Crazy Coffee House Guy

[Jazzphone]

Hey everyone, this is my first post at Harmony Central. I've been visiting here quite a bit, ever since i've been playing guitar. Well anyways, time to make the first post.

 

I was playing a show with my band at this coffee house, and this guy walks in with a guitar. I was said ok...? Why are you here, he said well I thought i'd just play with you guys. I was like well, um we haven't practiced together so I don't think that would be a good idea right now, and he proceeded to tell me that I would be missing out. This guy was old, crazy looking, kind of like the Back to the Future guy. We started to do our sound check and he goes over to the sound board, and starts messing with the mixer. I didn't say much, I remembered most of the settings on my board anyways, just give or take for the Venue. After the sound check and fixing everything, he goes over to my guitar. I'm about ready to flip out.

 

I play on an American Breedlove. Cedar top, Indian Rosewood Back and Sides. Amazing guitar. I love it to death. He picks it up and starts to play it. Without asking. I just smile, because the crowd already starts to come on. I don't want to make a bad impression. He plays it for about 15 min, and then looks all over it, and proceeds to tell me that my guitar is crappy because it has a bound fretboard. He said No professionals play on bound fretboards. It cracks me up. Is pretty much every High End guitar has a bound fret Board. Anything Taylor 600 and up, unless you have a LTD. Martin D35s and Up have them.. Just to name a few. So apparently my guitar was crappy, because it has what so many other guitars have had for years.

 

I guess My question is, I've noticed that Luthiers charge more for bound fretboards, when replacing the frets. I was just wondering why, is it more of a skilled job? is it Unpractical. Does it make my guitar suck? Is it possible to even do a good Job with it. So many guitars have them. All of Gibson's standard electrics have them, and I'm a lot of their acoustics do also. I tend to use a lot of Capos while playing and my first 6 frets are starting to show wear on the High E and B strings.

 

To top off this whole entire story...if your not bored yet. The last song, the guy grabs a chair, sits next to me, grabs my back up guitar, my friends Martin DC16, which is plugging in, and Starts soloing in the middle of the Song. I couldn't believe it, my eyes were wide open, and everyone was like what the crap is he doing.

 

This is my story about the Crazy Coffee House Guy. I hope no one ever runs into one of these. LOL.

 

Anyways, thanks for reading.

[guitarist21]

Originally posted by Jazzphone This is my story about the Crazy Coffee House Guy. I hope no one ever runs into one of these. LOL.

 

 

First of all, welcome to HC! We're glad to have you.

 

Second of all, I had a similar experience recently. Three people randomly decided to join my worship band one week in singing and (horrifyingly) dancing. No one knew what to do- they just came up and sang. We couldn't just kick them off- so they stayed. It totally detracted from the service and was extremely awkward.

 

A couple weeks later, one of the people who'd sung (and danced) without permission came up again and asked one of the singers if she could join. I panicked and told her that I'm sure she has a great voice and that if she'd like to sing in a couple weeks or so, I'd try to include her. Thankfully, she backed down, and I'm probably going to have her in a couple weeks.

 

Some people don't realize that a degree of preparation does actually go into these things.

 

Ellen

[Fireproof]

I don't know the answers to your bound neck questions, but I do know that I do like them on my Gibby electrics. Don't have any acoustics with bound necks, though.

BUT...congratulations on maintaining your composure. That would've been a challenge for me in that situation.

[babablowfish]

Jazzphone said:

I hope no one ever runs into one of these. LOL.

Hi Jazzphone. Welcome to the forum!

This past Friday night, I was at an open-mic nite in Nashua. This is a new venue for me. There was a guy there who clearly had major mental health issues. He was disheveled, had an angry look on his face and was talking loudly during one of the performances, complaining about the fact that his favorite performer wasn't there. He was clearly crazy, but also very disruptive. After hoping that he would just stop and realizing that he had no concern for how disruptive he was being I finally told him "Shshh.." That did it! He came over to me with his eyes blazing and stood right in front of me, rocking back and forth his face contorted in rage. Then he lunged forward, his hands in tight fists, his teeth bared and he screamed, "AAAaarrgghh!"

I'm a big guy and I know how to take care of myself so I wasn't worried.
I calmly told him to go away and then the guy on stage told him if he didn't cool it they would have to have him removed. He retreated to the periphery and eventually left. I am sure that he will be back as some folks seemed to recognize him.

To his credit, though, he didn't pick up any of the instruments or screw around with any settings.

[Chicken Monkey]

It is more difficult to add binding to a fingerboard, plus there is the additional cost of the extra materials.

And it is the true test of a performer to successfully navigate the Crazy Audience Member Scenario.

[Bilbo]

A little bit more pain in the neck to refret, but no big shakes. As for the crazy guy, I had a guy grab my 1962 Tele, bend the neck like it was made of rubber, and I had to stop him from smashing it. From then on NOBODY touches my guitar, or any of my other gear. I am not polite about his issue. I'll beat them if they touch my guitar, the good Lord willing, and I'll kill them if they touch my wife.

[AK47]

The bound fretboard is cosmetic only.
This guy would stand a better chance of grabbing my a$$ and walking away than grabbing my guitar without permission. I once had a simular experience in a club many years ago. He had friends, we had friends and it wasn't a pretty sight.
We did get a police escort out of town. I'm really easy going and have let strangers sit in and do a song with us before. If someone asks I may let them play a guitar. If they touch my wife they may find out why I'm AK47.

[Jazzphone]

Yeah I always thought the whole bound fret board was mostly cosmetic also. He was sitting there telling me that No Professionals play with bounded fret boards. I was just thinking to myself, why would a guitar manufacture make their higher end guitars, not for professionals. Just a crazy night I suppose. I wish I had a picture of him, I really do. You guys would roll.

[Tony Burns]

Jazzphone- welcome to the forum , i use to do coffeehouses years ago-( wish there was one around here ) as to the question of the bound fingerboard- its all a matter of taste some of the older finer guitars have them ( my Guild 71 D-55 has one ) they are sopose to be easier on the hands- the frets are not exsposed--I consider them a nice feature on some of the better guitars , thou not too many companies do that anymore, guess it just alot more work . so his statement to you doesn't make any sence - I use to run into people like that every now and then , back in the olden days we use to have a sign-up for performers , and wed limit each performer to 3 songs or 15 minutes - which depends on how many performers show up at your open mike - dont be surprised if you get poets showing up wanting to read a real long poem--( you can give them more time if their good ) and then at the end of the night we would kinda group together as many of the performers and do something like good night Irene, etc. As far as the picking up your guitar and playing it - thats a no no , mention that he really need to bring his own guitar if he wishes to perform , guitars are personal and you dont like yours handled . Sometimes these folks turn out to be great friends in the long run , but laying down a few rules from the start is usually a really good idea - oh yeeah sometimes its a good idea to keep your guitar in the case and close at hand when your not using it , some wackos treat them like their common property - I use to have a light weight chain and a small lock around it to discourage it ( when its in the case, if it doesnt lock ) or keep it by my side in the case when i wasn't performing- Good luck my friend and may all the wackos be nice wackos !!

[pipedwho]

Originally posted by Jazzphone Yeah I always thought the whole bound fret board was mostly cosmetic also. He was sitting there telling me that No Professionals play with bounded fret boards. I was just thinking to myself, why would a guitar manufacture make their higher end guitars, not for professionals. Just a crazy night I suppose. I wish I had a picture of him, I really do. You guys would roll.

But, was he any good while he was playing?

I've had drunks come up in the middle of a worship service and want to join in. One guy even brought his own guitar - it only had a couple of strings left, but hey, I don't think it would have made any difference.

The worst experience I had was during a deep and meaningful rendition of Silent Night. This older drunk guy just starts singing in the middle of the song, mostly on key, and he was clearly a classically trained opera singer. Even though we had the mics, he overpowered us from half way across the church! (edit: it wouldn't have been so bad, but he was singing it in German.)

[zenbu]

wowzers Bilbo...a Hobbit with a mean streak...and I`ve made a mental note about touchin` your guitars...you know should I ever end up back in the same hemisphere as you again.
Bound FRETS may cost more to have work done to em but bound fretboards shouldn`t cause a good luthier any worries...not that there are any good luthiers in this one horse town.

[Preacher Will]

Oh there's some crazies out there . . .

I used to keep a djembe up front for my drummer then one day some guy walked up, sat down and started playing percussion. He was trying to make some a-rythmic African drumming fit a country waltz. He wasn't good enough to make it work.

For years we did a service for nothing but homeless street people. Had one regular who would sit in the audience and point his finger at me like a gun and make shooting noises for an hour.

I often got guys who "the Lord told to share a song." Yeah, well it's my church so why didn't He tell me too? Ever try to stop someone from singing under divine mandate? I just wish he'd help them remember the words and stay on key . . .

[360]

It's harder to refret because you can crack the binding and it takes longer. If I get a chance, I'll post a pic of my old Guild D055 (when Guild actually made good guitars) neck and you'll see where I cracked it.

[daklander]

First off, I can't say anything about bound necks. I have both on different guitars and it seems to work just fine either way. I agree it's probably a cosmetic thing.

Now, the crux of the issue...
I take more than one guitar to all gigs. Some, including a couple I'm now doing, my vehicle is parked within a very short distance so I only bring one guitar out and "on stage" If there's a malfunction I can get the other one going in 5 minutes so if it's not too hot I'll leave it in the vehicle and the one is then being used by me at all times I'm playing. The guitar stand is "on stage" and no one not involved in the performance should be "on stage" so when I'm on short break it will be there.
I do not allow anyone to play my guitars either, unless, #1, the person asks, #2 is sober, #3 has been seen in the venue, by me, before that time. There have been a few instances when I've allowed someone I didn't know play one of my guitars but they have been few and far between. If someone just up and grabs the instrument, I'm taking it back immediately and let them know it's not allowed.
As to allowing a person to sit in, It depends on the situation at the time. I have allowed a few people to sit in with me, though, again, seldom. It just doesn't do the show any justice.
As stated above, there have been exceptions and those have depended on particular times and situations as well as venue and whether or not the person making the request is know by the venue and whether or not that person has his/her own instrument.

I see no reason to be overly polite with anyone who, without asking, picks up one of your instruments. They weren't being polite and in all likelyhood wouldn't be able to replace the instrument if they broke it and I'm betting the venue is going to say tough luck.

With all that said, if a person has their own instrument, and the necessary acoutriments to hook into the PA, and has an awareness of the music I'm playing, they may be allowed to sit in. The one thing I really have an issue with is someone coming in and wanting to sing....

[Blackwatch]

Every single show I do someone comes up and wants to play my instruments. And it's no to every one unless I know them and have played with them before, and even then I wouldn't.
I've had people put cigarettes on my headstocks and burn them, drop them, and drunks are always unpredictable.
I've been offered $50 to "just let me play one song" I had one guy try to walk out the back door with my resonator. Another guy I had to stop as he was beating the crap out of my guitar as he played it.
Playing in bars is unpredictable, but no body else plays my instruments anymore..period.

[T.B.]

Originally posted by AK47 The bound fretboard is cosmetic only. This guy would stand a better chance of grabbing my a$$ and walking away than grabbing my guitar without permission.

:D Funny.


Trina