Middleman
Professional Amateur
My first guitar was a nylon string beater I bought off the son of one of the cops on Hill Street Blues TV show. Sikking was the last name of the dad. This was in 68.
I went through several cheapo nylons while I learned to play. Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dylan, Donovan, Motown and the Fab 4 days. Anyone remember the hit, “This diamond ring” ? Then I joined a band in high school in 1970. Glenn Campbell TV show days. Man he could play.
First electric guitar was a Sears Silvertone using the amp in the case. The high e string was actally a banjo string because I had no money to buy new strings.
Then I worked to buy a 1965 Fender Mustang, bought a FUZZFACE to sound like Hendrix. Doors, Steppenwolf, Ten years after, Cream days. I traded the Mustang and Fuzzface for a 1964 Gibson SG Custom and $75. Best trade I ever made. Less than a year later a guy in my hometown stole the SG and sold it somewhere in Western Kansas as I later found out. Sigh.
Then I switched to Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and also James Taylor mode. I bought one of the first Alvarez guitars out of St. Louis. I played for several years with this guitar and did a single act while going to college the first time. This guitar was stolen in KC Mo. 3 years later out of a practice loft. Dropped out of college.
Next I bought a 1966 Gibson Melody maker, 1959 Strat and a Gibson J50 from the early 60s. This was back in the days when most of these guitars could be had for $400 or less used. Then I traded all of this in on a 1972 first year Fender Custom Tele with the humbucker. This was my Loggin's and Messina, Blues days. Got my first Boss distortion unit and my first of several Fender Twins.
Next I sold all but the Tele, and bought the first year Pignose amp (mainly because the rumor was that Clapton had done a whole album with one of these – not true). I quit music, went to work in a car factory for 2 years. I saved up enough money to go back to college, bought another 1977 Alvarez, which I have to this day. Played jazz in my spare time and also purchased my first 4 track a Pioneer RT2044 (10 inch reels) and a Teac Model 3 mixing console. Great little board. George Benson, Earl Klugh days.
I then went back to college, played Country and Western to pay my way through. As new pedal technology came along I bought more Boss pedals i.e. chorus, phase, then I bought a last year original blackface Fender Vibrolux Amp 1981. I will never sell this amp. Not too heavy and sounds like the twin except it breaks at lower volumes. Got my first Rockman in 80. but it was not usable live and the rack unit veresion had not come out yet. Got my degree. Ended up in computers and software.
Skip ahead 20 years..... Wife, Computer Job, Kids phase.
Kids are in high school, going their ways and me drifting back to mine, bought a computer, built a project studio for writing. Recording just my stuff. Happy as a clam.
Born in 1952 the same month and year as the Fender Tele. Jeez, I feel like a living history of American Music over the last 50 years. Glad to see there are a few old timers around still in the game.
“I’m still here” – From the movie Pappion
I went through several cheapo nylons while I learned to play. Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dylan, Donovan, Motown and the Fab 4 days. Anyone remember the hit, “This diamond ring” ? Then I joined a band in high school in 1970. Glenn Campbell TV show days. Man he could play.
First electric guitar was a Sears Silvertone using the amp in the case. The high e string was actally a banjo string because I had no money to buy new strings.
Then I worked to buy a 1965 Fender Mustang, bought a FUZZFACE to sound like Hendrix. Doors, Steppenwolf, Ten years after, Cream days. I traded the Mustang and Fuzzface for a 1964 Gibson SG Custom and $75. Best trade I ever made. Less than a year later a guy in my hometown stole the SG and sold it somewhere in Western Kansas as I later found out. Sigh.
Then I switched to Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and also James Taylor mode. I bought one of the first Alvarez guitars out of St. Louis. I played for several years with this guitar and did a single act while going to college the first time. This guitar was stolen in KC Mo. 3 years later out of a practice loft. Dropped out of college.
Next I bought a 1966 Gibson Melody maker, 1959 Strat and a Gibson J50 from the early 60s. This was back in the days when most of these guitars could be had for $400 or less used. Then I traded all of this in on a 1972 first year Fender Custom Tele with the humbucker. This was my Loggin's and Messina, Blues days. Got my first Boss distortion unit and my first of several Fender Twins.
Next I sold all but the Tele, and bought the first year Pignose amp (mainly because the rumor was that Clapton had done a whole album with one of these – not true). I quit music, went to work in a car factory for 2 years. I saved up enough money to go back to college, bought another 1977 Alvarez, which I have to this day. Played jazz in my spare time and also purchased my first 4 track a Pioneer RT2044 (10 inch reels) and a Teac Model 3 mixing console. Great little board. George Benson, Earl Klugh days.
I then went back to college, played Country and Western to pay my way through. As new pedal technology came along I bought more Boss pedals i.e. chorus, phase, then I bought a last year original blackface Fender Vibrolux Amp 1981. I will never sell this amp. Not too heavy and sounds like the twin except it breaks at lower volumes. Got my first Rockman in 80. but it was not usable live and the rack unit veresion had not come out yet. Got my degree. Ended up in computers and software.
Skip ahead 20 years..... Wife, Computer Job, Kids phase.
Kids are in high school, going their ways and me drifting back to mine, bought a computer, built a project studio for writing. Recording just my stuff. Happy as a clam.
Born in 1952 the same month and year as the Fender Tele. Jeez, I feel like a living history of American Music over the last 50 years. Glad to see there are a few old timers around still in the game.
“I’m still here” – From the movie Pappion
I was 9 years old.
