In this Live Jazz Guitar Hang, I’m coming to you from Atascadero, California (where the sewer meets the sea) and we’re doing what we always do on Thursdays: play some standards, talk tone, and take real-time questions from the Zoom room. I kicked it off with “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” and I mentioned something I still believe is true—if you want to go deeper, I’ve got lessons on that tune in the Guitar College Library. It’s basically rhythm changes in minor, and it’s a great vehicle for getting your ears and your harmony together. The main event is a killer 16” D’Angelico Excel archtop with a floating pickup—specifically a USA Seymour Duncan Johnny Smith. I walk through the feel and the build details (2 3/4” depth, 25” scale, 12” radius, C-shaped neck, nice binding work), and I talk about what I hear: the floater is crisper and has that high-end sparkle compared to a mounted pickup. We also get into gear and practice workflow—especially the Vidami Blue handsfree controller—because I’m always looking for ways to help you practice smarter, not harder. And yes, we also drift into Jazz Fest and camp talk, because that’s part of the hang.