RBSinTo

So why are all the necks pointing in the same direction? How boring is that? RBSinTo

"A New York State of mind" by Billy Joel. Got the music today and am learning to play it. Great song. RBSinTo

Why not really go crazy, and add a mandolin neck as well? Feh! RBSinTo

Six. Not my cup of tea. RBSinTo

Ok. I like the tune, and am learning to play it irrespective of the video. RBSinTo

Playing along to the "Deadpool" version of "Take me on" by a-ha. Another example of a fast, "bubblegum" song that becomes truly wonderful, when arranged and played slowly. RBSinTo

What a disappointment! I thought this thread was going to be about a recipe. RBSinTo

Playing a guitar because it belonged to someone famous is something I have no interest in doing. This person's __________________(insert guitar brand and model) is still only a ___________________(repeat), so I really don't see the point. RBSinTo

Some of the chords in the books are complex because often they are non-barred versions. When I first began playing, I made the concious decision to learn how to play barred chords, which has made playing considerably easier. A friend who plays old time rock and roll does it without barring, and has had to learn (unnecessarily in my opinion) a ton of non-barred shapes to do what I do easily by barring. Also, as the Beatles maturred, their music moved on from "three magic chord" compositions, and became more complex. The odd augmented chord in their earlier compositions evolved into a plethora of more complex and sophisticated ones in latter songs. RBSinTo

Lots of excellent advice in this thread. The only thing I would add is the advice of Vince Lombardi the great Green Bay Packers foot ball coach, who said "Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." RBSinTo

mihcmac, Whenever I get music, I double-check any chords I'm unfamiliar with to make sure they sound correct and are correctly labelled (as often the ones shown are not). And if I'm still not satisfied, I speak to our Grandchildrens' music teacher, who is a professional musician, and composer, and he verifies or gives me alternate fingerings. When I like a song, I'm not looking for the easiest way to play it, but rather the correct way. Often the music found on the internet, for example, has been "sanitized" so that the difficult chords have been replaced by simpler ones, so the music sounds close, but not completely correct. For some songs, I have multiple versions, and despite the degree of difficulty, will learn the the that is closest to the original. Interestingly, I have a friend who is a much better musician than I am (both in ability and musical theory knowledge), who believes that I should basically stick to playing songs with only a few simple chords, rather than going to all the trouble of learning the "exotic" chords necessary to play more complicated songs. I disagree, and continue to learn tougher songs. RBSinTo

The sheet music I purchased is piano music with guitar chords shown. My musical knowledge is limited, so in answer to your question, I'm simply trying to play along using the chords. And yes, some of the chords are complicated. But that's what makes it challenging for a hacker like me. RBSinTo

Last year I bought a 2001 j45 that had had its broken headstock repaired by a previous owner. The break is at the position of both of the E string tuner posts, so the tuner screws add structural integrity to the repair ( which I was advised by a Luthier was strong and stable). The tuners have small, white buttons which I don't particularly like and I wanted to replace them with the tulip-button type. However, after discussing this with a local Luthier, I was advised that while for enough money, despite what problems making the switch might cause, it could be done, but that the smartest course was to simply learn to love the tuners I have. Not the answer I wanted, but obviously the best course of action. RBSinTo

"At last" by Etta James. Currently learning the music. Tough sledding. Will undoubtedly have to get slings for my fingers after playing some of the jazz chords. RBSinTo

Juliana, My suggestion is to have the guitar examined in the flesh by a reputable Luthier. And they will advise what action if any is required. RBSinTo

I am a fan of plain, unadorned guitars, and so, while the unpainted bodies look nice enough, the head-stock logo type appears to be another unfortunate example of "Nephew Art", which cheapens the overall appearance of the instruments. However, a suitably sized and shaped piece of black adhesive vinyl would solve the problem. The hand-painted bodies look like summer camp hootenanny guitars and to me are especially unappealing. RBSinTo

Rode on one twice in 1972 while in university, going to and from a burger joint with my prof on his Japanese bike. Two wheels too few for my liking, so I've stuck with cars ever since. RBSinTo

Or, "I got one of those Capo things and put it on at the fourteenth fret, and no matter where I put my fingers on the strings, they all sound dull and the same. This guitar is broken and I want my money back!" RBSinTo

Cougar, My point exactly. To dismiss a damaged guitar out of hand is foolish. A bit of research might lead to an excellent find and a great bargain. And if in the end, you don't buy it, the worst that has happened is that you spent a bit of time that came to nothing, but on the other hand you probably learned a thing or two about guitar repairs. RBSinTo

Then why was it necessary to mention it? And when did I say I didn't like him? I'm defending him and his videos from all the kvetching. And when I watch his videos, It's because of the song he's playing, not the guitar he's using. See how easy that is? RBSinTo

Ahhh. It all becomes clear now. It's because he's playing the songs on Bird guitars, as if that's an important point. When I'm trying to learn how to play this or that song by watching a video, it is immaterial what guitar the teacher is using. But that's just me. RBSinTo

No good deed goes unpunished. He makes and posts helpful videos at his own expense, and gets cr@pped on for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with his intent. Rbsinto

While he originally used the name Privettricker for his music videos, he changed to James James a few years ago. He is neither the greatest musician I've ever heard, nor has the best stage presence in his home-made productions, but he is a good enough guitar player to help those who want to know how this or that song is played. And as he has reiterated many times, that is all he intends with these videos. RBSinTo

Over a year ago, I bought a 2001 Gibson j-45 that had a repaired broken headstock. I paid $1,200.00 Canadian, when the going rate for similar but intact guitars in Toronto was between $1,800.00 and $2,600.00 Canadian. I did some research before the fact, and had a Luthier examine it afterwards. I've been assured that the repair was stable and I've had no trouble or concerns since I bought it. It is possible that the crack in the neck can be repaired with a simple injection of cyano-acrylate, or watered down Carpenter's glue. I'd suggest that you insist on as many photos of either side of the neck as you feel you need to present to a Luthier for an opinion on this instrument, and ask for an approximate cost to do the repair. Then if you still want it, make a modest offer taking this into account. My point is, that you shouldn't dismiss a guitar that you want as a player simply because it has a defect. You might be missing out on a good deal. I took a chance, and am glad I did. RBSinTo

Pohatu771, I agree about the screws. However, the tuners which are anchored above and below the break act like a splint, and so do in fact add some structural integrity. Again, debating this is pointless. When it takes less effort than one of Hercules' Labours to have the guitar inspected by a Luthier, I'll get a hands-on professional opinion, and then make a decision. RBSinTo