I realized a while back that I didn't have a hobby. There were several reasons why...I couldn't afford one, I had no creative ideas on what to do, I didn't think I had time for one...
Then, as you read in my previous post, I started getting into guitars a few months ago. I started goofing around, trying to figure out how to play along with some of my favorites. Some of them I could actually keep up with, and some are so complex that I could have 10 hands and never be able to play.
I also enjoyed tinkering with the guitars themselves. Now, I don't have the expendable income to be able to change out different things like electronic parts or different amplifiers, but I did learn a little about things to do that can improve how easy it is to play it, and I also read a lot about how to change the look of the guitar by refinishing it. The blue one that I made for Jordan is one example, and was my first attempt. Luckily, things like woodworking and electronics run in my blood so it wasn't like I was starting from scratch.
My favorite guitar so far is the Fender Stratocaster. Guys like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and David Gilmour are famous musicians known for mostly using the Strat, and in most cases their signature sound is based on the guitar they use. And yes ladies, John Mayer plays mostly Fender Strats.
I've been involved in music (in some fashion or another) most of my life, or at a minimum kept a solid appreciation for it. Music that had a message, artists who's very soul poured out through their songs, and even just a really cool groovy beat that makes you nod along at the very least. One band I liked that came around in my early 20's was Nirvana...the huge explosion of Seattle Grunge was born with their "Nevermind" album release. Yes, a lot of their message was anti-establishment for the 90's and could get pretty out there, but the music was like nothing I had ever heard before from my generation. I was hooked...it wasn't pretty or perfect, it wasn't full of huge blond hair and makeup, and it wasn't supposed to be.
Cut to almost 20 years later, and here I am trying to decide what I want to do with this guitar I was going to make just for me, and I come across a photo of the singer for Nirvana holding the coolest looking black Stratocaster I had seen. Turns out the guitar was one of his favorites...they were known for smashing up a lot of gear on stage, but this one was his keeper. In true form with their anti-authority ways, there was a sticker on this guitar that said something about vandalism...and this guitar was then known as "The Vandalism Stratocaster". I'm not into stickers, or vandalism for that matter. Most of Nirvana's message went right over my head as far as the whole anarchy thing goes. But this was a really sweet looking guitar, and I had to have one just like it...minus the message about destruction and mayhem, of course.
So I scoured the Internet looking for photos. I found a few and went to work. And finally, I have my latest creation.
Then, as you read in my previous post, I started getting into guitars a few months ago. I started goofing around, trying to figure out how to play along with some of my favorites. Some of them I could actually keep up with, and some are so complex that I could have 10 hands and never be able to play.
I also enjoyed tinkering with the guitars themselves. Now, I don't have the expendable income to be able to change out different things like electronic parts or different amplifiers, but I did learn a little about things to do that can improve how easy it is to play it, and I also read a lot about how to change the look of the guitar by refinishing it. The blue one that I made for Jordan is one example, and was my first attempt. Luckily, things like woodworking and electronics run in my blood so it wasn't like I was starting from scratch.
My favorite guitar so far is the Fender Stratocaster. Guys like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and David Gilmour are famous musicians known for mostly using the Strat, and in most cases their signature sound is based on the guitar they use. And yes ladies, John Mayer plays mostly Fender Strats.
I've been involved in music (in some fashion or another) most of my life, or at a minimum kept a solid appreciation for it. Music that had a message, artists who's very soul poured out through their songs, and even just a really cool groovy beat that makes you nod along at the very least. One band I liked that came around in my early 20's was Nirvana...the huge explosion of Seattle Grunge was born with their "Nevermind" album release. Yes, a lot of their message was anti-establishment for the 90's and could get pretty out there, but the music was like nothing I had ever heard before from my generation. I was hooked...it wasn't pretty or perfect, it wasn't full of huge blond hair and makeup, and it wasn't supposed to be.
Cut to almost 20 years later, and here I am trying to decide what I want to do with this guitar I was going to make just for me, and I come across a photo of the singer for Nirvana holding the coolest looking black Stratocaster I had seen. Turns out the guitar was one of his favorites...they were known for smashing up a lot of gear on stage, but this one was his keeper. In true form with their anti-authority ways, there was a sticker on this guitar that said something about vandalism...and this guitar was then known as "The Vandalism Stratocaster". I'm not into stickers, or vandalism for that matter. Most of Nirvana's message went right over my head as far as the whole anarchy thing goes. But this was a really sweet looking guitar, and I had to have one just like it...minus the message about destruction and mayhem, of course.
So I scoured the Internet looking for photos. I found a few and went to work. And finally, I have my latest creation.
Sweet!
ReplyDeleteAwesome. You should see the movie "It Might Get Loud" if you haven't already. It starts out with Jack White making a guitar out of...nothing. I saw only half the movie because halfway through it got too loud for my kids and so we snuck out the back door. But I will probably rent it from Netflix one of these days.
ReplyDeletePLAY IT AGAIN SAM OR SUE!
ReplyDeleteWell, we now have one daughter that is an artist designing all kinds of neat stuff from spoons, forks, knives, who knows what else she will be using one of these days.
ReplyDeleteOne daughter that is a published author (that we just learned about) and a son that's re-working guitars. LIVE AND LEARN. You are all great.
I'll have to check out that movie...I just found the preview video and it looks really cool. Enjoy moments when music you like is too loud for the kids. Soon it will be the reverse.
ReplyDeleteHmm, no; "If it's too loud, you're too young" just isn't working...