I'm a pretty lucky guy

richardp69

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Sometimes I find myself bitching and criticizing most everything in the world. I'd like to have this but can't afford it, other peoples politics just piff me oss, I'm tired of all the nagging aches and pains etc. etc. The list in nearly endless. Likely many of you do the same thing. But then, you meet up with a guy that has every right to complain or feel sorry for himself because life just isn't fair etc. But, the difference is, he accepts the facts and doesn't complain.

So, I saw an add in the local Craig's List for a Guild Peregrine. The price seemed really good to me so I sent an email (no phone # provided) and never heard back. In the meantime Seth, an LTG member, sent me a PM and asked if I were following up on this. I'd forgotten about it but did and hooked up with a really nice lady and her husband who were trying to sell off some musical gear, firearms etc. for an elderly man that lives near them.. I don't really consider myself elderly yet but am only about 2 years younger than him so I guess I am.

So, I drove over to meet him (about a 2.5 hour trip one way and I bitched about that too). When I got there, I saw an older gent sitting on his front porch in a wheelchair. We talked a bit and he was just an amazing man, so full of hope and optimism and not resentful of anything that had happened to him. I never asked about what put him in the chair but he acted almost like "no big deal" We talked about a lot of stuff and I ended up sitting with him a couple hours and really enjoying his company and that's kinda unusual because I typically don't like to be around other people and spend most of my time with just my dogs and cats.

I bought the Peregrine which is in great shape. Per Hans, it's a Nashville Custom Shop Peregrine Standard from the year 2001, and it's in great condition. Came with the faux alligator type neat case, had the owners manual and case key etc. The body and fingerboard are bound and the guitar was a really sharp red color. I'm taking it to my Luthier tomorrow for a set up and wellness check but I'm confident there are no issues on this one.

I also bought a 2003 MIK Fender Tele with a cool striped Mahogany neck, Mahogany body and Maple top. I know little about Tele's but thought they were all bolt on necks. This one is a set neck. It came in a top of the line (I think possibly Fender Custom Shop case) with strap locks, strap etc.

He said it's kinda hard for him to get around now but takes great pleasure in feeding the squirrels, chipmunks, coons, possum, bear and deer. For some reason, he doesn't like the turkeys much though.

He's pretty secluded and lives on a fair amount of land. To make ends meet he's sold off several acres to the couple I mentioned earlier who are helping him out.

Anyway, I'm rambling I know. But, I'm going to keep in touch with him and try to copy his positive outlook on life. It truly was refreshing.
 

D30Man

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Big congrats on both the gear acquisition and the outlook improvement Richard! Would love to see pictures when you can.. Of both guits..
That tele sounds pretty cool too.. You're right they typically have bot on necks like strats but some of the special edition ones have a set neck..
Do you still have that maple guitar I sold you a few years back?
 

Stuball48

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Richard:
I agree with the above post 100% and instead of you pointing your finger - you offered a helping hand. I am putting my money on a friendship that developed in a 3 hour time but will last a life time.
Good on you-sure he will enjoy your friendship via phone or in person.
Best read of the day!!
 

walrus

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Great story, Richard! And a great purchase, too!

walrus
 

davismanLV

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Yeah, I try to be as positive as possible most of the time, but sometimes you just get in a mood and that's usually when life shows me someone who TRULY has a reason to complain and hate life, and yet they don't. And I get pretty ashamed of myself. It keeps me in line for a while or until the next time I make the same mistake. Sounds like an awesome guitar Richard!! Once it's home and cleared by the guitar doc as A-okay, shoot me an email and I'll throw up a couple of photos for everyone to ooooh and ahhhh over, okay? PM sent now!! :encouragement:
 

dreadnut

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What fun! Something tells me your friendship may continue. 2 1/2 hours from you? Where is he, roughly? I think I'm about 4 1/2 - 5 hours from you.
 

JohnW63

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A nice helping of perspective was served, I'd say. Nice that you met someone you could hang out with, for that long, out of the blue. Too bad he's that far away.
 

dapmdave

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Great story, Richard. Thanks for passing it on.
 

richardp69

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Hey Dread. He's in a little town called Alden, not far from Kalkaska and Torch Lake and I think pretty close to Traverse City as well.
 

adorshki

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Yeah, I try to be as positive as possible most of the time, but sometimes you just get in a mood and that's usually when life shows me someone who TRULY has a reason to complain and hate life, and yet they don't. And I get pretty ashamed of myself.
Don't.
I'd just think of it as picking up for their slack.
Perpetually happy so-and-so's make it tough on the rest of us.
 

Bonneville88

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Richard - great story - you lifted me and everyone else here up today (and I needed it) - and
congrats on the guitars!
 

Guildedagain

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Turkeys, man, I could really go off about those... the black tar they leave behind. The break of dawn gobbling that makes me "turkeycidal"...

I could go on, I'll stop.

Switching gears, but in the same vein, I love wild goose chases, cherchez la guitarre... ;)

I like this post because I learned more about Richard in two minutes than in two years of reading guitar opinions, and this is really what it's about, is who we are, and how we share something, and we share a lot more than we think, regardless of petty arguments about guitars. I could have written the first line, it's so close.

I had a similar wild goose chase years ago, to Spirit Lake ID, in the woods to by a 76' lefty Sunburst Strat and Twin Reverb from an old guy. Got a speeding ticket (that'll have you bitching some more ;) going back home, it was late and dark, going through fog coming back into the little town from the old guys neck of the woods, I missed the sign and couldn't talk my way out of it. The old cop says "you need to be careful, we got a lot of drunks around here, sometimes walking in the road", he said.

The ticket was reasonable I thought, just a wake up call.

I paid it in the mail.

Then I got a letter from their county courthouse that "the officer undercharged me", by half, and I should send that amount again.

Then more bitching...

So I got a hold of a clerk there and she says "write a letter to the judge", so I did, and waited.

Now we're getting really close to the deadline where I'm supposed to pay for this ridiculousness. I mean, you can't sign a ticket that says you owe this, and then tell you it's double. That's not what I signed.

So I call back, talk to another clerk. She says "Oh no, that's totally the wrong judge for that, and it's due in two days, you better just pay it." So I did.

Then a couple weeks later I got a letter from the DOL in WA telling me that I got a ticket in ID and I never paid it, and I'm going to be suspended unless I provide proof by like a week from now.

More bitching...

So I have to have their courthouse send me a letter, which I have to then take into the WA DOL office by the deadline in person, because none of these agencies have ever heard of Fax.

I got the letter and took it in, into the madhouse that a Driver's Licensing office is. Surly, underpaid and overworked civil servants, screaming kids, droves of high schoolers getting their first license, take a number ;)

The Strat I had just bought to sell, the Twin Reverb is hurting someone else's back now.

All I have left is this story is the really cool vintage USA made guitar stand made by Hamilton that says "It's a Hamilton". No doubt the nicest made vintage stand I've ever had.

And the memory of meeting that old player way back in the woods. He couldn't play anymore on account of arthritis, hadn't played in years, but he had the stories ;)
 
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dreadnut

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I know right where that is, Richard!

Guilded, we were stationed on Whidbey Island when my buddy rolled his '66 International end over end after leaving the road st 80 mph, fortunately he was able to slow down some before we hit the culvert and flipped. This is one of my "guardian angel" stories. There were three of us in the front seat, no seat belts, we all emerged from the upside-down truck without a scratch.

A week later we went to see the judge in Coupeville, WA. He had a spittoon next to his desk. When you drove through there you'd better obey the speed limit like God himself had posted it. He must have been happy that day, my friend paid a mediocre fine and we got outta there.
 

PittPastor

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So... when will we see pics of the Peregrine???

(Which is one of the coolest guitars I've ever seen, btw. The elegance and clean lines are as good as anything Steve Jobs and Jony Ive ever did, IMHO.)

PS, you're post reminds me of the old Joe Diffie song, written by Dave Gibson & Paul Nelson

He said it's only life's illusions
That bring us to this bar
To pick up these old crutches
And compare each others scars
'Cause the things we're calling heartache
Hell, they're hardly worth our time
We bitch about a dollar
When there's those without a dime
And as he ordered one last round
He said I guess we can't complain
God made life a gamble
And we're still in the game
 

Mark WW

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Very cool story. Check the attitude at the door. Congrats on the new friend and new guitars!
 

D30Man

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Definitely looking forward to some pictures of that rare bird..
 
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