Acoustic Romance

[Idunno]

Is it over?

 

I remember in 2004 when I discovered this place it seemed that everyone was new to the acoustic guitar. I was just coming back to it after a 29 year hiatus. It was a time when the instrument was fresh table talk and all the basic questions were flowing freely, interestingly for most, repetitively and in good spirits regardless of the looping of the same information. There was also a lot of off topic discussion but that's not my point here. Personally, my being here back then was not for talking guitars. There wasn't anything about them I didn't know enough about already to keep me engaged so all the banter was constantly being parroted between noobs and noobier noobs (IMO) on a somewhat new discussion board.

 

Twelve years on, in 2016, the parroting continues as noobs trickle in the door but much of the discussion on the topic has died, as it should, between those members who no longer have any questions about it. Done; game over.

 

So...with regard to Neal's thread on conversation containing 100+ posts with some of them my own filler material, wouldn't you say the war is over, the theater of operations should be reduced to a peace-keeping contingency and certain personnel receive their discharge papers? Wait, that already happened organically on its own.

 

Never mind. How about a nice game of chess?

[garthman]

Joe. Like you I had a 30 year hiatus from guitar playing between about 1975 and 2005 due to the usual wife, kids, houses, work, etc. routine.

 

But what a joy to return to playing and a joy that continues to this day. The biggest difference between playing back then and playing now is that, back then, I was primarily a guitar player (albeit of dubious ability - especially compared to that Jason guy ) who occasionally - under protest and very reluctantly - sang the odd song, to now being primarily a singer who accompanies himself on the guitar (still dubiously, of course, alas).

 

PS. I'd much rather sing and play guitar than play chess.

[Idunno]

That was my period of hiatus and for very much the same reasons. And yes, it was a lot of fun to return to playing though I'll admit the whole spectrum of instrument choice had blossomed exponentially across many makers I knew nothing about. So, I made a few goofs finding the right noise box again. The last guitar I played before the hiatus was a 12 string and I was pretty sure I wanted to begin anew with a 6 string. But, that's all I knew and it was almost a chore getting acquainted with all the new makers and their products with the hope I didn't make too many mi$takes.

 

I figured you for a life-long minstrel of the art form.

 

I left it as a singer/songwriter/player and went straight back to writing upon my return. At least that's where the fun is for me. This site sparked my return more so than any other influence so I still feel connected to it for that. It did not give me what I eventually searched for to no avail - member's music - so I got a little impatient with it sooner than I thought I would. Then Krash implemented a site specifically for developing music and that was a brief period of fun.

 

These days playing covers with the occasional original is my way of it. Creativity is an infrequent visitor these days. Oh, I know the moves but defeat is my strategy in chess.

[Neal]

No. It's just petered out for the old crop. Talking about it, I mean. The new crop does Facebook and other venues.

 

I've had a near 10 year hiatus running playing mainly uke these days. Still pull out one of the Nationals every so often, but it's more a shame that I have them, so probably gonna sell 3-4 guitars. Yeah, it's time to "un-GAS". That was, apparently, tuition. Still no diploma.

[Idunno]

That's right, other venues are available these days. I don't use them and FB, well, I'm a real man and real men don't use social media. They use forums like this that are designed for real men to...socialize...and stuff...on real men ...topics...doh. Seriously, if I can muster that, FB never appealed to me. I just could not contribute to that kid's coffers without feeling like I'd violated someone or something dear to me. Then there was reddit and I perused that for a few milliseconds.

[recordingtrack1]

That's right, other venues are available these days. I don't use them and FB, well, I'm a real man and real men don't use social media. They use forums like this that are designed for real men to...socialize...and stuff...on real men ...topics...doh. Seriously, if I can muster that, FB never appealed to me. I just could not contribute to that kid's coffers without feeling like I'd violated someone or something dear to me. Then there was reddit and I perused that for a few milliseconds.

. Too many kitten videos and mommies sowing off their babie's first teefers and stuff. Thanks to all the political crap, what is usually a schizophrenic place has started to become increasingly paranoid and hostile. Exactly what it shouldn't be. All that said the HCAG has done a 180 and is now so slow it can't generate any new interest. No fighting over bridge pins and tone woods. The trolls have moved on or have been miraculously healed. Anyway, I tried to come back around to visit , but don't seem to have the topic talent some of the others demonstrate. Don't have a lot of time and fly through topics I haven't read very well. Used to that was a recipe for verbal firefights that were really fun and totally entertaining. That, I actually miss about this place...more than I thought I would.

[tbry]

Hey Idunno-Joe...maybe this type of stuff will re-kindle some things for you. I know you like to write, add some stuff to this, change it use it and make a song, like we did some time ago...or not.

 

 

An Eye on the Past

 

 

 

I look for nowhere to go

The present is all I need to know

Won’t focus on the future

It appears mostly like a blur

I never look to far ahead

Might find that I”d be dead

Life here is all I can ask

With an eye... on the past

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Idunno]

Hey Idunno-Joe...maybe this type of stuff will re-kindle some things for you. I know you like to write, add some stuff to this, change it use it and make a song, like we did some time ago...or not.

 

 

An Eye on the Past

 

 

 

I look for nowhere to go

The present is all I need to know

Won’t focus on the future

It appears mostly like a blur

I never look to far ahead

Might find that I”d be dead

Life here is all I can ask

With an eye... on the past

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I look for nowhere to go

The present is all I need to know

Nor will I focus on what's been said

 

The future's mostly like a blur

No need, I know, to be too sure

For I might find that I”d be dead

 

Life is all that I can ask

And hope behind a brave mans mask

To one day give my spirit wings

 

But, then I sigh and know to wait

For time to find and speak my fate

As I turn and look for sweeter things

 

[tbry]

Beautiful...

[Queequeg]

I've been playing for about 50 years now, with the only hiatus being this summer when I had a hand injury.

My enjoyment of this instrument has outlasted girlfriends and a marriage, a brief golf and years of scuba diving

Unlike Garthman, I quit singing about 20 years ago to concentrate simply on playing solo instrumental acoustic guitar. This change didn't make me a great player, but it helped to make me a better player, and it enhanced the enjoyment I get out of listening to acoustic guitar.

And I'll continue to play acoustic guitar as long as I can hold onto one and/or until I have completely lost my mind.

(My variation on a theme by Charlton Heston "You can have my guitars when you pry them from my cold, dead hands".

 

 

[bigald18]

I always come back too because I love the guitar!

[Delmont]

I've been playing for about 50 years now, with the only hiatus being this summer when I had a hand injury.

My enjoyment of this instrument has outlasted girlfriends and a marriage, a brief golf and years of scuba diving

Unlike Garthman, I quit singing about 20 years ago to concentrate simply on playing solo instrumental acoustic guitar. This change didn't make me a great player, but it helped to make me a better player, and it enhanced the enjoyment I get out of listening to acoustic guitar.

And I'll continue to play acoustic guitar as long as I can hold onto one and/or until I have completely lost my mind.

(My variation on a theme by Charlton Heston "You can have my guitars when you pry them from my cold, dead hands".

 

 

Yup. I've been playing since '68. Never been a pro. The only real hiatus was for a year or so when I was about twenty or so and decided to quit because all my friends played better than I did. But I missed the damned thing, so I swallowed my pride and got back to it.

 

Turned out that what I lacked in guitar I made up for in songwriting. Glad I didn't quit. My music website: www.thefullertons.net

 

Never quit any of my day jobs (though I got fired a lot). Now that I'm retired (I finally fired myself), I can give a lot more time to music. Play in three groups and have two jams I go to. Have eight guitars, two amps, a bass, and a mando.

 

As for "as long as I can hold onto one," I picked up a squareneck resao a few years ago against the day my left hand can't take it anymore. Turns out its as much fun as a roundneck. Who knew? And here in Maine hardly anyone shows up with a squareneck, so it always stands out.

 

Yes, guit-picking lasts a lot longer than jobs, girlfriends, hair styles, or anything else. Here's the guy who said it best:

 

 

Del