Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • December 5, 2012 Upper Saddle River Nationally renowned guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Laub recently visited the Mahwah Museum to play Les Paul’s Sunburst 1937 Gibson L-7 acoustic guitar. The guitar from Les Paul’s personal collection is on display at the museum located at 201 Franklin Turnpike in Pizzarelli, Laub play vintage Les Paul guitars Ed Laub and Bucky Pizzarelli playing vintage Les Paul guitars at the Mahwah Museum. Mahwah. Loaned to the museum by a local collector, this instrument was the first experimental one used by Paul in his quest to perfect the electric guitar. Although an acoustic guitar, which ordinarily needs no amplification, the wood body of the instrument contains holes into which Paul placed phonograph needles to experiment with amplification. Pizzarelli marveled at the beautiful sound of the guitar and attributed its resonance to the wood used in early guitar making. The mahogany body and neck, the maple top, and rosewood fret board were quality woods, aged at least 10 years before they could produce the marvelous sound, Pizzarelli said. Pizzarelli is widely known for bringing Paul out of his self-imposed retirement in the 1970s. Originally performing at Club 17 (just south of Lake Street in Ramsey), Pizzarelli and Paul came together as a duo in the early ‘70s. In 1975, they played together at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and the C.W. Post Center. For years after coming out of retirement, Paul played every Monday night at Fat Tuesdays and the Iridium in New York City, and stars such as Pizzarelli would stop by to sit in. A long-time resident of Upper Saddle River, Pizzarelli is considered the master of the seven-string guitar. Now 86, he still performs frequently. Laub is an Upper Saddle River native who began playing guitar at age 12 and became one of Pizzarelli’s students in 1965. He currently performs in restaurants and jazz clubs and at private parties in the region, sometimes teaming up with Pizzarelli and other star musicians. Laub and Pizzarelli will return to the Mahwah Museum on Feb. 5 for a gallery talk in which they will recount stories about Paul, discuss the beautiful guitars on display, and demonstrate their guitar playing. Reservations are required and can be made at www.mahwahmuseum.org or by calling (201) 512-0099. Space is limited for this event and there will be an admission charge. This program and others at the museum are part of the (continued on page 31)