Let's get this party started!

Ultimate Garage Band · #1 July 3rd, 2005

Ok, really I'm too old to party.

My name is Glen Giles and I love to play guitar. I think the term 'beginner' is kind of relative because I've been playing guitar for about 28 years I guess but I just started classical lessons in June, so in that I'm VERY MUCH a beginner.

I did the band 'let's be rock stars!' thing back in the late 70's and early 80's. I've not been in a gigging band since about '82. Most recently I've been playing mostly bass but occasionally lead or acoustic guitar for our church band. That service is currently 'under review' so now I'm chasing a solo acoustic act and I have my first gig FOUR HOURS :shock: the day after tomorrow and I just finished a HORRIBLE rehearsal for it.

So, I have tomorrow to patch together what I can and see what happens, but, I know the most important thing is to have fun. You could play the same song all night as long as you and the audience are having fun. That's why I play guitar, for FUN!

I'll state right up front that I sell guitars for a living and that my business is entirely structured for the new guitar player. I'll also state up front that selling people stuff is not the reason I joined this site. I am passionate about guitar and my business is just one way I get to share my love of the instrument. I have some knowledge and experience that I'm more than willing to share to help anyone make learning guitar a rewarding experience. There's not enough room for me to relay how much playing guitar has enriched my life and the richest blessings within that context are having met some of the best people in my life. Guitar has shaped my life in many ways and it's very much an extension of who I am. So I don't mind sharing as much as I can to help anyone if I'm able to do so. I've begun a blog over on my page at myspace.com:

http://www.myspace.com/ultimategarageband

and in that blog I've begun to write down some things I get asked on a regular basis about guitars and guitar maintenence. I hope someone gets some use out of it. My next blog guitar topic will be on how to intonate your electric guitar or bass.

From a business standpoint, I do enjoy talking with new players because that's the best way for me to find out what they like, what they don't like, and most importantly, WHY!

So, if a thread pops up where someone asks about 'what's a good guitar to buy?' I'll respond to it, but just like other places I'll say EVERYTHING I know about guitars that fit that criteria whether I sell them or not. I guess my point is, nobody joins a bbs to be solicited so don't worry, you won't be.

allthumbs · #2 July 4th, 2005

Hi UGB. Now that summers here, this forum is gonna quieten down for a while. I guess everybody is out playin their guitars in the shade of a tree. Lucys' tanglewood looks good. I googled it and found a ton of links. Seems to be on par with Waldens on this side of the pond, only more well known. How do you think my old norman b30 would stack up againt a walden? I have played it for 30 years so I have that going for it. Does it really make much of a difference having a guitar aged like that. I wonder how much i would have to spend before my uneducated ear could hear a difference in quality of more expensive guitars? BTW welcome to the forum. I hope everyone takes advantage of your kind offer to share your knowledge here.

Ultimate Garage Band · #3 July 5th, 2005

I've only played one Norman and it was a nice playing guitar. That's a Godin line and I'm now carrying the Art & Lutherie and LaPatrie products. What an awesome guitar company; truly some killer bang for the buck guitars.

I wouldn't be so anxious to drop your Norman unless you're looking for something different. I have 3 acoustic guitars now but had 4 very recently. Each served a specific purpose. I can easily equate guitars like saws. A table saw makes some cuts much easier than a radial arm saw. For some boards a sabre or jig saw is the best kind of saw. Certainly in doing demolition a reciprocating or 'Saws-all' saw is the weapon of choice. If we can see how it makes sense that saws are designed to perform different tasks making some better at some things and others better at other things then it's easier to apply the same logic to guitars. A solid spruce top w/a rosewood body dreadnought is not going to sound the same as a cedar topped folk guitar with a mahogany body. So, what do you want to do differently in playing that your Norman doesn't really let you do?

allthumbs · #4 July 5th, 2005

I guess i was thinking of better tone. So then what is the difference between a cheapy 400 buck guitar and say a martin for 1500 bucks.Are we talking better tone or quality build.

Ultimate Garage Band · #5 July 5th, 2005

Dangerous question alert!!

I dare say, in a blindfold test one would be hard pressed, VERY hard pressed to tell a $400 Blueridge from a $1400 Martin. I'm talking about the lowest model line of Blueridge. This has been a major discovery for me; the entry level model of a higher-end guitar company is ALWAYS better than the primo model of a lower-end guitar company. Quality doesn't trickle up.

allthumbs · #6 July 5th, 2005

That Blueridge BR70 looks sweet. With shipping and customs it would cost well over 800 Canadian which puts it on my things to buy after winning the lotto list.

Ultimate Garage Band · #7 July 5th, 2005

See, I don't even stock the BR-70 becaue to me there's not enough value in the purchase to warrant it over the BR-60. Here are the differences between the two: BR-70 has Brazilian rosewood laminate back and more abalone inlay, the BR-60 has "choice" rosewood laminate back and less inlay. Now, I have played instruments in my life where there was no doubt the Brazilian rosewood was THE DEAL on the thing; it really had a voice. But I can't swear I get that kind of reaction here because it's not a solid back. Sure, a solid back of Brazilian rosewood would be a huge difference of a laminate back of "choice" rosewood. But if the added inlay and the idea of having some Brazilian rosewood floats your boat, go for it! There's no bad purchase if you're happy w/the guitar.

For me, the BR-60, and it's 000 sibling the BR-63, is the top of the line model I stock in my store. $400 w/a case. Not too many first time guitar purchasers are going to plop down more than $400 for a guitar. But I've certainly played higher end Blueridge models.