something old, something new

I wound up in Red Bank yesterday and decided to go into Jack's Music or Monmouth music to try out a few guitars. I've been wandering into music stores for years now, always sampling the acoustic electric guitars in a back room, plugging them into amps, dreaming of being able to walk out with one without having to go into debt over it. Dream on. Every time I find something which makes my heart sing, I check the tag. $1300. $1500. $1700. $2000. As Raymond Barone puts it "Not today". I already own a Charvel Acoustic Electric which I had picked up in Toms River back in the 90s. I paid around 550 for it with the case. The pick-up on it had broken a couple years back and I had given the little amp to my nephew. I was ready to pass my current guitar on to my other nephew Charlie (I've got a lot nephews and neices to pass things on to). Of course every guitar I really like always costs more than I want or can afford to spend and I don't want to go into debt over it. So yesterday I found this Washburn in the back of Jack's Music. Used but like brand spankin' new! $250 Electric-Acoustic, which sounded as deep and beautiful and clear as any Taylor or almost as any Takamine I have ever played. It was shocking. $250? Really? Obviously I am no connoisseur, but you know how you KNOW what you like? You just KNOW it when you see and it try it out? I liked it. The color, the finish, the detail, the size and fit and length of the neck. The cut away look I like. The sound, oh the sound, and the price. I LOVE a good deal! After I got home, I priced them online and sure enough these things are made in China. Oh those poor people working so hard for pittance. I wonder if that's the case here, and by the way it also came with a hard case. All at this affordable price. It's just crazy. Wow. It was like that song about the violin which was going at an auction and no one wanted to pay much for it until it fell into the hands of the master...Not that I am by any means a master. Good Lord, no. But I was just so surprised that this was the ONLY used acoustic-electric and it was so pretty and sounded so GOOD. I know the difference.

Gee, I have not felt that happy over 'a thing' for a long long time.Things don't do that for me. In fact I have little qualms about giving things away. Less is more I say. But this guitar is a gift. Yes, from God. As if my steps were directed right into the way back of Jack's Music to find it. I know it would not have lasted. And It's not so much the thingyness of it, but the calm I feel when playing it. Reminds me of my first Yamaha way back in the 70s. Makes me smile. :) Well the days getting away. I have to get outside and get on my bike, laundry, find something green to wear for tomorrow. etc. etc. Off today. Work for the rest of the week and all next week. :)