DunedinDoug

Would Hendrix have done disco?

Here are a couple images. A '98 Taylor 714ce, the new Gibson J45 and my early seventies Gibson J50-D. I posted a little video of the French Polish finish I put on the latter. Three different guitars, three distinct voices. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41134721@N04/3790326080/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/41134721@N04/3790323920/

I'm a huge Poco fan, but somehow missed them...holy crap. I need to keep an eye out for them.....heck, I didn't even know they still toured....are they still the original band? They currently consists of Rusty Young, Paul Cotton (who've been with the band since the early seventies), Jack Sundred and George Lawrence. Earlier this year, however, they had a reunion of sorts with Richie Furay, Jim Messina, Timothy B. Schmit and George Grantham. The latter, the original drummer, suffered a stroke while on stage back in 2003 (I think). He's come a long way. Their last studio album, Running Horse, came out in 2002 and it's very well done. They've put out a couple live recordings since then. I haven't been to Ybor for quite awhile. I used to drive over to pick up some stoagies from one of the cigar shops there, but I'm too old and Ybor is too rowdy to go there at night. The Largo venue is very good for bands that you want to LISTEN to, and in the case of Poco, a place where you can meet the band members, etc.

You do know the CSN is coming to St. Pete...22nd this month. Yes, I do know! I've seen 'em a few times and I'm a big fan, but their live shows just don't excite me anymore. Poco was in Ybor a week or so ago. I really love those guys. I missed the show but heard the sound system was awful. When I last saw them a couple years ago in Largo they were very fine.

Happy NGD! Pictures? I suppose I could add some pictures. I dunno, 'though. Everyone pretty much knows what a Gibson J45 looks like. What I might do, 'though, is show it side-by-side with the Taylor. It surprised me how much larger the Gibson is.

I own an eleven year-old Taylor 714ce which suits me fine, but recently I've grown rather protective of it, and thought I would get away from the cedar/rosewood combination for the types of songs that require vigorous strumming. Celebrating my daughter's birthday, we went over to Best Buy to pick up an iPod for her. In the back of the store was their new musical instrument section so I strolled back to check it out. There was a reasonable selection of electric guitars and I tried out the new electric Taylor. I stepped into the acoustic room and played a few instruments (actually, I hit a chord or two, said "blech!" and hung 'em back up). There was a Gibson J45 that I pulled down to play. It was alright. The salesman said he had another one "still in the box" if I wanted to try it out. Hey, why not? So I tried the second Gibson J45. Oh No! It sounded wonderful! I never cared for the slope shouldered dreadnought. Never wanted one. Never really wanted a sunburst. But this guitar sounded very fine when played finger-style and really sang when attacked. I liked it! And then my wife said, "That's a very beautiful guitar! Why don't you buy it?" So I bought it. AND, it was on sale. I paid $1699 for it and just today realized that I wasn't charged tax on the purchase! Okay, it has its drawbacks. No strap button at the heel. I can fix that right away. Unlike the Taylor's Fishman system, the L. R. Baggs electronics have no tonal control or notch filter. I'll have to address that down the road with the purchase of a DI box with those features. The little volume knob under the soundhole will need getting used to. I'll replace the cheap plastic-looking bridge pins, but I'm okay with the Tusq compensated saddle. Happy NGD to me!