lunch report: NGD!

[john o]

Greetings and happy Friday, a good day for a lunch report.
Today will be a NGD for me, not a new Guitar (my wife says I have too many already, she is probably right),
but a new Grandchild, as my daughter is in labor. We don't know the gender, so lots of joy and anticipation here.
I am not needed in the delivery room, so Simon the dog and I have been good buddies and are doing yardwork.
He also helped me string up my comanche earlier, as I broke a string at a recent gig. I've played gigs since '75, and don't recall ever having broken the A string before. Must have hit that Bb cord a little too hard!

Lunch today: fried egg sandwich w/cheese on multigrain and coffee. will probably shorten my life, but not a bad way to go.

re: G&L guitars, Old vs New? If you play out, which do you prefer to use and why? Leo era '80's G&L's or BBE era G&L's?
I have several of both, but for rock gigs I prefer the comanche ('13) and the bluesboy ('15). They cover all the sounds I need, sound better than my non-G&L guitars, and the build quality/playability/feel and tone of the newer G&L's is very impressive. For blues jams I like to take my '89 ASAT for its tone/feel and mojo factor, plus everybody there with their strats say, "what the heck is that?"
I played a reggae gig last summer with my '84 Skyhawk and it was perfect!

re: grandparents: I know not all of us are millenials, if you are a grandparent, please sound off and let us know what you like about being one. If not, probably you had grandparents that you knew. If so, were they musical, and how did they influence you?
I have an 8 year old grandaughter and she is a joy, kids say the most amazing things, and I just really get a kick out of seeing my kids enjoy their parenting experience. My mom's dad was a professional musician/pianist/arranger/composer. Came over from Germany pre-war, and played around Philly and South Jersey and Delaware. I have a few pictures and some of his old music books, also the sheet music from one of his compositions. Maybe that's why I started on piano when I was like 6.

cheers!

[sam]

Hey John,

Thanks for the lunch report and a fine topic for sure. Congratulations!

Your lunch sounds like my breakfast, biscuits with egg bacon and cheese and a cup of tea. Taking the day off and have been wielding a chainsaw so to justify my "healthy" breakfast. Just think we are putting all food groups on one sandwich.

Like you I have old and new G&L's and bounce between a few. No live gigs anymore but will play with neighbors on occasion. My Will Ray signature is the one that usually the first to come off the wall but an 88 ASAT is my "old reliable".

We had our kids later on so no grandkids yet. None of my grandparents were musically inclined. Had cousins who played guitar and bass so a little influence there.

Keep us updated on the NGD

[Danley]

Lunch was a packaged ham and muenster sandwich.

I really don't have much experience with post-Leo G&Ls, I've only picked up a few in stores. The pre-Leo models fit like a glove. Haven't played live in years, I used an Ibanez when I did.

No grandkids/kids, I'm too selfish at this point in my life. I have two remaining grandparents; my dad's mom is 92 years old and the healthiest/strongest/smartest person in my family. My other grandmother lives out of the country and does not speak English. I located my paternal grandfather's grave (he was alienated from the family) and learned I am part Jewish. My maternal grandfather died a few years ago.

[john o]

Thanks, Sam and Danley.
Harper Grace, 8 lb +12 oz, 21 in scale length,
born at 0050 on 4/14. Healthy and beautiful!

[darwinohm]

John, late to the table but congrats on new grandchild! Nothing like grandkids to spoil. Ive been there, done that! They are so special -- Darwin.

[JagInTheBag]

It isn't real without pics!

[Nubs]

[Craig]

Thanks, Sam and Danley.
Harper Grace, 8 lb +12 oz, 21 in scale length,
born at 0050 on 4/14. Healthy and beautiful!

John, congratulations!

I have two grandkids: Luke is almost 4 and Abby will be 2 next month. And they will have a baby brother due in July.
And as Darwin says, they are so special!

[DanDoulogos]

A little late, but congratulations Grandpa John!

I don't think I have ever broken an A string in 30+ years of playing. I recall a few years back snapping one over the saddle when I was changing string, as it got pinched while I was tightening it and snapped, but never while playing. I've dropped a D string once in the early years when I was experimenting with steel picks, but never anything bigger. I play heavier gauge strings now, so I almost never break a string. You must have been pretty surprised to pop the A, I know I would have been.

Even though it probably doesn't count anymore - my lunch today is a medley of Cauliflower, Broccoli and baby carrots, though in truth I basically peck at that till lunch time - then I eat a tomato along with a mini wheel of Gouda cheese and a banana. I'll wash that down with a decaf coffee whitened with unsalted butter instead of milk (seriously, it sounds like madness, but I find it savory).

G&L, Old vs. New? My oldest is a 97 Legacy, which doesn't feel all that old to me. I prefer my 2012 Comanche, which has been my goto guitar for well over a year now. But it has more to do with sound than age. If I had something older that fit the bill, it'd be out there too.

Not a grandparent yet, but I have married children who I believe will eventually provide me with some grandkids . None of my grandparents were musically inclined, but my parents liked a variety of music - though neither of them were musicians. To be sure, I had a very large extended family (mom had 11 brothers and sisters, dad had 3 brothers - and all of them had (on average) 5 kids each), and among them all, I was the only one of the grand-kids on either side to take up an instrument. I played whatever I could find - an old organ, an harmonica, etc., but all I ever wanted to to was sing and play guitar. All my kids (5 of them) are musical, two of my daughters sang at the Canadian Juno awards, and my eldest son plays piano, guitar, violin, mandolin and the ocarina., my youngest son plays the bagpipes, and the same two daughters who sang at the Juno awards play drums. So we're making up for the musical vacuum in the rest of my family. lol. I'm looking forward to grandkids in a big way.

[john o]

Thanks, everyone! here's proof...

[JagInTheBag]

All hail Grandpa John! Cigars for everyone!

Cute kid!

[FZTNT]

Beautiful little grandkid. A girl I assume. Maybe I missed, what's her name?

I don't normally eat lunch, just a cup of coffee maybe.

I prefer Leo era G&L's mostly for their mojo and the sound and feel you just can't get from the newer ones. Although I do have several newer models and they are awesome.

We are expecting to be Grandparents this summer in mid August. My wife's son and his wife are the culprits. I am thrilled because they are (as of now at least) going to name the little girl the name I picked which is Matilda. The father's name is Matt and there are all kinds of nicknames you can derive from Matilda. I won't go into them here. Funny story...My daughter was the first grandchild in my generation. I have six brothers and sisters and my Dad's brother had six kids too. When I called my Dad and told him he was going to be a grandfather his quick witted reply was " ya know, I don't mind being a grandfather, what I mind is being married to a grandmother!" My Mom never minded when he told that story. They are both gone now so it's nice to see another generation coming into the world.

Congrats and good fortune to you with your new spoiler. Enjoy.

Tom

[Fumble fingers]

Congrats John !!

When playing out the Fallout goes every time , second would be my 15 Empress Blues Boy with C+ neck or my 97 3 bolt ASAT Special both have been out equally ( the 97 special has more sustain than any guitar I own ), then it a toss up after that

I have 8 grandkids now and they sure are fun , I love everything about being a Grand Dad

[john o]

thx Eric!
Oh my, 8, that's plenty (enough...), but i suspect you can never have too many grandkids.
No surprise to me the ASAT special sustains well, "special" describes them well!