Frivolous thread: Guitars

[David Garner]

Started playing as a kid - on a hand me down guitar my step-brother smashed in a rage.

In college I bought a real guitar, not a hand-me down - a Takamine hand made model - use a sound hole mic in it.  Eventually picked up a Jazz Chorus which I love but the weight of the thing is prohibitive.

When I was leading worship and later at my first church (non-denom) my wife let me get a special edition 12 string Ovation Balladeer- which until recently was my primary guitar.  My worship minister is a very accomplished classical and jazz guitarists, acutally is a professor of music and worship - so I just play rhythm guitar for our mid-week service.  (He worked with Robert Webber - and has a goal of 5 settings of the liturgy - each translated into 5 languages by 2016  - he is in the studio now with the 2nd setting.  Awesome stuff)

Until my birthday this year, when my wife got me this:

http://www.samash.com/p/Ibanez_AM73%20Hollow%20Body%20Electric%20Guitar_184235 

For a low end guitar - it plays phenomenal well - especially though the old Jazz Chorus...

Ibanez is a guitar maker that doesn't get the respect it deserves. They generally produce very good instruments at a very reasonable price. I played an AM73 at a guitar store once. It's very reminiscent of a Gibson ES-335, which is one of the guitars that has been on my wish list for decades. I think a semi-hollow with humbuckers is one of the more versatile formats out there.

The late 1970s AS series Ibanez are sought after by Jazz players.  Some of the best guitars ever made.

Another well kept secret is Japanese Fenders, especially Strats.  And Les Paul copies by Tokai and Burny.

[David Garner]

I had some DiMarzio Area noiseless pickups in my Strat, and I decided to put some in the Telecaster as well.  I got the Area T 615 bridge ("615" is the area code for Nashville, Tennessee) and the Area T neck, to replace the DiMarzio Twang Kings that were in there before.  In conjunction with installing the new pickups, I also shielded the Telecaster with conductive adhesive backed copper tape (which then emboldened me to shield the Strat as well).  Basically, you create a Faraday cage ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage ) around the pickups by shielding the control cavity, pickup cavities and pickguard with some conductive material like the copper tape (some actually just use aluminum foil), and then wiring a ground wire to connect all the shielding together.  You then star ground everything to a common ground (rather than having all the grounds on the backs of the potentiometers).  It is now dead quiet whether you are touching the strings or not, with all but the most obscene levels of gain.  The shielding eliminates radiofrequency interference (such as from flourescent lighting or televisions, computers, etc.) and grounding issues, and the pickups eliminate 60 cycle hum that you get from single coils.  That would be "nice, but...." if the pickups didn't sound great, but they seriously sound just like single coil pickups.  You have to set them properly -- lower is better -- but the Telecaster sounds like a Telecaster and the Strat sounds like a Strat.

Since we gig a fair amount, I was tired of having bad lighting and wiring create ridiculous levels of hum in my rig.  I'm pretty pleased with the Areas and the shielding.  I'd recommend both to anyone interested.

[cnehring]

Alright: my first guitar was an Yahama classical got for Christmas one year. Learned to play on that at college while sitting on the deck of the dorm room.

Due to a complete act of whim (b/c of a girl), I went out and bought an used Epiphone. I converted it to left-handed, as that is what I play. Had that for years and it is still a nice sounding guitar.

Recently bought an Ibanez left handed with the internal Fishman pickups. Like it.

I play a bit in church. However, I started a couple of years ago using the guitar to teach the kids the liturgy and hymns of the church. Started out with the Doxology-a year before I re-introduced it in the Divine Service. This year, we worked on the Agnus Dei and now we are learning the hymn, "Beautiful Savior." Kids love it b/c of the guitar-yet they are also learning the music of the Church.

[David Garner]

My band was fortunate to play a benefit concert called "LawJam 2013" at Variety Playhouse for the 2nd time this past weekend.  It was a battle of the Atlanta lawyer bands hosted by the Atlanta Bar Foundation, and was set up as a competition between 7 bands.  All proceeds went to provide legal services for the poor.  Photos of the event are here:

http://multimedia.dailyreportonline.com/2013/06/after-hours-lawjam-2013/

Photos of my band are 18-26.  We were even more fortunate, given the 6 other talented bands playing, to have won the competition for both best overall band and best original song (for "Ten" off our debut album, which you can listen to here, along with "We'll Never Be As Young As We Are Tonight" and "First Georgia Regret," which we also played -- http://bellwetherstation.bandcamp.com/ -- the header photo on that page is from the first time we played the event).

We closed the set with Baba O'Riley by The Who.  Fun night.

[David Garner]

New rig. Sold some stuff to fund the Les Paul/Marshall setup I've always wanted.

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff473/DGarner211/Guitar/image_zpsa7248891.jpeg

[exegete77]

Very nice, David. I'm not really jealous, really I'm not. Lord, forgive my jealousy! 

[David Garner]

Very nice, David. I'm not really jealous, really I'm not. Lord, forgive my jealousy! 

Thanks, but you might not be if you saw it in person.  It's a 1993 model I bought used, and it's pretty beat up.

But it sounds wonderful, and it plays like a dream.  I prefer it to my prettier guitars.  Here's a shot of me at our last gig playing it, before I trimmed my beard and cut my hair 

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff473/DGarner211/BWAV_zps6a9dba5b.png

[David Garner]

I had the pleasure of playing the Les Paul/Marshall combo at a benefit gig this past Thursday.  I told the sound man that our stage volume was pretty loud and we might want to side-fill my amp.  He didn't think it would be a problem, but then in soundcheck he said "give me a couple of chords."  When I started playing he immediately waved me off and said "are you going to be that loud all night?"

We still didn't have to side fill, but I bet my guitar was imperceptible in the monitor mix   

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff473/DGarner211/Justice%20Jam%202014/1502724_10103667010518370_3619339874524492102_o_zps2b90fd63.jpg

[David Garner]

I've managed to get on a gear trading kick, and I've fallen in love with some "cheap" gear.  Stuff that might make a lot of folks might turn their nose up.

First, I traded a Mesa Express amplifier for this Vox AC30cc2, plus some cash on his end.  I probably have about $450 in the amp taking into account trade value versus what I'd have taken for the Mesa in cash, and it's made in China versus the "handmade in Petaluma, California" Mesa.  But it sounds so fantastic.  I mean incredibly good.  I haven't been this happy with a gear acquisition in quite some time.

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff473/DGarner211/Guitar/IMG_2805_zpsvbifjpni.jpg

Second, and this is my favorite trade by far, I had my Taylor up for sale.  I never play it, and I've always wanted a Gibson J-45, so I'll be getting one of those soon.  In the meantime, the guy who wanted it didn't have enough cash, so he offered to throw in some gear.  One piece is somewhat "valuable" given its condition -- a 1978-1981 era MXR Distortion + pedal.  It's a little scratchy in the pots, and it looks like it's been dragged behind a truck, but it sounds really nice.  However, the guitars were the main event, and I have to say, I haven't been this excited about a guitar acquisition in as long as I can remember.

What he offered was a Made in Mexico Stratocaster and a Danelectro U2 reissue.  The Danelectro is kind of ugly (it's salmon pink), but it has a really cool old timey sound, so I set it up for slide in open G and it's fun to play around with.  But the Strat.  Man, oh, man.  It's their absolute bottom of the line MIM, called the "Traditional Series," and manufactured between 1996 and 1997.  Before that it was called the "Squier Series," which is a little misleading, since it's a Fender and not a Squier, and it's made in Mexico and not Korea or China.  In either event, I wasn't expecting much, but apparently the body and neck are American surplus that were finished in Mexico.  The pickups are standard Mexican ceramics.  The tuners and bridge are pretty much garbage, as are the electronics.  So I decked the trem (to take the bridge out of the equation in terms of tuning stability) and changed the pots and cap to CTS pots and a good 0.022 mF cap, and I also changed the jack to a Switchcraft.  After those mods, this guitar is simply fantastic.  It can absolutely hold its own against my much more expensive Eric Johnson Strat (pictured above with the Vox and the Les Paul).  I'm really pleased with this guitar, and it will be accompanying me to gigs regularly.  "Cheap" or not, this is one of my favorite guitars now.  And it cost me a grand total of about $200 in trade value.  If any of you need a good starter guitar for a kid/grandkid, try to scout one of these out.  You can get them between $200 and $300 depending on condition, and with a little bit of TLC, they are great "players" guitars.  Here it is with the Danelectro.

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff473/DGarner211/Guitar/A4A2AFEB-CEC3-4424-95C8-67D610A8A776_zpspbuallc1.jpg

[David Garner]

I just sold off a bunch of pedals to finance a set of Celestion Alnico Blues for the AC30.

I now have more money tied up in the speakers than I do the amp.  But I hear they will transform it, so we will see if it's worth it.  Now I have a bunch of speakers I need to sell (2 Wharfedales, 2 Splawn Small Blocks, and I'd sell the Fender Special Design speaker that came in the 1985 Concert I sold ages ago, but I think I'd actually have to pay somebody to take it -- it sounds terrible).

[George Erdner]

I just got my Christmas present from my wife a month early. I found a beautiful Epiphone Dot Studio at Music-go-Round (a used instrument store). By trading in the bass that I never, ever play any more and its case, the Dot was incredibly affordable. But inexpensive though it might be, it sounds almost as good as the Gibson ES-335 it is an unabashed copy of. Now, I just need to find opportunities to play it for more than just my own amusement.

[David Garner]

I just got my Christmas present from my wife a month early. I found a beautiful Epiphone Dot Studio at Music-go-Round (a used instrument store). By trading in the bass that I never, ever play any more and its case, the Dot was incredibly affordable. But inexpensive though it might be, it sounds almost as good as the Gibson ES-335 it is an unabashed copy of. Now, I just need to find opportunities to play it for more than just my own amusement.

Nice!  I want to get a semi-hollowbody one day, but I already have way too many guitars due to the aforementioned trades.  What I'd like to do one day is sell my PRS that I never play, plus the red Strat and the Danelectro to fund a 335. 

Maybe one day.

Congratulations -- what a fantastic gift!

[exegete77]

I was saddend to learn that one of the two men who taught me to play guitar died recently. He was 89 years old. Lifelong friend and a great encouragement for me from 1962-1971 (when I graduated from college). He was a Christian friend as well. He is the man on the right side of this photo taken in 1946.

[David Garner]

I was sandende to learn that one of the two men who taught me to play guitar died recently. He was 89 years old. Lifelong friend and a great encouragement for me from 1962-1971 (when I graduated from college). He was a Christian friend as well. He is the man on the right side of this photo taken in 1946.

Memory eternal.  I lost my uncle, who taught me to play, many years ago.  I still think of him often when I play.

[Donald_Kirchner]

As a true Minnesotan, had to watch "Purple Rain" Sat night.

The guy was a showman! Watch it to the end.

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

A shortened clip with just Prince's solo:

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=7INsVaR-S-w

Something I read about his solo from another site:

"The best part of this guitar solo is the back story. A few weeks before, Rolling Stone released their list of top 100 guitarists of all time. Prince didn't even rank.

...'Is there any proof that Prince's molten-hot solo on that hall of fame induction night's all-star jam performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" had anything to do with him being snubbed from that list? No. But come on now, this is Prince. He doesn't just show up for no reason. Until it came time to destroy the stage with that solo, most people didn't even know Prince was onstage at all. On this night, Prince was on a mission.'

Which makes it all the more epic at the end when he threw his guitar into the crowd and just walked off."

More like strutted off!  The guy was amazing.

Back in the early 90s, my wife and I were down in Mpls and hung out at 1st Avenue late into the night because some guys were messing around with equipment and instruments on the stage. Prince was known to sometimes try out material there, and we thought that might be what they were going to do. But, alas, not that night.  Had to wait for the 2007 Super Bowl Half-time show.