Guitar Fund!

So about every three or four years I get a new guitar. My first guitar I ever owned was a cheap Epiphone Acoustic that I got in Sarasota, FL at a Sam Ash Music. It was $100 or less or something but that's the way it should be on a starter guitar. After graduating school, I bought myself an Ovation Roundback Celebrity that would enable me to plug in direct to perform; standing still in a two-man rock group just so my acoustic guitar could be miked properly was getting to be a bit old and not fun on stage. In 2007, I graduated to a more high quality dreadnought as I was really looking to start writing some songs with a full sounding, bright acoustic guitar. The ovation wasn't really good for acoustic performing alone...it had no depth to it...literally! It was so thin and was only really good for rocking on stage in a full band in my opinion. My Breedlove dreadnought guitar helped me write a lot of the songs that are featured on this record namely Electric Candle, If Not Now Then When and Ask You. I also wrote a few other songs that Chad and I have managed to make part of our future compilation together: Warnings in the Sky and Hesitate.

So just out of 2009 I find myself on the cusp of yet another guitar purchase. I'm not doing this out of pure pattern and tradition (okay Chad, maybe I am a little haha) but really I'm ready to take the next step into a different type of guitar: an electric.

So for the past couple of months or so I have been researching different types of electric guitars, gotten advice and listened to bands that use certain models for the guitar I'd most likely see myself using and writing songs with. I sifted through articles, listened to You Tube video clips of Paul Reed Smith vs. Gibson and even had a chance to play an '85 Les Paul Studio that my art director, David Ireland, brought in for me to try. Researching and playing the Les Paul Studio, I came to realize how much I loved it and I even learned that album-mate Brendon Thomas uses the same guitar (featured on Ask You I think) and I just love that sound. I believe Jimmy Eat World uses Gibson as well and that is definitely the sound I've been looking for. Of course a lot depends on effects, amps and everything but handing and feeling this guitar for myself made me love it. I even found the exact finish I wanted - Wine Red with Gold Hardware. I was up at the Guitar Center in Danvers recently and they happened to have it on the wall. I asked to play it and they graciously pulled it down and let me have my time with it. It was beautiful and though I was timid to plug-in in front of everyone there, I got a good feeling from it and made my decision right then and there. However, I wasn't ready quite yet to spend the money on it. Being of a more expensive price tag than I'm used to, I had to walk away and figure this out.

On Friday I got a Guitar Center coupon in my email inbox that was promoting a 15% off special this last weekend. It was perfect timing! The only thing I needed to figure out at that point was financing, as I was only able to get it with the help of my Guitar Center card and a No Payments, No Interest for a Year plan that I have, on more than one occasion, utilized for my musial instrument needs. Last night, I returned to take advantage of the coupon and the last day of the January promotion to not pay for a year. I filled out the application and waited for the results of my credit line. All I needed was an approval to walk out the door with the recently polished-up Gibson in the nice white-furred lined case.

However..I was denied credit.

So my financially responsible self walked out the door. This was no easy task as when I set my heart on something I usually go for it. But alas, I realize I shouldn't go for something like that until I'm truly ready....or when my credit is better. haha

So as I have had a lot of advice and support from David Ireland in getting the guitar, he decided to make me a little fund container made out of a CD spindle case. He even threw in a little over a dollar in change, of which was followed by whatever singles I had in my wallet. Hey, it's a start! Thanks Dave!

So! If anyone cares to make a donation to the "Guitar Fund Please Help".......haha just kidding. Kinda. :) I do know, however, that whenever I eventually get the guitar, it will spawn a whole new era of song writing for me and help steer me away from my often similar sounding songs. I'll have a chance to play around with atmosphere and mood, something I'm really hoping to accentuate on album number two.