Lunch with Tim Armstrong Today

TDPRI · November 21st, 2006, 07:21 PM

I had the pleasure of having lunch this afternoon with Maryland TDPer Tim Armstrong at a little Mexican restaurant just out side of Wimberley, Texas. It's just about exactly half way from my house to this place. The food is just OK, but we had a real nice time and it's always good to meet another TDPer. Tim's a great guy.

Then Tim and I went to Hill Country Guitars (www.hillcountryguitars.com) and spent 45 mins talking with their owner and looking at the amazing guitars they have there. You'd never believe the fantastic guitars they have in this little town too far from any big place to have such fantastic guitars.

We drooled over 3 or 4 Custom Shop Teles that they had special built. Like CS Thinlines. A CS Esquire Custom (black with aged white top and bottom binding- WOW) and a couple of CS specially-made mid-50's relics. They were fantastic. If you're looking for something really special be sure to check them out.

He also had a large collection of Collings acoustics and even some of the new Collings electric guitars. Beautiful.

It was a fun way to spend an afternoon and I don't get to do this kind of thing very often at all. I suggest if you've got a TDPer living near you that it's time to get together and say "Hey!"

Paul Green

sean79 · November 21st, 2006, 07:23 PM

Very cool. Glad you both had the opportunity.

vic108 · November 21st, 2006, 07:28 PM

Wow! What a great way to spend the afternoon!

Tim's a great guy, he lives about 1.6 hours north of me.

I'm suprised he didn't ask for "OLD BAY" sprinkled on his TEX-MEX food!

(Would that make it CHES-TEX-MEX?)

Mark Davis · November 21st, 2006, 07:44 PM

Tim is a great guy I hope to meet someday.

Cool report thanks.

Big Tony · November 21st, 2006, 07:56 PM

It's always great to read about two TDPRIers meeting.

/ Tony

Tim Armstrong · November 21st, 2006, 09:10 PM

Yep, it was a pure pleasure to have lunch and hang out with Paul! And Hill Country Guitars was seriously G.A.S.-inducing. I wish I had three grand burning a hole in my pocket, because he had some Custom Shop Telecasters that caused serious longing in my heart...

I agree with Paul, meeting up with folks I've "virtually" known for years is a wonderful thing. He's a great, fun, cool guy, as is Lost-N-Austin, gtrjones, Ye Olde Fretmonkey, and Redd. I was gonna get together with brienwenz, but didn't get back to Austin until much later than I planned (yikes, the traffic is lousy here around rush hour!!!)(I'll call you tommorrow, brian!), and I'm still planning on meeting up with Leon Grizzard tonight to hear him saw on the fiddle...

One funny thing that came up is that I've still not gotten together with Chris S, despite the fact that we're only two hours apart (and I get up to the DC area fairly regularly). Gotta change that! Oh, and Vic, we have no excuse either!

Paul, thanks again!

Tim

Johnny Caster · November 21st, 2006, 09:19 PM

Is he as funny in real life?

0le FUZZY · November 21st, 2006, 09:40 PM

...Lucky yew Paul and lucky yew Johnny.

...Johnny, iffin yew kin --- git ole Leon tew show yew his old TELECASTER and iffin he duz show witt tew yew I are gonna be reeeeeel jealous HEE! HEE!

ye olde fretmonkey · November 21st, 2006, 09:50 PM

Tim, I'd be there tonight to see ol' Leon too if I didn't have a bunch of loose ends to tie up before leaving town Thursday.

It was great hanging out with you the other night! How 'bout the chops on that Jim Stringer?

Tim Armstrong · November 21st, 2006, 10:05 PM

Jim not only played REALLY well, he was a really nice fellow! Oh, and you sure have some cool licks in that Tele of yours, too! It was fun (if a little bit chilly!) hanging out with you at the Brentwood Tavern.

Cheers, Tim

ps- Johnny Caster, on a good day I'm quite funny! On bad day, I'm just really irritating...

Tim Armstrong · November 22nd, 2006, 01:09 AM

Just a final note on this thread, I fell asleep just after writing that last post, and almost missed meeting Leon! I got to Artz Ribs in time to catch the last half hour of fiddling and a half rack of baby back ribs (VERY good ones!). Leon is yet another darn nice fellow, and his protestations to the contrary, a pretty good fiddler.

Thanks again for the ribs!

Tim

vic108 · November 22nd, 2006, 01:24 AM

Tim,

I see you're playing THE GLOBE twice in the next few days.
Maybe if the weather clears up, I'll head that way for one of those gigs.

I went up to Vienna just before Halloween and met friends at some
little dive in town there and the next day we went to THE SUICIDE
BRIDGE RESTAURANT for lunch...some name, eh?

Best of luck...and happy trails!

Chris S. · November 22nd, 2006, 01:52 AM

Dang, wish I coulda been there. I'm still hoping to meet BOTH you guys someday!

Meanwhile, whenever you're going to be up in the DeeCee area, just let me know, we'll go do something musical, or culinary, or both.

Also, I'm sorta like you:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

on a good day I'm quite funny! On bad day, I'm just really irritating...

On a good day, I'm pretty funny. But on a bad day, I'm just funny lookin' ... ;-) CS

Leon Grizzard · November 22nd, 2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

Just a final note on this thread, I fell asleep just after writing that last post, and almost missed meeting Leon! I got to Artz Ribs in time to catch the last half hour of fiddling and a half rack of baby back ribs (VERY good ones!). Leon is yet another darn nice fellow, and his protestations to the contrary, a pretty good fiddler.

Thanks again for the ribs!

Tim

Tim got himself around that half rack pretty quick. Heck of a nice guy, and a gracious guest to say something nice about my poor scratching.

Paul in Colorado · November 22nd, 2006, 10:49 AM

Tim's a great guy to hit the pawn shops with, or to go on a guitar surfari or to go eat with. He wasn't a bad bandmate either. One of these days we'll get out to see you in your natural habitat and have a crab cake eating contest or sumthin'!

PeterUK · November 22nd, 2006, 11:12 AM

I've had the pleasure of meeting a number of TDPRI-ers at UK music and guitar shows and I can recommend it.

I've met "Rick J" - an awesome player - a number of times and been back to his place to talk and play guitars and I called on the help of "Blueblood" (my pal Leo) who did me a huge favour in collecting an amp bought via eBay in New Port Richey and drive it down to Tampa when I was on vacation.

And more recently through business I met "alheeley" and instead of taking deals and stuff, we ended up talking guitars and music!

I've still to meet Scotland (boy, I do miss him around these parts) and I've made a promise to myself to meet the likes of Paul, Chris S, Fuzzy and MJTele during my future travels.

Oh, and I'll definitely look up with the fabulous Bill Kirchen again, and hopefully Redd.

Do it today. Meet your local TDPRI-er.

Peter

Do it to day

petebradt · November 22nd, 2006, 11:55 AM

Brother Mik is one great Bay Area TDPer, as is Brother Brett, also known as Moondoggie.

Lotsa cool Bay Area TDPers. Too bad I'm not one of them. :-D

Tim Armstrong · November 22nd, 2006, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leon Grizzard

Tim got himself around that half rack pretty quick.

They were really good, and I was really hungry! If I had eaten them any faster, I would have been counting my fingers afterwards to make sure there wasn't any collateral damage!

Tim

Stuco · November 22nd, 2006, 12:49 PM

This has to be the most close nit and friendly forum on the internet.

ClearwaterMike · November 22nd, 2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

...Leon is yet another darn nice fellow, and his protestations to the contrary, a pretty good fiddler....

Okay, but did he wear that hat while he played?

(I wanna get one like in his avatar!)

Tim Armstrong · November 22nd, 2006, 02:22 PM

No, he didn't wear the hat. I assume that's because a gentleman (and Leon's definitely one) doesn't wear a hat indoors!

Cheers, Tim

singlecoilheaven · November 22nd, 2006, 05:38 PM

Wow, thanks for the hill country guitars link! I go to Austin a lot for work, I really need to get by there. I recently played an ASAT classic as a sit-in at one of my bandmates' wedding, I was impressed. A new guitar is in my near future, I'll have to go check them out. (my 16 year old Am Std Tele is needing some time off).
Tim (or anybody else), if you're staying thru the weekend you can come check my band out at The Ranch in Rockdale on Hwy 79 Friday night. Usually a big night crowd-wise as everybody's got the day off any way.

Scott

Leon Grizzard · November 22nd, 2006, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

No, he didn't wear the hat. I assume that's because a gentleman (and Leon's definitely one) doesn't wear a hat indoors!

Cheers, Tim

Do I detect some note of amusement in Mike's post? I don't wear it except outside in the sun, but I think the rule has kind of gone by board. Sloucing towards Gommorah.

Tim Armstrong · November 22nd, 2006, 08:17 PM

Just got back from a nice late lunch/guitar shop ramble with brianwenz. Brian's another great guy, very interesting too. At this rate, I'll have more friends in Austin than back home!

Quote:

Originally Posted by singlecoilheaven

Wow, thanks for the hill country guitars link! I go to Austin a lot for work, I really need to get by there. I recently played an ASAT classic as a sit-in at one of my bandmates' wedding, I was impressed. A new guitar is in my near future, I'll have to go check them out. (my 16 year old Am Std Tele is needing some time off).
Tim (or anybody else), if you're staying thru the weekend you can come check my band out at The Ranch in Rockdale on Hwy 79 Friday night. Usually a big night crowd-wise as everybody's got the day off any way.

Scott

Scott, Hill Country Guitars was purely drool-inducing. Don't go there unless you have lots of money, though! Definitely a first stop after a lotto win...

I'd come to see you, but unfortunately I'm heading back on Friday morning. I WILL be back in Austin again, enjoyed it too dang much!

Cheers, Tim

6942 · November 22nd, 2006, 08:26 PM

I went to a motorcycle festival in Berlin, Maryland a few years ago.
It's just west of Ocean City, Maryland on US 50.
It's nice being that close to the beach.
I wonder how many Marylander's belong to this forum?
Steve

Dave W · November 22nd, 2006, 08:33 PM

Tim, sorry we couldn't get together again, see you next visit. Hopefully we can do a little San Antonio tour.

bkirchen · November 23rd, 2006, 02:01 PM

Hi Tim,
Sorry I missed you, but it sounds like you somehow soldiered on without me. See you in Berlin, MD the 23rd.
Peace & Twang, Bill

sixtiesreject · November 23rd, 2006, 04:22 PM

Hello Hello Tim--
Great to hang out with you! Sorry I couldn't provide more "local colour"
for you but " I ain't from around here"!! I'll have to show you some guitars next time.
Brian.

November 21st, 2006, 07:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
TDPRI Administrator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: TDPRILAND Posts: 7,378 46 Photos	Lunch with Tim Armstrong Today I had the pleasure of having lunch this afternoon with Maryland TDPer Tim Armstrong at a little Mexican restaurant just out side of Wimberley, Texas. It's just about exactly half way from my house to this place. The food is just OK, but we had a real nice time and it's always good to meet another TDPer. Tim's a great guy. Then Tim and I went to Hill Country Guitars (www.hillcountryguitars.com) and spent 45 mins talking with their owner and looking at the amazing guitars they have there. You'd never believe the fantastic guitars they have in this little town too far from any big place to have such fantastic guitars. We drooled over 3 or 4 Custom Shop Teles that they had special built. Like CS Thinlines. A CS Esquire Custom (black with aged white top and bottom binding- WOW) and a couple of CS specially-made mid-50's relics. They were fantastic. If you're looking for something really special be sure to check them out. He also had a large collection of Collings acoustics and even some of the new Collings electric guitars. Beautiful. It was a fun way to spend an afternoon and I don't get to do this kind of thing very often at all. I suggest if you've got a TDPer living near you that it's time to get together and say "Hey!" Paul Green

November 21st, 2006, 07:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
vic108 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mudwogweap, VA Age: 53 Posts: 1,010 9 Photos	Wow! What a great way to spend the afternoon! Tim's a great guy, he lives about 1.6 hours north of me. I'm suprised he didn't ask for "OLD BAY" sprinkled on his TEX-MEX food! (Would that make it CHES-TEX-MEX?) __________________ Guitars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no guitars

November 21st, 2006, 07:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 59 Posts: 18,635	Tim is a great guy I hope to meet someday. Cool report thanks. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

November 21st, 2006, 07:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Big Tony Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, by golly! Age: 55 Posts: 2,841 30 Photos	It's always great to read about two TDPRIers meeting. / Tony __________________ {8^)>

November 21st, 2006, 09:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,701	Yep, it was a pure pleasure to have lunch and hang out with Paul! And Hill Country Guitars was seriously G.A.S.-inducing. I wish I had three grand burning a hole in my pocket, because he had some Custom Shop Telecasters that caused serious longing in my heart... I agree with Paul, meeting up with folks I've "virtually" known for years is a wonderful thing. He's a great, fun, cool guy, as is Lost-N-Austin, gtrjones, Ye Olde Fretmonkey, and Redd. I was gonna get together with brienwenz, but didn't get back to Austin until much later than I planned (yikes, the traffic is lousy here around rush hour!!!)(I'll call you tommorrow, brian!), and I'm still planning on meeting up with Leon Grizzard tonight to hear him saw on the fiddle... One funny thing that came up is that I've still not gotten together with Chris S, despite the fact that we're only two hours apart (and I get up to the DC area fairly regularly). Gotta change that! Oh, and Vic, we have no excuse either! Paul, thanks again! Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

November 21st, 2006, 07:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
sean79 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: northcentral/western Pennsylvania Posts: 2,986 8 Photos	Very cool. Glad you both had the opportunity.

November 21st, 2006, 09:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Johnny Caster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Antonio, TX Age: 23 Posts: 1,082	Is he as funny in real life? __________________ "I'm gonna toss my telecaster through the television screen cause I don't like what's goin on!" - Radiators From Space

November 21st, 2006, 09:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
0le FUZZY Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kolly-forn-knee-ya Posts: 9,999 6 Photos	...Lucky yew Paul and lucky yew Johnny. ...Johnny, iffin yew kin --- git ole Leon tew show yew his old TELECASTER and iffin he duz show witt tew yew I are gonna be reeeeeel jealous HEE! HEE!

November 21st, 2006, 09:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
ye olde fretmonkey Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin Age: 49 Posts: 3,695	Tim, I'd be there tonight to see ol' Leon too if I didn't have a bunch of loose ends to tie up before leaving town Thursday. It was great hanging out with you the other night! How 'bout the chops on that Jim Stringer? __________________ Just 'cause that's the way things are, that never did make it right.

November 21st, 2006, 10:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,701	Jim not only played REALLY well, he was a really nice fellow! Oh, and you sure have some cool licks in that Tele of yours, too! It was fun (if a little bit chilly!) hanging out with you at the Brentwood Tavern. Cheers, Tim ps- Johnny Caster, on a good day I'm quite funny! On bad day, I'm just really irritating... __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

November 22nd, 2006, 01:09 AM	#11 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,701	Just a final note on this thread, I fell asleep just after writing that last post, and almost missed meeting Leon! I got to Artz Ribs in time to catch the last half hour of fiddling and a half rack of baby back ribs (VERY good ones!). Leon is yet another darn nice fellow, and his protestations to the contrary, a pretty good fiddler. Thanks again for the ribs! Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

November 22nd, 2006, 01:24 AM	#12 (permalink)
vic108 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mudwogweap, VA Age: 53 Posts: 1,010 9 Photos	Tim, I see you're playing THE GLOBE twice in the next few days. Maybe if the weather clears up, I'll head that way for one of those gigs. I went up to Vienna just before Halloween and met friends at some little dive in town there and the next day we went to THE SUICIDE BRIDGE RESTAURANT for lunch...some name, eh? Best of luck...and happy trails! __________________ Guitars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no guitars

November 22nd, 2006, 10:49 AM	#15 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 57 Posts: 5,329 3 Photos	Tim's a great guy to hit the pawn shops with, or to go on a guitar surfari or to go eat with. He wasn't a bad bandmate either. One of these days we'll get out to see you in your natural habitat and have a crab cake eating contest or sumthin'!

November 22nd, 2006, 11:12 AM	#16 (permalink)
PeterUK Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: . Posts: 3,320	It is good to meet I've had the pleasure of meeting a number of TDPRI-ers at UK music and guitar shows and I can recommend it. I've met "Rick J" - an awesome player - a number of times and been back to his place to talk and play guitars and I called on the help of "Blueblood" (my pal Leo) who did me a huge favour in collecting an amp bought via eBay in New Port Richey and drive it down to Tampa when I was on vacation. And more recently through business I met "alheeley" and instead of taking deals and stuff, we ended up talking guitars and music! I've still to meet Scotland (boy, I do miss him around these parts) and I've made a promise to myself to meet the likes of Paul, Chris S, Fuzzy and MJTele during my future travels. Oh, and I'll definitely look up with the fabulous Bill Kirchen again, and hopefully Redd. Do it today. Meet your local TDPRI-er. Peter Do it to day __________________ .

November 22nd, 2006, 11:55 AM	#17 (permalink)
petebradt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Niner Country Posts: 4,255 12 Photos	Brother Mik is one great Bay Area TDPer, as is Brother Brett, also known as Moondoggie. Lotsa cool Bay Area TDPers. Too bad I'm not one of them. :-D

November 22nd, 2006, 12:49 PM	#19 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,567	This has to be the most close nit and friendly forum on the internet.

November 22nd, 2006, 02:22 PM	#21 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,701	No, he didn't wear the hat. I assume that's because a gentleman (and Leon's definitely one) doesn't wear a hat indoors! Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

November 22nd, 2006, 05:38 PM	#22 (permalink)
singlecoilheaven Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bryan, TX Posts: 130	Wow, thanks for the hill country guitars link! I go to Austin a lot for work, I really need to get by there. I recently played an ASAT classic as a sit-in at one of my bandmates' wedding, I was impressed. A new guitar is in my near future, I'll have to go check them out. (my 16 year old Am Std Tele is needing some time off). Tim (or anybody else), if you're staying thru the weekend you can come check my band out at The Ranch in Rockdale on Hwy 79 Friday night. Usually a big night crowd-wise as everybody's got the day off any way. Scott __________________ There are only three chords in that song, and you just missed two of them. http://www.texasknightsband.com

November 22nd, 2006, 08:26 PM	#25 (permalink)
6942 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 2,027	I went to a motorcycle festival in Berlin, Maryland a few years ago. It's just west of Ocean City, Maryland on US 50. It's nice being that close to the beach. I wonder how many Marylander's belong to this forum? Steve

November 22nd, 2006, 08:33 PM	#26 (permalink)
Dave W Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Guadalupe County, TX Age: 62 Posts: 2,077	Tim, sorry we couldn't get together again, see you next visit. Hopefully we can do a little San Antonio tour.

November 23rd, 2006, 02:01 PM	#27 (permalink)
bkirchen NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 6	Hi Tim, Sorry I missed you, but it sounds like you somehow soldiered on without me. See you in Berlin, MD the 23rd. Peace & Twang, Bill

November 23rd, 2006, 04:22 PM	#28 (permalink)
sixtiesreject Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: austin Posts: 415	Hello Hello Tim-- Great to hang out with you! Sorry I couldn't provide more "local colour" for you but " I ain't from around here"!! I'll have to show you some guitars next time. Brian.

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