805) 928-7777.  
      

  • CCGS was advertised in the March & April 2012 issues of Vintage Guitar Magazine (see pages 126 and 84, respectively). The March issue was distributed at the recent World Guitar Show in Costa Mesa and the NAMM Show.

                                                                                    


Partial Exhibitor list:

Freedom Guitar                                             Vintage and used guitars
Schoenberg Guitars                                       Vintage and new acoustic guitars 
Demeter Amplification                                   Amps, effects, and more
Intermountain Guitar and Banjo                   Vintage, new and used stringed instruments  
Esoterik Guitars                                             High end custom electric guitars  
Robinsong Guitars                                         Custom handbuilt acoustic guitars  

Bennett Brothers                                            Guitars and amps  
Musical Rarities                                             Music CDs and DVDs 
Fretted Americana, Inc.                                 Vintage Guitars & Amps

Steve Swan Guitars                                        Acoustic Guitars
Handlebar Guitars                                          Guitars and amps
Guitar College/99cent Guitar Lessons           Guitar lessons
Quilter Laboratories                                       Guitar amps
LJR Guitars- Jim Cole                                   Vintage guitars and amps
Chud King                                                       Vintage guitars and amps
The Slide Zone                                                Vintage guitars, lap steels, and amps
Buffalo Brothers Guitars                                Guitars                                              
Music Caravan                                               Accessories
The Gear Trader                                            Guitars and amps
Galaxy Music                                                  Guitars  
Jim's Guitar Repair                                        Guitars and guitar repair services 
Community VW of Santa Maria                    2012 VW Beetle with Fender Premium Audio System
 


Other News: 

  • Exhibitors, to reserve your spaces now for the 2013 show, click here

  • Historic Santa Maria Inn near CCGS venue sponsored the CCGS, serving as host hotel, and hosting the CCGS Exhibitor & VIP Jam after show on Saturday, March 24 

  • Community Volkswagen of Santa Maria sponsored the CCGS and displayed 2012 Beetle with Fender Premium Audio System


Exhibitors in town for the CCGS have to experience one or more of the following local "Santa Maria Style" steakhouses, some quite famous:  

  • The Hitching Post, 3325 Point Sal Road, Casmalia. This place is a little ways out of town, but highly recommended. The Filet Mignon and BBQ'd artichokes are my favorite, the latter featured on the Food Network. Call ahead for reservations at (805) 937-6151. Also check out www.hitchingpost1.com  
  • Jocko's Steakhouse, 125 N Thompson Ave., Nipomo. This place is also a little bit out of town, but this place is famous! Evel Knievel used to fly in from Montana to eat here. I recommend the ribeye steak dinner, cooked over red oak and including Santa Maria style beans and salsa. Call ahead for reservations at (805) 929-3565.
         
  • Skip Gibson's BBQ, 229 Town Center West, Santa Maria. This place is one of the most authentic Santa Maria style BBQ restaurants in Santa Maria. It's casual, open until midnight, and  some nights has live music or other entertainment. Check out their website at www.skipgibsonsbbq.com and call (805) 361-0435 if you have questions. 
       
  • F. McLintock's Saloon and Dining House, 750 Mattie Road, Shell Beach. You've probably seen this place, with the large cowboy wood carving in front, right next to the freeway north of Pismo Beach. I consider this place the "Disneyland of Steakhouses", with lots of atmosphere and no one leaves hungry from this place. The place is always packed, so call ahead for reservations at (805) 773-1892. Also check out www.mclintocks.com
     
  • Shaw's Steakhouse and Tavern, 714 S. Broadway, Santa Maria. This place is across the street from, and will be very convenient to people staying at, the Historic Santa Maria Inn. Call call ahead for reservations at 805-925-5862.


       CCGS central to all of California and then some!           

    •   65 miles ( 75 minutes) from Santa Barbara  

    •   91 miles ( 100 minutes) from Ventura

    • 130 miles ( 2.5 hours) from Bakersfield 

    • 160 miles ( 3 hours) from Los Angeles

    • 171 miles ( 3 hours) from Fresno

    • 175 miles ( 3 hours) from Monterey

    • 195 miles (3.5 hours) from Anaheim

    • 264 miles ( 4.5 hours) from San Francisco  

    • 283 miles ( 5 hours) from San Diego

    • 326 miles ( 5.25 hours) from Sacramento

    • 400 miles ( 6.7 hours) from Las Vegas, Nevada

    • 532 miles ( 8.5 hours) from Phoenix, Arizona     



           


The Central Coast Guitar Show will took place at the Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg, Santa Maria, California, on Saturday and Sunday, March 24 & 25, 2012, from 10am to 4pm each day. 

 

The show was for the purchase, sale, or trade of new, used, and vintage guitars, amps, effects, and accessories.

 

Admission was $10 per person for each day of the show, with a $1 discount for anyone bringing a guitar or amp into the show for sale or trade. Parking was free and there was a food and beverage concession operated on the premises by the Rotary Club of Nipomo during show hours.

 

A special feature of the show was a drawing for a guitar, no purchase required (see infomation and photo above).

 

This show was presented in a trade show format, with a total of 67 booths available to exhibitors. Booth fees include tables, chairs, electricity, and liability insurance.

 

Lodging

The Historic Santa Maria Inn is the host hotel for the CCGS. The hotel is located within walking distance of the CCGS venue and has a restaurant Hotel and bar on the premises. The Historic Santa Maria Inn will also host the CCGS Exhibitor & VIP Jam from 7-10pm after the show on Saturday, March 24. The special room rate for the CCGS is $109 per night (single or double occupancy, plus 10% room tax). Just mention Central Coast Guitar Show for the special rate for rooms in the historic section or in the newer tower. 
Call (800)462-4276 or (805)928-7777 to make your reservations as soon as you can to ensure you get your choice of a room in the host hotel.

RVs
The Santa Maria Fairpark has on-site RV spaces available with hook-ups, $20 per night. Call Angela in advance @ (805)925-8824. 

 

Other Feature Being Planned
Exhibitor and VIP Jam at the Santa Maria Inn was held 7-10pm after the show on Saturday, March 24. Show fans were also welcome. 

                                                           

                          
Click here to join CCGS mailing list

                                                Sponsors:

   
    The New Times, San Luis Obispo                      The Santa Maria Sun

              
                                                The Historic Santa Maria Inn

                                     
                                      Community Volkswagen of Santa Maria
                                    featuring Fender Premium Audio Systems

 

             

                    

                       

                               

                                 

                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~            

                                                       
                                                              SoundCheck

                 Friendly Links:

                                                 Vintage Guitar Magazine

                                                    Guitar Show Calendar

                                                       Collectors Weekly

                                          San Luis Obispo Blues Society

                                                    Central Coast Rocks

                                           Santa Barbara Blues Society


                         Bluegrass Music Society Of The Central Coast 

                                     Leigh Rubin "Rubes" (Cow Guitar)


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