Guitars

[developer]

Bugger

This evening my lovely son shut my car door and although we're still not sure how, managed to his tear his middle finger nail from it's root.

Much blood and a hospital visit.

No Taylor for a while now .

The irony is I was dropping him off at his guitar lesson .

 

[grober]

Ouch! He's young-- it should heal quickly. If he's down tell him the great Django Reinhardt played most of his career with only 2 good fingers

The injury

At the age of 18, Reinhardt was injured in a fire that ravaged the caravan he shared with Florine "Bella" Mayer, his first wife.[6] They were very poor, and to supplement their income Bella made imitation flowers out of celluloid and paper. Consequently, their home was full of this highly flammable material. Returning from a performance late one night, Reinhardt apparently knocked over a candle on his way to bed. While his family and neighbours were quick to pull him to safety, he received first- and second-degree burns over half his body. His right leg was paralysed and the third and fourth fingers of his left hand were badly burned. Doctors believed that he would never play guitar again and intended to amputate one of his legs. Reinhardt refused to have the surgery and left the hospital after a short time; he was able to walk within a year with the aid of a cane.
His brother Joseph Reinhardt, an accomplished guitarist himself, bought Django a new guitar. With rehabilitation and practice he relearned his craft in a completely new way, even as his third and fourth fingers remained partially paralysed. He played all of his guitar solos with only two fingers, and used the two injured digits only for chord work.

 

[grober]

Here he is in action 2 fingers and all.
[YOUTUBE]fzz6fAdFFis&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

 

[developer]

Thanks - I've just shown him and he's impressed , though not happy that the nurse told him he can expect it to throb for 2 days.

 

[JudC270]

The question has most certainly been answered to this ... but as a guitarist and singer myself .. I have to post something!!!

Your Son needs to play each to find the one he likes the best ...

I like the Ovation, great sound and a slim neck is perfect for me ... BUT as I "sit and play" mostly and I don't like straps I find it rolls of my lap after a while.

Yamaha make some great guitars but I find the neck is wide for my style / reach.

I currently play an acoustic Ibanez which isn't expensive and has a good sound BUT when I get carried away playing, I sometimes drown myself out (vocals)

Some really great guitar shops about these days, my advise would be to take him down to any of them and pick some up and play them ..

most guitarists (playing for x + years) will have several makes / types / styles for varying different moods, performances and environments etc

 

[scottishman2]

This evening my lovely son shut my car door and although we're still not sure how, managed to his tear his middle finger nail from it's root.

Much blood and a hospital visit.

No Taylor for a while now .

The irony is I was dropping him off at his guitar lesson .

So sorry to hear about your son's misfortune - I hope he doesn't suffer too much, cos its dam painful.

As an act of kindness, and to help him out during this troubled time - I'm happy to drive up and borrow the Taylor for a few weeks. Just so it doesn't get stale through lack of use!! Will make sure it is well cared for ...

 

[developer]

So sorry to hear about your son's misfortune - I hope he doesn't suffer too much, cos its dam painful.

As an act of kindness, and to help him out during this troubled time - I'm happy to drive up and borrow the Taylor for a few weeks. Just so it doesn't get stale through lack of use!! Will make sure it is well cared for ...

Thank you SM2 - I've passed on your more than kind offer but strangely he didn't leap at it.

I do like your style though .

 

[developer]

The question has most certainly been answered to this ... but as a guitarist and singer myself .. I have to post something!!!

Your Son needs to play each to find the one he likes the best ...

I like the Ovation, great sound and a slim neck is perfect for me ... BUT as I "sit and play" mostly and I don't like straps I find it rolls of my lap after a while.

Yamaha make some great guitars but I find the neck is wide for my style / reach.

I currently play an acoustic Ibanez which isn't expensive and has a good sound BUT when I get carried away playing, I sometimes drown myself out (vocals)

Some really great guitar shops about these days, my advise would be to take him down to any of them and pick some up and play them ..

most guitarists (playing for x + years) will have several makes / types / styles for varying different moods, performances and environments etc

Thank you very much for your advice Jud - I took him to try a few and the result is at post #17.

 

[JudC270]

Thank you very much for your advice Jud - I took him to try a few and the result is at post #17.

Note to self .. do not skim read threads and then comment!!!


I don't mind telling you I'm a little envious

Funny (ish!) - I've found there are a few things that tend to improve my playing - A new guitar REALLY helps - especially when you're on that "up curve" better and better instruments AND .. would you believe, not being able to play!!!

That is to say, being away from it for a while, namely because of injury - there will be this riff or sequence or song that I can't get right ..pick up an injury and wait .. the next time I am able to pick it up again .. I've got it sorted!!! ...
So here's hoping your lad finds the same ....

Cheers

 

[developer]

It will get knocked as well, the first one is always the worst

Aaaaaaargh!!!!!

I've damaged the front face - yes me, not my son.

I was wiping the strings with Fast Fret, a string cleaner, which is an impregnated pad on a small wooden handle and it slipped out of my hand, landing handle down on the guitar.

It's tiny, but it's there - a blemish that has gone throught the varnish and can be felt with the fingernail.

I actually felt really terrible about it - really really terrible.

I keep telling myself it's all rock and roll but that doesn't really help .

 

[grober]

The first cut is the deepest------ It's inevitable if a guitar is used as it should be. I've known guys who have snapped the headstock of the neck when its fallen awkwardly. I've seen a top of the line Taylor owned by an American artist I know crushed by rough baggage handlers such that entire sound board had detached from the rest of the body .She was devastated to lose a personalised instrument with which she made her living. Such was her affection for the instrument rather than write it off it was sent back to TAYLOR and came back good as new. So in the scale of things a few minor battle scars are nothing to worry about and should be regarded as honourable battle scars. An unmarked guitar is one that is never played.

 

[developer]

Thanks Graeme - I'm trying to see it that way.

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

One day that little mark will mean more to your son that the guitar itself

 

[developer]

One day that little mark will mean more to your son that the guitar itself

What a lovely thing to say - thank you.

 

[Stratman]

One day that little mark will mean more to your son that the guitar itself

Spot on!!!

This is/was Rory Gallagher's guitar.

 

[scottishman2]

One day that little mark will mean more to your son that the guitar itself

...true... but until that day, you'll be the clumsy father who marked his Taylor..... can you ask him again if he'd like me to take care of it for him???

 

[Alfajock]

I agree, every ding is just one small part of it's history - people spend thousands getting new guitars "reliced" for that road-worn vibe.

Though he may have been hoping for something a bit more rock'n'roll during the acquisition process than his Dad cleaning it...

 

[Alfajock]

"so I was playing this gig in a cat house down near the Mexican border and there was this chick with a bottle of tequila and a slow grin.

Then my dad walked in with a bottle of string cleaner..."

 

[developer]

I agree, every ding is just one small part of it's history - people spend thousands getting new guitars "reliced" for that road-worn vibe.

Though he may have been hoping for something a bit more rock'n'roll during the acquisition process than his Dad cleaning it...

I was giving him a helping hand, except it wasn't too helpful......

 

[developer]

For the Luthiers amongst us

So, over the weekend the wonderful new Taylor developed a rattle.

Turned it upside down and gave it a shake and these fell out.

To be fair, Taylor Customer Services acted swiftly and it's only the bolt/nut that fastens the ground wire the power supply, however, it's a little disappointing when you consider the cost of this (relatively) high end instrument .