Stages of life…

[LGOberean]

So many kind words from all y'all, thanks. There are some things said that I want to reply to.

Please check in, and stay on board here.

FWIW, I agree it’s not what it used to be, but what is? The one thing we humans can count on to never change, is that everything will always change.

FWIW part II- I have never gotten the impression that an overwhelming percentage of members here were gigging musicians. I’d be surprised if it was half. Seems like most of the threads I see are about home use stuff. Either for jam caves or home recording. Seems like a large percentage of the people that do gig are doing it at church, not clubs or other venues. Nothing wrong with that, but it is an entirely different pursuit than gigging for the heathen masses in dens of iniquity. Lol.

At any rate, stick around as long as you can. You’re part of the atmosphere here.

Mr. Harper, as for your first FWIW (anybody else hearing Buffalo Springfield/Stephen Stills in their head right now?), I 100% agree. I have long said that the only constant in this life is change.

As for the second FWIW, I was aware that many here don't gig. Funny, I guess I associate my being on here so much with gigging because of the time in my life when I joined. Though I learned to play guitar in 1967, I did not gig or play out in much of any capacity until the year 2000. And even then it was acoustic/electric.

In late 2007, I decided it was time to buy my own electric guitar. So the first few weeks into 2008 I started on a borrowed Strat, and realized the control layout and ergonomics were all wrong for me. Then I tried my first Telecaster (a Hwy 1) and I just knew. In my search for the right one, I found this forum and joined. I got my first tele (a Logan Custom) a month later. And it went right to work on gigs.

I played only acoustic and almost exclusively at home for 33 years before getting into gigging (after the last of my children were grown and married). I will adjust to playing mainly at home (and in old folks homes) again. I do play some every day.

Oh, and you're comment about playing "for the heathen masses in dens of iniquity" really cracked me up. For some reason it made me think of a line from a Billy Joe Shaver song that I have played and sung in years:

I got Christian raisin'
And an 8th grade education
Ain't no need in y'all a treatin' me this way

 

[LGOberean]

I only come here for the BS - I hate guitars

Did a literal LOL at that one. And if you're here for the BS, then I'm your man. I ain't never had me no kolige edumacashun, but I've got the letters BS, MBS & PhD after my name. In my case, however, they stand for...

Bull $#!T, More Bull $#!T, Piled higher & Deeper.

 

[bowman]

Ya know, it doesn’t have to be so definitive. Just do what you need to do and chat when you feel like it. Longtime members are valuable, for many reasons. The longer they hang around, the better this place will be - hive memories.

 

[arlum]

You've certainly put in the time to be allowed to do whatever you chose to do. Whether it's a drop in interest in guitar related things or making time for other things you've found more interest in it's all up to you. Choose well and be happy.

 

[LGOberean]

We really do want to continue to hear from you. Especially since you said you volunteer to do music in nursing homes. I do that myself once a month and will do this a week from Wednesday afternoon.

It’s like you are a kindred soul.

So please continue to check in here.

I remembered that a number of others here also play for seniors communities. I'm sure we've talked about this before. My Dad raised me to go sing for the "old folks" on Sunday afternoons, so this was instilled in me young. And after retirement, I began doing this again on a regular basis, and have done so for the past decade. Before the lockdowns of 2020, I played for seven different facilities. When things started back up again, I went back on a smaller scale, playing for just one such facility once a week.

 

[LGOberean]

Don't be a Stranger, Larry (see what I did there? )

Seriously, you're part of the core around here and we like having you around. From another fellow Texan, jump in anytime you feel led to! Pictures of Bella are not mandatory, but are always welcome.

I agree with the others who have opined that those of us that do gig, ain't doing it as much as we once did. Please don't let that keep you away!

Got it. As I'm sure you recall, I'm a Haggard fan, too (haggardfan2?). And thanks.

 

[Jupiter]

the more things change
the more different they are

our eldest went off to college last year
the middle one's going next year
in five years it'll be an empty nest
suddenly that seems really close

I used to think I was lookin forward to it but
suddenly I don't know

 

[Stubee]

I’ve been here a long time, haven’t played out in two years and just got together with my oldest player friends last week for the first time in forever. I’m selling some stuff, too but just because I don’t use it. Too much stuff…

But I’ll keep checking in here. This is still after all these years one of the better places on the web IMO. Keep on checking in if ya can.

 

[mixmkr 2023]

I get the impression that there are a bunch of oldies around here...like myself...that gigged hard and put up wet... years past and now hauling amps...even 2-3 guitars to a gig isn't all that desirable. I've been on some forums for years long when the internet started (AOL chat rooms ..lol!)... but people move on. So I find that interesting as I'm not talking to a bunch of guys just out of high school bragging about their Harley Bentons as the "best" guitar ever. That said...guitar NEEDs those youngers to keep the flow moving....new ideas too.
But I've never seen so many people so stubborn on their 65 Deluxe Reverbs...that I sold mine back when...because the drums were crushing it. So there is some "old" thinking...but some that ARE old...that think maybe a bit different.
Is there a question in there somewhere... lol

 

[Kandinskyesque]

I hope you still check in now and again Larry, if only for selfish reasons.

My time in the Bad Dog in the 14 months since joining has been a big sanity saver for me due to living at the extreme end of isolation. My only regret is I didn't join sooner.
It's been my main window on the world due to circumstances, and fortunately it's with people who share an interest on two big lifelong concerns of mine: music and guitars.

In particular Larry, I've enjoyed our discourse on the thread you started about the song "Loch Lomond" a few months back.
I hope we get the opportunity to have more of them.

 

[buster poser]

I like your posts, poke yer head in now and again. Big respect as ever to you folks who play out.

Til next time bomba deeda bomba deeda

 

[kuch]

Hang in there, you'd be missed if you totally left.....

 

[brookdalebill]

You’re an inspiration, Larry.
Solid family guys are rare, and very important, in my experience.
Keep being one, and let us know how you’re doing.

 

[telleutelleme]

How am I going to judge my beard growth without you here as the benchmark. I respect your reasoning, but hope you know you are a valued member.

 

[ClashCityTele]

TDPRI is the best music related forum I frequent. Keep calling in, there's always some new crazy threads floating around.
I very rarely post about guitars! I prefer cats, airplanes, UFO's & old bands.

The best thing about TDPRI is the friendly, helpful advice. People actually reply to someones question instead of saying 'Why do you want to do that?' or worse still 'I don't have one so I have no idea what you are talking about'. Blah, blah, blah.

Keep in touch.

 

[Ron R]

Just don't become a total stranger.

 

[985plowboy]

Dude, at least 3/4 of the stuff I post around here has little to do with guitar playing.
You know how musicians sit around and talk about nothing and everything and just hang out together?
That’s all we’re doing.

Ain’t nobody gonna check your gig punch card.

 

[LGOberean]

You probably have the biggest private collection of Logan Custom Guitars anywhere outside of Mr. Logan’s Custom Guitar Shop. I hate to see that collection picked apart and sold but I understand exactly what you’re saying. You’ve got to do what’s best for you. Thank you for all of your posts that we have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy if you’ll continue to check in. Thank you for showing us your amazing guitar collection and letting us know how awesome Mr. Logan is. Thank you for being you and letting us get to know you. I personally hope you never stop posting here.

I'm not sure it's true that I have the largest collection of Logan Custom guitars. On July 4, 2008, my search for a Tele included looking on eBay. At the time I had never heard of Bob Logan, but he sometimes sold on eBay and I just happened to come across one of his listings. A guy had ordered a tele from Bob, but subsequently lost his job and couldn't pick it up, and so Bob was trying to sell it there.

As I was reading Bob's feedback, the thing that most convinced me to contact him was reading multiple feedback comments from people that had bought 3, 4 & 5 guitars from him. So any one of those guys could have added to their respective collections in the intervening 15 years, thereby matching or even exceeding the number of Logans I have in my collection (seven). And there is a member here from Canada, Sanford by name (I forget his TDPRI username at the moment) who last I knew had had 6 or 7, and that was years ago.

Oh, and I'm not selling any of my Logans. Other guitars will go up on the auction block, but not my Logans. In the strictest sense, I don't need all seven of them, but to paraphrase Tina Turner, "What's need got to do with it?" When I do gig/as long as I'm still gigging, I do "acoustic" and "electric" sets, and use my Logans. When I play at seniors communities, I play my Logan Custom acoustic/electric tele style.

 

[schmee]

I'm in a similar situation I guess. We have one club that books us maybe 8 times a year and a few repeat summer events etc. There are a few other club dates I chase but they are maybe 1-2 a year. If that 8 gig club goes away, as they always do eventually, that will likely be it for me. I dont have the energy to travel too far for a gig any more and the nice thing about this club is they have their own PA etc so less gear to haul.
All good things come to an end, been gigging off and on for 60 years... since I was 15. Heck I'm lucky to just be around, many of my friends are not.

 

[mixmkr 2023]

Heck I'm lucky to just be around, many of my friends are not

Ain't that the truth...if it isn't my friends parents all dieing off..it's my friends.
I just don't like my sensibilities telling me to not aquire more guitars and gear.
I lust for a Tonemaster Super....but I doubt I'd ever turn it on, after the first time.