ksdaddy

From 1990 to 1992 my 'fun summer car' was a 1949 Oldsmobile. I sold it in the fall of 1992 for $1000 and drove it to the guy's house. Over the next few years it got painted again, reupholstered, and it went from 43000 miles to 61000. Last registered in 2006. It ended up in the collection of a local car collector. I discovered it because my son in law worked for him for a while. He developed dementia and his family is in the process or has already sold off his collection. I bought the Olds back for $3000 last fall. At the same time I financed a 1940 Studebaker Commander for my daughter so she could have an old car too... I had sold my '57 Bel Air to my son in law a while back. The Oldsmobile is legal to drive but I don't go far with it... it still has the same tires I put on it in 1990! In fact, my suicide knob and fuzzy dice were still in it, along with some Lucky Strike non filter butts in the ash tray. All that's missing is the Colt 45 16 ounce cans. This pic is from 1992: This pic is from about 2017 when it was re-discovered: And once I got it home:

I’ve found some lavash bread in the cupboard that I don’t remember buying. Months and months easily. Still looked great.

I consider (as a completely randomly chosen example) the Japanese Washburn electrics of the early 80s to be “vintage”. However, this is my own myopic, narrow minded interpretation of the word, which means something representing a certain era, be it a page in a company’s history, a fad, a set of colors, materials, quality, etc that are no longer in mainstream use, by that company or in general. Or any combination of these points. Whew! To that end, I would also consider Fender’s cost cutting measures in the late CBS era as being vintage as well; two knob Strats, white dots instead of pearl, Jazz Basses with one piece pickguards… I call that “vintage ‘83”. So the word vintage isn’t always equatable with positive. Narrow minded but owning it.

I think we should also try to absolutely define “pretty” and “delicious”. Never going to happen. Too subjective. Everyone should just self-validate their own definition of “vintage” and be happy with that.

I was given an early Christmas present a little while ago.

A couple photos of the front might help. The tuners look typical of 1930s/40s.

A "very nice" gig bag + UPS.

The last guitar I had shipped to me was in a gig bag. UPS smashed the top. Never another gig bag in this house. Not one.

It's snowing out at the moment. Supposed to get a few inches, I don't know.... it changes every half hour so I don't pay attention. Someone posted on a local FB group that my city is going to have a crappy time with the roads this winter. We have four plow drivers where we should have ten. Apparently the city doesn't pay much and many of the city employees have gone elsewhere. In the not too distant past, people would be getting into fistfights in the parking lot, racing to apply for a steady job. Not anymore. Replies to the FB post were predictable, people either wanting to know what the job paid before they would even consider applying or people pointing out that the city doesn't pay well. I see many help wanted signs. In the 70s 80s 90s I don't think I ever saw one. Anywhere. Didn't NEED to put the sign out. I spent a couple years cleaning offices in the 90s. I was supposed to be a Supported Employment Specialist, helping people with mental health issues get back into the workplace (or get into the workplace for the first time!). We rarely had participants because the system rewarded them more for sitting home collecting a check. But the offices needed to be cleaned, so guess who did it? People used to place a penny under their desk to see if I had vacuumed. If someone's telephone had dust on it, I got a lecture. If one of the restrooms ran out of TP, that was my fault because six rolls apparently wasn't enough to go two days. By contrast, in 2023 the cleaning lady leaves us nasty notes if there's too much trash. Who's working for who? As to buying American, good luck. I did pay $250 for an L.C. King denim barn coat last year and I don't regret it. But that is so insignificant in the rest of the year's purchases. I don't hear the car makers saying anything about buying American anymore. My wife's Bronco was made in Mexico. Every time I buy a part for my Impala, it is marked "made in China" regardless if I buy it at the local parts store, Rock Auto, or the Chevy dealer. Makes no difference. As to buying local in general, I do try. And a good percentage of the time they don't have something in stock and say "I can order that for you". I say, "I can do that myself". As to guitar stuff.... I gave up on Fender telling the truth about anything a LONG time ago. "On the XYZ models, we carve the bodies out in the US, then they are sent to Mexico to be sanded, then back across the border to be spray painted, but then back to Mexico to be buffed, then they are assembled in the US, except the ABC models, which is exactly the opposite. Subject to change without notice. " Gibson and Martin at least have labels that hopefully speak the truth. But I bet in my lifetime I will see both Gibson and Martin's daily production move to China, leaving only a 'custom shop' of sorts in the US.

In the 70s all Gibson acoustics were 25.5”. I think it was around ‘83 they switched back to the traditional lengths.

In the early 80s my father gave me his Springfield Reliance 22, that he got new in 1934 for $2.98. He used a couple big mailing tubes and a box or two to wrap it up in. Once wrapped, it looked like the world’s largest bicycle pump. Ralphie’s best present was being able to paste Scut Farkus in the mouth about 37 times and making him cry like a little b_____!

In my neck of the woods we add: ”I’m gonna haul right off and…” or ”I’m gonna draw right off and…” Picture an old western movie where, in the fist fights at the saloon, someone will draw their fist back before striking someone in the jaw. Should be obvious but maybe not. It just adds a little “I’m serious about getting this done” seasoning to the intended action. Another one I might add to the END of the proposed action proclamation is “right in front of God and everyone”, lending an even more layer of gravitas and resolve. (getting up off the couch) ”I’m gonna go haul right off and take a leak and then get another beer, right in front of God n everyone.”

Tighten the the truss rod a tiny bit. Shoot for 0.007” if you want a target.

His brother was Lat Long, the famous cartographer.

According to a gentleman I spoke with at the Gibson Garage, there are no plans for a 175 or any of its variants.

I was there in 2007. I walked a lot. I was amazed by how well kept the residential areas were. There were houses from the 1920s that looked like they were just built. And the businesses downtown had very nice people. I walked into one store and a lady asked if I’d like a coffee or a bottle of water. It has a nice vibe overall. People tend to call it a small town but my town is about 8000 people so Bozeman seemed bigger.

I’ve told this story already but it bears repeating. About 15 years ago a guy brought me two LG-1s to sell on consignment. One was a 1967 with belly up bridge and likely lighter bracing, the other a 1968 with belly down bridge and presumably heavier bracing. Not double x, as I believe they didn’t start that until 1971. The heavier 1968 sounded better.

If there isn't any paint in the crack at this time, you should glue it NOW. If you strip the green off, you will get paint into the crack and the glue won't hold.

I’d be more concerned with the narrow nut width than anything else. Looks ’68 to me! Don’t worry about it being overbuilt. I’ve played some from that era that were very nice.

Email them to me ksdaddy@yahoo.com

There are a couple ways you could use. Actually more than a couple. If that were on my bench, I would be looking closely at the crack to see if I saw clean wood in the crack. If so, I would likely try to open the crack a little and working yellow wood glue into the crack. I would also use compressed air to work the glue in deeper. Then clamp. You’ll need a long cabinet clamp. Maybe you could use a ratchet strap if you don’t have access to a proper clamp. Another method would be to squeeze the crack shut (by the aforementioned methods) and then drizzling “hot” (super thin) super glue directly onto the closed crack. Despite most people’s experience with super glue bonding immediately, walk away and let it cure overnight. I don’t want to downplay this crack, but believe me when I tell you, you can fix it yourself and you do not need to look for another body.

I'm not one to travel. In fact the only time I've gone on a plane was to the Homecoming in Bozeman in 2007. We've been planning a trip to Nashville and Memphis for a couple years now, likely hit the talking stages pre-covid and just bumped back until the crisis was over. We have our flights, which they keep changing. We have our hotel, which is not far from Broadway, and most important, we are scheduled for a day trip to Memphis to see Sun Studios and Graceland. My #1 goal is Memphis Recording Service, 706 Union Avenue. I just want to be able to say I was there. As to Nashville, I do want to see the Country Music Hall of Fame and Ryman. I'd like to go to Gruhn's but it's a little out of town... maybe an Uber? We do not have an itinerary other than the Memphis side trip and the Grand Ole Opry (Gatlin Bros and Crystal Gayle are scheduled that day). I'm not a little bit panicked, wondering where something will go wrong. Not a traveler, me.

I first saw her on the cover of a 1977 Guitar Player. I didn’t actually see and hear her until Austin City Limits in the 80s sometime. A friend’s son worked with her and John Lee Hooker on some type of collaboration around 2000 or so. He said Bonnie was a sweetheart. He also said John was in a hurry to get home, apparently his wife was much younger and he very much wanted to “spend time” with her as often as possible lol.

I was at work and happened to be alone at my end of the building. I was hung over and sick. A female coworker came down the hall and told me a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. All I could picture was a little Cessna smacking into the building and wondering how in the world they would be able to clean up the mess, up high like that. Next thing I knew, a report came in that a second plane had hit, and we got the call to shut the office down for the day. I think 9/11 has affected me a lot, even though I’m a few states away and didn’t lose anyone, nor did I have any direct affect in the ensuing military actions. But now I tend to think of things as “pre-911” or “post 911”. I listen to old Art Bell shows at night and when the announcer says (paraphrased) “this show was originally broadcast on August 4, 2001” or similar, I cringe and feel sick, knowing 9-11 was coming up.

Daisy is my 3-1/2 year old Jack Russell Shorty. I’ve had lots of dogs and loved them all but none as much as this one. People say, “oh God, how can you have a Jack Russell?” And I reply, “how can I NOT?”