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Congratulations to Dave Rozen! Winner of The Fender Stratocaster Giveaway!
Feature Article
2003-02-13

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The grand prize winner in the latest Gear Review Network contest was Mr. Dave Rozen from Troy, New York in the USA. Dave's name was chosen amongst thousands of entries. After identifying the contest winner, we noticed that Dave had submitted several high quality reviews and because of the many submissions we have to think his chances for winning the contest were greatly increased. In addition to the many entries, Dave submitted some real quality reviews so we are very pleased to be able to turn over this brand new Strat to him. Dave is also a big bass enthusiast so don't think that just because you don't happen to play the same instrument that we are giving away in any given month has any bearing on who will be selected for the contest!! Submit those reviews today!

Dave is currently awaiting delivery of his brand new Fender Stratocaster which he was able to select the color and fretboard options he most desired - Brown Sunburst with the Rosewood fretboard. Hopefully, as soon as this great axe is delivered Dave will stop back and submit a review! Congratulations Dave!

We also asked Dave to submit a short bio that we could post with the contest winner announcement. Here's what Dave wrote:

I have my own place now in Troy NY, with a pretty decent practice space included, and a twice weekly situation with Joye Belle at Stephanie's-on-the-Park in Albany NY. It's Joye's gig, she singing and playing keyboard, and til about summer of 2001 we were just us two, open to various jammers who sporadically joined in. Lately we have a somewhat regular band with Al Johnson on traps and Mark Catman on miscellaneus stringed things. Stuff like live radio or a banquet sometimes lures us out of our "cave" at Stephanie's. Folks think of us as the house band there, and of course we'll find Stephanie's customers on hand when we do play elsewhere locally.

Being fairly new at this whole thing, I'd just as soon be "the house" at 3 or 4 places. Not being a kid anymore, hitting the road for fame and fortune is less appealing than playing locally and having a damn good time.

I have a "tribe" of basses, 25, 65 and 100 watt combos, and a couple heads and cabinets. Most useful in my current context are the Ampeg 100R and Trace Boxer 65 combos. Axen are solid body and hollow, with and without headstocks and/or frets, and I'm really into flatwounds. I love the bass sound, and I'm happy to know that I'm an accompanist and foundation, not a rock star. OK, so sometimes I'm really off the hook, get a bit too loud, play 8-string or dare I admit to solid nickel roundwounds, but only for the bar crowd when most of the dinners are done.

If I had to grab one ax and run from a burning building, it would definitely be the G&L ASAT. If the building were burning rather slowly, I'd also grab the Ampeg 100R, and Holmes Brothers, Jimmy Smith, and Ray Charles CDs.

As you can see, Dave is one of those hardworking musicians who is also out there enjoying it every night he plays. Congratulations Dave!