27 December 2014

All Good Things

come to those who wait ... even the ones who wait impatiently.

Like yours truly.



My present was delayed by a couple of days, due to having been ordered at the last minute. Long story, that, and perhaps grist for the blog mill at some other time.

Most of y'all know that I'm a musician, principally a guitarist, although there are other instruments out of which I can coax a tune. But I digress.

I got my first guitar in 1969, during the summer between 8th and 9th grade. It was a catalog order from Montgomery Ward*, and cost a whole $35. An arch-top, F-hole acoustic jazz guitar. But we didn't have much in those days, and that represented all I had - and felt like a LOT, at the time.

It didn't take me long to aspire to copy the rock songs of the era, of course. But I listened, open-mouthed in astonishment, to artists like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. So I practiced, and learned, and got faster/smoother/better.

And I figured out soon enough that part of the trick was to have a decent electric guitar. The two which most can immediately recognize are the Fender Stratocaster, and the Gibson Les Paul.

I first got my hands on a Les Paul in 1978, when I was hired to manage a small music store while in college, post-Navy.

It was the most wonderful instrument I'd ever played. Smooth when needed, crisp/rough/snarling when needed, and such a rich sound ... I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.


But while I saved desperately to buy it, it was sold to another. I was very disappointed.


In the intervening years, I've never stopped longing for one ... but there's always been something else that my family needed more. We've bought more expensive things, but dropping a chunk of greenbacks on an expensive guitar was always for "someday."


But this year, with the girls moved out and their household established, I decided it was time and asked for only one thing for Christmas.



So without further ado, I present:



It's not the most expensive model they sell (some of those go for the price of a used car!), but it's a gen-u-wine, honest-to-gosh Les Paul. It sounds wonderful ...

And it's mine. :)

I'm a very blessed man.



* A blast from the past, for you younger readers.

22 comments:

Old NFO said...

Oh... NICE! Is there a video in the future??? With you playing it???

Rev. Paul said...

Thank you, Jim. And ... quite possibly. :)

PioneerPreppy said...

Gratz my friend. I am pleased to hear you finally got your holy grail of instruments. Good for you!!!

Now you can be a stump preachers AND a traveling minstrel post collapse :) Oh wait guess you need a back pack solar array too :)

Sandy Livesay said...

Rev. Paul,

Now that's a very nice Les Paul, I so regret getting rid of my acoustic guitar from Spain.

I hope your wife will video tape you playing your guitar, and you'll post it one day.

Bob said...

I went through a brief electric guitar phase in my Navy days, had both a Telecaster (ash, with a translucent white finish, looked like a woman with varicose veins in her legs) and a Les Paul (sunburst, of the horrible black-to-yellow "sunstroke" variety).

I still hanker for an electric: a Telecaster Custom (the one with humbuckers and the 60's-style Strat headpiece) or maybe a Gibson SG. I found the Les Paul to be too heavy, really.

Bob said...

^Telecaster Deluxe, vice Telecaster Custom.

Enjoy your Les Paul, Paul!

Rev. Paul said...

Preppy, that made me laugh out loud. :)

Sandy, the one I played in '78 was the prototypical cherry sunburst with chrome pickups & white inlaid trim. Lovely - and I understand "the one that got away".

Bob - I've had a Strat; I'm not as big a fan of Fender guitars, but I understand the appeal. Thanks.

Chickenmom said...

Rock on Rev. Paul - Rock on! :o)

threecollie said...

Suh-weet! I have never played a Les Paul, although I have played some of the lesser Gibsons. Even owned an SG for a while. When we had the band I was privileged to borrow a beautiful Framus hollow body electric that was simply the sweetest thing ever. Not mine though, but I know how you feel about the Les Paul. Congratulations!

Rev. Paul said...

That's the plan, Chickenmom. :)

Thanks, threecollie.

Cathy said...

Wow! Awesome! When is the Youtube gonna be available ? Ah! I just checked the previous comments and Old NFO already addressed this :)

Rev. Paul said...

Cathy, I wouldn't hold my breath awaiting YouTube here ... but an embedded video? Perhaps. :)

SiGraybeard said...

Congrats, Rev. Paul. I got my Gibson Les Paul last year. They are sweet!

I should post about the ... interesting and unusual guitar my wife got me this Christmas

Ed Bonderenka said...

That's exactly the model I play air guitar on!
Congrats.

Ed Bonderenka said...

Do that.

Rev. Paul said...

Graybeard, you should definitely post about it. :)

LOL, Ed! And I'll consider it.

Guffaw in AZ said...

Good for you!

Selling stuff to pay bills is the worst - especially things personally valued.

Glad you have a version back!

gfa

Rev. Paul said...

Thanks, my friend.

drjim said...

Good looking axe there, Rev!

I've had music lessons on about 5 different instruments, and can only play (barely) the piano.

I won't say it was wasted money for the lessons, as I learned to read sheet music, which came in very handy in high-school when I was in the Acapella choir.

My "problem" was I never took the time to practice more than the bare minimum, as I had too many other interests competing for my time.

Rev. Paul said...

Jim, my wife & I met in the college Music Dept. where we both majored. I've been playing one instrument or another since '65, and can't imagine my life without something musical to fiddle around on.

The guitar, I take seriously.

Murphy's Law said...

Oh, man! So when's the concert going to be live-blogged?

Rev. Paul said...

ML, I get together with another guitarist once a week, for a jam session. But that's LONG way from a band ... or from being ready for a concert.

But I like they way you think. :)