Treated Like An Elder Statesman

DrumBob

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I stopped into one of my favorite music stores today, a place I've been patronizing since the 80's, and I noticed that the sales guys (all of whom I have known for years), treating me like the store's elder statesman. I actually liked it for some reason. I had a long conversation with the Meinl cymbals sales rep, and got that vibe from him too. I found myself giving a couple of younger drummers advice there also. They seemed to appreciate it. I also advised a couple of sellers on craigslist and Reverb on better ways to advertise their gear.

Feels strange in a way, but not bad. It seems like I'm getting respect for my experience and wisdom as I reach my autumn years.
 
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GGJaguar

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Cool story! It's nice to be appreciated for wisdom and experience! Once I went into a shop where the folks knew me well. While I was browsing, a customer was talking to the shop owner about an Ampeg. As I browsed on the adjacent aisle, the shop owner says "You should talk to that guy. He helped write the Ampeg book". The customer looked at me and said "You're the guy on cover!" (Actually my photo is on the back flap of the 1st printing, not the cover). He ran down his aisle and back up the aisle I was in. I was starting to freak out because I'm not sure what he was going to do. He was pretty animated and looked starstruck. He reached out and shook my hand. He told me he really enjoyed the book and said he was really pleased to meet me. I thanked him and said "I'm just a regular guy, no one special". He responded "No, you don't understand. It's like going to Star Trek convention and meeting Spock. And you're Spock!" We chatted a bit more and then he went about his Ampeg shopping. That was the most unique compliment I ever received and probably the only one to make me smile ear to ear.
 
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fronobulax

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I wasn't an elder when this happened - just pontificating on a subject of interest backed with knowledge. I was at the visitor center at the Gettysburg National Military Park. The friend who knew more than I did had wandered off so the other friend asked me a question about an exhibit. I answered, probably at length. I finished and stopped for breath. A stranger walked up to me and said "Since you seem to know what you are talking about perhaps you could tell me about...". I did. I played impromptu tour guide/park range for about 30 minutes and the crowd may have grown to about 30.
 
Guildedagain

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GGJaguar said:
Cool story! It's nice to be appreciated for wisdom and experience! Once I went into a shop where the folks knew me well. While I was browsing, a customer was talking to the shop owner about an Ampeg. As browsed on the adjacent aisle, the shop owner says "You should talk to that guy. He helped write the Ampeg book".
Click to expand...

I fired up my ReverbeRocket 2, but through the Accordion channel with the S-50 and it was unreal, punchy, loud, why have I bought other amps since I bought that one, I have no clue other than they were smaller, but so what, the Ampeg sounds freakin crazy good.

With an overdrive, the fuzz on tap between 8-10 is monstrous, the pickup must be wound pretty hot.

And to boot, the Tone acts as another volume control as well.

It's like a guitar with two different volume knobs, crazy versatile, and if the sound gets too bassy, just cut the main volume a little.

Amazing amp. I'm almost ready to round file all others and take the Ampeg in to find out why the Reverb can't be turned up or it goes into a strange low pitch feedback, that's the only annoying thing about the amp. Volume wise, it destroys, volume on a 9am is all I can handle clean, maybe a tad but more with dirt pedals to tame some of the dynamics.

Then I plugged in my electric 12 string, dang, thought I'd gone to heaven. Tom Petty almost didn't sound this good ;]
 
Brad Little

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Guildedagain said:
I fired up my ReverbeRocket 2, but through the Accordion channel with the S-50 and it was unreal, punchy, loud, why have I bought other amps since I bought that one, I have no clue other than they were smaller, but so what, the Ampeg sounds freakin crazy good.

With an overdrive, the fuzz on tap between 8-10 is monstrous, the pickup must be wound pretty hot.

And to boot, the Tone acts as another volume control as well.

It's like a guitar with two different volume knobs, crazy versatile, and if the sound gets too bassy, just cut the main volume a little.

Amazing amp. I'm almost ready to round file all others and take the Ampeg in to find out why the Reverb can't be turned up or it goes into a strange low pitch feedback, that's the only annoying thing about the amp. Volume wise, it destroys, volume on a 9am is all I can handle clean, maybe a tad but more with dirt pedals to tame some of the dynamics.

Then I plugged in my electric 12 string, dang, thought I'd gone to heaven. Tom Petty almost didn't sound this good ;]
Click to expand...
Not much of an electric guy here, but I would love to have my old Reverberocket back, went to a friend around 1980. Had one of the new ones, but wasn't the same.
 
DrumBob

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GGJaguar said:
Cool story! It's nice to be appreciated for wisdom and experience! Once I went into a shop where the folks knew me well. While I was browsing, a customer was talking to the shop owner about an Ampeg. As I browsed on the adjacent aisle, the shop owner says "You should talk to that guy. He helped write the Ampeg book". The customer looked at me and said "You're the guy on cover!" (Actually my photo is on the back flap of the 1st printing, not the cover). He ran down his aisle and back up the aisle I was in. I was starting to freak out because I'm not sure what he was going to do. He was pretty animated and looked starstruck. He reached out and shook my hand. He told me he really enjoyed the book and said he was really pleased to meet me. I thanked him and said "I'm just a regular guy, no one special". He responded "No, you don't understand. It's like going to Star Trek convention and meeting Spock. And you're Spock!" We chatted a bit more and then he went about his Ampeg shopping. That was the most unique compliment I ever received and probably the only one to make me smile ear to ear.
Click to expand...

Something similar happened to me yesterday. I was chatting with a Boomer drummer on the phone and casually mentioned I'd written, Great Rock Drummers Of The Sixties, and he started freaking out, telling me how much he loved the book, would I sign it for him, etc. It's always very flattering.

Frono, I go to Gettysburg at least once a year, and have also been in the same position of being an impromptu tour guide. I know the battlefield pretty well by now.
 
GAD

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GGJaguar said:
Cool story! It's nice to be appreciated for wisdom and experience! Once I went into a shop where the folks knew me well. While I was browsing, a customer was talking to the shop owner about an Ampeg. As I browsed on the adjacent aisle, the shop owner says "You should talk to that guy. He helped write the Ampeg book". The customer looked at me and said "You're the guy on cover!" (Actually my photo is on the back flap of the 1st printing, not the cover). He ran down his aisle and back up the aisle I was in. I was starting to freak out because I'm not sure what he was going to do. He was pretty animated and looked starstruck. He reached out and shook my hand. He told me he really enjoyed the book and said he was really pleased to meet me. I thanked him and said "I'm just a regular guy, no one special". He responded "No, you don't understand. It's like going to Star Trek convention and meeting Spock. And you're Spock!" We chatted a bit more and then he went about his Ampeg shopping. That was the most unique compliment I ever received and probably the only one to make me smile ear to ear.
Click to expand...
That's happened to me when teaching classes. I had one guy who begged me for a picture with him so I oblidged. He then showed me his collection of him with other "famous" networking authors and suddenly I felt like I was talking to a serial killer.
 
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