Numbercruncher

Retired CPA - I have always loved the guitar but never really stuck with it during my college years. Big mistake!

I have told myself for the last few years to get back into it. Well last Friday night I was chilling downstairs enjoying rock and roll music. Like I have done ALL my life, I repeat songs or sections of songs that I really like.

Suddenly it dawned on me! Hey stupid! You have more than one motorcycle in your garage and yet you like in a part of the country where you can only enjoy riding six, at best, months out of the year. It makes perfect sense to buy a new guitar, or two, a new amp, get acquainted with iPod or other forms of background playback and hit it hard all winter. Instead of enjoying music by only listening, learn to play; for real.

This lit a fire of motivation under me and Sunday I went to Guitar Center and decided on a new Straticastor Deluxe model in the Sapphire blue. I thought long and hard about the HSS model at the same price point as it hit harder for the heavy metal sound I like. But since I also really like lighter sections like The Outfield, The Eurythmics, Bryan Adams and others, I decided on the Sapphire Blue Deluxe model in the SSS configuration. Well yesterday I was still really hot on this so I went back and bought the HSS model in the Aged Cherry Sunburst. The SSS Strat won't show up until Friday, hopefully, as GC had to bring one in from the warehouse in Kansas City I believe. Since I paid for that guitar, a case, a stand and the amplifier all at the same time, I decided to not pick up the amp and stands until the guitar shows up. So that means the beautiful new Aged Cherry Sunburst is merely appreciated by my eyes and not my hands.

I decided, initially, on either of these two models after hearing the GC sales rep play a few chords and a little bit of lead guitar on several models in this price point. They all sounded different, yet the same at the same time. I could probably be happy with any of the models. He said he would sell me a $1,000 model if I wanted it but recommended going to the full American made model at $2,000 if I really wanted to see an improvement. Given my tastes may change over the next several months as I playing progresses, I decided to NOT go with a pricier model. When the GC guy demonstrated how much harder the HSS model hit due to the hum bucker pickup as opposed to the SSS sound I knew I would need at least two guitars to cover most of the sounds I want to make.

So there you have my boring bio and where I am today. Rain and snow in Spokane the next three months and I cannot wait for that amp to show up.