There are certain stages you may go through when learning the guitar, those who persist and actually stick at it, tend to learn as much as they can about the instrument, they may start to want as many of them as they can get, yes this is a disease and one I suffer from.
The rich don’t have my problem they just go out and buy whatever they want, but when I was growing up I could not afford just to go and buy a Fender. They were always the expensive guitar that you had to have. I had to make do with a cheap copy that was pulled apart and resprayed a different colour every few months, I don’t have any photos of that guitar.
All my heroes played the Stratocaster, my list is Buddy Guy -> Jimmy Hendrix -> Stevie Ray Vaughan -> Eric Clapton.
It started with Buddy Guy, and they all wanted to be like him, he played the Strat, and tells a story about how when he was touring (In Africa I think from memory) his guitar was strapped to the top of a car that hit a bump and it fell off. He went back to get it thinking it would be smashed up, but it was ok he just retuned it and kept on playing.
The shape of the Strat is for me, the greatest looking shape for a guitar, there are many different styles over the years, and I can tell just by looking at one, what era its from. I used to spend many hours in guitar stores just looking at them.
The 56 model is very basic it has a chunky style body that has been slightly refined over the years, however it is my favourite and always the one I wanted. There was a vintage guitar store in Sydney that always had the doors closed, (as I write this I forget the name of it someone will know) I was always to nervous to go in as you had to knock, so I would stand outside and look through the windows at the guitars hanging on the wall.
I did manage to go in once and the prices of the vintage guitars were just insane, I really wanted one, but instead decided to get a car so I could get around a more important choice at the time.
There was another shop in Coogee, Guitar Crazy I think it was called, I used to love going to this place the smell of the guitars was fantastic and he had lots of old strats, he was a nice guy and said I could play anything, I never really did as I felt they were to expensive for me, he had a few of the Clapton Strats that I wanted but could never afford. He even had a Travelling Wilbury Guitar at one point.
I saved and saved, and when I had enough I bought a Japanese Fender, 50’s Style. It still wasn’t the real thing but at least it was a real Fender.
Basically the cheap version, it was finished in polyurethane, sunburst, Im not really a fan of sunburst but it was all I could get.
After a few years, I was starting to get into the vintage scene again and looking at all the wonderful work being done on the internet, people were doing relics and refinishing so this started to get my attention.
I decided I would sacrifice the factory paint and refinish it in Nitro Cellulose, this was how the originals were done, the finish started to crack and fade over the years and made some really nice old worn guitars.
I striped it back and while I was at it re-profiled the neck to make it more of a V shape. I found a company that still made Nitro Cellulose and got a small tin.
I resprayed the thing in the back yard, and although not perfect, it came out ok, and I was very happy with it.
I installed lace sensors in it, and although they are very low noise they are not a high output so a booster board is needed. I don’t have one in it, its ok for now.
Thats my favourite guitar thanks for looking.
Oh man @gyro cool story love how you make it your own. Would love to hear you play it. I have a 1927 dobro that was my grandmothers and a friend of mine is restoring it for me. I am so looking forward to learning to play.
If you desire that guitar just change the statement to “how can I afford it?” And you will put into motion the ways the universe can surprise you in the infinite ideas that can come from an open statement like this. Think of the words we use as code when stated in the positive with out expectations we allow the infinite possibilities. Comparing this to the statement “I can’t afford “ this statement collapsed the possibilities and becomes self fulfilling. I read a book called what to say when you speak to yourself. This book brought my awareness to the double negatives many people use and how we limit ourselves with this negative speak.
So play with the idea of owning the guitar see it on your stand and allow the creative ideas to excite your joy and follow this joy as it is your higher self guiding you.
Creativity flows in the waves of now
Allowistic artist
Vincent Strader
Thanks Vincent, you've got me thinking about a video of it now!
'27 Dobro Nice, good luck with learning, maybe I'll hear you playing something someday.....
Hey @gryo!
Thanks for showing off your guitar, but doing it without just posting a pic and saying, "my guitar," but actually telling a story about why and how of your owning one.
My first guitar was a cheap fender knock-off, then I got Ibanez AW acoustic, then a Martin acoustic, and finally a custom built guitar modeled after a telecaster.
The fender knock-off always a good place to start, a Martin nice, that must be an impressive guitar! Thanks Matt for adding that in always good to hear about guitars, Im touched that people have taken the time to look at my article.
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Thanks Mr Squiggle say G'day to Gus and Bill!
what a beautiful guitar. gotta love the legacy of leo fender. such fine instruments. i was fortunate enough to end up with a B-bender Tele that treats me so well. sucha beautiful guitar, i cant tell you. another guitar ive been looking at lately is the St Vincent Ernie Ball model. what kinda amp are you running this strat through?
I forgot to write about Leo, I was planning to add him in, thanks for reminding me. What a great contribuition he made to the world of music, and design. I would love a Tele, one those hollow ones with the f-hole would be nice.
I havent seen that Ernie Ball model, you should go for it looks interesting.
I have an old Champ Red knob model, I always wanted the red knob twin but wasnt playing in bands anymore so just have the little one. Its bloddy loud though, I suffer from tinitus so I don't get it out as much as I should anymore. Thanks for the comment nice to hear from you.
Nice one! Looks really good.
Thanks choogirl, love your work for Teamaustralia!
sorry, I just support you with a joke comment. but I think your post is. . . .
No worries mate!
Cool looking guitar. Like the color blue. :)
Thanks zararina, yeah a lot of work went into it so thats nice of you to say!
What a sweet guitar. The lead player in my band is completely a Stratocaster and Telecaster guy, with a couple of both in his toolchest. His latest Strat the same color as yours but a righty, and his main stage guitar is a black Tele.
Awesome, what is your band called? Its great to hear about people playing music hope you are doing well with the band all the best with it!
My band is Precinct Line in North Texas. We just put music on our website. Give it a listen: www.PrecinctLine.com
Excellent post, I liked it, I follow you to read what you publish, you pass by my profile, maybe something that interests you too, keep posting like this :D
No worries thanks for reading, and thanks for the encouragement thats a nice thing to say, keep up the good work.
Nice!
No worries, thanks for saying!
gotta love the stratocaster
Yeah, a timeless design, I checked out your profile you have some nice videos there, I need to do something like that, keep up the good work!
Thanks!
No probs, thanks Georgia.
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STOPIm really glad you liked it, and yes more courage is something to strive for everyday!