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So the gig's going great, and then ... (prepare to wince -- or laugh)


csm

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... we're coming up to our final tune, and the house is rockin' (don't bother knockin') ... since our closer is a slide piece which requires a different guitar in a different tuning, the way we do it is that as soon as we finish the last-but-one song, the drummer kicks the beat for the last number as I swing one guitar off and another one on while Bill and Marc whip up the crowd.

 

So just as I'm about to hit the opening riff ... the guitar falls off the (non-Straplok'ed) strap and crashes to the stage. I grab it up, hook it back onto the strap ... and something is horribly wrong. The top E string has snapped in the fall, and while I have a backup for my main (standard-tuned) guitar, I don't have a spare for the slide guitar. (Taking three quitars out is enough of a hassle without trying for FOUR ...)

 

So we end up doing a drastically shortened version of our Big Finish tune ... without the flash solo, which kinda needs that top string.

 

In with a bang ... out with a whimper. Luckily, it was midnight on a Friday and the wildly dancing audience were too pissed* to care.

 

*'Pissed' in the Brit sense, that is ... meaning 'drunk' ... rather than the US sense, which is equivalent to our 'pissed off.'

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Could be worse....

 

at least you weren't out hiking and had a rock fall on you pinning your arm...then having to hack off said arm with a dull leatherman.

 

Sorry...just got back from watching 127 hours....

 

I've never squirmed so much at a movie.

 

Sounds like it was a good time anyway...Perhaps everyone thought you were doing a Pete Townsend imitation?

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at least you weren't out hiking and had a rock fall on you pinning your arm...then having to hack off said arm with a dull leatherman.


Sorry...just got back from watching 127 hours....


I've never squirmed so much at a movie.

 

 

I read the book about 5 years ago. I really enjoyed the movie too but there was one omission that bothered me a little.

 

 

csm...sounds like one of those incidents that will nag you for a bit. Like when I lost my voice on the second verse of an opening song one time...hmmm...

 

That was when I learned to cut the sugary drinks when singing.

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I've had that happen to my beloved LP Junior. I almost cried.

 

In our band, it would probably be a blessing not entirely in disguise if I was unable to play the solo!

 

I guess in that situation, I would be inclined to finish off with your second fave big finisher, even if you've already played it, and especially bearing in mind they are pissed. You could introduce it as the 'Mephis Remix' version.

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Luckily, it was midnight on a Friday and the wildly dancing audience were too pissed* to care.

 

Ah, I was relieved to read this part at the end. :D Everything was fine in that case!

 

The chief goal is to make people happy so if people are happy, everything else is incidental. This is absolutely a firm belief of mine. The things that guitarists can get caught up in worrying over don't matter too much to people who are out to party and that's a good thing. :)

 

Just tell us the guitar itself is OK... it is, right?

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Just tell us the guitar itself is OK... it is, right?

 

 

Yep, it's fine ...

 

Maybe that was God's way of telling me that it's overdue for a string change ... and that I need to invest in StrapLoks for ALL my guitars.

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I once saw a blues guitarist in Nashville change out his high E that snapped mid song without missing a beat. I was amazed.

 

Then the high E broke again on the same song and this time he switched to his back up guitar, again without missing a beat. Must have had one sharp saddle :eek:

 

But I wouldn't say he didn't miss a note. ;)

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I once saw a blues guitarist in Nashville change out his high E that snapped mid song without missing a beat. I was amazed.


Then the high E broke again on the same song and this time he switched to his back up guitar, again without missing a beat. Must have had one sharp saddle
:eek:

But I wouldn't say he didn't miss a note.
;)

 

If you break a lot of strings then you can get very quick at changing them - lots of practice pays off I guess!

 

I'm not sure how dropping a guitar can break a string though :idk:

 

Straplocks? In the meantime I'd invest in some of these - they've never failed me, even on my SG with tiny strap buttons.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-Rubber-Washers-Grolsch-Swing-Top-Bottles-/170588303569?pt=Home_Brew&hash=item27b7daf0d1#ht_500wt_922

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Yes, yes.... love it when that happens. So many Spinal Tap moments..... I snapped the high e string at gig in the final song right as I was going for the solo (Who's Cryin' Now...Journey) which uses that string quite a bit...needless to say, I quickly reverted to my limited fretboard knowledge and played the notes elsewhere which were, well, less impressive. Fun stuff!

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We've all been there, sucks big time. All you can do is soldier on.



At least there was no mention of the headstock coming up and busting your lip as the back end plummeted to the floor.

 

 

I've done that before! You do look very rock'n'roll with blood gushing from your face as you spit out the final verse!

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I've done that before! You do look very rock'n'roll with blood gushing from your face as you spit out the final verse!

 

 

I had that done twice by my bass player swinging around and catching me in the mouth with his Jazz bass headstock..Both times causing damage that required a dentist to fix..

 

Hearing stories like this leaves me some what relieved in all honesty as i have had more than my share of stage mishaps.When it happens to others it reminds me i'm not the only one who has spinal tap moments..

 

I know that sounds terrible taking comfort at someone else expense but i'm just being honest..

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