I occasionally play with a double bassist [1] and he's forgotten his too. I think it's a case of loading up the van and not realising that the biggest thing is missing. "Can't see the wood for the tree's" sort of thing. I've forgotten the power lead for my P.A. amp, my power supply for my wireless guitar bug, mic leads and mic's, but never a guitar. [1] Forget it. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
My first guitar was a pearl-white Marlin Strat-ripoff. It was shit[1]. Last time I ever buy a guitar with a painted neck. Horrible to play. [1] I'm not any better, mind.
I had lessons on the double bass at school for a year or two IIRC. One of the advantages was I didn't have to lug it to and from school, unlike the previous instrument I was learning. That's probably why I was never very good at it.
I once booked Diz Disley at our folk club. He turned up in a huge merkin car and proceed to pull out of the trunk both guitar and double bass.
A lot depends on what paint was used. I re-finish lots of guitars for a pretty large chain and if the customer wants a solid (i.e. no fade to yellow) finish, he's going to get a 2 pack finish or a polyurethane, both which are solid colour "paints" not the more traditional nitro cellulose lacquer. Unfortunately, 2pk has a greasy, almost glass like feel and poly gets "sticky" and needs constrant cleaning and oiling. Coloured finishes done the proper way are done by tinting nitro celly with either inks or specific lacquer tints and this gives that warm look to the colour and the perfect feel under the hand and although nitro finishes feel "right" they wear like a bastard, so it's horses for courses really. I much prefer a nitro finish on my own guitars, even though I've got a couple in polyurethane. I've just returned a Gibson Explorer which came to me with the instructions "Make it white and fade free and I mean WHITE". This was originally a nitro celly finish and it was an antique looking cream but it'd aged and gone more brown than cream. Personally, I woldn't have touched it coz the surface was full of fine cracks (very original) and it looked like a 20 odd year old guitar should look. At worst I'd have given it a bit of a "de-scaling", but the guy wanted it white, so now he's got a Nissan crystal white guitar in 2 pk which will never fades to yellow/cream/brown again and he's over the fucking moon. And I lost him at least 500 quids worth of value off the thing. Odd, but that's life. They certainly can be. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
I went to see a guy the other week and he was in a 3 piece band (him on the guitar, a drummer and a bassist). The bassist was playing a 6 string bass one minute and then a very nice looking electric double bass that stood on it's own self supporting stand so he didn't have to hold it up. He played the double bass while his 6 string was still hanging around his neck. Fucking superb sound too. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
It was 'sticky'. Slightest bit of sweat on your hand and it'd stick to the neck making moving up and down the neck really hard. Especially for a learner. I switched to a Yamaha RGX321 after that which had a satin lacquer finished neck and immediately found it easier to play. Mostly it was me being crap though. I'm not a musician and never will be and generally very envious of those who can play well.
Yeah, polyurethane. Good life, shite feel. I use a guitar specific polish on poly necks called "Pledge" Yamaha have developed a new technique for guitar finishes which amounts to "we don't put much on". Their reasoning is the fewer coats, the better from a vibration/tone POV but I suspect the lacquer is a 2pk variation with a matting agent. The matting agent takes the greasy feel away but the finish stays good for a lot longer than a nitro finish. I think it's a good compromise if you want a guitar to remain looking "box fresh" for years. But if the instrument has issues (real or perceived) it doesn't inspire the owner to play it, so becoming a good player isn't likely to happen. Playing a guitar is like making love to a beautiful woman, (thank you Fast Show) and you never want to stop. *That's* what makes the bond between the player and the instrument strong, and as long as you're not practicing the wrong things [1], improvement happens. Most players reach a level and sit at that level without improving, sometimes for years before suddenly leaping to a new level. Playing along with someone who can play better than you helps there, as it kind of forces you to play more difficult pieces and to play them betterer too. [1] Learning scales is a "must do" if you want to be a proficient lead guitarist and learning all the chords in all the neck positions if you want to make the guitar add colour to a song/tune. I finnd that the first inversion of most chords sound better than the basic "first three fret" positions. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
I give myself challenges at regular intervals to keep my interest up. I have been successful in nearly all of them except two involving a car and a guitar. One was to build a GT40 replica. I made the decision and almost immediately came across an advert for a half built project: Rolling chassis on skinny wheels with big alloys in a box. Bodywork in primer. Trans axle etc. Only bits missing was engine tyres top coat and a lot of labour. The guy only wanted £5K buyer collects. So I thought if they come up that quick I'll wait a while. BIG mistake, he could have asked 4 times as much. Never saw another one I could afford/justify. The other challenge was learn to play the guitar. I was told to get the best acoustic I could justify and an electronic tuner as a start. By chance I was driving passed a music shop when a radio advert came on the radio. "Shutting down no offer refused!" I stopped went in, got a Takamine, for sale in the shop for £899 and ended up paying £300 for it including the electrical tuner. I got a couple of self tutor books and after several months gave up. Failed! Since then everyone who knows has told me I needed to go to a tutor and take proper lessons. I may try that later. I'm doing my Yacht Master ticket at the mo and it's taking up all my time. I am in the nicest way envious of anyone who is proficient with a musical instrument and I can sit and listen to anyone play for hours.
Dark blue, metallic. Not too hideous. It's not bad to play; I took SWK with me when I bought it. She doesn't play them much, yet; she's decided that she'd prefer them set up cack-handed, and hasn't got round to it yet.
I've got to say that no Marlin ever said "Don't put me down" to me and that's what a guitar has to do, but to be fair, the only ones I did any amount of playing were acousics and they weren't "first rate". Oh bugger. Not just a drummer, but an arse about facer too. Sympathies -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
Yeah. I'm going to have to teach myself to play cack-handedly too, if I ever want to have a shot on them.
Mick Whittingham wrote: I can't play the guitar since I had a mild-stroke because I have a lack of feeling and coordination in my left hand. I couldn't play the guitar before I had a mild-stroke, but that's beside the point.
Yeahbut hindsight isn't an option before the event. I've missed out on one or two deals which I thought would be a waste of money only to find out later they wouldn't have been. There are a huge number of DVD's out these days which not only "tell" you the way, but show you too. Worth their weight in gold. If you've got the guitar and the tuner, don't call it failure, call i "a break in proceedings" Finding the right tutor can be as frustrating as finding the right guitar though. Some are fabulously talented players but fail miserably to get their ideas across to the students, or worse still, criticise in a very destructive way. Others have the ability to treach but can't play the type of music a student wants to play. The days of doing **** all but scales and chord shapes are (IMO) long gone because they don't encourage anyone. People want to play the "stuff" they want to play, so you need a tutor that has similar musical tastes and will teach you in the style of your choice. You can broaden your style base as time allows. Mind ewe, scales etc are no less important today than they ever were, so they still help in the learning process. Me too. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
Perfect candidate for a bass then Even more reason to go with a bass. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
'Kin hell, they're hard enough to play with a normal setup. Get her indoors to do it the right way. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
OK Anyone have any experience with these DVDs and which are the best? Could be the next challenge after the nautical one.
