I passed through...

Well, I believe I have passed into a new musical phase. I had a long bout there with instrumental guitar, especially with the shredders. Now, I still love it, but I believe I'm starting to get more of a love for the blues and meaningful lyrics. And I think I owe this one to you guys by speaking to me through the numerous threads I started about "what music is." Before I wasn't playing with emotion, I was trying to impress people with speed and technical capabilities. Now, not that I don't want to excel in those areas still, but those are far from the only elements of what music is.

So thank you to you all for opening my eyes. Lyrics are pouring out of me now. I've started to try my hand at singing. I'm trying to match those lyrics with the right music to give it a proper feel. Life is good...

Thanks guys.

welcome to my land!!! a land filled with imaginations and trippyness...ah thats how i function when i write anyway...

its all abt the emotions and happy music

or not

depends on how u feelin.. :D

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintWell, I believe I have passed into a new musical phase. I had a long bout there with instrumental guitar, especially with the shredders. Now, I still love it, but I believe I'm starting to get more of a love for the blues and meaningful lyrics. And I think I owe this one to you guys by speaking to me through the numerous threads I started about "what music is." Before I wasn't playing with emotion, I was trying to impress people with speed and technical capabilities. Now, not that I don't want to excel in those areas still, but those are far from the only elements of what music is.

So thank you to you all for opening my eyes. Lyrics are pouring out of me now. I've started to try my hand at singing. I'm trying to match those lyrics with the right music to give it a proper feel. Life is good...

Thanks guys.

Good. Instrumentals are (generally) boring. Lyrics is where it's at.

Good on ya, Mr. Man(t). Playing to impress people is all well and good, but it's better if you can impress yourself, if you know what I'm sayin'.

Yepper. Unless you've really got talent at adding some substance to an instrumental, I'm starting get bored with em. Satch is still my favorite guitarist, but hes in a league of his own, in my opinion. Lyrics are straight and to the point in a way, even though some people right with complicated enough lyrics that they're over my head. But thats the fun in it all.

I think I've fallen into the world of Jeff Beck style blues and dare I say John Mayer and Dave Matthews style lyrical content and music. Its really quite enjoyable.

Yup. I've always felt that some of the most powerful music written had less to do with the technical flash of the instrumentalist but rather with the power of the lyrics. Let's put it this way; when you're in the shower, are you humming along with the lead line or are you singing (or trying to in my case) along with the lyrics? :D Much to the dog's dismay, I am usually trying to sing. (and no, the dog does not shower with me...)

Originally Posted by: grizzlymint
I think I've fallen into the world of Jeff Beck style blues and dare I say John Mayer and Dave Matthews style lyrical content and music. Its really quite enjoyable.

John Mayer has been one of my favorite artists for awhile... My ex girlfriend literally dragged me to a concert of his about 5 years ago. It was an AMAZING show... His guitar playing is top notch and very lyrical in it's own right... which was what I loved the most. I've been a Dave Matthews fan since 1994... I had two older brothers that were into him and I grew up listening to his stuff... I've seen him live 5 times and each time is better than the first. His guitar playing is almost virtusoic in the way that he utilizes chords... not a lot of people realize how technical his guitar playing is until they try to learn one of his harder songs. Same way with John Mayer. His use of chords is unbelievable.

But yeah, initially when I started playing guitar I was in the same boat. I loved watching and listening to outrageously fast guitar players... I had always been a fan of really emotional music... and that's how i got into the blues about 6 years or so ago. Been a blues-head ever since. Blues is such a vast genre... where as shred is just shred.

I really regret getting this Ibanez now. The blues tones are sickening. I had my Squier Strat out a few weeks ago when it was operational, and it sounded so beautiful. I also went to Guitar Center last week and tortured myself playing the Strats. Most definitely the most versatile guitar on the market, imo. That will be my next major purchase.

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintI really regret getting this Ibanez now. The blues tones are sickening. I had my Squier Strat out a few weeks ago when it was operational, and it sounded so beautiful. I also went to Guitar Center last week and tortured myself playing the Strats. Most definitely the most versatile guitar on the market, imo. That will be my next major purchase.

Haha. Score one for the Fender Strat fan club!!!!!

I own 3... 1 American, 1 Mexican, and 1 Squire...

There aren't many more things that I enjoy besides playing my American Strat... I would have to say that it's almost even with sex at this point... sex is overrated.

AAAHHH another blues convert. By the way I was a Strat hater for years. I decided to go out and by a guitar that felt right to me and tried everything (price was no object even tried some custom built axes) and I now love my American Strat(and it was the cheapest guitar I tried). Feels like nothing I have ever played before. Action is low as h3ll and bends into tomorrow. Holds tune perfectly. I can't even explain it, you have to play it.

Also for what it's worth I've really been enjoying what you have been doing song wise lately. Keep it up!

Sounds like an American is the way to go. I played a bunch the other day ranging from 400 to 1200 bucks. The 1200 dollar one played the nicest, but I enjoyed the 500 dollar one second. So I probably will go with something in that price range.

Here is the one I bought. Cost $1300 with hard shell case. Bit high priced for a strat but it has some nice features. Roller Nut, Humbucker w/S1 switching and so on. You can read the specs from the link below. I recommend the 2 point trem on whatever one you buy.

Nick Guitar

Heres a question for the ages. Why do basically all blues guitars only have 22 frets?

Most us blues guys are old and lack a good education so we can't count past 22. :D Actually I have no idea.

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintHeres a question for the ages. Why do basically all blues guitars only have 22 frets?

Because they simply don't need them...

Vintage Strats only have 21 frets. The more modern strats have a one fret hangover that adds a fret. Most blues musicians will use bending if they want to go higher than that... The extra two frets are simply never used. I've never needed more than 21 frets.

Here's my American girl... modded with Custom Shop '69 pickups, pearloid pickguard, and a few switch mods...




My next Strat is going to be a Lake Placid blue '62 reissue with a rosewood neck...

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintHeres a question for the ages. Why do basically all blues guitars only have 22 frets?

strats have 21...

Originally Posted by: iceandhotwaxstrats have 21...

Not the newer ones. Apparently Aschelman said some vintage ones only have 21. Every strat I've ever played has 22.

Mines 2006 and has 22 frets.

Shes a beaut Aschel. How much did you pay for that?

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintShes a beaut Aschel. How much did you pay for that?

I bought it as an American Standard for.... I believe 650 USD... Since then I've put a new neck on it that cost me 200, new tuners (I have 1969 "F" tuners on it) 60 bucks, the pickups were 125... new pots were about 30 bucks, new superswitch was about 12, pearloid pickguard was 15 or so...

It's basically a whole new axe from the one I bought. haha. But yeah for 750 it had really good pickups in it... I bought it off a local music store that used it as a model guitar for like 3 years... I think I have a pick of it with the original neck and everything on it but I'll have to look around.