sparquelito

If I had a horse, I would want you to paint him, Butch. 🙂

Funny, when fujiflame first showed up, and started all his nonsense, all I could think of was, "We just lost a sweet young guy from these boards who passed away at age 31, and for a replacement we get this a$$hole??" 😔

I for one thank you. He was beyond irritating, and worse yet, he only meant to provoke, not enlighten. 🙂

Heh. How many truck stop bathrooms did you have to visit before you learned that that sort of liaison wasn't your cup of tea? Or did your doctor advise you to give it a rest? Oh, it's spelled "you", not ypu. Unless ypu is some sort of truck stop bathroom slang that I'm not hip to. Anyway, I'm through being kind to you, and endeavoring to offer you counsel on polite sociable behaviors. You clearly aren't here to pass on any sort of meaningful information. You are, as others observed early on, a common internet troll. Adios, Scooter. It's not been nice knowing you. 😉

OH MY GOD, I’M BORING (a poem) Oh my God, I’m boring a fact of which I was unaware My ego will need restoring Fuji’s done some serious damage there And it appears that I am wrong I know nothing about neck tenons, the difference between short and long, or between Sir Paul’s and John Lennon’s My forum enforces blandness and uniformity and Gibson is a terrible company My Les Paul’s neck joint has a deformity Upon my playing, surely shame and guilt will accompany I guess I should thank fujifan for his honesty Though it’s a bitter pill for me to swallow This lesson should lead to ontogeny And maybe fujifan-like wisdom will follow I sure hope that Gibson gives a listen To the truths that fujifan has to offer Then maybe in 2025 they can christen A new line of neck joints to proffer Neck joints that conform to fujifan’s standards, that offer vintage tones to players what noodles and meanders whilst playing riffs from the Rolling Stones Well, I guess I really am boring Because I just wrote a poem On a topic as exciting as vinyl flooring even the rhymes and prose are ho-hum fin Okay, I’m gonna shut up now. 😔

I pray for you, brother fujifan. If this is the be all and end all of your contribution to music, then I can only offer my heartfelt love and prayers for a happier existence for you some day. PM me, please. I have many years of experience in counseling and guiding troubled men and women toward a more peaceable and harmonious outcome. Really. You only need reach out. I love you, and I'm here for you, little brother. 🫠

Welcome, Mike. Great to have you aboard, mate. Photos of your Les Paul are always appreciated. 🙂

You assign personalities, motivations, and politics to the forum that simply do not exist. I have no idea what your history is, but clearly you have been hurt and insulted on a number of web forums. I get it. It stings. And so you lash out. But I caution you to avoid characterizing any of these fine long-time Gibson forum members as lacking in originality and humor. These guys here are not Gibson bots, and most of them have been vocal in their criticism of Gibson and many of their product. Let's go back to square one now. Why not introduce yourself, and tell us a bit about your years of playing Fuji-gen guitars, and the gigs and performances that you have engaged in? Tell us about your band members, and how well received your guitar performances are, when playing your favored instruments. (versus the times that you no doubt had unsatisfactory experiences when playing modern Gibson guitars at your gigs) Really. All is forgiven. Just tell us about yourself and your band, and your life's experiences with a variety of guitar brands. That's the stuff we really enjoy here. True life stories from the road, and from the bars and clubs where we ply our trade. I extend this hand of friendship, and look forward to a fresh start for you here. 🙂

Hi, Eric. And good evening. Here is what Fjestad's Blue Book reveals about your Epiphone Spirit. Nice guitar!! I see them on Reverb going for $1,600 to $1,900. What a cool instrument!! 😉

fujifan, I'm sure you hear this a lot in your explorations and visitations of a variety of guitar web forums and other social media and web-sites, but in my opinion you are over-compensating. For what exactly, I have no idea. But you are trying too hard. So hard that you offend at every turn, and even take a perverse pride in offending. Most would simply write you off as an internet troll. As for me, I believe there is hope and salvation for you. My recommendation is to stand back and evaluate (objectively as is possible for you) what exactly it is that you came to the Gibson forum to accomplish. And then check the blocks on those items you hoped to achieve here. Here, I'll assist you, young sir. Let's start it off. * Pissed off a lot of long-time forum members - Check * Changed anybody's mind toward your way of thinking - No. Not at all. * Amused most of us, and given us a chuckle - Check * Made yourself look like an argumentative, rationalizing, projecting fool - Check * Made friends and influenced people - No. Not at all. You get the idea. You can take it from here, I imagine. 😉

Steady lads. We are all friends here. If I had a nickle for every time there was an internet disagreement over some nebulous theory about the origins of tone, I would be retired to Bali right now. With two bare-breasted servant girls bringing me martinis. 😜

True story. A few seasons ago, I was playing a gig with my band, and I was playing my Gibson Les Paul Studio Copper-Top, a 2001 model. Weeks of band practice had led to some really tight sets, and the wedding party we were playing was rocking with a high degree of fun energy. Wedding attendees and the bride and groom were on the dance floor, and we had a ball delivering them great dance tunes and even a few requests. Set after set, great music, short breaks, lots of dancing, and everyone was having a fabulous time! At one point late in the event though, the father of the bride started pointing at me and shouting, "Stop, stop, STOP THE MUSIC!!" We lumbered to a halt, and Bob the drummer just looked at me and shrugged. What could be the matter? The raucous crowd went silent. I spoke into my mic. "What's the matter, sir?" He pointed a trembling finger toward my guitar and sneered, "Your Les Paul has a long tenon neck. It has a step down and the neck heel covers the joint. No wonder your tone sounds like crap!!" The groom exclaimed, "What the hell? You aren't playing a 1952 Gibson? I thought there was something off about your tone!" The bride burst into tears. "Whaaaaaa! His guitar isn't vintage, and now my wedding is ruined! Whaaaaaah!!" She turned and sobbed into her mothers' comforting arms. The mom glared at me angrily. The pastor stepped forward and whispered softly, "It might be best if you all just packed up and left out of here. I'll make sure you get paid, but don't expect anything more than half wages." I nodded glumly, and my band-mates and I sadly began to quietly pack up and load out. The crowd dispersed, and the jukebox began playing softly. Theme From Peyton Place was the song. My girl singer hissed at me, "Great job, John. You and your crap Les Paul ruined everything!" She turned and marched away with her Shure microphone and her flavored rum drink, headed for the parking lot. The rest of us loaded into the van and cars, and Bob the drummer and I drove away in silence. We made no conversation for quite a while. Finally a few miles up the road he said, "We gotta get you a proper early 1950's Gibson, or we will never get any jobs around this town." I sank into my seat belt shoulder harness a bit, and just nodded morosely. We drove on into the night. 😔

WOW. That is incredible hubris, naming both of you after himself. Just curious, and you don't have to answer of course, but how did you get along with your dad over the years? 🤨

Our father was Floyd Sparkman Jr, and his father was Floyd the senior. Pop, in his family, grew up 'Buddy', to keep this straight around the house. My younger brother and lifelong musical partner was christened, in February of 1961, Floyd Stacey Sparkman. To keep things less confusing, he was always known as Stacey, and never Floyd. So he grew up Stacey. Funny though, over the decades, even though he's Stacey, his closest buddies and band-mates invariably end up referring to him as Floyd. Just to get a rise out of him at first, and then as an affectionate matter of habit. Anytime I would go looking for him at some bar gig or at work at the hangar, it went like this. Me: Hi guys. Them: Hey, Spark. You looking for Floyd? He's out dicking-off somewhere. 😜

Yes, I thought I was a guitar buying fanatic, but I was nowhere near their level of greatness. 🥲

Okay, I found the answer. From one of many Reverb ads for that model (3,400 were produced between 1978 and 1979), "The 25/50 model was issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Les Paul model and the 50th anniversary of Les Paul's career. " Only a year off from the first sales of the Les Paul, and spot-on for the launch of the performer's musical career. From Wiki: "By age thirteen, Paul was performing semi-professionally as a country music singer, guitarist, and harmonica player." He was born in 1915 and began making money performing his music in 1928, so that checks out. Close enough for government work. 🙂

That's a lot of bling! Say, I am struggling with the 25/50 Anniversary designation. It appears that the model was made between 1978 and 1979 only. But those years don't seem to align with either the anniversaries of the Les Paul or Gibson as a company. 1952 for the sale of the very first Gibson Les Paul guitars, and 1902 for the start of Orville Gibson's company. Scratching my head. 🥲

Yes sir. I inherited all of my parents record albums, and going thru them (and dropping the turntable needle on most of them over the past few years) has been a trip down 1960's memory lane. You have a very rich and interesting musical history, good sir. I would love to hear more stories about your European tour back in the day. That had to have been an epic adventure. Must have been quite a job for Mr. Culbertson, keeping all you young musicians reeled in safely. 🙂

Thanks, jifov38653, The snow, icy woods walking was a lot of fun (and cardio) for all of us. I returned the running shoes back to normal configuration, and have since acquired proper slip-on ice cleats. For myself and the wife. And as Sarge indicated earlier, I'll probably never need them. But it's good to have them in my closet, ready to go!! 🙂

Trey was a real sport, and a bona fide guitar collecting maniac. I always looked forward to his postings, and reading about his latest acquisitions. badbluesplayer, I plan to get up to Johnson City later on this year for a visit. I did some work up that way with Bell Helicopters for a coupla seasons, and I always wanted to go back and hang out for a weekend. There is extra incentive now, and I want to go by Roselawn Memory Gardens there by I-26 and South Roan Road, to see Trey's final resting place. I'll let you know when that visit finally comes together, sir. 🥲

Ah, thank you. Jumper = sweater Biscuits = cookies Chuffed = very pleased I'm so chuffed about the on-site education, I'm tempted to bake you some biscuits, whilst wearing my festive jumper. 🙂

What's a jumper? 🫠

Twenty six thousand bones? My daily driver cost less than that, brand new. Admittedly, it did not come with a watch. Speaking of "buy one and you also get" marketing, does anyone else remember this Volkswagen wonderfulness from 16 years ago? https://www.cars.com/articles/buy-a-vw-get-a-guitar-1420663330505/ I owned one of those guitars. Bought it used from a local pawn shop a couple seasons ago. It had somebody's VIN for a serial number. 😒 Oh yeah. They also paid John Mayer a bit of coin to help advertise it. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=john+mayer+plays+guitar+thru+a+volkswagen#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:79e97303,vid:OrKKwjAGTA0,st:0

Man, seventy five hundred bones. That is so far outside my reasonable price range, we may as well be talking about diamond tiaras or gold-plated Harley Davidson soft-tails. 😒