All my excuses...have just been taken away

I just had a humbling experience. A local celebrity just came into my office and saw my guitars and said "hey, you're a player". And he saw this odd little guitar in the corner and asked about it.

1st off I said, "well er no", I am not actually a player, more of a "practicer". But I told him to pick her up and give her a go. And of course, this guitar... which has been with me since I was 17 and has crazy high action, buzzys like crazy when I play her because I can't keep consistent finger pressure on her and has the bridge lifting - sounds beautiful when he picks her up.

Off course I had to lay down a compliment, and all he said was "time in".

His name is Brent Mason and he is a regular on the circuit around here. Below is a clip of him playing on stage. He's a bit of a story teller. All good fun.

Brent

Nice story. Just out of interest, why was he in your office? If it could be a regular thing, maybe you've got yourself a playing buddy 😀

Also got me thinking of a nice, underrated, but probably much better known Canadian singer/songwriter, Jacob Moon from not too far away in Ontario. I love his cover of Rush's Subdivisions:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W4vd9OVLO7Q

Sorry, can't seem to hyperlink these things.

I really don't know much about Brent Mason nor his music. But a guy that I have taken some Skype lessons with, Steve Krenz, has a Brent Mason Valley Arts Telecaster. Interesting contradiction because if you read that story its a Tele type guitar made for a while by Gibson.

I know Steve loves the guitar.

I can relate. My guitar buzzes and thumps at me all the time and I wanna blame the guitar, but I know it's me. It's frustrating sometimes cause even though my calluses are built up I still feel I have to press down hard enough in order for strings to make a good sound especially on barre chords, but then my hand and fingers hurt so I have to stop which limits the practice time which I need in order to alleviate the incorrect finger positions I'm placing which is causing the buzzing and thumping in the first place. Vicious cycle. [br] [br]Im thinking of picking up a cheap electric cause I read they are easier on fingers but I don't want my fingers to get too soft again either. Plus I wanna give it more time before making major investment in gear. [br][br]Oh well one thing I've gotten out of this forum so far is that there seems to be a lot of " older beginners" like us who are having the same issues. Its comforting to know I'm not alone.

Send that guy my way. Maybe he can make my guitar cry and sing. 😂 [br][br]

Originally Posted by: mjgodin

I can relate. My guitar buzzes and thumps at me all the time and I wanna blame the guitar, but I know it's me. Vicious cycle. [/quote][p]

Hi mjgodin

Reading your post, wanted to share a couple of hopefully helpful thoughts.

IMV&E a guitar is a tool. The right tool for purpose of decent quality makes any job a [u]lot[/u] easier, so it's not necessarily just "me" (you). By the right tool I mean the right guitar for your purpose, which is also a good personal fit. Doesn't have to be expensive, just good design, reasonable build quality and properly set up.

[quote=mjgodin]Im thinking of picking up a cheap electric cause I read they are easier on fingers but I don't want my fingers to get too soft again either. Plus I wanna give it more time before making major investment in gear.

Playing an electric won't cause your fingers to "get too soft", nor will finger strength be lost. Electric is merely a different tool with a different sound and feel. Lots of things about electric though do make it beginner friendly. Ultimately, learn and practice on what you intend to play for the style you are interested in. "Time in" and recurring recency or currency is what conditions fingers, electric or acoustic. I play both.

I comprehend reticence to spend on a lot of gear until committed, but 'wrestling'.with a rubbish guitar is just frustrating. Learning to play is challenging enough as it is. One doesn't have to make a "major investment" to buy a decent guitar, these days, acoustic or electric. Something like this will set you back less than the weekly grocery bill, and fitted with a set of good strings and setup you can do yourself, plays gobsmackingly well.

Originally Posted by: Poundhound

Nice story. Just out of interest, why was he in your office? If it could be a regular thing, maybe you've got yourself a playing buddy 😀

He has performed in some of the same shows as my son, so aside from my postal connection, I guess I have a connection through my son as well. Really nice guy, though.

Originally Posted by: matonanjin2

I really don't know much about Brent Mason nor his music. But a guy that I have taken some Skype lessons with, Steve Krenz, has a Brent Mason Valley Arts Telecaster. Interesting contradiction because if you read that story its a Tele type guitar made for a while by Gibson.

I know Steve loves the guitar.

Different Brent Masons matonanjin2

Thanks for the advice manxcat. I'll give it some thought, and since my taste is mostly country and folk a Tele style would be my choice in electric.

Even though I have more classic HSS Strat style units, I truly love Tele's both to play in the ergonomic sense, and their characteristic sound. They're a really good fit for me ergonomically and stylistically. With the right pickups, super versatile even without a humbucker.Although that can be accomodated too these days if wanted.

Even though almost 70 years has elapsed since the first subsequently renamed "Telecaster" came to market, Leo got the essential design right FMM.

Really just echoing what manX and others have said > get the best guitar you can afford and aguitar that wants you to play it. Wanting to play guitar is three things; physical, ergonomic and emotional.

Physical and ergonomic are kinda the same thing but I differentiate between the two a bit.

Ergonomics is really a matter of (oversimplified) of whether or not the guitar seems confortable to play. Is it good when you sit to practice? Does feel right when you're standing while strapped? Do you feel like playing it seems comfy or does the instrument seem like it's fighting you? You want to be sure that the guitar you play does not seem like a strain to do so. If it did, you stop enjoying it.

What's physical, then? Similar (very) to ergonomics, it's a matter of how the instrument feels when you play. Physical also bleeds in to emotional a bit. When you play, you're doing a physical task and it has to feel like you're playing the instrument. You are (eventually) in command. That you are playing the guitar and the guitar is not playing you. Like your current guitar, with its challenges, the guitar is playing you. It's telling you what it is capable of doing. On anice playing guitar that you enjoy, you are more able to tell the guitar what you're playing. It seems like an abstraction in a way but I've been playing since the early 80's and every guitar I've purchased has to meet this criteria of my being in command of the instrument.

Emotional? Though it explains itself, when you want to play a guitar, you will play a guitar. It's not just the physical and ergonomics that play in to this role (thought they are very important) but that even when you're sitting across the room and looking at the guitar, you saying 'Yep, just pick up. Even for a few chords." That means that the look, feel and vibe of the guitar matter.

This is all food for thought and only adding to others but it's info that I've used when considering guitars I've owned (or now own...). I personally think it is usewful to get the best guitar you can reasonably afford. If the bedget is limited, there is still an enormous number of guitars that play great and at really affordable prices.

Also, don't worry about callouses, just playing hardens up your fingers not matter electric or acoustic. Just get something you want to play.

There has been so much talk on the right guitar I thought I would chime in about my old girl.

It's not an easy instrument to play, but she has been with me this far, and she will stay till the end. I don't play her much, but she is never far from me.

Originally Posted by: William MG

Different Brent Masons matonanjin2

Oh. Sorry.

I appreciate the advice. I gree that the guitar should be comfortable and playable to you. It's easy to go for the brand and we all know which ones those are. They start with the letter F or G, but there are other good brands out there and it is very important to find one you like and feel comfortable with so when the time comes I will go in the store and try as many as I can.

My acoustic isn't really all that bad. It's an Ibanez AEL-20 Electric acoustic. It was gifted to me by someone who played it for her church group but lost her battle to cancer some time ago so it does have an emotional connection just in a different way, but it sat in it's case for a few years. I had it brought it in to a local shop and had the tech look at it and give me his opinion. After a small tweek of the truss rod he said it's in fine shape for what it is. It's not professional quality, but certainly not some department store knock off either. He said he used to see them hangin on the wall brand new for about the 250-400 range so that's not bad for a beginner guitar. I believe Ibanez is a reputable brand.

I'll keep her and keep playing to work out the kinks. Maybe after tax return I'll see what I can budget for an electric. I'm not opposed to going the second hand route if that will get me something better.

Ok back to practice now. .

Moe

Originally Posted by: William MG

There has been so much talk on the right guitar I thought I would chime in about my old girl.

It's not an easy instrument to play, but she has been with me this far, and she will stay till the end. I don't play her much, but she is never far from me.

I learnt initially all those years ago on a then probable equivalent of Yamaha's C40/70/80 I'd bought at around the same age whilst still at high school courtesy of income from my casual night fill job. Relative to earnings, guitars were a lot dearer in those days. It was Made in Japan at that time, with all the Japanese penchant for attention to detail and striving for perfectionism in what they do.

In complete honesty, I can't recall its fate for certain as I had a lot going on in my life at the time I can last definitely recall seeing it. I'd moved out of home aged 20, and had been on the move relocating constantly in the interim as making it in an ultra competive and demanding aviation industry and services required in those days. I suspect it may have been 'trashed' along with everything else from my childhood left in the temporary 'safekeeping' of my childhood home by the jealous brother seeking to take vengeful advantage of circumstances offered by my resentful mother (I was the baby of four surviving brothers and last in the nest at the time I left) when she moved from the house into an apartment. I'll never truly understand that mentality any more than I am capable of it. Both are long gone now, and only pity for the inner torment which drove them to manifest itself in such actions remains. Nevertheless, I thought I had sold the Ibanez SG prior, but with no clear recall of that event try as I might, memory fails confirmation for absolute certain. I fear it may have met the same job lot selloff or dumping in clearout skip fate.

20:20 hindsight isn't nostalgia afflicted though.

Although it served me well enough to learn basic fingerstyle, fundamental chords and a few barre chords at the time so I could play simpler songs, I recall 'hating' that chunky, wide Classical neck, wide string spacing and ultra high action once I became aware of an alternative, and especially once I subsequently experienced the characteristics of my Ibanez SG. Apart from some simplistic Spanish flavoured fingerstyle and Am, G, F E chord runs down the neck or first form fingered, my objective and interest at the time I bought my initial guitar was to learn, and more folk rock orientated. America, Neil Young, Seals & Crofts, John Denver, Cat Stevens. So that nylon, bought on poor if well intentioned received advice, was the wrong choice of instrument and fit for me at a time when it was my initial and only guitar for about 15-18 months.

Love to still have it now as a memento though.

manX

Originally Posted by: mjgodin

My acoustic isn't really all that bad. It's an Ibanez AEL-20 Electric acoustic.

Ibanez AEL20 TBL

More than adequate to learn with which wouldn't present the limiting link even in most intermediate amateur's playing IMV.

[br]Couple of inexpensive performance enhancing and easier on the fingers tips while for you, take or leave them.

[br]1. Buy some Tone Finger Ease (spray), which is an AAA product and so very affordable in the USA it's a no brainer, and Dunlop 65 Ultraglide string cleaner & conditioner (gravity applicator) and use them.

2. [u]Fit a set of[/u] D'Addario or preferred brand [u]12-53s[/u] and check the action or have it rechecked and adjusted for their tension once fitted. I use EJ16s as my go to and can recommend them. I prefer uncoated for a number of reasons. You may prefer coated for longer life, as that Ibanez's tone is quite bright so the tonal effect of coated won't be so prominant. Even if you don't do,

3. [u]Fit new strings[/u] if you haven't for an aeon, and do so regularly. They're a consumable. This above all else is the most frequently neglected or overlooked aspect I see of so many guitarists. I can't stress enough how much this affects [u]feel and playability[/u], regardless of tuning & tone. Strings deteriorate from corrosion the consequence of exposure to moisture and dust coalescence even hanging on the wall, except perhaps if you live in a desert State? Worst in any humid tropical saline environment near the sea.

Keeping those strings fresh and slippery will be one of the best and affordable actions you can instigate to improve and maximise the comfort and pleasure in playing your instrument.