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Hello from Central Californa


Bogeyman

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Greetings from central California. I'm new to the group and made the mistake of reading the instructions to this forum. So, this is my introduction. I've gotten started on my quest of learning the guitar at a time that would be considered beyond my salad days. Have come to the conclusion that I should have started earlier in life. This gitar learnin' is complicated. I inherited a 1949 0018 Martin acoustic, a 1963 Gibson L7C acoustic (sunburst), and a 1941 Gibson L5 (natural finish) acoustic from my father who passed away in 2004. I remember my dad playing the Martin when I was a child in San Antonio, Texas. I remember him getting the Gibson L5 when we were at Vandenburg AFB in the early 60's in California. This was the guitar he took with him tdy to Florida and sat in with some bands in some honk tonks around the base he was stationed at temporarily. The L7C is in mint condition because he never played it. I have the neck tag when it was in the music store. The case is still in excellent shape because it never left the closet. The finish is still mirror like. I've been taking lessons for a couple of years now and still have everything and then some to learn. For now, I'm starting with the blues. Howlin' Jack and BB King were geniuses. All these guitars have voices of angels. Can't wait until I can make'em sing.

 

That's it for now! Talk to you later.

 

Bogeyman

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Welcome Bogeyman to the forums. Congrats on the nice acoustic guitars you got, they are very nice indeed. Past your salad? Chuckle, how old is that? Lots of folks here are in their 60's to 70's. Many join and are learning. They do have guitar lessons here too. Several are like me, I learned as a teen, 13, and took lessons and played till I got married then I sold it all at at 26 years old. Regret that and over 30 some years I forgot everything. So when I retired at 60, I bought a Gibson and a acoustic and sat down and relearned. Signed up on Guitar tricks and it quickly came back and much more. I'm going on 65 and you can teach an old dog new tricks. One thing, don't try to play like someone else, be yourself and lots and lots of practice builds up brain memory and muscle memory. It will come. It took me over a year, close to 2 off and on learning all the parts to Stair Way to Heaven by Lead Zeppelin, Jimmy Page. From 1-5, That's like a 5 guitar difficulty to learn and I was only on 2 guitar difficulty songs so it does come. Blues is not the easiest thing to learn either. Good luck and best wishes on you playing.

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Retired and 4H: Thanks for the responses and words of encouragement. The salad days is a Shakespeare reference and I can truthfully say that my salad days are long gone. I made the commitment to learn the guitar at the tender age of 62 and I'm currently 64. Not sure how Shakespeare described it but it's probably along the lines of I'm in my night cap days. You know, past dessert! I have a private teacher that I go to weekly and have basically told him that I want to pursue the blues for the time being. There is just something about a slow moving tune going about the speed of a lazy river that speaks to me. I'm not doing this for anybody else except me. At this stage I know I will never be up on a stage playing for somebody else, I just want to play for me. I am having a great time studying music theory. I'm the type that likes to know how things work because if I know how things work then I can take it apart and put it back together. I will freely admit that it is darn near impossible to get the little muscles of the fingers in my left hand to do things that in some cases should be considered unnatural acts. I watch videos of Glen Campbell, Roy Clark, Tommy Emmanuel, etc. and am gob smacked at their abilities. However, watching those guys you learn things in terms of techniques, e.g. watch how they anchor their right hand on the back of the guitar behind the saddle when they're doing their magical flat picking. You guys already know that but that is something I picked up just watching those guys. I'm beginning to be able to pick up on the subtle nuances of playing different guitars, i.e. the tone, the nut width, string spacing, etc. I've determined that I have big hands and fat finger tips and playing a nut width of 1 11/16 is a challenge so I'm now focusing on guitars with a wider nut width. Because of that, I'm seriously considering trading/selling the L7C and getting something with a wider nut and string spacing. I know I'm making progress when my wife says she either recognizes the song or says it sounds like music.

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading all the pearls of wisdom you experts in this forum have to offer.

 

Bogeyman

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Bogeyman,

 

Welcome, and please know that it's never to late to pick up the guitar and get good on it.

 

I spent some time in central California (while in the military myself) and enjoyed the Nacimiento Valley, Jolon, Paso Robles, Fort Hunter-Liggett, Monterrey, and Carmel.

A lot.

 

This was in 1979.

 

I can remember how the onion fields smelled, and I recall clearly how cool it was to visit a small airport in King City where a local businessman kept his vintage P-51 Mustang in flyable shape.

 

 

You have friends here, and remember this much;

There is nothing that has been proven to stave-off the ravages of Alzheimer's like sparking the creative, artistic synapses inside the human brain.

 

Writing, sculpting, painting, and most importantly, learning to play a musical instrument.

 

 

Let's all agree to get old together, friend.

And we'll be playing guitar with buddies (and maybe even in bars and clubs) for many dozens of years.

 

:)

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Thanks Sparquelito for the kind words. Always nice to get words of encouragement and inspiration! I've either heard about or been to all the places you mentioned but I had to get "on the line and check the Google" for Jolon. Have not heard of that town until now. Will have to pay attention next time I'm in that neighborhood.

 

Stay strong cuz barre chords are impossible if you're not!!

 

Bogeyman

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