same here i toured the east cost of the usa for many years.
when my son was born 4 years ago i wanted to be a hands on
dad. so i retired. never made the big time like i stated befor but
i did well enough to were i dont need to work and spend time
with my son. i do play at home and somtimes with my other musician friends. i love playing and i'll play up until my last breath. but i dont
miss the touring part at all. so i guess you would say i'm a pro.

Hey Jay,
I also think that for the most part we agree on most of these issues to some degree or other and that for the most part we're probably both splitting hairs here over definitions....which is really neither here nor there. There are a couple of small points though that I would like to address (or re-address)...



Dude...I'm sorry I made you feel that way. To me part of the wonderful thing about a "public forum" is it's ability to allow people to express their own opinions and to simply debate issues such as this...which obviously there's some highly debatable issues here. I honestly haven't taken any personal offense to most of what you have written, I just have some differing opinions. I also had the time this morning to sit down and be long winded with those opinions. Please don't take any offense to them though...they are, as always, just my own personal opinions.




Thank you for the concession there. The only thing that I will add is that I truly believe that an "informed" consumer without any particular bias in regards to the origin of a product is likely to make better purchases regardless of what they are purchasing.



Please know that my "essay" (and I will admit that it was certainly rather long) was not intended as a "veiled attack" and again I am truly sorry that you took it as such. Again, I had the time, I had some strong opinions on this and I simply expressed them. Please know that it really wasn't personal...if I were being personal or trying to attack you, you would most likely know the difference.





Again dude, no offense was really taken. I was just providing some counter-point and my own opinions based on what I read in your own post.



Ok...I will admit that that statement could also be taken as a "veiled attack" but I don't think it was really intended as such. While I will freely admit that I -do- have several issues going on in my life right now...and that some of those are rather serious and that they could be affecting my opinions, attitude and judgement, I really don't believe that is the case. Please know that first and foremost, I -am- simply a long winded and rather talkative invidual (and yes...I talk the same way I type) and that I am often a person of strong opinions and convictions. I'm also a very detail oriented invididual...to me the "details are everything" and "if you can't say what you mean, you can never mean what you say".

In addition to this while I do try to make my own opinions based on my own experiences, I will also admit that I'm very anti-conformist (sorry...not sure if that's exactly the right word there)...if the crowd is moving in one direction, I typically move the other way. If -everyone- is wearing black, you can usually bet that I'll be wearing something in a bright purple paisley...it's simply my nature. I'm also typically a rather blunt individual...I simply speak my mind. These things are simply a part of who I am regardless of any personal issues that I may be experiencing at any given time.

I wasn't trying to "pick a fight" per say as simply debate a few issues...and I do enjoy a good debate as I have with this one. I don't think I took nearly as much offense to anything you said as you felt I did and apparently took towards mine and for that I am again truly sorry...it was not my intent. I think my points are valid and have been all along but they are again just my opinions and it's up to others to decide if either of our words bear any weight at all. We're just a couple of guys sitting here yakking away on an internet forum in any case.

Please accept my most sincere apologies and understand that none of this was meant as a personal attack in any way...it's simply my way of looking at things and the way that I express my opinions. Also please know that at this point I will simply consider the matter closed. I think we've both clearly stated our opinions and the rest of the good folks on this forum can take them for what they're worth.

Peace dude,
Jim

(BTW...I should also probably mention that I type between 70 and 80 words a minute...it probably takes me less time to type these things than it does for most folks to read them )

Seeing as though we are getting extremely technical here let me remind all of you "I don't want any guitar that wasn't made in the U.S." guys of this:

I have been doing Genealogy for over 10 years and have found that unless you are Native American (and even this is questionable) no one in the U.S. is completely American made. Our DNA has been handed down from generation to generation from people that were from countries other than the U.S.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Some of us longer then other s! Remember the Bedford connection my Dads familys been here since well before 1720's by way of of Aulenback and Rushberg Rhineland. In fact Johann and Wife Anna were killed in a Indian raid in Berks county according to Bedford Historic society thats eight generations ago.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Actually, it's only one bill collector calling...and they've been bugging me on and off for about 4 years now. I'm either waiting for the statute of limitations to run out or for them to simply press the issue in court to give me a reason to file bankruptcy and make the "whole problem go away", LOL! Sorry if that sounds cheap and pathetic but there it is. I just don't get why they have to call at 8:30 in the morning...don't they know that I'm all comfy and cozy in my bed trying to stay warm on this cold winter day here in Ohio? Bloody inconsiderate of them if you ask me...it would be so much easier to ignore their phone calls later in the afternoon when my eyes are actually open! LOL!!!

L8r

If it says "Fender" on the headstock you are buying a quality instrument no matter where it was made.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Do a look up of "Fort Fetter", that's my family.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Answer to 1. Yes 80 to 85%
2. FTC. says no as long as most parts and labor are U.S.
3. Yes , With all info available today.
4. No , But there is more chance of there being bad regulations
in the manufacturing process and quality control in the
items. Because of this you do find more inferior products.
5. No not by a rule but more chance of being so.

And yes the one time I played a MIM Deluxe Player it was not bad but not good enough for me to buy.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Yes I did that the last time we spoke. Our familys go way back. I have been able to get My way greats Grand Fathers Revolutionary war Records and have photographed Family graves from going back to the 1750,s Also have other Great' muster in and muster out records from the Civil War..

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Those STARCASTERS say fender on the headstock too dont they?