That first guitar...

[sylvanshine]

Remember the first guitar you bought as a teenager that was "it"? The one where you could finally play better than you were? For me as a teenager, that was a Kramer Pacer Carrera. All black, no fret dots, Floyd, two screamin' humbuckers. They look really funny to me now, but at the time that guitar was my dream. Much VH, Def Leppard, White Snake and "Crazy Train" played on that one (they were big then!)

So flash forward some 20 years. I'm lucky enough to buy just about any guitar I want (and have!). I've owned 7 Andersons in the last 3 years, still have 3 of them. Late last year I go to Brian H and order a guitar that brings the 18 year old me and the 38 year old me together in one piece of wood.

A Pro Am T, all black, with Floyd, no fret markers, two humbuckers. So what happens when the two versions of myself meet? I'll let you know soon, but I bet it starts with Ozzy shouting "Eye eye eye eye".

[BrownDog]

... and had finished taking group lessons at the "Y." I was pretty good at playing Little Brown Jug on this "rental" acoustic. But, I needed an electric to play The Ventures!

I got my first electric in 1963, a Harmony Rocket (two pickups) and a Gibson Scout amp. I was on top of the world - Walk Don't Run.

In the late 60s/early 70s the guitar I played was a Gibson SG (one with soapbars and a stoptail; the other, with 2 Hums and the vibrola) through a Heathkit amp that I built with my dad.

With tone and oneness, Mike.

[pluto]

First good guitar was my second one-a white Ibanez Flying V knock-off that I bought with my own money (saved up allowances!!) in high school back in 1983. All I needed was blond hair and I could have been Michael Schenker without the chops! I ended up selling it and a Fender Super Champ in 1986 or 1987 after I quit playing guitar. After all these years, I still want another V (preferably a Gibby custom shop in black and white with the block inlays and neck binding just like you-know-who), but TA and Suhr make such superior guitars, I know I won't ever own a V again.

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by sylvanshine
Remember the first guitar you bought as a teenager that was "it"? The one where you could finally play better than you were? For me as a teenager, that was a Kramer Pacer Carrera. All black, no fret dots, Floyd, two screamin' humbuckers. They look really funny to me now, but at the time that guitar was my dream. Much VH, Def Leppard, White Snake and "Crazy Train" played on that one (they were big then!)

So flash forward some 20 years. I'm lucky enough to buy just about any guitar I want (and have!). I've owned 7 Andersons in the last 3 years, still have 3 of them. Late last year I go to Brian H and order a guitar that brings the 18 year old me and the 38 year old me together in one piece of wood.

A Pro Am T, all black, with Floyd, no fret markers, two humbuckers. So what happens when the two versions of myself meet? I'll let you know soon, but I bet it starts with Ozzy shouting "Eye eye eye eye".

too funny, my first "real" guitar was a blue Kramer Pacer, single Hum, vintage bridge that was replaced w/ a Kahler tremelo!:eek:

Now 20 years later, I too have owned 8 Tom Andersons over an 8 year period, and several others. BUT instead of going w/ the black Pro Am to relieve the teen years, I went w/ the Charvel Retro Reissue (strathead) Bullseye!:eek: :D

Funny what the 80's means to all of us - and it all seems good! If I could, I'd pick up the TAG Hammett-colored bowling ball Pro Am, with the lawsuit headstock, black hardware. YEAH! talk about 80's styling - I'd go great w/ all of the Charvels that I'm thinking about buying;)

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by pluto
First good guitar was my second one-a white Ibanez Flying V knock-off that I bought with my own money (saved up allowances!!) in high school back in 1983. All I needed was blond hair and I could have been Michael Schenker without the chops! I ended up selling it and a Fender Super Champ in 1986 or 1987 after I quit playing guitar. After all these years, I still want another V (preferably a Gibby custom shop in black and white with the block inlays and neck binding just like you-know-who), but TA and Suhr make such superior guitars, I know I won't ever own a V again.

eh, who says you can't get da blonde hair?

chops...well, no can fix what went broke already!:D

[pluto]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
eh, who says you can't get da blonde hair?

chops...well, no can fix what went broke already!:D

True (as to the first statement). Too true (as to the second statement)!!!

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by michaelomiya

Funny what the 80's means to all of us - and it all seems good!
My band wrote a song 2 months ago called "Bring Back The 80's". It's a little cheesy as it should be. Lyrics are still coming, but one that keeps sticking is "do you remember when, you and I were thin, I can't wait for the 80's to come back again" 8^D

At the end, as the kicker, we go into "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, I do the solo then we're out. We think it's funny. Soon enough we'll see if the brats in Dallas do.

Rock you like a Hurricane!

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
to relieve the teen years

Freud just rolled over. Excellent typo sir!

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by sylvanshine
Freud just rolled over. Excellent typo sir!

:D :D see, I get all excited about gabbing w/ all of you 30-somethings about women in spandex, big hair, RATT, etc., and all of a sudden my poor typing gives away my innermost psychoses!!:eek: ;)

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by sylvanshine
My band wrote a song 2 months ago called "Bring Back The 80's". It's a little cheesy as it should be. Lyrics are still coming, but one that keeps sticking is "do you remember when, you and I were thin, I can't wait for the 80's to come back again" 8^D

At the end, as the kicker, we go into "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, I do the solo then we're out. We think it's funny. Soon enough we'll see if the brats in Dallas do.

Rock you like a Hurricane!

Jay, remember this line?

"Costa Mesa, there's NO ONE LIKE YOOOOOOU!"

or this one,

"...we wrote this song about our hometown, San Francisco...it's called Lights...."

or this one,

"scream for me Long Beach, scream for me!!"

or this one,

"breaking the WHAT? breaking the WHAT?"

now, there you've gone and gotten me all sentimental about some of the best concerts ever commited to vinyl (and then remixed and re-recorded in some studio to sound live and perfect!)

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by sylvanshine
At the end, as the kicker, we go into "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, I do the solo then we're out.

I love Neal Schon. I especially love Journey's Nov 1981 concert (the MTV broadcast) from Houston, Tejas. Neal Schon, black les paul - with a FLOYD ROSE!:eek: :confused: But Jonathan Cain breaks into the intro to "dont stop believin" and Neal kicks in with those few bars to emulate the choo choo train, well...it don't get any better at "relievin" my teen angst years!:D

[nickdahl]

I've got to get in on this one. My first guitar, period, was a 1962 Strat I bought in 1978. I sold my saxophone to buy it. I kept it for a few years and then traded it for a truckload of bass guitar gear. The bass gear is long gone. I wish the guitar wasn't.

Nick

[pluto]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
I love Neal Schon. I especially love Journey's Nov 1981 concert (the MTV broadcast) from Houston, Tejas. Neal Schon, black les paul - with a FLOYD ROSE!:eek: :confused: But Jonathan Cain breaks into the intro to "dont stop believin" and Neal kicks in with those few bars to emulate the choo choo train, well...it don't get any better at "relievin" my teen angst years!:D

Sorry Michael, but man, Journey was one band I just couldn't get into in the 80's!! I just couldn't take Steve Perry's voice or that video of them playing air instruments in front of a movie studio wall (can't remember the name of that song). Now, I'm getting bad 80's flashbacks!!:D Neal Schon kicks ass though!

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by pluto
that video of them playing air instruments in front of a movie studio wall (can't remember the name of that song).

"Separate Ways" Not their best work I agree.

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by michaelomiya

"Costa Mesa, there's NO ONE LIKE YOOOOOOU!"

"...we wrote this song about our hometown, San Francisco...it's called Lights...."

"scream for me Long Beach, scream for me!!"

"breaking the WHAT? breaking the WHAT?"



Scorps, Journey, ? and Priest

"You wanted the best, you got the best...KISS" (used in 4 decades)

"Last song people" from "Ridin' The Storm Out" with that keyboard siren in the background

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by pluto
Sorry Michael, but man, Journey was one band I just couldn't get into in the 80's!! I just couldn't take Steve Perry's voice or that video of them playing air instruments in front of a movie studio wall (can't remember the name of that song). Now, I'm getting bad 80's flashbacks!!:D Neal Schon kicks ass though!

:D that corny video (and that's putting it lightly) was "Separate Ways"....

"here we stand....worlds apart, hearts broken in two...two, two"

"sleepless nights...losing ground, I'm reaching for you...you...you"

yeech. BUT, Neal smokes. Always, Neal smokes!

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by sylvanshine
Scorps, Journey, ? and Priest

"You wanted the best, you got the best...KISS" (used in 4 decades)

"Last song people" from "Ridin' The Storm Out" with that keyboard siren in the background


"scream for Long Beach..."
Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden, Live After Death

I forgot about REO Speedwagon (before Hi Infidelity)
Gary Richrath ruled the band back then.

[pluto]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
:D that corny video (and that's putting it lightly) was "Separate Ways"....

"here we stand....worlds apart, hearts broken in two...two, two"

"sleepless nights...losing ground, I'm reaching for you...you...you"

yeech. BUT, Neal smokes. Always, Neal smokes!

STOPPPP! AHHHH, the horror, the horror!!:D Hargh, hargh, that's what I say when my wife pops in Journey's Greatest Hits in the car CD player. Journey's cool, just not my favorite music. I think I was jealous that Steve Perry could score with all the women by just singing one note! As for Neal, he and Lukather are the guitar kings of 80's pop!