Newbie Here

[Jeffery Smith]

I'm a newbie (that is always either good news or bad new) to this forum. I started playing guitar in 1962, got away from it in the 70's, and am trying to pick up the pieces now that I'm 58!

I came down with myasthenia gravis in 1978, which seriously weakened my hands. So, I'm primarily into short-scale guitars (24.5 and below). I used to have an ES-335 (which cost about $300 in 1965) but sold it. Back then, a Les Paul was a Gibson SG! My entry to the world of the real Les Pauls began with an Agile in rootbeer, and later a Heritage in natural finish.

I'm glad to be part of this community. My next gear acquisition will probably be a Les Paul Studio Premium Plus in root beer if they are still available by the time I scrape together the funds! I started to buy a Gibson Les Paul Doublecut in rootbeer at the end of August, 2005 but Katrina ended that dream a few days later.

Jeffery Smith
New Orleans, LA

[eaglewolf]

Jeffery,

Welcome to the forum! I too used to play when I was younger, but got away from it for most of the last 15-20 years, just playing occasionally. I sold off my guitars as they were not being used by me, and just over Memorial Day weekend I picked up a new Les Paul Custom. Way too much guitar for me, but I'm loving it just the same. Hopefully I can pick it up again and do that guitar justice!

I'm 47 myself (as of 5 days ago) and can relate to starting again at an older age, even if you do have a few years on me. I'm having a good time learning, and hopefully you will be too shortly. The Les Paul is a great guitar to learn on, though a bit on the pricey side - particularly with my tastes. Good luck in your search and have fun here on the forum.

David

[captain tightpants]

Welcome! Is that your Heritage in the avatar?

[Jeffery Smith]

Thanks David. I took guitar lessons from age 12 to age 18, but I do need some refresher books to get me back on track. Unlike riding a bicycle, you do forget how to play the guitar after 40 years. What is frustrating is that my brain knows exactly where my fingers are supposed to go, but my fingers don't seem to behave the way my brain is telling them.

[eaglewolf]

Originally Posted by Jeffery Smith

Thanks David. I took guitar lessons from age 12 to age 18, but I do need some refresher books to get me back on track. Unlike riding a bicycle, you do forget how to play the guitar after 40 years. What is frustrating is that my brain knows exactly where my fingers are supposed to go, but my fingers don't seem to behave the way my brain is telling them.

I know what you are talking about. Despite having this great guitar, it just doesn't sound the same when I play it! And I know I told the fingers to go to the right place, so what are they doing on that fret???!!!??? I guess that is why we practice. Probably the best advice I got out of Guitar Center was "don't get frustrated - it will come in time." Then again, maybe that was just so they could keep selling me stuff!

David

[stryker59]

welcome to the forum! good luck on your future purchase...hopefully it wont be to far in the future!

[Axeman16]

welcome!

[Jeffery Smith]

Originally Posted by captain tightpants

Welcome! Is that your Heritage in the avatar?

It is. I think the top is "sort of" spalted in that it has a dark area of grain in it. I don't mind it, and it will make it easier to find the guitar if it is ever stolen.

[ac4rd]

I'm looking forward to seeing a bigger picture of that Heritage, Jefferey--there are a couple of other gorgeous natural finishes here (and their owners) :-) and they make me drool in envy!

Sure wish you could ftp me a sandwich and a bowl of gumbo from Acme! ;-)

[BigB]

Welcome to MLP Jeffery

[Jeffery Smith]

Originally Posted by stryker59

welcome to the forum! good luck on your future purchase...hopefully it wont be to far in the future!

They are always sooner than I can reasonably afford, but isn't that always the case?

[Jeffery Smith]

Originally Posted by ac4rd

I'm looking forward to seeing a bigger picture of that Heritage, Jefferey--there are a couple of other gorgeous natural finishes here (and their owners) :-) and they make me drool in envy!

Sure wish you could ftp me a sandwich and a bowl of gumbo from Acme! ;-)

Here it is:


Although I don't much care for the headstock style in the Heritage line, they are well-made, just like the old Gibbies. I just had half a muffaletta. It would be easier to send you THAT in the mail, but you can make them yourself if you can find the olive salad and Italian bread.

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by Jeffery Smith

I'm a newbie (that is always either good news or bad new) to this forum. I started playing guitar in 1962, got away from it in the 70's, and am trying to pick up the pieces now that I'm 58!

I came down with myasthenia gravis in 1978, which seriously weakened my hands. So, I'm primarily into short-scale guitars (24.5 and below). I used to have an ES-335 (which cost about $300 in 1965) but sold it. Back then, a Les Paul was a Gibson SG! My entry to the world of the real Les Pauls began with an Agile in rootbeer, and later a Heritage in natural finish.

I'm glad to be part of this community. My next gear acquisition will probably be a Les Paul Studio Premium Plus in root beer if they are still available by the time I scrape together the funds! I started to buy a Gibson Les Paul Doublecut in rootbeer at the end of August, 2005 but Katrina ended that dream a few days later.

Jeffery Smith
New Orleans, LA

Welcome aboard, i know about your disorder
i also have a Neuromuscular disorder, (CMT type X that was dormant till i had
exposures to chemicals when i was in the Army)
I had close freinds that were in Katrina and Rita
in western Louisiana, i can understand.

you have a really nice looking guitar!

[Jeffery Smith]

Originally Posted by coldsteal2

Welcome aboard, i know about your disorder
i also have a Neuromuscular disorder, (CMT type X that was dormant till i had
exposures to chemicals when i was in the Army)
I had close freinds that were in Katrina and Rita
in western Louisiana, i can understand.

you have a really nice looking guitar!

I stayed here for Katrina (sweated buckets that night, with my house swaying back and forth). Got booted out of town 4 days later and ended up in Houston for Rita. Rita was more fun (from Houston), but it took half of my roof off. I'm guessing that Katrina loosened it first.

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by Jeffery Smith

I stayed here for Katrina (sweated buckets that night, with my house swaying back and forth). Got booted out of town 4 days later and ended up in Houston for Rita. Rita was more fun (from Houston), but it took half of my roof off. I'm guessing that Katrina loosened it first.

For my freinds it was the other way around, for
Katrina they got flooded out, but stayed in thier home
in Lake Charles then got hit dead on by Rita.
Thier house was first flooded then blown up by the
winds, ended up in a "Tiny" FEMA trailer for two years, then
my buddy Cliff died from living and working around the
black mold just over a year ago. His wife finaly moved out
of thier FEMA trailer last november and now lives in
Houston, she also has enphazema from the mold and is
on oxygen all the time. They didnt get help because thier home
was technicaly destroyed by Rita, even though it was totaled
by flood waters from Katrina. They filed at the Rita relief area
I sure hope that area never gets that kind of trouble like
that again

[ac4rd]

Jefferey, that Heritage is spectacular! And I love the little bit of spalt in the top--makes it very distinctive! Good luck on finding a good Studio Premium Plus--not everybody loves the unbound look but all that flame with no binding or pickguard looks fantastic to me! (I've got a Studio Plus, 2003, that I love deeply.)

I spent my first 31 years in Baton Rouge--every time we get back to visit my wife's parents, we load the trunk of the car with olive salad, file gumbo, Manda sausage, Community dark roast coffee .. :-) We get some Zatarains products in the Raleigh NC area, and even a half decent substitute for muffaletta bread, but getting the right bread for a decent po-boy is darned tough. :-)

[coldsteal2]

I lived in Pensacola and Galveston in the past
so i know the area very well, and the food!
I miss the sweet Corn Bread the most.

[Jeffery Smith]

Thanks for the great welcome, guys. Guitarists have an esprit-de-corps that I don't find on other forums. I'm making the My Les Paul url my home page.