Yet Another Re-Introduction

[John Shiflet]

Greetings.

It occurred to me lately that my sudden arrival at this group may have been perceived as too intrusive and outspoken. I sincerely regret that. In truth, I happily felt like I had landed on my home planet when I first posted here a few weeks ago. What's not to like here? You have here a forum dedicated to one of the most respected brands in the world of guitars-Gibson-that has attracted thousands of loyal fans and followers around the world who have spread Goodwill for Gibson wherever they go. I've already shared that I have a business background and classify myself as semi-retired at 73. And can you imagine this, I tend to write a lot?

I write for our local Newspaper, the Harrison County News Herald that goes back to the early days of my adopted hometown of Cadiz, Ohio, which was founded in 1803, the same year Ohio gained statehood. I'm a staunch believer in a free and independent Press and feel privileged to be allowed to make regular contributions to the local  paper including coverage of our local musical performances at our uniquely named Sally Buffalo Park with it's small lake, Wallace Lodge, a large year-round RV park,  as well as its new Mark at the Park music performance shed, opened last year that may be the genesis of something much bigger as this small Ohio River Valley town has some very passionate musical fans. Maybe that's an Ohio thing-I've only been here just a little over 3 years have arrived here from Fort Worth, Texas. But the Rock & Roll Hall of fame is in Cleveland to my north, and Rock & Roll music has deep roots in the Buckeye state. 

I should confess that one of the reasons I can basically furnish written articles to be published whenever I wish  is because I insist on donating my writing rather than charging the paper the 45 cents per word rate for paid writers. And if you think that's cheap, you should see how much I'm willing to pay to get people to listen to my guitar playing! Seriously, though, I'm presently Gibson-less because after trading in my 50 year old firstborn, well almost, my '74 Gibson SG, for a stellar acoustic, my full Chicago Music Exchange visit game plan included bringing home a Cherry Red ES 335 Custom Shop example but my SG trade-in value was somewhat low-balled (I even had my original sales slip, owners manual, and key, for heavens sake! And the guitar had slept in its case for over 30 years) not leaving me with enough trading Shekels to do a Gibson 335 deal. A last ditch quote made in writing by the assistant sales manager, reached that hallowed ground where sellers and buyers are seeing eye to eye. but all that came crashing down when the tax man and shipping man stepped in the way, pushing the total sales price to over 5 grand. Sorry, but as much as I wished,  I'm not a five grand guitar buying kind of guy , I don't live in the rarified exclusive world of Gucci,  Prada,  Louis Vuitton,  and Versace. Instead, I  buy Robert Graham $200 designer guitar themed button down shirts used for $38 on e-Bay so that I can make a splash at the Chicago Music Exchange mega guitar store and BTW,  I actually did that.  Also BTW, no one even noticed the shirt with guitars printed under the cuffs...  No, that 335 custom shop Goddess of Guitar beauty remains elusive making me feel like Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea character with his trophy of a lifetime being in the grasp of his hands for just a little while before disappearing again forever.  As I glumly emailed back to the CME sales manager, the added taxes and shipping pushed my Ramen-noodles-every-night budget beyond it's stretchable limits-apparently, it's the over 65,  fixed income thing, ya know?  So, now I promise to take a more measured approach to my posts and not fall guilty to charges of hogging the message board,

Last, if a post is Gibson related, I never get tired of reading it. I opined in one post that I thought Gibson was a National Treasure,  and I was sincere in that statement. Gibson truly is a larger than life company and helped launch the careers of some of America's greatest singers and musicians. (side note: yeah, I know, no amount of Gibson schmoozing is going to bring that Custom Shop 335 any closer to me, so please don't take it that way) No, I sincerely mean everything I've written about Gibson as being true and from my heart. Thanks for allowing me a place to socialize here with people I have things in common with,  I feel like I'm in very good company whenever I'm here.