The boy and I were mucking around the other night when we realized how many guitars (or more correctly stringed instruments) we had lying around the house, in cupboards, under the beds, in the attic or shed.
So we dragged them all out and had a little reminisce of each piece and their history and possible future.
No.1 is my 50th birthday present and my pride and joy an RH Ibanez ASF-80 semi acoustic because I really admire the playing of Mike Nesmith from the Monkees.
No.2 Liam’s LH ESP LTD, this is his live guitar and he throws it around like it cost $50, it’s forever being tweaked and repaired but sounds insane.
No.3 A Vantage RH with nylon strings that we forgot we had.
No.4 A Violin we bought for $40 to hang on the wall as art, we also use the bow every now and then on the guitars for effect.
No.5 An ancient Eston Mandolin that is unplayable but also sits on the piano for show.
No.6 RH Daion Strat copy, this guitar hold a soft spot in my heart because it was something that kept me happy during years of inactivity, I have promised Liam when he gets some decent paying gigs in front of a good crowd he can re string it to left hand and smash the shit out of it Jimi Hendrix style on stage.
No.7 A strange no name RH acoustic with a funny fender style head stock I bought in a second hand store on Phillip Island, I just like the look of it. It plays horribly and can’t stay in tune.
No.8 A Christmas present from Liam, a ION reversible All star guitar that fits my iPad or iPhone and lets you use garage band in ways no originally thought possible. A brilliant recording tool, especially for keyboard and string pieces.
No.9 My RH Essex cut away acoustic, obscured here but by far my favoutite instrument. Just so light and rings beautifully. Superb action.
No.10 The first guitar I ever bought (but not my first) a RH Yamaha. Bought 4th Feb 1980 at Brashes Chadstone. Only a trophy now as I warped the neck over the years by leaving in the car on travels around the country.
No.11 LH Greg Bennet, Liam’s back up guitar. Reliable and tough.
No.12 LH Washburn acoustic with pick ups, a wonderful guitar with a lovely sound, nothing is lost through the pick ups.
No.13 LH ¾ Valencia acoustic, the guitar Liam learnt to play on, still used extensively at parties and parks or busking and is virtually unbreakable. This will end up in a museum one day. I restrung it and is the only guitar I ever had to for him as I thought if he plays left hand he shouldn’t be disadvantaged by only playing upside down right hand guitars. Though he does play upside down right handed guitars quite well.
Note:
Though I’m partial to the Telecaster, I have never been a massive fan of Fender and Gibson guitars and the myth built up around them. As the boy says “They just had a lack of choice back then”.
