My (new-to-me) G&L George Fullerton Signature model guitar arrived this morning. The FeDeX deliveryman looked at me as I signed for the parcel, “A Guitar?” “Yep,” I responded.
At first, I resisted opening the box. But the need to confirm condition overwhelmed my desire to continue work. So, I cut open the end of the box and removed the tweed case carefully packed therein. I opened the latches and had a good look. The guitar is not perfect, but is in my kind of condition. That is, whoever had it before me cared for the instrument and took care of it.
I removed the instrument from its case and found the vibrato bar. The G&L vibrato bridge is one of the best I’ve ever used. I use a vibrato bridge when playing. That’s what it’s there for and it allows the player to drop and raise pitch, unlike bends, which can only raise the pitch.
I sat on the arm of my chair and played the instrument a little. The wave of emotion that washed over me was palpable. I was completely devastated by the intensity of my feelings. I’m still shocked at the strength of those emotions.
I suppose I repressed my feelings about music and guitars for some time. They jumped up this morning and bit me in the ass.
I put the instrument back into its case and returned to my worktable to try to work. That was a laugh. Instead, I sat in my chair and wept, nearly sobbing, for a half hour. Grief has a funny way of working itself out. My grief returned to me this morning and pummeled me for a half hour or more.
Although I’m still not sure what it was all about, I think my soul is telling me it’s time to pick up the instrument again. My first Fullerton was a marvelous instrument I should not have sold. It reached me at a deep level and was the first electric guitar I bonded with. It was an extension of my body and soul and allowed me to express myself musically in ways that I didn’t expect.
The timing is good as well. I’m nearing the end of my first purge of the house. The garage is nearly done so that project is coming to a close over the next few weeks. I have been wondering what will be next. In fact, I’ve been praying for guidance on what is next. I know when this big project is done I’ll be left hanging in that way that always happens after I am heavily invested in a big project and then it’s done.
My friend and master guitarist Scott told me to find a Fender Deluxe, either a ’65 model or the ’65 reissue. It’s not too powerful, has tubes (and tube tone), and will be a good match for my style of playing, my preferred music, and the Fullerton. I am not going to rebuild the pedalboard I once had, but intend to have only a few effects. They will be a delay, a drive, and a chorus/phaser/flanger.
What will I do with this? I have no idea yet. I think that for awhile my intent will be to permit myself to experience making music again as well as listening to it. Beyond that, I have no idea what will happen. Perhaps it doesn’t matter.
Jeepers, have you looked at the e-Bay prices for that Fender Deluxe? Holy smokes, Bullwinkle!
I looked a bit on Craigslist and found some for less than a grand. That doesn’t really surprise me too much. I found a ’65 Deluxe in the bay area for $1,500, which seems like a lot. I’ll keep looking. 🙂
Sweet!!! Pick up that instrument…. Do it! The music is in you there is no doubt. I have put it down many times and I always pick it up again. That’s just the way it is. BTW $1500 is ok. Never going to get an amp worth anything under a grand.
I can’t remember what I paid for the JT-50, but I think it was a grand and that was ten-years ago. I won’t be buying another modeling amp. I might buy another digital, but only for the acoustic and only if it’s a Trace-Elliot (or better) and I have a working acoustic gig.
For blues, clean tone, and light rock nothing beats the Fender sound. They got that right. I wish I’d bought (and kept) that Fender Bassman I had in my hands. With the two-twelves it was all I ever needed for a clean tone. It needed reverb, but that could be added. That would have been the best $600 I ever spent. I’m still kicking myself over that one.
I suppose I should say I have no idea what I’m doing. I have no goal here and it’s difficult for me to work on something this difficult without a goal. But it might do me some good to just play. I think I’ll restring the acoustic as well and play it some too. The strings on my Yairi are so bad they won’t tune.
Sometimes it is just the sound and the interaction with the instrument. No need to have a goal. Just let the music flow… Roll… Absorb the tone…
I invested in the Mesa Lone Star Special. It is a class A el84 powered massively clean 30w amp. It has 2 channels with the second equipped with additional gain stages to get that thick compressed mesa awesomeness. I found that the delay I like best is a boss DD 20. The amp has both a spring and plate reverb… Overdrive is a German made boutique pedal, the Okko Diablo.
There are many evenings I just disappear into my room and get lost there.
When I play live, I use a tc electronic g-system. It is good, but I miss the pedalboard. I will probably go back and build one again with a killer so I can mix and match like I’m used to without the dance.
Last year I also took the plunge into recording. There a few things in my YouTube channel. Nothing great, but maybe fun. I thunk you could seriously get hooked there… Be careful. The video with the moon background is all me on every part, vocal and instruments.
It’s taken me a bit to get back to this…
You could be right about just letting it happen. It will take some time to let things settle in.
Scott suggested the Fender Deluxe. I have a Full-Drive MOSFET on the way. He also suggested the Line 6 DL-4 as a delay because it has the analog sound. Now I wish I’d kept the Ibanez chorus and delay. The phaser died along the way. All three of them were great analog effects. They were underappreciated by most folks.
The EL84 tubes are quite powerful and are famous guitar amplifier tubes. I think I prefer the Fender tone to the Boogie.
The Thomastik-Infield strings arrived late last week. I need to set aside a few hours, restring the Fullerton, and set it up for the new strings. They will then need to be played in until they set.
I also bought new strings for the Yairi. I need to restring it as well. I’d actually like to take it to a luthier and have the frets leveled and the action set for my preferred strings. But then again I’d like to have the transducer replaced as well. I had research on transducers and found a unit that goes with a processor (if desired, full bypass is available) that will mimc a variety of acoustic guitars.
Oh well…
Let the music flow, screw goals. It just needs to be.
LOLOL!
I played for about an hour tonight. It was enough that my left-hand fingertips are a bit numb. 🙂