overtherainbo

Hey, thought I might mention that I am a Mac lover with 3 old G3s and 3 new G5s, 2 with dual cores. Also, some of you may not have noticed that I am a bike freak. I have an 1100cc 1986 Shadow , your basic Harley-style cruiser: and a very heavy custom 1971 K1 , ( I am the original owner) on an Amen frame.

Hello, lucas 1986,

Welcome. You'll find we're a little nutty here - about guitars - What's with the straight jackets? Oh, those guys requested 'em, so they couldn't buy any more guitars. Anyway, you should feel right at home. Welcome, overtherainbo

Hello, Fellow Baby.

Look's like you found the haven and club house before me. Hope you're enjoying it too. It's the first time I've been around other guitar people for about 4 years and I'm diggin' it. Welcome. Let's hope we've found a little home for a good, long time. Best wishes, overtherainbo

Music and memories are so weird. My interest in guitars was always as a player, I mean, I have the same I-can't-take-my-eyes-off-it fascination for guitars that my puppy has for her toy - and it must be admitted, I don't have a a good voice. In spite of that, I would have to say that there are so many singing groups that have moved me emotionally. I mean, catch the Platter...

As for whether or not you are a good player, don't let everybody else define you are your goals; after all, it's a rare individual that will say something along those lines that really means to say something constructive. The methods of playing have become so diverse and defined that the guitar has a specific "dialect" in nearly a dozen styles of music.

Welcome, thevalleygirl,

I hope the guitar will keep on encouraging you. Sometimes the challenge can seem like it's just too much, but I have always found a real sense of satisfaction when I can actually began to make the sounds I was looking for. Sometimes when nothing else seems to be going right, you know, a little dog and a guitar can be just the right companions.

Hello. Fellow Babies,

My interest in guitar started the instant I heard rock n roll and guitars. It was coming out of the radio ---- at me. I felt it more than heard it. Like seeing dust motes drift and dance in a shaft of sunlight, I was drifting and dancing. I didn't know the steps, didn't know where it came from or where it was going, but I just had to know how to make...

It might be a guy thing, because I respond to the sound the guitar produces from the twangy open E string to freaky shredding: and my response is emotional, not cerebral.

Funny thing, if anyone had told me that it was impossible to learn learn to play an instrument by copying records I might have been discouraged and never learned to play.

Okay there's lots of holes in my education because I mostly play by ear. But it has been a fascinating journey. One of the things that keeps it interesting is that sometimes the technical aspect of learning a new style of playing presents a new challenge; and I find that the exploration of different musical styles

has brought me to a new sense of appreciation of music. I started out liking rock n roll, where now I also like classical music, country -old and new, Texas swing, Sons of the Pioneers, Glenn Miller, etc. That sounds positive and cool: however, it also means that somewhere down the road, I'll probably wind up liking Rap, God help me.

Currently I'm recovering from an accident that messed up my arm such that nerve impulses were not reaching my left hand, and over the course of a year it weakened to the point that I didn't have the strength to squeeze a chord. Years of effort gone.

The doctors assured me that I without surgery, I had no hope of regaining the strength of my hand; and even with the surgery, they could make no guarantee. And because I have a bad heart, I had to endure a series of tests to evaluate the probability of my survival of an operation. I was truly miserable... but

-- wonder of wonders! -- my hand started improving last year. I haven't been able to play for almost four years. It's going to be an effort because my memory of being able to play effortlessly is always in strong contrast to the reality that my playing now.

The effort to relearn is difficult and vexing; my left hand remembers nothing and has to relearn every song: it tires quickly, and it still lacks strength. By contrast, my right hand remembers everything, it wants to play all the old stuff, and is rarin' to go. But it is happening, and I am so grateful.

guitars in my collection:

1959 Fender Jazzmaster

Fender sunburst Strat

great Japanese copy Strat

1964 mahogany Country Gentleman

rebuilt, refinished, Gibson SG which I finished by installing a flat Bixby tremelo

two blond Les Pauls one with neck that badly needs to be replaced tension rod

Cygnus Echo