fortyearspickn

Might have taken a more predictable turn. "Is Quiche real food?" "Does Beer count?" Is a 12 pack better than a 6 pack for some songs?

Back in the '70s, the US had "Super Fund Sites" : approximately 1000 locations where toxic chemicals had permeated the environment. Love Canal in NY was the most notorious. There was a big one a dozen miles from us in Houston - where an entire development was closed. People moved out - I assume the government paid for their houses - like a ghost town, or a Stephen King movie if you drove through. They soon closed the roads in. I would guess FEMA was created in 1979 in part due to this event. They are now under Homeland Security. I would think this would be at least as important as a hurricane or tornado. I hope these people get peace of mind very soon !

As horrific as the Turkey earthquake has been - I really and concerned about the chemical spill and fire in the East Palestine, Ohio train de-railment. It must be sheer terror to think you - and your children - may be breathing air with chemicals that are lodging in your lungs - to cause possible problems down the road. Because most people cannot afford to pick up and move. Story has moved to the back pages though on the media.

"devil's advocate'' !!??? ''just wanted to get a rise out of people'' ..!.. 'had a couple of enemies' !! ... "made me feel welcome" ??? I'd like to nominate myself to be President of his Fan Club.

While some closer to him may have felt Sgt Pepper to be amusing - I’d have to guess he drove away more members than he won over.

I stand corrected. She sounds like she is truly focused on her music, and will treasure a really good HBird. Has earned it!

I think it’s like giving up smoking. Once you’ve Really Decided, it’s easier. And gets easier every day. I haven’t had a ciggybutt in 22 years or bought a guitar in 10. Now, BEER …..

Many think the HBird is one of the nicest looking acoustics out there. I’m guessing THAT is the main criteria your daughter is considering, as opposed to tone or “the best era/vintage”. She may have done a lot of on line googling/oogling of Koa and Quilted Maple (2 of the prettiest woods out there), and narrowed her preference to a particular shade of sunburst, but you might consider a halfway step before getting her the top of the line. Chances are she will move on from guitars to other things soon. Chances even better in 2-3 years when she graduates from HS. If she gets her forever guitar now, it will possibly be the end of “the journey” for her. It could wind up sitting in her trunk outside her dorm room over some 3 day weekend. This is based on having a grown up daughter and 6 granddaughter. You know best, most certainly. To answer your question, the Vintage or True Vintage models are probably the “best”. Koa and Maple are not the “official’ tone wood that made it famous. G’Luck.

Steve, That old Buck is a thing of beauty. Looks like you take really good care of it: clearly you don't jingle your car keys in the same pocket! I have an old Spyderco I've been carrying every day for half that amount of time. Had to send it in once - it lost one of those funny screws they use. Replaced it, tightened it up and sharpened it - no charge. I guess they get lots of old knives sent in from older men. Almost lost it once - went to pay a speeding ticket - turned out to be a 'Traffic Court' with a metal detector. The cop told me to just leave it with him and pick it back up on the way out. I guess he realized the crazy patchwork quilt of different knife laws in each city and town only served to create confusion.

" Every right-winger was b!tchin' about how long it took the current CIC to shoot it down. " Describing them as '*****ing' sounds to me like you disagree with that group. - The only logical conclusion is that you feel it did NOT take too long to shoot it down. Adding the statement it should have been shot down BEFORE - just throws another layer of confusion on it. Might not be people need to 'try reading' after all.

Sort of have to agree w/BBill - I don't mind a good brouhaha bordering on a dust up - but Sgt.Pepper ne. FZfan was intentionally disruptive. We get enough of that in the real world.

Third World Countries - pfffft. Probably the official in charge of enforcing building codes has a degree in Marketing. I guess the criteria for getting a high paying govt job have nothing to do with actual education of experience. It's why they can't lift themselves up by their bootstraps. News clips of the rescue efforts seem to indicate the shovel and crowbar are their main tools. Once I saw a piece of heavy equipment - like a big "Bobcat". Parked.

Reincarnation? Apparently fits in with the thread theme "I Hate Throwing Things Away".

What are you planning on using for the fretboard ?

Very Impressive ! Great family history ! If you haven't - you could try the DNA route with those companies like Ancestry dot com.

Em7th --- WOWSERS ! That was beautiful. Amazing Artistry !

We lost our German Shepherd Dog to cancer (spleen) 2 years ago. Very hard - she was only 10. Vet said cancer of the spleen was very common cause of death in GSDs. Makes me wonder, not only if there is a pre-disposition for the breed (and other breeds too?!?) - but if there's something in the food, or the heart worm, flea tick meds. I'd be pixxed if I found out some 'industry' was aware of the dangers of some ingredient, but was too lazy / greedy to spend research $ of fix it. We currently have two GSDs. I do 'scent training' with them. Lock them in the back bedroom, hide a 1'' scrap of wood with a little orange or vanilla or rosemary scent on it somewhere (on a mantel, in an open bin, under a pillow - and then have them sniff my hand, tell them "Find Hoffa" and they'll find it -usually in less than a minute. "Find Hoffa" is the command they use for the Cadaver Dogs. They can find a body in a lake - from the bubbles floating to the surface from the decomposing body. Amazes our grandkids. They think it's a trick, like when I pull a quarter out of their ear.

Not to digress - I said my piece on Monday morning - but Sheryl Crow (the person/performer) isn't half bad. Give a listen to "All I Wanna Do" and /or a look at her video "First Cut Is the Deepest." Lotta great shots of her Gibson on that one. And her. She has toured/performed with the likes of Michael Jackson, Jimmy Buffet, Emmylou, George Strait, etc. I would guess she's done more as a song writer. Was favored to win two big awards (Grammys?) but lost out to Kelly Clarkson. From MO, she started out with a '62 Gibson Country Western but eventually asked Gibson to produce a copy for her. I guess she feared it would start to look like Willy's Martin - "Trigger". Problem is - she's a 'pop' singer and all over the place. Plays more 'benefits' and things it seems than most. Which, I guess is actually a good thing. So - while many think signature guitars are a joke - in her case, I think it's the real deal.

I guess what 'is on my mind' is the video of Turkey's earth quake. Some tall (10-15 story) apartment buildings collapsed like an accordion. Freezing cold. Climbing death estimates at 5000 = I don't know if that is bodies found or includes people missing. "Rescuers' have shovels and crow bars. No heavy equipment or Scent-trained rescue dogs. Makes me thankful at a level I usually reserve tor Thanksgiving Dinner. Life is fragile, and in third world countries - even more so. We are very fortunate.

Phew... I thought I was the only one. So, it's not a 'mental condition' it's just Old Age. One less thing to worry about. Now I can go look for something new.

Bozeman's Made To Measure sales program- you can order your own specifications through a Five Star Dealer. I believe the wait it longer than most people would enjoy. I have 3 guitars - an SJ200 in addition to the J45 and H'Bird. It is not what I would call loud or 'snappy'. It is definitely different than the other 2 - sort of like a concert piano compared to an upright piano. You may need to get straight in your head, between your ears - what you are looking for in terms of 'complementing' your J45. Deeper bass, louder, snappier, 'fuller', deeper. Word Salad ? A Taylor will sound different, but for many who prefer Gibsons - the Taylor sound doesn't 'complement' it so much as - is the opposite. G'Luck.

Assuming you either intended to 'go play the thing' or are unable to ... you asked specifically about the 2000 model SCCW construction and 'complementing' your J45. I'm fairly certain they weren't terrifying tops yet back then. Probably not hide gluing either. But whenever it would complement your J45.... I would say yes. It is, after all, just a Hummingbird. And even thought the same short scale, spruce top and hog back and sides - they sound remarkably different than a J45. So, in that respect - it would 'complement it. Close but distinctly different. I have a J45 and an H'Bird and they are clearly different sounding - both great. Made in 'this century'. I assume the round vs square shoulder body makes a big difference. I would not hesitate to buy either or both again.

Confession: I take parts and pieces off broken stuff before I throw it out, and save it in my garage. I'm guessing I'll be hearing the shouts and curses of my children, when I'm dead and gone, as they try to figure out what to do with all the stuff. Afraid to just throw it out without trying to figure out what it is and if it is worth keeping. Moving is a pain in the axe - and the garage is the worst room in the house. BUT - cleaning out a house after a crazy old fart of a hoarder has gone on to the big Garage Sale In The Sky - well, sort of like He1! on Earth. (and this in spite of the fact that my wife is an Oprah Acolyte and believes in throwing stuff out indiscriminately. In my closet - "If you haven't worn it in a year - it goes to the Salvation Army." So my irreplaceable USN Pea Coat went to some yahoo probably using it as a dog bed. Grrrr.

I'd love to have a snake or two - wife would leave me though. I got attached to a few when I volunteered at our local zoo. But, yeah, like some dogs who haven't learned to be gentle taking an offered pork chop out of your hand - they don't spend time trying to figure out where the pork chop ends and your hand begins.

I'd be more concerned with the impact on sound of that thick pick guard, than the bridge pin material! I just replace plastic pins with the mold seam because they look cheap - with bone with abalone inlays. But do not believe the human ear can hear the difference between most materials - brass excepted. If you take off pins and put different ones on when changing strings - even if you use the same brand - the 'new string zing' will be all you'll hear for a long while. By which time you'll have forgotten what the old pins sounded like. To me, the only valid scientific proof would be putting different pins in on the same guitar - but with the same brand, gauge string in each of the 6 spots. OR - to find 2 identically sounding guitars (same year, make, model of course) and, using one type of pin in one and another type in the other. In the meanwhile - I'll just use bone, and try to improve the sound by playing better. Otherwise, for me - it's just putting lipstick on a pig !