guitars, guitars and more guitars

For those of you that read the blog, and enjoy seeing my musical instruments, your in for a treat. For everyone else, don't worry, my "showing of the guitars" is slowly coming to an end.

This week I'm featuring my Takamine Classical Guitar. With nylon strings and wide neck, it's definitely a classical guitar, though it's just called an Acoustic Guitar on the website and on the label in the sound hole. I think that's because of all the other features found on the guitar, such as the cut away neck, not usually found on a classical guitar

As with most things in life now, this guitar was made in China (but designed in Bloomfield, CT), and it wasn't very expensive at just under $500. But it sounds and plays and looks pretty good for a $500 guitar. Aidan made this guitar sing one night in Whistler. I don't think it's ever sounded so good. As my good friend Jordy would say "it's not the bike, it's the biker", which I guess can be said about much in life.

I do like to play a few classical songs, so it's nice to have this guitar handy. I've learned a Francisco Tarrega song, Estudio en Mi Menor, and would love to learn another of his called Gran Vals (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsp6dR-fL4A). It's so beautiful, along with all his music.

This guitar actually has an internal pickup, a preamp, an EQ (which I just leave in the middle position) and a must for me, a built in tuner. I've never had to play it anywhere where I would have to plug it into an amp, but if the need arises for me to play the intro to Killer of Giants or perhaps my tried and tested Blackbird, in front of more than 20 people, by god I'll be ready.

This guitar is more about having something to bring along on the road, maybe around the campfire, or like my fantastic trip to Whistler with Aidan and Gillian in November, it's just nice to have a guitar with you, one that you don't really mind if its accidentally destroyed in the process of getting it there, during or back.

Gillian did note when we were checking into our hotel room in Whistler, that I'm the third brother of Aidan's that she's met, and like all the others, am not very far from a guitar at any given time. And I think that was before she met Kevin, who I've seen on more than one occasion, cooking in the kitchen while hoisting his guitar up on his knee at the same time (stir, strum, stir, strum).

Many people that come into my home will usually and instantly comment on the amount of guitars I own. "oh my god, look at all the guitars. Why do you have so many?". Why? Why not? they are beautiful, and heck, if Lainie can drag me out to a restaurant to help her spend $800 on a dinner for 4, then I don't mind dropping $500 on another guitar.