Friday "Grab Bag" Lunch Report for August 5, 2011

[zapcosongs]

How can it be Friday already? I feel like we’re just getting rolling. It’s actually been a hell of a week here at my place. I have lots going on today as well. In addition to getting my kids where they need to be, I agreed to take a friend’s kid to camp, and it’s somewhat of a long drive and an inconvenience. I need to get my Dad to an oncology appointment (his B-Cell lymphoma seems to be in remission) by 11:00 AM, set up his and Mom’s medication boxes for the next two weeks, bring them some meals I have made and frozen, and some veggies from my garden, etc.

I also have some professional stuff I need to get done before week’s end, and I need to find the UPS guy who came with a very important package of documents requiring my signature that I wasn’t around to receive yesterday because I was at a park with my oldest kid.

To make matters worse (I’ll get to some happy stuff, I promise!), my wife is in such a way that I thought seriously for a moment about making this “PMS/OTR Friday”. The only reason it’s not is because I really like you guys and I don’t want to get kicked off the board.

But this brings me (in a VERY roundabout way) to my first question: Are there any ladies lurking out there? There used to be a gal (Debbie, I think) who used to post occasionally, but mostly when she had gear she wanted to unload.

Why do you think that participants here seem to be all male? Do women not like G&L guitars? Are we unfriendly, chauvinistic? Should G&L be doing more to attract the fairer sex? And what ever became of the Band of Susans?

My doctor is going to hate my aspirational lunch today. I want an egg salad sandwich on toasted sourdough with lettuce, mayo, Dijon mustard, fresh sliced tomato (again) from my garden (they ARE wonderful!), with a garlic dill pickle spear and fried pork rinds on the side, and a glass of chocolate milk with which to wash down my undoing. [Free plug for Pfizer pharmaceuticals: Lipitor Rocks! (and it’s going off-patent at the end of November here in the US!).]

Which brings me to another question, the sort one might only ask on a Friday. What is the strangest food or combination of foods that you have ever craved? I have to confess here that when I was in High school, there was an instance when I had been, uh, listening to Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf,” and I thought I really wanted to have some warm rice with grape jam. So I did. It wasn’t as good as I had hoped, and I didn’t really care. Let’s hear about some of your crazy cravings and how they worked out for you.

I suppose I’ll tow the line and ask a G&L question today: If there was no such thing as G&L, what would you be playing, and why?

One final quickie question before I retire and pass the Honor. Tell us something about yourself that the group here doesn’t know about that might just surprise us. I’ll mention here that I raise and breed Impatiens flowers. We have precious little sun here in our yard due to big trees, and these are one of the few beautiful things that actually thrive in all our shade. If I have the chance, I’ll post some pictures later, but it’s going to be a crazy day and I feel lucky just to have put this report together and out now…

In all sincerity, I want to thank everybody who participated or read the Lunch Reports this week. It is a unique tradition and I am proud to have been nominated and to have served. I hope you’ve enjoyed my little moment in the sun.

Next week - for your benefit and entertainment - I have managed against all odds to line up the one and only y2kc to take us from here to infinity – and beyond! Casey knows a bunch about music, tons about G&L guitars and history, and is likely to speak fondly of Chicago. I am literally thrilled that he accepted the Second Highest Honor, and look forward to next week with great anticipation!

[KenC]

Ed,

Sorry to hear about the various rough spots in the day, but glad to hear your Dad's lymphoma appearing to be in remission!

This is my first check-in this week. I'm getting a quiet day at the end of the family's annual Maine vacation. I think I'll skip lunch today to leave room for an extra lobster at dinner tonight! It will be a family get together at my in-laws' house, with local beer, LOTS of lobsters (the orange and green stuff inside the heads is probably my strangest craving - definitely an acquired taste among the true lobster fans!) and hopefully a good jam session. I wasn't able to bring a guitar along on the trip, so I'm hoping for a chance to try a new US-made Fender Strat one of my in-laws just bought. It will be interesting to see how it feels after getting used to a Skyhark and an S-500.

I'm not going to touch the gender question with a 10-foot pole, but I did just score a couple of Band of Susans CDs at a local shop up here. One is a used compilation CD, the other is a new disc. According to the clerk at the CD shop, BoS's catalog is back in print through a small distributor. I don't have the disc close at hand, but I will check the contact info and post it in case anybody is interested.

If there was no such thing as G&L, I would probably be playing Fenders and not knowing any better. Actually, I'd probably be hunting down old Gretchs or student model Fenders and Gibsons (the originals, not the reissues). For me it's all about the instrument's vibe rather than having the greatest features. The guitar needs to put me in a frame of mind to make a certain kind of music. Most of the new stuff rolling off production lines just doesn't do that for me.

Ken C

[blargfromouterspace]

Thanks for a fantastic week of reports Ed. They've been very entertaining. I'm glad to learn that pork rinds are served as a side dish. Thats something else I'll have to eat when I eventually get to the USA.

It'd be really neat to have some women on the board. I'm sure some women would join if G&L were to collaborate with, for example, Dolce & Gabbana on a guitar. It would be called the G&L&D&G and have a pocket on it for your lipstick etc.

Sweet Leaf. I once got a craving for porridge with nutmeg on it when I was in the 'mood' for listening to that song. I grabbed the cayenne pepper by mistake. The results were not tasty and was plenty painful and it seemed to take forever to stop hurting, though in reality was probably only a minute.

If we didn't have G&L I'd definitely have a Fender Telecaster, but would really, really want a Tomkins.

[sirmyghin]

Hey Ed , great week here, one of the best in a very long time imo. Sorry to hear about your familial issues though, hopefully things continue to look acceptable.

I rarely see women on guitar forums, they are probably doing smarter things, like actually practicing.

No G&L, well I would still have a mutt of a collection, except I would have a telecaster not an ASAT special. Would be quite the blow but I would probably get on fine. Then again without the ASAT I might not owna tele style at all, something about them just grabbed me. I would probably have gravitated towards a crook tele or something. Or have bought a Suhr of some variety with single coils or something.

Not sure on odd food cravings, can't think of any, I don't have the memory a lot of folks here seem to.

What don't folks here know about me? Always a tricky question as I don't take time to reflect on this sort of thing, and it takes some hard looking to do so. I used to play MMO games, probably classified as an addict at some point due to them. I broke away from them at some point 4-5 years ago and never looked back. Since then I have become a much better guitar player, what a surprise. Video games are a bit of a chink in my armor, and those ones that never end are the worst, as the more time you sink the more you feel justified, and without an end they don't give you a stopping point. Clever bastards.

[jonc]

Ed, once again you've proved yourself most "un-moronic" and from all accounts (and I know this first hand) a first-rate guy with a big heart. Never had any strange food cravings though I have to admit the "Blue Whale" and other bathtub variations we came up with in college might apply. In my experience women don't participate on guitar boards save for the few postings here and there. It's not so much that guitars are a "male" instrument as that most guitar boards are "male-biased" and have an aesthetic that is not the most welcoming to das fems. If there wasn't G&L? To be fair and while I love my G&L's and think they're great guitars and basses, there are so many builders that I do not think I'd have a problem finding something. Just off the top of my head I'd would be very happy with (thought might not be able to afford) a Lentz, Danocaster, Nash, DePergo, DeTemple, (some) Fender's like the Rory Gallagher or an EJ, which is one of the best of their production models, Grosh, Shur, Collings, Lollar, Huber, and maybe even a Gibson or two. As for something folks might not know about me - - hmmm, I do mastering for small labels and DIY'ers and just finished my 250th project.

Really great week Ed! I'll leave you with a pic that seems to sum up a lot of things these days:

[Brock]

If there was no such thing as G&L, what would you be playing, and why?

Probably a rare 1982-era C.F. Martin EB-28 bass with the stock pickups, and the other non-G&L stuff around here. I'd really miss my '84 first style SB-2, though.

Tell us something about yourself that the group here doesn’t know about that might just surprise us.

Here's a few attempts:

• I bought my first drum recently (a used Gig Percussion 16" floor tom), and am in the process of cross-breeding it with a Crate Bass Guitar to make a Bass Banjitar
• I want to crossbreed a bicycle with an exercise bike so I can dial in added inefficiency when I ride.

...did those work?

[Brock]

Aw crap, I already narked out the banjo bass plan here on the GbL:
http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewt ... njo#p25673

No surprise there I guess.

[sam]

Hey Ed,

I am playing catch up today, travelling all week so missed middle days, great stuff. Agree with jonc, you have certainly proven yourself to be not only "unmoronic" but quite entertaining and thought provoking!

Women, guitars and forums I am sure they are out there maybe we could get some on the women in the "artist" section of glguitars to jump in sometime. There are some fantastic women playing, i.e. Jennifer Batten, Orianthi, Lita Ford to name a few, so if anyone knows a G&L playing female or even a lady who plays and likes to talk guitars show them gldp and ask them to pitch in. I don't know any female players right now so no one I can push in.

No G&L's ya say... would still be on the tele's and maybe have an Anderson, Suhr or Sadowsky tele version.

I remember listening to Sweet Leaf back in the day. Don't recall crazy cravings but I know I have injested questionable food chain combinations in the past.

Great week and hope yer weekend is an improvement on the week and everyones health gets a thumbs up from the doc.

[Kit]

Ed, although I haven't had a chance to respond to LRs I have followed them every day this week.

I admire your dedication to deal with your own family and your older generation. I don't live close to my Mom (who is the only one still living of my parents and my wife's parents), but I have a couple of sisters who help look about her. I am grateful every day for their sacrifice. Even without having the added pressure of having to take care of an older generation it is not unusual for my wife to want to bite my head off for one reason or another. I believe that just goes with the territory of making a marriage work.

I like my G&Ls, but I don't believe that they are head and shoulder above all other guitars, so I would be perfectly happy to play instruments that are comparable to G&L in quality and sound. Examples of these are my Yamaha SG1500 for humbucker guitar, and my Melancon Pro Artist for single coil. Both of these are meticulously made and sound superb.

There are few female participants on guitar boards probably because the percentage of woman guitar players to man guitar players is probably quite low. So I guess the number of female board members just reflect the overall guitar player population.

Other than Debbie I can remember a female guitar player who lives, I believe, in a town on the mid-eastern Austrialian coast. She has a boyfriend who plays guitar and I remember she posted videos/songs that they did a few times.

I don't have any craving for strange food; maybe because getting pregnant is an impossibility for me. I have tasted some strange food before like snake meat. One of the oddest thing I have tasted was when one of my friends from college somehow got a can of whale meat from Japan. I tasted it, but honestly don't remember anything about how it tasted.

I don't have anything surprising about me, so there.

Kit

[Boogie Bill]

Read all your posts this week but had trouble participating. GREAT JOB, Ed!

I did want to add a story about music effecting my emotions. Back in the 1977, I'm 26, got this great job on tour for Thunderbird/Red Lion Inns that's taking me to several places around Washington and Oregon. I find myself down on the Oregon Coast in Coos Bay. One day I'm driving about and spot this little warehouse/pier on the bay that has been turned into a bunch of funky little artsy shops. I wander though and find this pottery shop. Seems like every piece I turn over has this one name on it--who happens to be one of the co-owners--who happens to be the one showing me around the shop--who is one of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on. She also sold specialty coffees, a rare thing back in those days. And I walked off with about $30 worth of fresh coffee, hand-thrown mugs and filter cone holders so I could brew coffee in my motel room. We had a great conversation, and my head was in the clouds as I left the store. Talk about love at first sight!

She really was an artiste--she did painting, pottery, played guitar, did weaving and knitting--and a very successful business woman. And she actually did wander into the bar to hear me play one night. I fell totally in love with this woman, and the creativity just flowed though me like electricity. I was writing songs so fast I couldn't get them all down on paper before the next one would pop into my head.

Alas, I had to go on to the next gig, but it was certainly the most magical six weeks of my life being close to her. The day I left to drive north along the coast to my next gig in Astoria, she brought me a tape of her two favorite Joanie Mitchell albums that we'd shared while..., well you get the picture. It was really hard to leave her, knowing that the because of the choices we'd both made, it was never going to be more than what we'd had.

So that was a memorable trip up the Oregon Coast that Sunday; with "Ladies of the Canyon" and "Court and Spark". The scenery was breath-taking, at least what I could see of it through the tears. I think I wore out the tape, rewinding and playing "Help Me" over and over and over again; while the sun peeked through the rain clouds and silvered the waves as they spent their fury on the beach. It was pure anguish, coated in pure joy.

"Help Me" can still bring me to tears; and I still have the coffee mugs she made for me, and when I hold them and feel their warmth--it is her that I think of, and I say a prayer for her. I decided that yes it "...is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all," but I learned that losing a love still sucks.

++++++++++++++++++++


When I lived up in the Seattle area, I lived near a little mall in Bellevue called Crossroads Mall. They have the best food court of any mall I've ever been to. Lotsa times I would go there for "dinner" and just graze on all the ethnic foods--might have a taco, a slice of pizza, a greek salad, japanese gyoza, and and and Indian samosa. And watch the Russians eat Italian, Japanese kids eating pizza, and the Latinos eating Thai. Is America a great place or what!

++++++++++++++++++++


If I didn't play a G&L Legacy body, I would probably be playing Custom Shop Vintage Fender Strats with a 12" radius fingerboard, a vintage trem with upgraded saddles, and electronics to match the PTB controls. I like the SRV strat, and the new Road Worn Series, so I'm sure I could piece together something. I'd have several guitars, some with different pickup sets.

I don't live that far from Warmouth, so that would be a possibility.

And I would probably have several Music Man Sabre Is to go with my IIs. I would try to find Sabre pickups, and have some with third pickups mounted, and I'd probably try to find some way to fit a couple with vibrato sytems--though not Floyds, Kahlers or Bigsbys.

+++++++++++++++++++

I liked your ad idea from Thursday. I don't think G&L is getting much bang for the buck with their ads, although the new one is pretty. The ads don't tell me WHY I should buy a G&L.

====================

There's nothing I would change about my G&L Legacy bodies. I have never felt so connected to any guitar as I do to these, save for maybe the Sabres. As long as I can choose from my S-500s, Legacy, Comanches, or Legacy Specials, I'm set. Then I have my Gibsons, so I've got most of the bases covered.

The guitar I would change is the ASAT Deluxe. One of the things I don't like about the ASAT is the position of the controls. How about an ASAT with the controls laid out like a Legacy, with the same spatial relationship to the bridge? I can't remember EVER seeing a Tele body with Strat ergonomics. How cool would that be?

======================

I love lunch reports where I learn something or makes me think in new ways. I am an old dog, set in my ways--but a paradigm shift or an epiphany every now and then isn't a bad thing.

Thanks for a great and enjoyable week.

Bill

[stagecoach]

Why are there not many ladies on these forums, could it be they are in the kitchen cooking dinner. (Duck, there goes the frying pan pass my head. )

If I didn't get the chance finding of my G&L I would have another Fender Tele and be saving up for either a Crook or Tompkins.

What don't you know about me - were do you start. There is only so much that can come across on a forum like this. This subject would be better dealt with over a beer or two.

[GDub]

All the old hippie stories... i got a million of them 'cause it was ma ma ma myyy generation. Ever get a "favor" from a sweet girl while on acid at the beach at a burn party and then proceed play a ten note Zappa riff for a couple of hours because you thought EVERYONE in the world was listening? Well, I have! ;^)

Good job Ed, though I've only read this post. Wait, I responded to the Monday post... I think. Tuesday thru Thursday is definitely a blur.

--GDub

[zapcosongs]

Ha, gw. That girl wasn't Dinah-Moe Humm by any chance ;+) ???

Bill - Fantastic post, as usual. Reading it, I really felt the love and loss. I truly believe in the old "Better to have loved" thing, though it's sometimes easier said than done. Being alive is all about feeling things, when you think about it. I would rather feel pain than feel nothing at all., when it comes down to it. At the very least, it gives us something to write about. Appreciate your checking in - and your profound wisdom and experience(s) - (seriously!) - as always.

Thanks all. I'm beat, but I did get my UPS delivery - at 6:30 PM - after staying home all afternoon for the privilege. Will be getting up at 6:30 AM tomorrow. Trip with the Cub Scouts to check out Mount Vernon with a hoard of eight to twelve year old kids. I've said it before, but I thank all of you again for making this a fun and insightful week. - ed

[Philby]

I think the ladies stay away from this site because they're all afraid of Blarg's avatar.

Things people probably don't know about me: I'm a French car nut. I drive around in a Renault at the moment but I'd really like one of these.



I can understand your attraction to impatiens Ed. I've got a New Guinea impatiens in my backyard (also very shady) and it's an extremely cheery, free flowering plant that brightens up an otherwise dull corner.

Strange food combos: When I was in my twenties I recall coming back from a strenuous game of tennis. I opened the fridge and couldn't decide between orange juice and ice cream, so I combined them. The OJ made the ice cream curdle and it tasted AWFUL. Lesson well learned.

Thanks for a great week Ed!

[sirmyghin]

I'll come out a hole a bit here, and chime in on an emotional song I had apparently locked away, triggerred by Bills story. Just as you all put yourslefo nthe line so to speak, and I held back (unconsciously albeit).

Afterimage by Rush, used to have a special meaning to me but it has been a long time. "Suddenly you were gone, from all the lives you left your mark upon.. I remember" and so on. There was a girl (surprise how they do this) German exchange for a year. Really shy but extremely intelligent. I spent a lot of time trying to coax her out of her shell, myself being a goofy, shy, also intelligent fellow. A bit of a social outcast at the time, but that didn't stop me. Of course as I finished up the year, it all came crashing down. I went to the prom that year (junior year), and she apparently had the same idea, so we spent the evening in eachothers company. Then the next day we picked up the photos (we took together) and had to say goodbye. I saw her a few years later, when she was in Canada for a short trip, I had been with the woman I am still with though, going on 8 years for 3 years at the time. Having to part. again. was exceptionally rough, and Afterimage is the song that sums it up for me. Given my teen years were exceptionally bad on the homefront, the importance of this, relatively unspoken relationship we had did a lot for me. We spoke readily for the few years following via email, but recent years we have both fallen a bit out of touch. Lives diverge afterall, and we went in very different directions. She knew me when I was still dreaming of making it in music, being something big, tour the world at big stages. The foolish dreams of youth after all. Didn't help I was a big fish in a small pond at the time.

[zapcosongs]

sirmy: Thank you for your post. Made my day. - ed

[darwinohm]

Sunday reply here Ed, Thanks for a lot of insight that you shared with us last week on life in general. It makes us think. Great week!! Thanks again.

I would like to see some ladies on this forum. I am surprised that there aren't a few. Is someone driving them away???

If there were no G&L I would be playing a Fender, and a Gretsch, and something else. I had about 10 Fenders before my first G&L and I am a convert.-- Darwin.

[zapcosongs]

Thanks Darwin. Gretsch kind of fascinates me. Never played one, so help me out here. If I were to lust after one that is representative of the breed and moderately priced (I don't need fancy, pretty stuff), what might you suggest? - ed

[darwinohm]

Ed, I finally had time to read this whole post for Friday. More after answering the Gretsch question. There is no sound in the world like an unplugged Gretsch. It is so resonant and they sound just as great plugged in. In the last 20 years or so they are built in Japan and built better in my opinion than the original American builds. They have the 5XXX series which are foreign made, not Japan Crafted, and I don't know much about them. They are the Electromatic series. They are very inexpensive and the next time you go to a store, you should try one. I know that they sell quite a few of them and Ii see them used on CL frequently. Mine are both the 6XXX series and are both Chet Atkins models.

Okay, back to the main subject. By the end of the week you have these dudes ponying up to all kinds of things. I just read Sirmys revelation and I can relate to that and it was very touching. Others also has some revelations that were downright touching and caring. Ed, if you had a spare couch, you could hang out a shingle, lay these dudes on the couch and let them talk. There are people who really make big bucks doing this. It would also make these dudes feel better. Pretty soon we would all be more sensitive, caring dudes and a bit more refined and maybe we would get all kinds of ladies on this forum. I feel better reading this stuff cause now I realize that I am not totally weird, even thought I am mostly left handed. I play most things right handed so I am probably confused inwardly. Look at what Boogie Bill was up to. I wasn't up to anything nearly that exciting and have led mostly a dull and boring life with some real exciting stuff sprinkled in here and there. If you had two weeks in a row Ed, you would have all of us purring like kittens, and much happier with ourselves. This board has had some serious confessions before. So Ed, a very entertaining and informative week. You are a hard act to follow.-- Darwin

[zapcosongs]

Thanks Darwin. I love you, man! ;+)

But I think you will find y2kc to be every bit as enlightening - perhaps even more so. He knows some fantastic folks, in addition to being a great historian of G&L, a fine husband and a proud and wonderful daddy. He also seems like he actually may be a guitar player, which I cannot honestly purport to be. I suppose we're all blessed (though not all of us managed to score a lady quite like yours. Salud! [and G-d bless]). Glad you enjoyed the week. Appreciate your participation and wisdom, as always. - ed

[Ken Baker]

Ed, great week. I only post a couple times, but I have pretty much read through the whole week.

For an old guy who normally does tech, I've been nailed this week by all the insightful and wonderful posts.

Thanks, you guys.

Ken...

[zapcosongs]

Thanks, Ken.
Hope this coming week is kinder. - ed

[zapcosongs]

Oh Philby. Been meaning to say that Blarg's avitar makes MY nipples tingle. So one can only imagine.... Ha! - ed

[Philby]

Oh Philby. Been meaning to say that Blarg's avitar makes MY nipples tingle. So one can only imagine.... Ha! - ed

Too much information Ed!

[blargfromouterspace]

Oh Philby. Been meaning to say that Blarg's avitar makes MY nipples tingle. So one can only imagine.... Ha! - ed

Ummmmm.....