Topic: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

While surfing on the web, I found this quote:

It sounds "unbelievable, here it is
- "COMING OUT OF DRUG REHAB, I REALIZED WHAT MADE SLASH SUCH A GREAT PLAYER, NOT THE DRUGS BUT THE FACT HE USED EXPENSIVE GEAR (GIBSONS and MARSHAL'S). The story continues:
- I FIGURED OUT IF I PICKED UP THIS BEAUTY, I WOULD BE 10 (TEN) TIMES BETTER THAN SLASH SINCE THE GUITAR COSTYA LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A GIBSON LES PAUL. And again the story continues:
- SO FAR I THINK IT'S WORKING. I PRACTICE 2 (TWO) HOURS A WEEK AND NOW I'M PLAYING SEVERAL OPEN-MIKES (I have no idea what open-mikes are) A YEAR THROUGHOUT THE CITY. ONE OF MY OLD "DEALERS" SAYS HE CAN HOOK ME UP WHENEVER HE WANT, I'M CONFIDENT HE MEANS HE HAS TIES TO THE RECORD LABELS. SO WATCH OUT, I'M GOING TO BE THE NEXT SLASH!

For me it is like that guy is probably representative for people using drugs, heroine in his case, to show you DRUG EFFECTS on your brain.

I found this quote, as comment on a MARTIN D-100 ($$$ between 80.000 and 100.000)
PLEASE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

I think this idea is FALSE.

"Most everyone seems interested in the hardware SLASH uses - what guitars does he have, what strings does he use, and what about picks and amps and effects? Just to show you that you don't have to have a $3,000 guitar to get started, SLASH started out with a one string acoustic. His first electric was a copy of a Gibson Explorer. Later guitars included a Memphis Les Paul copy, a B.C. Rich Mockingbird, a B.C. Rich Warlock, a Fender Stratocaster, a Jackson Firebird copy and a Charvel. Sadly, almost all of these early SLASH guitars were sold to support his former drug habit."

That quote is from this great Slash fan site

http://www.snakepit.org/equip.html

Clearly now he's rich and famous Slash can afford top flight guitars, but he didn't get known in the LA music scene with an expensive Les Paul. Then he was using regular instruments like most other jobbing guitarists. Notice alot of those early instruments were copies or makes that are now much derided like Charvel.

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

Pardon me , but , who is Slash and do I need to know who he is ? I'll ask my little brother lead player , he'll know......
Really though , all B.S. aside
it amazes me how many people are convinced that the
axe they're using makes their sound . Once talked to a right handed guy who figured if he took a left handed strat and restrung it to play right handed , he would have that " Hendrix "
sound ???
One time my little bro was playing my black ES-330 copy
and I told him it gave him that B.B. King look......, didn't
really sound like him though......

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

No, the guitar doesn't make the sound.  BUT, and it's a really big BUT, my playing (and my motivation to play) was tremendously enhanced by getting my hands on a decent instrument; one that felt "right", that played easily and sounded good.  Part of that expensive guitar mystique might be that since the quality is higher, it's that much more likely that one will fit you properly.  I'm guessing, of course, YMMV.

"There's such a fine line between genius and stupidity."
                              --David St. Hubbins

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

Hi dguyton ,
   I will certainly concede that point . Way back when I started playing I had a Stella flat top  that my dad left when he ...well .. left , with a wide flat fingerboard and action at the 12th fret that you could drive a hummer through . Why I kept at it I still don't know ( glad I did though ) It was many years before I could afford something better .
   Who knows , if it was'nt for that floating bridge that would never really intonate no matter what I did , I may have been Buck Owens' side man instead of Don Rich.....??

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

Eddie Van Halen's early "Frankenstrat" is a junker by today's standards...wouldn't know it with him playing it....

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

I have a friend who, in my opinion, spends an obscene amount of money on guitars. I think he thinks they will sound better, and it is easier to buy one than to learn on one.

Kind of like the guy who buys the $200 running shoes so he can go faster?

I am still holding out hope that the story gitaardocphil posted was intended to be sarcastic...

Just play

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

I believe we all agree that the ex-drug user has sustained more damage than he is aware of: "I PRACTICE 2 (TWO) HOURS A WEEK".
That quote gives it away right there, he's really out of touch. I practice  7 x 2 hours a week -just for fun. Just because I commute to work a total of two hours a week doesn't make me a racecar driver either.

On the subject of high priced guitars: It's all relative to how much you earn, and if you are a company endorser, you don't have to worry about the price of your guitar anyway. In my humble opinion, anything above $2,000 better be a killer instrument. I honestly can't see how a $10,000 guitar is actually five times as good. No way.
The prices of vintage guitars are in my eyes obscene. This has nothing to do with music, or the art of building instruments, but everything with greed and the hype of the entertainment industry. Granted, a luthier who builds exquisite works of art that sound heavenly, he/she needs to get compensated and can ask whatever price the market supports.

Just last week, I saw the bluesman Hubert Sumlin interviewed on TV: now, he is one of the grandfathers of the blues who has played with Muddy Waters for many years. To my astonishment he was holding an Epiphone Sheraton on his lap -not exactly an outrageously expensive instrument. Hats off to Hubert! Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llg0dym34vc. I don't care what Slash plays, and if it costs 100,000 rubels. The sad recovering drug user who was quoted, found something to get excited about; hopefully a Marshall stack and an expensive LP will make him happy.

Play on!

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

Well chordians, it's 100% correct.
But, (SORRY) being a MD, and you don't need to be a shrink of whatever, this quote is written by a "COMPLETE MESSED UP BRAIN" 
I still don't know whether it's fantasy or reality. I'm afraid it's reality. I was "again" surfing to find VERY EXPENSIVE BUT TOTAL USELESS GUITARS in this case a MARTIN D-100, having an ivoroid inlay, on the fretboard. See this link, second comment
www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Martin-D100-Deluxe-Guitar?sku=514682&src=3SOSWXXA

What is going through your mind seeing a guitar like this?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

gitaardocphil,

I didn't see the price on this beauty?

When I see all the inlays and fancy crap it really turns me off. I tend to be a minimalist.

But, strip all the excessive crap off of this guitar, and it would be something I would normally be interested in. I see words like "Martin", "solid top" and "Mahogany" and I think "quality".  Without reading the reviews, I would consider buying a less adorned version of this.

Just play

Re: A "BRILLIANT" THEORY

Thanks o6 ,
  I have'nt had a chance to talk to little bro. and ask him yet . I have heard of Guns though , in fact I think one of the younger guys I jam with does some of their stuff . Not bad either .......
   I just know who most of the old timers are ......L R L
  That's one interesting thing about our jams , your likely to hear anything from Merle Haggard to Greenday . Maybe just not done quite as well ...........

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "