I play the guitar. I learned the basics from a friend when I was at school but didn’t play a whole lot until I got my first electric guitar in my early 40s. I took lessons for a few years from an awesome player/teacher which was really valuable and enjoyable. I play for fun mostly, although occasionally got together with some work colleagues in a band (when that was possible!).
In electrics I have a standard US Telecaster (mid 2000s), a Korean-built Schecter which I put some Bare Knuckle pickups in, and my favourite - a 2002 Crafted in Japan blue flower Strat. As far as acoustics go, I have a Tanglewood electro-acoustic and a Larrivée L-03R (from when they were built in Vancouver).
My 1984 Squier Stratocaster, an 18th birthday present from my parents. I’ve played poorly, but enthusiastically from my early teens onwards. I now have the funds for much better equipment, including a “proper” Fender Stratocaster, but I’ll never let go of this one.
Stumped to find that I missed this thread all along, and color me impressed by what talent and kit many of you exhibit here!
Fascinated by church organ as a little kid and wanting to become an organist, I had practiced the piano and electronic organ up until my youth, but never really been talented enough at it.
Then did dabble with double bass for a couple of years in high school with similar success.
Build and play Didgeridoo these days, which helps teleport me out of this world for hours at a time.
I’m into faithful music reproduction ever since these early days, always relegated to some DIY due to financial constraints, while trying to keep a good reference via auditioning and testing commercially available kit.
Even owned and modified 2nd hand Magneplanar Tympani 4A and Pass amps in a nicely treated symmetrical 5m x 6m x 3.6m music-only room for quite some time - space and kit sorely gone by now.
Always aiming at inching closer to recreate a realistic facsimile of the real thing within my humble listening environment, I finally arrived at DIY full-range-line-source speakers equalized for flat room response via Roon’s convolution facility.
It’s the closest I’ve come so far by rendering a time coherent step response over a wide listening window with an even power response, albeit at sacrificing the lowest octave while keeping peace with the neighbours in our rented space.
Since my current setup of DAC with variable volume to amp measures fully transparent to human auditory perception limits, and realizing that recorded music fundamentally fails at fully capturing the event, I’ve lost interest in trying to improve on them and now only concentrate on exploring new music every day - and that’s been a true transformation of my music appreciation!
Notice the sound hole position hiding the 2 pick up volume controls. You can hear your guitar properly this way and the fear of dropping a pick in the sound hole is eliminated.
Carbon allows for very sculpted lines making playing more comfortable, no bulky joint at the neck too… I forgot to add, once the strings have settled, it never goes out of tune. I still struggle to get used to this…
If you notice, in most movies etc of young people, there is always a guitar in their room, dorm room, apartment, home etc.
There is a video by Beato (sp?) in which he shows playing popular songs with two or three chords.
Time surely is a competitor. Whether you are in school or in your profession, any time you are not doing measurably productive activity, you may feel time is wasted.
I have met people who are very productive but there is still time for their instrument (not a metaphor). My next door neighbor is an interventional radiologist and when outside, you can hear him playing the piano.
1 Like
AceRimmer
(Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!)
94
Fortunately I live far enough away from neighbours so they do not have to suffer my pitiful execution of some “classics”…
At a bazillion dollars an acre, no one here lives far away. I think we are a people warehouse. I personally would enjoy your being next door and noodling.
My first drum kit looked like this. My dad bought them for me in around 1961 or 1962. We did a Beatles impersonation in 1964 and I painted the bass drum head exactly like Ringo’s.
My 1st kit Christmas present 1965 , I was disappointed it was not a black oyster pearl ,so it took me 55 years to get one. I just bought a 72 Rogers Fullerton set. I like yours better.
‘Hiding’ in their cases are a Fender performer Telecaster in sunburst, Fender Jazzmaster MIJ metallic grey, a Cole Clark AN2ECBLBL acoustic for those that know this Australian brand & my newest purchase is an Eastman ACTG2E Ovangkol. I purchased it as a travel guitar & am really quite amazed how good it sounds for such a small guitar. Solid Sitka Spruce top, Solid Ovangkol back & sides (no laminate), mahogany neck/ebony fingerboard. The strat in pic is a MIJ Tokai.
I’ve played guitar on and off for about 50 years. I now have four guitars, two electric, a steel string and a classical. I play them all worse than I did 50 years ago. I still love to plug in and pretend I know what I’m doing.
I am a classically trained bass trombone player, though now (professionally) I usually play baroque bass trombone. For fun, I also play medieval and renaissance winds (recorders, my beloved medieval slide trumpet, medieval shawm, and capped reeds).
But did it affect my listening behaviour?
Well, yes it did. But mainly how I listen to music and not what music or genre I listen to.
My taste of music was basicaly shaped by my father who listen to a quite wide filed of genres and developed over time.
Maybe it strengthened my love for jazz and classical music a bit more, than without playing an instrument.
