Any other military guys here?

[shal1234]

Hey all,

Being in the military has it's ups and downs, one of the downs being that i'm always moving around, living in dorms rooms and what have you. I basically live a temporary lifestyle. A 70lb tube amp, Les Paul Super Custom, and a load of effects pedals are not exactly "temporary" things. So needless to say, it's almost impossible to keep a proper rig in these conditions.
Most other guys i know turn to "amp modeling", and stick with Ibanez and ESP, never even bothering to venture into the tone zone, just because it's not facilitated. I tried this scenario, it's not for me.
The worst thing is that I can afford just about any amp/guitar that i want, but I don't buy them for the same reasons that a flight attendant can never own a cat or dog.
Anybody relate?

[b-squared]

Been there, done that, my friend.

I never owned a tube amp until I retired from the Air Force.

Now I own 3.

BB

[shal1234]

wow, nice to know i'm not alone. i got 13 more yrs left in the AF. I can't wait that long to buy a tube amp. The next long term assignment i get I want to sound proof one of my rooms for sure. Easier said than done i suppose.

[b-squared]

You can start small...get something like an Epiphone Valve Jr, or one of the new Blackstar models.

I would have bought one of those back in the day.

Crate even has a decent modeling amp with a tube power section designed by Bogner. It's pretty heavy, though.

What do you do in the AF?

BB

[coldsteal2]

I identify for sure.

I just had a little Peavy solid state with an 8" speaker
practice amp, and a cheap peavy guitar incase
i had to leave it, luckily it had distortion and buit in reverb
and chorus so it was at least decent sounding. I think i paid $300 for them both.
I didnt have a tube amp in the service other
than the one i had back at home along with my
good guitars.
My carrer was cut short after 8 years when I was in the Gulf War, i was going
to be a lifer.

[shal1234]

I work Command Post. It's a lot of sitting around, which gets to me, but other than that i love it.
I thought all those Blackstars were kinda large. the ones i saw were anyhow. I got a Roland microcube right now. it does sound good for what it is, but it's time to move on. it's holding me back. i'm leaving in two months for Honduras, so here my primary predicament:
-Do I order the LP Custom now, and hand carry it to Honduras? (not a safe environment since i have multiple detours)
-or wait till i get there and risk the chance that it is sold out since it's a limited ed.
-or possibly try to buy one locally there (who knows what they sell for there, it's one of the poorest countries in the world, but i'm not an economist so i have no idea how that effects prices).

[coldsteal2]

Tough call, personaly i would wait
but you never know there may be a killer
deal in Honduras,

[shotgunlew]

Been there done that. Loved the army.

[Blues Power]

well I didnt life out but my 3 years on the navy (83-86) were perty much with one acoustic. Stuck out two 7 month med cruises and a bunch of S. and N. atlantic mik runs all i had was few lil jam sessions with some of my shipmates but thats about it.


a soon as we hit port all other others ran straight to the bars and brothals and I always found the local music store first and then i went partying after that holding a bag full of strings, picks, polish and magazines.

turned out though those were the best years of my life

[Rico]

The sea-bag-drag got real old, real quick in the Corps. Couldn't wait to get out. But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Met a ton of great people from all over. Every once in a while when I jog, I even sing a cadence.

Mama and Papa were layin in bed.
Mama turned to Papa and this is what she said.
PT.
Gimme some.
Good for you.
Good for me.

[loaded six string]

I spent 7 years in the corps 81-88. Got out right before the first gulf war. I didnt even look at a 'lectrified guit-machine until about 1990. Just as well, stuff seemed to come up missing way to often in the military anyway.

[BigB]

831st Transportation SQ. USAF '88-'92

Can't relate on the moving around part as i did my whole tour from one base but good to see/hear from fellow soldiers/vets. Stay safe!

[Eddie]

Retired last August after 20 years, 2 months, 10 days Active USAF Ammo Troop.

[b-squared]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Retired last August after 20 years, 2 months, 10 days Active USAF Ammo Troop.

While a retired aircrew guy, I know several ammo troops.

I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S.!!!!!

BB

[InnerRage]

Originally Posted by Rico

The sea-bag-drag got real old, real quick in the Corps. Couldn't wait to get out. But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Met a ton of great people from all over. Every once in a while when I jog, I even sing a cadence.

Mama and Papa were layin in bed.
Mama turned to Papa and this is what she said.
PT.
Gimme some.
Good for you.
Good for me.

Man, I do the same thing. As soon as I start to run, a cadence just pops into my head, like a weird instinct or something. And I've been out of the army for 24 years now.

[coldsteal2]

I was in the Navy from 83-88, then joined
the Army 88-91 the same day i was discharged
from the Navy.
Gluton for punshment.

[rodneyk915]

I want to give you guys a big THANK YOU for serving. Hey Eddie, congrats on your retirement!

I never served but I would imagine that it is a tough decision on equipment knowing you will probably be moved around quite a bit. I agree with b-squared though and would stick with the smaller ones if you are just playing in your living quarters. I don't know how nice of guitar I would go with either but with 13 more years I would probably treat myself to a good, possibly used LP Standard and get the really nice one as a retirement gift.

[Blues Power]

Originally Posted by coldsteal2

I was in the Navy from 83-88, then joined
the Army 88-91 the same day i was discharged
from the Navy.
Gluton for punshment.

Jes, that must have been fun
did they let you keep same rate or did they bump you down to E2 or worse

[Nils]

I'm planning to join the Royal Netherlands Air Force within 2 years. I yet have to graduate next year

it's an old pic though

[b-squared]

Originally Posted by Nils

I'm planning to join the Royal Netherlands Air Force within 2 years. I yet have to graduate next year

it's an old pic though

That's very cool. I trained some of the KDC-10 Boom Operators from the RNAF.

Great bunch of guys!

BB

[MrWrong]

I was in the US Army, '68-'69, after basic & AIT did the rest of my service at Long Binh, RVN.

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by Blues Power

Jes, that must have been fun
did they let you keep same rate or did they bump you down to E2 or worse

I lost two paygrades from E6 down to E4 but
i got promoted to SGT in less than a year
I was tired of my 6 and 9 month deployments in the Navy
so the hours were better in the Army, well until the Gulf War that
is which was also 9 months, and no liberty calls!
My dad was in the Army WWII, my brother was in the Army in Nam, my sister was
in the Army the last two years of Nam stateside and in Germany for
4 years, all but one of my Uncles were in the Army, the other one was
in the Marines. My grandfather was in the Army in WWI, his dad was in the
Army, and my grandmas father was, goes back all the way to the 1700s
I was the only one to join the Navy, but i had a cousin that was in the Navy
in Nam.

[Blues Power]

hey COld: cool great family military history. I didnt mind the 3 years. I made IC-2 and got bumped back to E-4 when i was discharged into the reserves. I had to do 2 years as a w/e worrier. Wasent too bad since i was from the fleet even the 20 year reserve chiefs ans officers respected me. I had more ribbons then they had lol

my DD214 say E-4 with like 6 fleet ribbons and ESWS. we were very busy needless to say but it was great now that im a gezzer and can laugh about it all

[coldsteal2]

Hey i worked with you IC'men i was a Radioman for
the first 4 years of the Navy before i SCORE converted (Selective Conversion On Re-Enlistment)
to AW Aircrew for my final time in the Navy
I spent four months in the Army Reserves between
my Navy EAOS and going Active, of all places at Camp Pendleton
Marine Amphibious Base in Oceanside before being activated and sent to
Ft Bliss then Ft Lewis

I never got my ESWS (my Chief was a dick and didn't sign
my last three requirements) gut i did get my Aircrew Gold Wings.
It got crapy when i changed rates though, because right after i made the AW rate, they got rid
of AW rate, and they changed it to AC,

[b-squared]

Originally Posted by MrWrong

I was in the US Army, '68-'69, after basic & AIT did the rest of my service at Long Binh, RVN.

My Dad came back in '68, after two tours at Cam Rahn Bay. We went to Rhein Main AB, Germany after that.

BB

[coldsteal2]

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