I'm trying to decide weather I want to go get a snack, or not.

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"Electric Lady"

Winding down for the day. Feels good.

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Marky

Remember the music is not in the guitar

I went a down a different road on my walk and saw some pretty cool old houses, one being what I think was an old firehouse that was converted. That's always been a dream of mine to live in some building like that, or some industrial loft in the city. I have no desire to live in the boonies or even in the suburbs. I dealt with that stuff when I lived in Florida and I'm tired of it.

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That's cool Paul. I enjoy watching documentaries about the growth of big cities where they show a video time line starting at vacant land to today. The history of the city, buildings going up and coming down, the people who lived there. It's all very interesting to me. It's cool how an old firehouse was converted to a house. I wonder how it looks inside. I wonder if they left the fireman's pole in for those days when they are late for work.
How far do you walk every day?

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Marky

Remember the music is not in the guitar

There's a residential brick firehouse with a tower (likely to hang hoses) a few blocks from our home. I've always wondered how the tower was converted. The garage doors are gone. The firehouse is not very wide, but several stories high. The new one in the neighbourhood is wide but not high. Either way, it certainly would be an interesting move. Besides, maybe you'd find some old firehouse recipes left behind. Paul.
FSB

I'm off to audition some acoustics (including Fender) that meet my modest budget. I did find a suitable used acoustic on Kijiji, but it's halfway up the province so that's out.

Time is my friend for the moment so there's no hurry. Getting a desirable finish or model is a coat of many colours that may pass me by.
Ordering without some reference for sound and playability, weight included, is left to either trying out a similar but different guitar when possible. Failing that, we get to hear online videos with the hope that the demo represents what we need to hear (somewhat). Add to that pickups and electronics are a bit of a mystery until used in one's environment. Oh yeah, and one more thing. More money doesn't always equate to a better guitar.

Still, given the odds of a lack of quality control in today's market, I may have to catch the rabbit in my back yard and grab a foot or two.

I had a fortune cookie late last night. The fortune said, " Your curious nature will take you somewhere special". So ya never know.
FSB

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Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.

A music shop is somewhere special alright. It's nice to shop at a nice leisurely pace. It makes it a lot more enjoyable so have a great time.

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Marky

Remember the music is not in the guitar

Thanks, Marky. Just like comparing speakers, if I can remember the sounds I experience that will be a bonus. Usually I just eliminate what I dislike.
Have a great day.

FSB

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Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.

I usually walk 5 miles.

I'm not 100% sure it was a firehouse, but I'm guessing because it had a huge double door like the other firehouses have, and there was also a tower connected off the side that the other ones don't have. Maybe that could have been some sort of observation thing.

This place is very old, with a lot of the houses from the 1700's and we go by a graveyard with people who died in 1690 on them, that I could make out the dates on. Some of the streets are narrow, probably because they were built in the time of the horse and buggy days. It's a strange place when you look at it from a modern context, but that's what makes it interesting, I think.

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I usually watch videos and read reviews when I can find them when researching gear. It's not 100%, but at least it gives you a general idea of what you are dealing with. It's rare for me to be able to get to a music store, since the closest one is 30 minutes away by car, so I typically order things from this online company, which even though it's a gamble to what you're going to get, has an excellent return policy and customer service, which makes it easy. We've only had to return one item, because it was defective from the manufacturer (whom we're all familiar with around here ) and no problems at all. All of their products are shipped directed from a warehouse and they don't open the boxes and brand new. If they are opened, they'll discount them accordingly. I've gotten great deals from that. It's not like you go to a shop with a guitar hanging off the wall being sold as new, even though it's been played multiple times by anyone who walks in. That's one advantage of that.

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I'm thinking about turning in for the day.

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"Electric Lady"

Well, I found myself alone in a room amongst acoustics ranging from under $100 upwards to $7000 where I could pick them off the wall when I could reach them. Some will be discounted and some will be available new in a box. Several different amps were readily available for plug-in comparison (nice). I got to play the new Fender Paramounts. At that price point I have to say with the build and the sound, "Nice work, Fender". If this is the direction Fender is going for acoustics it has my vote. Take it further. Built in electronics for Paramounts (as with other Fenders) would be nice, but I know that comes at a cost. Some prefer to add their own selection (more on that later).

It's been some time since I played those large gauge 12 and possibly 13 strings on an acoustic, and I was sluggish at first; but, an afternoon alone with Fender, Epiphone, Taylor, Seagull, and Martin amongst the high end Gibsons, I found the playtime rewarding and informative.

I also found specific guitars within my budget unavailable to try as a comparison (such as T-Bucket and Sonora). It should be noted that I may pay a little more than a grand in the end, but I want to experience the popular lower end too.

Even with that huge group of axes including Godin, Ovation, Simon & Patrick, to mention a few others, I didn't get the guitar speaking to me with mojo. Fender is in the running still, EPI and maybe Taylor, with Martin in there somewhere.

I've had the natural look, and unless one moves up to higher levels, the colour selections are overwhelmingly underwhelming for me at this moment. Some nice mahogany and a flash of colour or black. The cheap Martin was okay to play (very folkish though); however, when the natural top was booked it was a poor blend of shades at the seam. The Epiphone (and others) had a flawed stain job. The cheapest Fender had chrome flaking from the tuner shafts (although, this may have been a rare case as I saw no other example). Some axes were nice, but didn't come with electronics and aftermarket can be done, but it's usually cheaper and a better and easier installation at the factory level. Then there is the issue of string height mostly riding high and a perceived stiffness (YMMV) with stock strings. A good demo would come with a preferred setup. Not much chance there.

I'll take another look at Fender's inexpensive CD60-CE which surprised me for the cost and playability with solid electronics. It looked (3 finishes available) and sounded good unplugged and amped as well. It is all laminate, however.

So there you have it. Ordering is one option that takes care of some of those missing links, and yet this gives an example of what to expect out of many shipping boxes.

The service from familiar faces has been great which adds to the value. I'll get that six string eventually. So tomorrow they're having a Grand Opening with food and a lot of decent prizes including an LP . . . so back I go.

FSB
Update: Fender's Paramounts - some do indeed have electronics. Very nice Fishmans with tuners. The Paramounts available to me did not, and the info given was incorrect. Fake news. Now ya know.

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Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.

I've often had luck with finding an instrument by not really thinking about any thing specifically, but let if find me. You know it's the right one when you come across it and get to play it. It has to be visual first, then hopefully play and sound as good as it looks.

By the way, I went by that building again and it was a firehouse built in 1885. I took a pic of the plaque on the building:

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I'm somewhat killing time right now, waiting for Mrs. Nylon, and the two dogs to wake up.

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"Electric Lady"

Doing laundry and waiting for the rain to slow down a bit (it's suppose to) to go for my walk.

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The firehouse sounds cool, Paul. Photo didn't work; but, thanks for trying.

Went to the new music store official opening. Finally the city has choices like in the big towns. I found out that the store now has the largest curved guitar display in North America. 700+ guitars reportedly!
Spun a wheel, won a manufacturer's t-shirt, and walked out to a hot dog with a cutaway acoustic (same brand as the t-shirt, and no I did not choose it because of the shirt). I first tried a guitar (rhymes with sailor), but, as good as it was, I wanted a cutaway. Lo and behold one and only one of the same model as a cutaway was new in a box. Yes! But, would this version sound as good, and did it have the same appearance and vibe? This one was even better, and it was less than a hundred over budget. It called out to me, was a new model with a solid spruce top, layered walnut back and sides, had a sweet unplugged and electronic sound, was shipped with a low setup of included 12 gauge Elixirs, had a narrow neck for my troublesome hand, allows me to easily reach the higher frets, and adds a great quality gig bag all for what amounted to an American price in this northern loonie tunes country.

I would have been happy with the Fender, but that was the deal for today. Besides, I had to leave something good for the other shoppers.
The guitar got the wife approval. So, another guitar found a welcoming home. I now have a better patio guitar for the summer, and the practice will transfer over to the Strat. Maybe the entry form I added to the music store's tumbling drum will win me one of the many guitars or amps being drawn for. That would be nice; but, I'm good to go.

Life has ups and downs. Woke up to big snow flakes falling down into my spring cleaned yard. After cleaning off the pile of snow from the car, and driving while it continued to fall, I made it to and from the store. The snow is gone (for now) and music is in the air. Today is good and a natural high.
Happy Earth Day!
FSB

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Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.