I’m so excited about the new addition to the family that I decided to really geek out and post a blog about it…with pictures! There’s a little story here too, hope you enjoy.
Way back in 1988 I decided to start a band. The reasons for this decision can be found in various blogs that I and assorted friends have posted, so I won’t go into all that, but the big thing was that I had never been in a band and couldn’t play an instrument.
Luckily I had a bunch of friends that were up for helping me out, and before long the mighty Ladyjugsaplenty was formed. I may blather on about that at a different time, because I think it is a good story, but it’s not the point here. At some point I decided that I didn’t want to go on stage as a "lead singer", so I figured I’d just learn how to play guitar. The rub, of course, was that lessons would require 2 things I didn’t have: Money and patience.
I knew a bunch of folks who could play and I shamelessly hit them up for advice on how to at least get good enough to play the simple songs that we were playing. Among others, Marco Rodoni, Timm Freeman, Chris Harvey (roomie at the time), Eric Bianchi, and Skid were more than generous with their time and advice. At one point either Timm or Chris (I don’t remember which at this point) convinced me to take a lesson at a music store called the Fifth String, which was at the east end of midtown. The store focused on acoustic instruments, and Timm/Chris used to go there and watch or participate in these informal bluegrass jams they would have on the sidewalk in front.
I did end up taking 2 lessons – the only ones I have ever taken. If you have heard me play this would not be a surprise to you, unless you were surprised that I had ever had any instruction at all. During my first visit I was stopped in my tracks by a beautiful sight: protruding from a row of stately acoustic guitars, all of which probably cost about as much as I made in a month, were 4 black points! I didn’t really know anything about electric guitars at the time other than I was going to need one and it had to be pointy…and here was a pointy guitar! It was destiny, for sure.
I put a down payment of $17.50 on it (10% of the $175) price tag, with no idea how I would ever come up with the rest. Seriously, I was making minimum wage at the time and between rent, beer, and ramen I wasn’t exactly putting anything away for a rainy day. I had mentioned this in passing to my dad, who was really excited about the fact that I was getting a band going (my dad was pretty cool), but we hadn’t talked much about it other than that.
A couple weeks later I was at my dad’s house and he asked me about the pointy guitar. I shrugged and said that they’re still holding it for me but I didn’t have any dough for them at this point. He pulled $10 from his wallet and said, "Why don’t you take this to make a payment and you can pay me back when you’re famous". Laughs were had by all. I went there the next day and when I told the guy at the counter I was going to make a payment he looked at me all funny and told me it had already been paid for they were just waiting for me to pick it up! My dad had gone in and paid for it as a birthday present, and set up the whole payment loan thing. Pretty fucking cool, I’d say. From that point on he referred to the guitar as the most expensive present anyone in North America ever bought for anyone else (that line still kills me to this day).
That guitar is a 1983 Ibanez Destroyer – the one that the guy in Def Leppard (guitarist, 2 arms) used to play, with not 1, not 2, but 3 humbuckers! It’s ridiculous! Well…see for yourself:
Honestly, considering it has 3 pickups, the tone isn’t anywhere near as burly as I would like. It was great for the way that I played back then because it’s so dirty that you really have to fuck up pretty bad for anyone to be able to tell. It also never went out of tune at gigs, and it weighs about 75 lbs so once I strapped it on it just wouldn’t move at all.
Fast forward to 2008…I’ve got kids and I want them to play an instrument, and I figure I should be a role model for that. Then one of my favorite bands ever, Go. Dog, Go! decides to have a "reunion" show at a party in Sac – the pictures are awesome and Paul sends me a CD of all their stuff. I’m officially inspired! I need a guitar that is a bit more versatile, and one that I can play while sitting down without throwing my shoulder out of joint. So…
This is a 2004 Ibanez Iceman...it was a display model at a music store and is basically brand new. It plays amazing and has a great tone, both distorted and clean. I love it! Of course I’ll never get rid of my Destroyer, but I’m pretty sure this one is going to get played a lot more often...
And yeah, I know we haven’t received our "stimulus" checks yet, but...consider the economy stimulated! Wow, this is a really long blog, sorry about that, but like I said, I’m excited. And if you have any long winded (or short winded) stories about your instruments, musical or otherwise, I’d love to hear them.
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