First Impressions: Hahnemühle Fine Art Papers

We have loaded new inks into our Canon Pro-1100 and replaced the maintenance cartridge. Now it's time to do some test prints.

First, I prepared the 2 images for print. These photos were taken with the LG G5 for the flower and the iPhone XS Max for the town image between 2016 and 2020. Their file sizes were between 1.4 and 2 megabytes. So to rid the images of any pixelation I used Topaz Gigapixel to enhance them for enlargements, which increased their sizes to about 30 and 45 megabytes. After that, I edited the images in Adobe Lightroom and Capture One.

I chose to test Hahnemühle fine art papers, focusing on their textured and Baryta stock. I picked Hahnemühle because it is one of the oldest paper companies, and its reputation among my peers influenced my decision. I bought four sample packs, each containing two sheets of each paper type. So far, I have tried three of the papers, and I'm impressed with the results. The first prints featured a flower on a steel table. I printed a large 17x22 image on Canon Pro Luster paper as my reference. The two 8.5x11 images were printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta gsm 300 with a satin finish. This paper is thicker than I am used to; it feels like cardstock. It held together well, especially in the blacks and shadows.

Next, I decided to try the Hahnemühle 13x19 papers, specifically choosing the matte fine art/textured option. The decision wasn’t straightforward, as each paper had a watercolor surface made of 100% cotton, which produced similar whiteness in the images, ranging from 87% to 88.5%. The difference was not significant. I narrowed my choices down to the William Turner and the Museum Etching paper, ultimately selecting the Museum Etching paper for this round. I have to admit that when I first held my image printed on this paper, I felt somewhat withdrawn. The colors appeared muted, and the blacks seemed muddy. I had to come to terms with the fact that this was my first experience seeing my work on a paper that wasn’t a luster finish, and I am still learning how to print my images at home. After a couple of days of observing my image from a distance and up close, using my loupe to carefully examine different parts, I began to appreciate what this paper had to offer. In the end, it won me over.

Now that I had tested the Hahnemühle Baryta and the Museum Etching paper, it was time to test one that was close to the Canon Pro Luster paper, but not a luster paper, if that even makes sense. I printed my target image on the Canon paper, as I did with the flower image. Then I looked at what the next sample pack had to offer; there were 2 types of the matte fiber papers, a glossy, a luster, and lastly a pearl surface. I went with the Hahnemühle Pearl, and let me say, it knocked me out. I found something special in this paper. I was drawn to the overall look of the image, with its bright whites and exceptional shadow retention. This was going to be my go-to fine art paper for this surface. The only thing I would want to test and compare is Red River's Arctic White paper.

Self-printing has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me since I started printing my images at home since April. I'm eager to experiment with several more sample papers from Hahnemühle, and I can't wait to share the outstanding results.

Here’s a link to the Hahnemuhle sample packs that B&H Photo offers.

hahnemuhle paper sampler | B&H Photo Video

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Above (L-R) (8.5×11) Hahnmühle Fine Art Baryta Satin 300 gsm , (17×22) Canon Pro Luster 260 gsm

Below (L-R) Hahnmühle Museum Etching 350 gsm, Hahnemühle Pearl 310 gsm , Canon Pro Luster 260 gsm

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Left: Hahnemühle Museum Etching Paper 350 gsm Right: Hahnemühle Pearl 310 gsm

An Odd Parallell

This end-of-year blog post is a departure from my usual topics of music and art. Instead, it’s a deeply personal reflection on my own experiences. As 2022 draws to a close, I found myself battling COVID-19, a situation I certainly didn't choose. Due to my underlying health conditions, the journey has been particularly challenging. However, I can't help but think it could have been far worse if I hadn't been vaccinated.

Rascal

Our 14-year-old dachshund, Rascal, crossed the rainbow bridge on October 6th at 11:15 pm. He was dearly loved and will be forever missed.

Rascal was diagnosed with CHF (congestive heart failure) earlier this summer when he collapsed in the yard and lost all mobility in his legs. We rushed him to the vet, and there we were told he suffered some back spasms. They found he had CHF, which was a factor with his age and condition.

Sadly, the vet also informed us that with the CHF, Rascal would be lucky to live another 2 years. Though this news was sad and his passing was quite sudden, my wife held him close till the very end; she had raised him from a pup. We will, for the rest of our days, embrace the wonderful memories he gave us.

October 7th Rascal’s body made the last journey to the Fairlea Animal Hospital here in West Virginia. We made the final arrangement to have his body cremated.

On October 14th Rascal finally came home, we had gotten a sympathy card from the vet’s office with Rascal’s paw print on the inside of the card. They have been very good to our fur babies and we thank them for all they do for them.

Rascal

2008 - 2021

What Was Once Lost....Is..... Re-bought 40 Years Later

Between seeing the KISS Dynasty tour in ‘79 and my summer job at Chicago fest in ‘81 and ‘82, my interest in making music was rekindled again; I had been taking acoustic guitar lessons off and on since age 13 at the Chicago Boy & Girls Club in the uptown area a couple of years before those events.

My fixation on the Gibson Les Paul is mainly due to Jimmy Page, but I also owe a great deal to Ace Frehley. It was Ace and the Les Paul that sparked my interest in my music journey. I’d have to say, it was between the TV shows “Midnight Special” in 1975. Don Kershner’s Rock Concert in ‘76 on a small black-and-white TV sealed it.

Around the same time, some friends and I hung out at this spot called Biasco Music on 5535 W. Belmont Ave. I had to look that up, but it's restaurant and a parking lot now. We’d smoke some pot, jam to tunes on the record player, and later you’d find us in one of Biasco’s sound booths just messing around on random guitars. That’s where I got my first real guitar—a brown tobacco sunburst 1978 Gibson Les Paul. I know I was high when I bought it because I couldn’t figure out why I had a layaway receipt in my pocket the day after visiting the store. In the end, though, I paid $500 for it, which wasn’t a bad deal considering Gibson only made about 5,000 Les Paul’s that year, and they had a street price of $749. Back then, I was in several bands, each one a close-knit group brought together by our love of music. We’d rock out to the hits of the time, but our original songs always had that punk rock vibe that reflected our energy.

Here’s Eddie(drummer)and I in better times, he’s holding my 1978 Gibson Les Paul

Pictured above is my old ‘78 Gibson Les Paul, along with an Alvarez 12-string acoustic guitar. I traded my fluorescent green Charvel Model 2 guitar to a friend (we swapped back later).

Nearly 40 years after my original guitar was stolen, am I still bitter about it? I was for many years, until I recently contacted the person who took it and shared my feelings. That conversation allowed me to move on; I guess I just needed to hear some kind of explanation for his actions. A couple of factors motivated me to play again. I wanted to return to playing for my own enjoyment, and I have to credit my renewed love for the guitar to a couple of musicians I discovered on YouTube: Dave Simpson and his band, the Dave Simpson Trio from the UK, as well as Jeff Mcerlain, a performer and instructor based in NYC. I'll link their channels below.

So, in late May 2021, I went on Reverb.com and bought a 2003 Epiphone Les Paul Plus Top (pictured below). However, when it arrived, I found that it had a tapered neck, which I felt was too thin for my liking. Despite it being a Gibson brand and a Les Paul, I quickly experienced buyer's remorse and became unhappy with it. It's currently back on Reverb for sale. I realized that if I was going to own a Les Paul, I wanted it to be the real deal.

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The search was on. I looked online for another '78 Les Paul and quickly discovered that the prices were far out of my reach. During my search, I also learned about a feature now found in the Gibson line called "weight relief." As a result, I focused my search on finding a model without weight relief and with a beefier neck—at least thicker than the one on the Epiphone I had purchased earlier. That neck was too thin, and I really disliked it.

Over the next few weeks, I explored Guitar Center, Reverb, eBay, and various other sites for reviews and specifications on particular models. Eventually, I narrowed it down to the Gibson Les Paul Traditional model, specifically from the years 2013, 2014, or 2015, which featured a beefier neck. Then, I found it—actually, I found two that met my criteria on eBay, both with 50s-style necks, no weight relief on the body, and both from 2013.

However, there was one small detail: one had a cherry burst body (which I’m not a fan of), while the other had more of a honey burst. Naturally, the honey burst won out, and the images below illustrate why. As a quick side note, a closer inspection of the original box reveals that the color is listed as "Carmel burst," and it is part of the "New Traditional" lineup of the Gibson Les Paul series. Members of the Gibson guitar owners' page on Facebook confirmed this information, so, in retrospect, it’s close enough to honey burst for me.

So, what’s the verdict? Does the Traditional come close to my old '78 Les Paul Standard? I have to say “yes,” it does. The Traditional is more or less the equivalent of the Standard of old. The newer Standard models have chambered bodies, whereas the Traditional and the old Standard are solid. Furthermore, the newer Standards come with a slim 60s-style neck, while the Traditional features a beefier 50s-style neck.

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I wanted to mention that I’m getting back into music purely for the enjoyment it brings. I still remember a few things and can navigate the fretboard, but with YouTube, I can easily explore genres I love—specifically blues and punk rock.

Now, regarding a couple of recent developments: some friends and I are toying with the idea of forming a cover band, focusing on punk music. Our main goal is to enjoy playing together, but that’s a topic for another blog post.

Lastly, I have to credit my renewed passion for playing to a few YouTube channels. First, there’s Dave Simpson from the Dave Simpson Trio in the UK, and then NYC instructor and performer Jeff McErlain. Additionally, my enduring love for jazz and blues music shines through in the Jazz and Blues YouTube channel. Months before I decided to get another Les Paul guitar, I was listening to these channels, and they reignited a spark within me as a middle-aged man. I’ve listed their channels below and highly recommend checking them out for a look and a listen.

“When I was young I wanted to play the guitar badly. After years of hard work, practice and determination, I can play the guitar badly”

— Anonymous

Some links I found helpful:

Dave Simpson (Trio)

Jeff McErlain

Jazz & Blues YouTube Channel (Bonus)

My Epiphone Les Paul For Sale

Red Monkey Guitar Straps

The Norlin Era

gibsontraditional.com

2013 Gibson Les Paul/Legacy

Gibson’s Body Construction

Gibson’s weight relief

How To Verify Authentic Gibson Serial Numbers