BS: guitars in general

Subject: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:52 PM

how long have you been playing and what type of guitar do you play, this is just for info cause i like informative threads about guitar playing, and the different styles. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Oversoul
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:11 PM

I played about an hour yesterday afternoon, before work. Scales, and those "modes". I love to play 'em straight and then in broken thirds. In progressions of fifths and relative minors. Such beauty in a matter of a few inches! Lately I have been playing my old brass bodied Dobro. I am a fan of fingerpicked resonator guitars, in standard tuning.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Midchuck
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:12 PM

Have been playing about 42 years. Got first guitar for 18th birthday, just turned 60.

Play with a flatpick. In public, a style I often describe as "Mother Maybelle on uppers." I struggle with lead, melodic, flatpicking, but don't often inflict my efforts on anyone else but my poor wife.

Currently, I usually use my most recent purchase, a 000-15S Martin, for gigs, miked. My current pride and joy is the ex-Jack Lawrence Collings D2H, but I don't take it out of the house too much.

Also have a D-18VMS that is about to be sent off to be set up and hotrodded; a one-off by Craig Anderson of South Burlington, VT; a recent Taylor 414; an OM-21 that is now for sale, if anyone's interested; and a few inexpensive beaters. Since we've been playing paid gigs regularly in the last few years, I've been setting the gig income aside for toys, but the house is getting crowded.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Justa Picker
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:58 PM

- A sum total of 4 years.
- Martins

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Benjamin
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 01:36 AM

About 8 or 9 years. Classical for about 3 and a half years. I play a Kenny Hill.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Kaleea
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 01:39 AM

I first was given a very well used Harmony by a friend when I was about 13. A buddy from the hills of Kentucky showed me some fingerpicking stuff such as "Travis" pick & other arpeggio style plucking as accompaniment for singing. I found some Peter Paul & Mary books & learned to read the tab & played as I heard them play on the records. I got a 12 string when I was about 16, and loved it till it caved in. I got my 1964 Gibson J45 used, in 1976. I have never desired another guitar. It was made very well, and I think you just can't beat American made guitars. The quality of that old Gibson is better than most of the extremely expensive guitars being made now. I know many people who buy a guitar, play a little in one or two keys, then buy more expensive guitars, one after the other, erroneously thinking that somehow the guitar will make them a better player. One needs to find a decent guitar, learn to play it the best they can, and then decide what your own style is, and what your needs are. Then, you can make an intelligent decision about what kind of guitar fits you and the kind of music you want to play. And, of course, a good teacher is one who has you learn chords in most every key, bar chords, and, yes, scales! The brand of the guitar is less important than one might think. Get a decent, basic guitar, and go from there.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 03:40 AM

Been playing 42 years - folk & bluegrass & country. Started on an Arnold Hoyer archtop then graduated to: Levin Goliath Hagstrom Jumbo Gibson J45 1965 Martin D-28 ( still own & use ) 1970 Guild D-40C cutaway Martin Backpacker 1974 Martin D-18 ( still own & use ) Takamine Santa Fe ( still own and use for bar work ) Santa Cruz F-Model 12-string ( still own & use ) Any further info needed - just ask Cheers from England Roger

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Maxine
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 06:05 AM

I've only been playing for 4 months - and my finger tips hurt! I am determined however, and now seem to be able to give a reasonable(ish) rendition of 'How many roads'. 'Streets of London' and 'The last thing on my mind' are still a million miles away. Apparently you never reach your destination as a guitarist, you just have to enjoy the journey - and I'm definately enjoying mine. Any tips gratefully received!

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Mooh
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 06:39 AM

I guess it's getting close to 30 years Bob, and I still enjoy it like any other maniacal obsessive compulsive GAS infected nuthouse patient. I gig and teach it too, so it's never out of my mind.

Mostly acoustics...custom 6, 12, and baritone guitars, an old Harmony set up lap style, a S&M beater, two electric and an upright bass, mandolin, Telecaster, various other things too numerous to note here...

Flatpick, fingerstyle, lapstyle...

So may guitars, so little time...

Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Dave T
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 08:58 AM

I've been playing for about 25 - 30 yrs. Guitars (in order of preference) I play are: custom Oskar Graf, Martin OOO-18 (1967) and a Martin D-1R (a couple of years old). I use a flat pick and finger pick with my middle and ring finger so I can switch from flatpicking to fingerpicking on the fly. The type of music depends who I'm playing with but ranges from acoustic blues to bluegrass as well as some jazz and show tunes.

Interestingly, I took up fiddle a couple of years ago and while that's a slow process, I find it's helped my guitar playing as far as developing my sense of melody, phrasing, etc.

- Dave T

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: dwditty
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 09:22 AM

Well, I am down to four guitars. Mostly I play my Collings 000-2H. Sweet sweet tone and lots of room for my fat fingers. No picks, just fingers. Next - a Gallagher 71 Special. It's my last name so I had to own one. As Doc Watson says...rings like a bell. I use it when singing with groups of friends. A Santa Cruz custom Model H 12 string. 42 style abalone top. All highly flamed koa - top, sides, and back. Prettiest guitar I have ever seen. Finally a Guild F50-R. Used to be Jonathan Edwards' stage guitar. I use it when I want to feel closer to Dave Van Ronk.

dw

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Midchuck
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 09:32 AM

...Mostly I play my Collings 000-2H...

Diddy, I hate you. You, I hate.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 10:39 AM

to maxine, a tip from eric clapton, rub alochol on your finger tips at least 3 times a day and that will help dry the skin and help your callous form better, i tried it and it works. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Maxine
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 11:58 AM

Thanks Bob, I will give that a go. I'm sure I read somewhere that drinking vast quantities of alcohlol also did the same thing - got to be worth a try eh? Right, back to me strumming...

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 07:33 PM

ha ha ha i don't know about the drinking part but the other part i knows works, happy strumming and happy drinking. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Hilary
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 04:05 AM

Playing for just 2 weeks on a acoustic student guitar - so I wouldn't like to claim I have a style yet. (Somewhere between Nic Jones & Jimmy Page in my imagination) Remembering/finding a dozen chords has been easier than I thought it would be - but finding them quickly enough to keep the tune going.... o well ..... keep practicing.

Apologies if this is thread creep ....The pain in the surface of my fingers eased fairly quickly, but it remains in lower skin levels - can alcohol affect below the very top layer ???? Or when a callous forms - will that help protect lower layers? Experienced players have all been very keen to show off their callouses (BG)

H

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: GUEST,Steven G.
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 07:59 AM

I have been playing guitar for 18 years now, since I was 7 years old. When I was 7 years old, at the time, I tried it out, and after a couple of lessons, and then I almost quit. But my Mom kept me in it, and after 18 years, basically everyday I play my guitar for about 1 to 3 hours a day. I really enjoy playing, and cannot believe at times if I never heard a song before, I am able to figure out the chords to a song. I guess after 18 years, I developed a "ear for music"

I always tried to fingerpick, but never could do it because my fingers weren't too coordinated to do it. So I flatpick it instead, I have to be a little faster than fingerpicking, but I developed it over the years.

My first guitar was Harmony guitar from Sears, and played that for about 4 years, and then move to a Yamaha Entrena, played that for about 12 years. Picked up a 6 string Yamaha FS-310 & Yamaha FG-412-12 Guitars in the last 2 years. Great guitars.

For those people that posted a message that started playing guitar. Keep it up, you will build that callouse on your fingers. You will develop a "ear for music", after a few years, because if you listen to a song on the radio that you like, and you want to learn it. You get home, and pick up the guitar, and all of a sudden, after you figure the chords, you get the air of the song. And then later get the lyrics on the net, by after an hour or 2 you will be playing the song. It constantly amazes me everyday when I do this. And learning from other people at guitar lessons or at a party, is great to learn new techniques.

As they said "Practice makes perfect". Keep it up. Many hours of enjoyment.

Later,

Steven G.

Steven G.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: kendall
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 09:04 AM

I got my first guitar when I was 16, now, I'm over 30 and still wearing jeans...A used Gene Autry low end box. Over the years I have had, a Kalamazoo, a couple of no names,a Yamaha 12 string, a Gibson J-45, a Mossman, a Guild D-25, a Guild d-50, a Martin D-28, and, finally, a TAYLOR 810!! I also have a custom made 12 string by Apollonio. I play with a flat pick for the most part, but, some basic finger stuff, and, I play the 12 with fingers.Although I do folk, there is a country influence from my mis spent youth. I regret to say that after 50 years I'm still no threat to Doc Watson.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 09:35 AM

I bought a Guild D-4 a whole 11 days ago, and I have some monster calluses. For the first 3 days, I played until my fingers hurt really badly, then I stuck little pads of moleskin on the tips, and played some more. Seemed to work pretty well, or I may just be good at growing calluses. I do well with hair, so why not calluses?

My teacher has me playing in DADF#AD to get toughened up and prevent the frustration of not being able to sound somewhat good at the beginning. I also have a bum left index finger, so it makes using more than 3 fingers, or chords with a lot of stretch nearly impossible at this time. I can flat pick nearly every tune I know on fiddle, but I don't think that's the point of having a guitar. It's just nice to do in between practicing the halting ("where do my fingers go again? Oops - wrong string. Crap - not pressing hard enough, finger not close enough to the fret") chord changes.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: kendall
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 12:27 PM

I applaude your "stick to itness" but, covering the fingers with moleskin or anything will prevent the formation of calluses. In this case, the hard way is the best way.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 12:51 PM

Hilary,

The inner layers will form with longer hours of playing. The alcohol on finger tips helps with drying the skin helping the outer layers to form more quickly. However if they are painful deep inside, alcohol on the skin can't hurt anything and may bring some relief. ;)

Glenda (Bob's wife)

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 01:04 PM

Kendall, it worked pretty well for me. I had very little pain (and a good start on guitar calluses) after 3 days, and after about 5, I had solid calluses. Mind you, I only put the moleskin on after playing for as long as I could stand without it. I usually have a fairly high pain threshold, though, and apparently withstood enough naked-finger playing for it to be effective.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: kendall
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 03:01 PM

gottcha kid! there aint no flies on you Jeri.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Hilary
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 06:31 PM

Thanks Glenda

H

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 11:18 PM

Bob, good thread. I got my first guitar just shy of my 15th birthday. I'm 47 now and have been playing ever since. Don't have as much time to pratice as I used to. I was told I didn't miss much by staying home and playing in the basement during my high school years (not the social butterfly, I). I have three guitars now that I take to gigs; a Taylor K14 C for my main guitar in DADGAD; a Santa Cruz H model for CGCGCD tuning; and a Santa Cruz OM/PW for open G and standard tuning. Use a martin backpacker to practice in the car (not while driving, of course).

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: DonMeixner
Date: 18 Nov 01 - 11:31 PM

I began playing twenty five years ago. I bought my first guitar, A Yamaha FG 180 Red Label when I was twenty five. Thats the guitar I learned to play on twice. The my wife gave me a 1970 Martin O-16-NY which I played along with a Guild F-30 I got out of a trash can in Syracuse. The Guild is the guitar I learned to play again on for the third time. I had the long term loan of an Ovation Elite which I have never liked all that well. Recently I bought a Martin JC-16 GTE which I am liking a lot.

Callouses come with effort and practice. No other way to get them.

If I had to choose tween any of those guitars I mentioned for a lifetime. With the exception of the Ovation I could be very happy with any of them.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Gillie
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 09:11 AM

I have been playing for the last twenty eight years. Over this time I have aquired two classical guitars, a Fender acoustic and a baby Taylor. My favourite has got to be my baby. I play folk guitar and some classical music.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 10:02 AM

Getting on for 30 years now. Stagg Ovation copy and Aria 6-strings and a much travelled Eros 12-string. Saving for a real Ovation one day....

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: LR Mole
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 10:20 AM

Guild 12 (with Chesterfield headstock), Gibson Hummingbird, Old Fender Mustang for plug-in gigs. Have an unreasonable hatred for acoustic cutaways and little sliding switches on shoulders, but I don't care for much of the 20th century anyway. Especially the second part. First guitar: a "Lindell" classical strung up with steel strings. Second: Harmony Grand Concert from Sears.I've played for 35 years. Still not very good, though.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 01:47 PM

my wife and i have taylor big babys and we love them, just today itook mine and had it set up right and it now plays great, i also have a takamine ltd 90, a takamine gs330s a gibson j-40, a yamaha cg70 classical, a 1988 fender strat plus, and a fender squier bullet, and i have a johnson baritone uke, and i've been playing since 1964, so that tells you how old i am. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Melani
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 02:04 PM

I have three guitars at the moment--two made by my dad, and a "lutetar" (lute-backed guitar) I got for Renaissance Faires. When I thought about it , I realized I've been playing for 35 years (gasp!), but there was a period of about 25 years when I played very little or not at all. I started again a couple of years ago. I really just do a little pattern picking, and would like to improve. I tend to spend more time on the penny whistle because you don't have to take it out of a case and tune it first, and I can keep a stash of them in the kitchen to play while cooking.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 07:35 PM

you can improve with a lot of practice, and i think that guitar would be more fun to play than the pennywhistle, but i could be wrong. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Tweed
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 08:57 PM

Hey BOB,
I started playing when I was thirteen after hearing Subterranean Homesick Blues for the first time while dragging along through the snow on my paper route. I've got an old J-45, a slightly suped up Squier Bullet, a Telecaster, a Regal steel resonator (new Korean type, not old at all) and a homemade diddly bow I've been messing with. It's getting a pickup set inline with it's single string when I get a tip for my soldering iron. Should sound pretty different... The Bullet came out of a pawn shop and was strung so tight the neck was almost u shaped. I rescued it and it's really not a bad playing guitar at all. Not a bad deal for sixty bucks and some tinkering. I play when I'm not on this damn computer and my wife has stopped communicating with me altogether;~) (apologies for the long drawn out blah..blahblablah...)

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 09:53 PM

man that's some neat guitars, what type of music do you like to play? BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Tweed
Date: 19 Nov 01 - 10:22 PM

Well they're not real neat but they're paid for anyhow. I guess you could put me in the blues category. I like the older stuff most of all these days. Here's a song I do on the Regal. I'm not sure who wrote it.
Fifteen Cent Blues

It's pretty rough. A bit like Charlie Patton on acid;~)

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 05:09 AM

i used to have a 1983 bullet but i sold it but it was a nice playing guitar, i'll check your blue clicky later my wife is still asleep. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Tweed
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 06:15 AM

Well, if you ever need to wake a person up, that would be a good one for the job I'm sure. BTW, are there mole kennels now? Who skins these poor,sightless creatures? Folkys have a darker side than I'd ever imagined;~)

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: GUEST,ACroenen
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 06:21 AM

Wow! I've just been introduced to this website and am having a great time reading this thread. Loved the fifteen cent blues, Tweed. I played the guitar for a few years from when I was sixteen and have recently taken it up again. I play a very basic guitar (now 18 years old!) calling itself 'Black Horse' as well as displaying some mysterious writing from the Far East. I have always called it my 'cigar box with strings' and I think it is about time for a new instrument.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 06:32 AM

Welcome aboard the Mudcat, and I hope you'll find lots more to enjoy here. I think there are plenty of people here who would be only to happy to help you choose a new instrument, but be warned - not all the advice will necessarily be helpful!

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 06:47 AM

Actually if you go to the front page and enter the word guitar in the Filter Box, and set the Age to 1 Year, or even 2 Years, from the drop-down menu, and then click on the "Refresh" button;you will find a lot of previous discussion threads about more aspects of guitars than you ever knew! Some of them might even prove helpful! Eg Faourite acoustic guitar

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: GUEST,An Croenen
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 06:30 AM

Hi Matthew, thanks for your welcome! I'll check out the link you made tonight.(You guys are high tech!!) I had a laugh last night: I tried out the translating service into French and then back to English. But that would be a new thread of conversation...

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Grab
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 08:08 AM

Brass-body Regal resonator, plus cheapish steel-string acoustic and classical guitars. The Regal's my "show" guitar, when I want to do serious blues and get that full-on tone. The steel-string and classical don't have fantastic tone, but they've been with me for years and the action's set just right, so they're really comfortable to play - no surprises with them, where the Regal is more of a challenge (although the payoff is bigger when you get it just right). It's the difference between playing to relax and playing seriously - just depends what mood I'm in.

I do lust after other guitars though. I'm not sure what my next acquisition will be - I'm torn between an electric (probably a Strat), a 12-string or a really good 6-string. But since I've just dropped £400 on getting my violin repaired, probably none of them are on the cards any time soon. :-(

I'm not sure how anyone can sell an instrument, unless it's really a "sell-it-or-lose-the-house" kind of decision. There's too much time invested in them all for me to get rid of them.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 10:44 AM

this might be a stupid question, but how do you play a resonator guitar? do you play it like a regular acoustic, or do you play it like a dobryo? BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 11:59 AM

My first guitar was an arch-top Silvertone I got for Christmas in 1965. I promptly learned to play Louie Louie, listened to the instructional record about three times, and stuck it in the corner of the basement. It floated around there for a few years until I was sneaking thorugh the basement window after a long night of carousing and stepped in the middle of it.

In 1983, I took 6 lessons and learned some basic open chords (no B's or F's), and bought a nice little KOrean-made Harmony 6 string. I still have it. After about a year of occasional strumming, I put it down until last summer. I picked up where I left off, have learned some bar chords and some basic flat-picking. I bought an Alvarez 12 string with on-board preamp last November, and just this August I got a Les Paul Studio electric.

And after 37 years, I have pretty much perfected Louie Louie. I also like strumming everything from country to traditional to rock, and have three binders full of OLGA sheet music downloads.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 12:35 PM

WHY DON'T YOU TRY SOME MP3 DOWNLOADS AND LISTEN TO THE SONGS, IT WILL HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR EAR. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 01:09 PM

EH? WHAT'S THAT Y'SAY BOB??

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: GUEST,Bobert
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 02:04 PM

Well, danged if don't see my buddy Tweed up there with his shiny almost new Regal resonator. Well, if he's going to get into the fray then I guess I can, too. I've been playing since '67 and since '71 when I traded my Telie for a Yamaha 12 string and a few bucks, have played acoustics since. My main instument is a 1964 D-18 which when I was doing coffee house gigs was the instrument I played. I have just recently broken my vow to not play it in open tunings and pretty much leave it in a "G". I also have a 1932 Gibson tenor that has never seen anything but a variety of open tunings in the 20 years I've owned it. Like Tweed, I recently acquired a Regal resonator and it stays in various open tunings and played mostly with a slide and occasionally two slides, one stubby and one full, that I've been diddling with trying to get a Fred McDowell sound. I have just ordered a J.B. Player acoustic bass from ebay but it isn't here as yet. The rest of the beaters are just that. Without counting them all I guess I've got about ten other acoustics and tenors and one 12 string and two dulcimers. Most everything is in one open tuning or another but I keep the 12 string and one of the better beaters in standard tuning and try to force myself to play standard tunings a couple of hours a week. Sorry to be so lond winded but the Tweedster hisself will tell you that I can't help myself... I'm just a long winded guy. Nice thread, Bob. I enjoyed reading it.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 03:33 PM

THANKS BOBERT, I ENJOYED READING YOUR POST, AND KEEP IN TOUCH. BOBO

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: Tweed
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 06:50 PM

BTW BOB, you can play a resonator just like a regular guitar in standard tuning or with a slide in any tuning you like. The square necked ones are set up with the strings a bit higher and are mostly for lap style slide work. But they also have regular type necks that will work either way. In Fifteen Cent Blues up there is a roundneck Regal played just using a metal fingerpick. You can get 'em to sound pretty loud and that's why they made them way back before amplifiers. They're sure different and fun to fool around on.

Subject: RE: BS: guitars in general
From: 53
Date: 21 Nov 01 - 07:37 PM

thanks tweed for the info, i had heard a lot about them but i never knew anything about them now i know something. BOB