Oh gawd, it's time. Time for the yearly recap. Were you naughty or nice? Thrifty or plagued by financial flatulence? A bit regretful for something bought or sold? Satisfied or still have a nagging little itch in one of those dark hard to reach places? Give us a rundown of your
Year in Gear.
This has been an interesting year down here in s. texas. I had a poquito stroke in August which left me with a forgetful right hand barely able to hold a pick much less hold a rhythm. Fortunately, after a couple of days in the hospital and a week at home I was back to my usual fumbliness and had fully regained the ability to send the cat howling to hide between the stove and fridge with just a couple of notes off the bridge pickup.
Along the way some guitars left, some made it to a new home to be played by refreshed hands and a slightly warier heart.
Guitars Bought:
First up is a magnificent '62RI that came from the manly hands of tbone. Sent all the way from that little communist community in Iowa it makes up for him wooing my blondie Harmony Meteor away from me.
Fully chromed with a real deal mini-bucker in the neck, a Bigsby that will make more than your hair stand on end and, AND stay in tune as well as a Florence Voodoo (courtesy of Tom(lct) of Skull Island) in the bridge that requires you make a
Guitar Face everytime you flip the position switch to the
"Damn, that sounds good" position. It has been christened The Fairlane and as with most things, Mo' Chrome-Mo' Better.
The next arrival was an acoustic to replace the '69 Hummingbird I had to sell a couple of years ago. After being sorely tempted (tell them, Johnny) by a 1954 J50 I ended up not feeling the Magic upon closer playing. So with the itch not scratched and money burning a hole thru my Levis I came upon this little beauty.
It's a Del Arte sloped shoulder dred. A model I've been lusting after since playing the store owner's a few years ago. It simply sings and will sound even more nicer after opening up some more.
Amps Bought:
I was pretty well satisfied with what I got until Tom of Skull Island fame presented this little bugger with all the aplomb of Satan tempting the seemingly self-satisfied.
It's a modified SF Bassman thru a Weber Michigan powered by EL34s. Best described by Tom as sounding like a
"blues breaker on heroin."
GeeGaw Bought:
Again, as always, it's the accessories that kill you. Completing this year's extravagance was a Nobels Overdrive, a Boss BF-2, a Signalflex A/B box, and some George Ls.
Guitars Sold:
My lovely "Freddie" Goldtop tele to my best friend who in turn sold it to a student kid of his who was going GAGA over it.
The Telestar Mona with amp-in-case to the same friend. I'd won this guitar in a raffle at the same shop that I bought the Del Arte.
Traded:
Nothing.
That's it. I didn't keep things as
"Lateral" as I usually like to do but the cat didn't miss a meal and granted, part of the Get was a Gift to myself for managing to stay around a bit longer.
And you?
The "Not missing Whataburgers as much as I thought I would"
trey