Just curious if there are any musicans on the boards? I play guitar here, mostly the progressive rock area. I have two beautiful Ernie Ball Petruccis (one 6 string one 7 in Dargie finish).

I was with a pop band during high school, playing bass guitar/guitar and lead singer...we play for lots of wedding dinners during that time (early 90's). It was a fun time, all the equipment carrying, transportation and some sexy female singers who join us on part time basis, and I do save up quite a bit as a student playing with the band :p

Erik, I played clarinet in school bands and orchestras, but haven't played recently. At present my active musicianship involves our church choir(4 women, 2 men).

I think there are quite a few here who play some sort of instrument. I play guitar.

In the previous century, I played (keyboards) in bands in HS, music college, and after. Larger club circiut (800-1,200 cap.)
around NE and NY. 250 lb. Hammond, Fender Rhodes, Arp Synhesizer.
And one van full of "sound reinforcement" just for me! "What? Did you say something? Try my other ear, please."

In elem. school I played Saxophone. From age 10 to 20 I played elec. guitar. From 25 to 26 I played piano. Then my life changed with military and 3 wives and I just took up acoustic guitar a few months ago.

Drums and percussion in school, now just drums...

Violin in school and for a while afterwards; still have an electric violin sitting around somewhere.

Mostly used it for playing the organ parts on Deep Purple songs when we didn't have a keyboard player

Cat, Dude!: You've got all the makin's of a C & W star! Even where you live!! Go for it!

Rhythm guitar... Badly (self taught).

I'm about 6 months into bass guitar, an Ibanez SR405QM . Self taught, but can keep up with my son who plays in our church's praise band.

Scott

Use to play the clarinet as well as a 6 & 7 string Ibanez electric guitar. I am incompetent at both. Haven't played either in many, many, many years. As they say, wasted talent.

I have a 12(11 ) string Yamaha and a 6 string Emperador acoustic guitars(Korean cheapy). Self taught, I used to play music by the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, America ect., never really took it seriously, just for fun.

Started on clarinet in grade school. Took piano lessons in junior high (and for 50 years have been kicking myself for stopping), and ended up with the guitar.

{apoplogies to all being forced to view this photo again)

What brand of guitar, Jack?

I played trumpet and baritone horn in grade school, then taught myself acoustic guitar in high school and college (fingerpicking from tablature found online, mostly). A few years before I moved to Virginia, I was recruited to the UC Berkeley Alumni Choir by one of its members when I was helping her with a computer issue and she asked if I could sing. (She worked for the same company as I did at the time.) They were looking for bass/baritones. I'd never sung (in a group) before, but everyone in my family can carry a tune with a decent voice, so I joined and did it for a year. We put on a show with selections from various operas that year. It was pretty fun.

I have been playing with the drums for less than a year now. Still consider myself very much a beginner.

I didn't see that photo the first time around, Jack. Are you the guy on the far right, I am guessing?

I took piano lessons from about 3rd grade to 8th grade. I played alto saxophone in middle school (6th-8th) grade band. I haven't touched either much lately, but I am pretty confident I could pick up the sax fairly easily.

I had an interest in bass guitar that I never pursued. Now I have an interest in the drums that my wife is hoping I don't pursue.

I forgot - one thing I do like about having played those instruments is the way it helps me visualize and appreciate just what good musicians are doing when they are doing it. I like to isolate a musician in a song when I really dig a bass line or a drummer. It's been said before, but playing an instrument really increases one's appreciation of music.

Guitar here as well, although probably heavier stuff that what most of you guys play or are into. I have a few different guitars in different tunings.

One instrument I forgot was the flute. About 8 years ago I took flute lessons for a year, then quit when the noise started bothering my ears. Flutes are much louder when you are playing one that I would have thought. Didn't want to wear earplugs while playing an instrument.

My wife is very satisfied with my Roland V-Drums. As long as she is not in the same room to hear the tapping on the pads, she doesn't hear a thing.

Although, I'm now saving for a good drum amp so that will soon change. Muhhhuhhuhhaaahahahahaha. Well, at least until she tells me to put the damn headphones back on.

1964 Martin D-28. The last year The D-28 had a two-piece back made of Brazilian rosewood. They went to a two-piece Indian Rosewood back, or some models (D-35?) had a three-piece Brazilian rosewood back.

I also have a 1965 Martin D-12-20 12-string.


Yep. Dat's me.

Nice! years ago I had a Martin knock-off, Sigma, 6 stringer.

Still got 'em both.

Jack, I think you should bring one of them to Dwight.

I'll record you for playback on some M80s of pure, unadulterated, uncompressed 96kHz 24 bit audio!

Plus, we get to hear you!

Nice guitars Jack. I always loved the sound of Martins, but found the action to stiff for me.

My baby is a Yamaha FG630 12 string that I picked up in my early 20s. I figure I'll give it to my daughter some day.

Whats the 12 string in the picture? It looks a lot like my Yami.

Trust me. You do NOT want me to bring one of them. Haven't played either of them in more than 20 years. Arthritis curtailed my career.

Took piano lessons from age 6-14, after that progressed on my own, mainly playing pop songs that were popular during the 70's and 80's. Then played keyboard/sang in a few bands through high school. A little rusty now, but still play ok.

Also played trumpet starting in about 6th grade. Was first chair in the school jazz band and concert band. Haven't played that since graduation, but wouldn't mind to try again some day.

Have a pretty good singing voice, must have got that from my old man, who was a professional singer back in the late 50's/early 60's and appeared on the Ed Sullivan show.

Yes, my D-28 always had a stiff action. I had monstrously large calluses.

The 12 string is my 1965 Martin D-12-20. They were introduced in 1965 and I have one of the first of them.

Used to love my Guild acoustic, later had a D25 if memory serves which I thought sounded sweet but my friend talked me into buying a Froggy Bottom guitar hailing from Newfane VT after John Gorka's guitar was stolen. John decided against the guitar which was made on spec for him but I thought it sounded a little cleaner than my Martin which Michael Millard, who makes the FG guitars, claims is due to the scalloped bracing inside which is less muffly sounding. Still seems like a matter of taste to me.

Now one of my wife's best friend's husbands has been trying to get me to send the Froggy to LA to undergo equal intonation fret adjustment, can't remember the brand name but I am reluctant to ship an acoustic guitar to LA.

Also play a PRS that I love, one great regret was letting go of the Dean Markley amp that used to sound so great on stereo digital chorus (ibanez pedal?) along with the Fender Concert amp, I tell you, there is something about stereo that just makes an electric guitar sound magical.

SK

V-Drums are great. I ended up with a nice Yamaha drum amp (has a sub with the amplifier attached and 2 speakers that attach to the drum rack for the mids/highs). I really like it. My drums have been in my basement and unless I really crank them up, my wife doesn't care up on the main floor. :-)

I've had some folks mention V-drums to me. When I have the moolah, I'll have to give them a look.

Jack, you and those Martins are classics.

I also wish I had the money for the Mesa Boogie Mark V. Looks like Mesa finally made the classic IIC+/IV distortion sound mixed with their lone star cleans, everything I need in a highly tweekable design

All three of us (me & the Martins) are living proof you can end up being a classic if you can just stick around long enough.

Save a little extra for the model with all mesh pads. My snare is the only one that is mesh and the three toms are the rubber pads. They work fine but it took me about 5 minutes to realize that I should have gone all mesh.

If I ever get good enough that I can warrant spending more money on them, I'll be upgrading.

Yeah, +1 for mesh for the snare and toms!

I went that route and I am glad that I did. The bass drum doesn't matter as much, but your wrists will thank you for upgrading from the rubber pads.