Well, after first picking up a guitar almost 40 years ago, I am now the proud owner (well, when it gets delivered in the next week or so) of a new Stratocaster.

I started playing in high school. Self taught. No band. Just to have fun. I played for about 25 years (rock, Bluegrass, classical, Blues) on a variety of cheap guitars. In college I maintained the amps for several guitar playing friends (I have "fond" memories of accidently grabbing the 450 volt B+ supply in a friends Twin Reverb and waking up on the other side of the room) and designing the electronics for my own and other's guitars.

I serenaded my wife-to-be and her friends on numerous occasions and continued to play into my 30s until other hobbies/responsibilities came along. I put my guitars away in the closet (I gave a friend the Les Paul copy that I redesigned the pickups and electronics for, which included a built in op-amp preamp and overdrive/tone control circuit.) where they have sat for the past 20+ years.

Finally, on the occasion of my 56th birthday I decided to take up the guitar again. My fingers are no longer flexible enough to play classical but I think I can still bend an electric string or two. I have purchased a Candy Apple Red w/maple neck Standard Strat and a Frontman 25R amp. They should be arriving within the week. I already have plans to block the tremolo on the Strat (never liked tremolos) and can hardly wait to get my hands on everything.

No, I'm not going to form a band. Once again, I just want to have a little fun. My wife did make me promise not to sing anymore, though.

Oh, I went with Candy Apple Red as that goes really well with my Vermillian Red 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible.

Hopefully playing the guitar is like riding a bike: once you learn you never forget how. Good excuse to get these arthritic fingers of mine moving again.

I can't wait.

Bill

seems you will have fun
nice story !
I did the same with my hot rod

hi bluesky,

welcome aboard. Nice to hear that you will comming home.
post pics if arrived.

cheers and have fun with it.

I liked the story. Enjoy your gorgeous new guitar when she gets in - the candy apple is a very classy colour

Welcome to the forum bluesky. Looking forward to pics when it arrives. Your journey begins again............... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

hey bluesky- congrats on you purchase, and enjoy it in good health.

i too am 56. i bought a new strat last december, and have been playing daily. the missus has noticed my attitude on everything these days is a lot better- music can do that to you.

i would like to have another band, but like you i just love to play.

stay around the forums- there's some great people here.

Welcome.

Congrats on picking the best model guitar on the planet! May you play your new Strat in good health for many, many years to come!!

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You dig?

Welcome bluesky636, you should like it here.
Claude.

Rock on, bluesky!

I just purchased a candy apple red Strat last week as well, and you won't be disappointed.

It's even more gorgeous in person than in pics on the internet or in catalogs.

Thanks, all.

Bill

Welcome Bill. Nice story. Your new guitar might need some setup attention. Be sure and check out the setup instructions on this site. Welcome aboard.

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-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

Congrats and welcome to the forum, and I agree that things are going to come flooding back into your memory once you start up again.