[thechat] Hijack: Guitars (was: Re: Fish do feel pain)

[Luther, Ron]

... and then Erika Meyer said:

>>yes, more guitarporn, please.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sorry ... back-to-back conference calls since 7:30 this morning ...

Okay back to the Pr0n!   ;-)

I play a 'little guitar', heh:
(88k) http://www.fangsnclaws.com/Photo/Gibfiddle.jpg

That's a mid-60s Gibson acoustic. 3/4 size.  This was the guitar I learned 
on. We bought her new in '67/'68 I think.  When I bring her [1] out folks 
generally go through one of those 'anger'/'denial'/'bargaining'/'depression' 
kind of transforms.

(1) Their first reaction is generally laughter.  She's tiny!  She doesn't 
look quite 'real' in some way. Most people have never seen a 3/4 size 
guitar before. They make jokes about her ... then I let her sing ...

(2) Their lower jaws generally drop and hit their tennis shoes at that 
point. She has a HUGE warm mellifluous voice that stops 'em cold.  Their 
eyes glaze over a bit and their tongues trip over themselves trying to 
say two sentences at the same time: "You wanna sell her?" and "Gimme!"

(3) I hand her over and folks try to play for a minute or two and then they 
hand her back in frustration pretty much always noting "My hands are too big. 
How do you play this thing?"

I like her a lot.

<a mom comes home from a school conference extolling the virtues of 
having your children learn a musical instrument bound and determined to 
enroll her 3rd grader in music lessons>
mom (leading the witness [she watched a lot of 'Perry Mason' episodes]): 
"You'd like to learn to play an instrument and make music wouldn't you?"
me: "okay."
mom: "What instrument would you like to learn to play?"
me (without hesitation): "Piano."
mom (no doubt hesitating slightly while visualizing the cost of and the 
space needed to house a piano, but to her credit, quickly recovering 
her composure): "After you learn to play piano what instrument would you 
like to learn to play next?"
me: "I dunno ... guitar?"
mom: "How about if we learn guitar first and then piano?"
me: "Ok."
</mom hauls youngster off to the music shop>


Here's the 'house' guitar and the current amp:
(65k) http://www.fangsnclaws.com/Photo/FStrat1.jpg

You probably won't see another 'Squier' with pickups like this.  That 
little black switch between the tone controls is the splitter, straight 
up for both red bridge pickups.  The tech said those plastic pickup covers 
come in black but he called around and couldn't find any ... he thought 
that would have finished off 'the look' -- so I may have to do that some day.


Here's the 'Princess':
(69k) http://www.fangsnclaws.com/Photo/Bluesbird.jpg

Bought new in '71. A sunburst hollow body Bluesbird. [I talked about her 
to a longtime music store owner in Cleveland about her 10 years ago or so 
{I think I was at the 'grand opening' of a new location for them}. I've 
been concerned about this one because of the escalating value of 'vintage' 
guitars.  He assured me up, down, and sideways that Guild _never_ made a 
hollow body in any color other than black. <shrug /> Funny looking 'black' 
ain't it?]  ;-)


RonL.
(And if you won the lottery? Hmmm ... I'd probably sell the Guild to a 
collector, give the Strat and amp to my son, give the Washburn acoustic 
to my son-in-law, buy a dark red Parker Fly as a 'house' guitar running 
through one of those sweet-butt Rivera amps, a custom shop PRS for me, 
and a (Canadien) Larrivee for an acoustic.)


[1] Most, (if not all), guitars are 'female'.  I'm not saying there 
aren't any 'male's out there - there might be a 'male' "SG" or "Flying V" 
out there somewhere.  This one is definitely 'female' ... we've been 
making love together for over 30 years ... I'd a noticed by now!
  ;-)