In Danger of Spilling the Secret

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I agree with you guys on "getting a better guitar makes you play more".

But a quick story - I had a Sears electric guitar as a teenager - total crap - and a friend of mine, who at 17 was a great guitarist, came over my house. He picked it up, tuned it, and played some of "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes". I will always remember that!

walrus

A few months ago in Acoustic Guitar magazine there was a article about how to play that song. The article seemed to imply that the song is easy to play because it's in an open tuning and you can play it by barring frets up and down the fret board. According to Wiki, the song features an acoustic guitar tuned to EEEEBE ("Bruce Palmer Modal Tuning") vs. the standard EADGBE tuning.
 

X-170AB

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I attended a flat picking class with Dan Crary a number of years ago. Interesting guy (he was a Taylor endorser at the time). Told a story about playing at a show, and was on a break between sets. Guy comes up to him and said that the guitar sounded great. He took the guitar and put it on table, sound hole up, and asked "how's it sound now". Point taken.

I've seen this story attributed to Chet Atkins. It appears in one of the biographic books about Chet (don't have them handy now to check which one).
 

PittPastor

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A show I had a love-hate relationship was "Nashville." When it focused on the singer songwriting, I really enjoyed it. Then it veered off into the soapbox stuff and I was out. But there was this one bit I really liked where there was this ritual between Luke Wheeler and Deacon Claybourne, (in the fictional land of Nashville) two legends of Country -- right before they hit the stage they look at each other and say: "Well, let's see if we can go fool them again."
That felt like something that someone somewhere says to their bandmate every time they play...

Not to bump an old thread... but I was watching this Documentary on the great Chet Atkins.



And at 32:18, Mark Knoffer is telling a story about how they played a gig in Nashville, and as Chet packs up his guitar, listening to the applause, he says to Mark: "Looks like I fooled them again..."

So, obviously, this is well known lore in Nashville. I just had never heard it before.

Chet Atkins is just the epitome of cool. He could down across the Vegas strip summer and never break a sweat.
 
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txbumper57

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I attended a flat picking class with Dan Crary a number of years ago. Interesting guy (he was a Taylor endorser at the time). Told a story about playing at a show, and was on a break between sets. Guy comes up to him and said that the guitar sounded great. He took the guitar and put it on table, sound hole up, and asked "how's it sound now". Point taken.

After that smart a$$ remark when he put the guitar down on the table sound hole up and asked, "How does it sound now?". My response would have been, "Surprisingly a Lot Better than when you were playing it, LOL!" I can't stand people with attitudes like that. I don't care if he was the best guitar player ever, After that I wouldn't have wasted any more time on him. Life is too short to cater to the B.S. in my opinion.

TX
 

D30Man

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Only thing that would make that story better would be if the guy was Phil Kaeggy and he picked the guitar up and said: "Well, let's see..." and started playing.

One of my favorite stories is of a guy who survives the Johnstown flood. You'd probably have to be from PA to really understand that, but the Johnstown flood about wiped out the city when the dam broke. Being one of the few survivors, he is asked time and time again to tell the story of how he survived. This guy ends up living a long life, and he gets really good at telling the story (which grew better every year.) It became one of the greatest things in his life, retelling that story.

Well, eventually the ol' boy dies and he goes to heaven. Peter meets him at the gate and explains that there are no pleasures of the flesh allowed in heaven, so they give everyone a chance to experience their favorite moment one more time before entering. The guy says: "I'd like to tell a crowd the story of how I survived the Johnstown flood."

Peter says, well, an unusual request, but he sets it up. They have this huge outdoor stadium and invite everyone in heaven to the event. Place is packed. And on stage is a single microphone. Guy can't wait to get started. Peter goes out to introduce him:

"And now a special entertainment. Bob Smith would like to share a story of an experience he had on earth." It's heaven, so everyone gives a polite applause. Bob walks to the center of the stage. And just before he steps up, Peter covers the mic and says to him:

"Just thought I would give you a heads up... Noah's in the crowd..."

That is awesome..

I tend to agree with Frono for the most part. I know guys who have an unbelievable collection of super high end acoustic and electric guitars and they are mediocre on the best of days. I know guys that can make anything with a string on it sound like Jerry Reed and they may only own one guitar. It really comes down to the player I believe. I really think a good playing / feeling guitar makes you want to play more - practice makes perfect. I also believe if you are already a good player then you can make a $100 - $300 acoustic sound pretty good, but it sure feels better on the hands to play a Guild.
 

D30Man

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After that smart a$$ remark when he put the guitar down on the table sound hole up and asked, "How does it sound now?". My response would have been, "Surprisingly a Lot Better than when you were playing it, LOL!" I can't stand people with attitudes like that. I don't care if he was the best guitar player ever, After that I wouldn't have wasted any more time on him. Life is too short to cater to the B.S. in my opinion.

TX

Agreed.
 
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