Going full circle

Finding that while I’ve enjoyed having a guitar stores worth of guitars salted away in all the closets, being able to pull out whatever intrigues me at the time, we’ve gotten into another small remodel project, forcing me to try and find new storage areas for most of them – and now I’m thinking that I should be very happy with about a dozen, and it would give us back a huge amount of storage space. I admire and respect those who come to that conclusion faster and don’t get into this situation –

But Elixir nano-lights? I haven’t done Elixirs in a long time – wasn’t happy with them years back – but maybe they’re worth a try? I enjoy my SCGC lights, but it might be fun to try something different –

Finding that while I’ve enjoyed having a guitar stores worth of guitars salted away in all the closets, being able to pull out whatever intrigues me at the time, we’ve gotten into another small remodel project, forcing me to try and find new storage areas for most of them – and now I’m thinking that I should be very happy with about a dozen, and it would give us back a huge amount of storage space. I admire and respect those who come to that conclusion faster and don’t get into this situation –

But Elixir nano-lights? I haven’t done Elixirs in a long time – wasn’t happy with them years back – but maybe they’re worth a try? I enjoy my SCGC lights, but it might be fun to try something different –

I’ve pared back to essentials, more or less, with acoustics.  The ones that remain cover the spectrum and satisfy on just about every level.  [ editorial note: Yeah, I know, I want an African Blackwood copy of my OM, but the point remains….GAS is never satisfied, ultimately].

I still have far too many electrics – people have gifted them to me, and I’m not sure what to do with them when they’re gifts, even if I don’t use them.   I use a tele, a short-scale, set-neck 2-humbucker franken-tele, and a pair of strats, one alligator-ized with a blaster and some other bits; everything else gathers dust.

Getting rid of all of the big amps – the big marshall, The SVT, the bass stack, et cetera – proved a relief.  Small amps can do the same things, and they can be miced or DIed, and can be carried by normal humans.   Big stacks are for people who are willing to carry them, who haven’t learned (yet) that size doesn’t matter*… 😉

All of this talk about winnowing down and thinning  puts me in mind of a Zen koan written by Bob Aitken, the Honolulu-based Zen roshi and writer….in the koan, someone asks Zen Master Raven “what happens when you die?” and Raven thinks for a second and says “I give away my belongings.”    Works for me.

* the marshall stack was sold to a 14-year-old girl….

I’m at 8 sublime and very different guitars….i do believe Im done.

BUT….. I AM willing to trade (for a limited time) one of my Ramuda for a SCGC 12er.

I REALLY would like to A/B the Taylor K62ce against a SCGC 12er before I sail over the Horizon.

Tad, If you would like to swap (not sell , not trade) any of my Ramuda for about 3 months for your SCGC 12er we can both pay 2 way frieght and enjoy the others best…..This offer is open to any of ‘The Players In The Park” and also any long time members of the SCGCPF ….. I’m insured for replacement value through the great Heritage Insurance and would suggest that Y’all do the same if interested in the above.

I think there is a very solid core of SCGC players/owners that might be able to enjoy each others designs/voices in a respectful/and responsible tranaction.

I would also like thoughts on ways to support and increase the $$ value of Pre-owned SCGC instruments. The FMV of our favorite is Absurd in the pre-owned universe….

I too would like to play an SCGC 12-string   IIRC, one of the performers at the 40 or 45th celebration had a 12-string OM, and even amplified it sounded great.

I want to play one of the 15” natural-finish archtops someday…..a small archtop tends to be super-focused  and direct while warm. Apparently, there aren’t many of them.

I probably play acoustically 90% of the time these days (archtop, flattop, gypsy and nylon). I play my archtop and electric guitars rarely these days. Even when I do play plugged in, it is quite and clean. My days of overdriven, higher volume playing to wife’s and dog’s delight are few and far between.

I’m making loops recently.

Gigged with an acoustic guitar (Rainsong OM-1000) last night as well as an electric mandolin and an acoustic octave mandolin.

(Added “Apache” to the set.  The Thrill is Gone is next.)

Used to be really happy with cheap electronic amps, but I recently pulled out my Ampeg Jet II, J-12T.  It needs work but sounds so. much. better. than the tiny solid state Marshall’s I’ve been using.  Tube driven tremolo and reverb is so sweet.

I had a six pedal board.  Noticed I was using 2 pedals regularly.  Cut the board down to three.  Now spot number three is in rotation between the OM-2, the BF-2, and the CE-3.

Made the Esquire-ization of my Squier Telecaster premanent by putting in a decent pickup and getting a new pickguard.  Then I put flatwounds on it.  Not sure if I’m digging them or not.

Me and Fred, my bass player, added a bodhrán player to the band.  We haven’t adjusted the repertoire to suit him, he’s adusted his playing to suit the repertoire.  Pretty cool, really.

Talking to a couple of flute players and a violin player (not a fiddle player).

Daniel