Love at first sight
The streets of Cork were drenched in sunshine as I walked through the city center. I was checking out the talent... even though I've been in a steady relationship for 3 years now, It never hurt to look. I had never really entertained the notion, I can't complain with my current arrangements, and then I saw her...
In the back of the store, leaning up against the wall... my eyes still adjusting from plunging from light to darkness, gradually details resolved. Her gentle curves, her long graceful neck. I sat down and laid her back in my arms, caressing her neck... so slight and birdlike. I ran my hands over her shoulders and over the smoothness of her face.
"She's a beauty isn't she?" Said the store owner.
"She sure is! But she's way out of my league."
"Not as much as you think! She's an evaluation model, first of a new line. Normally she'd go for more than 2 grand, but she's yours for 640. And she comes with a hardshell case as well".
As you no doubt realise she of course is not a woman but a guitar.
Russels music is kinda like the guitar shop equivalent of that shop in Gremlins where the dad gets gizmo. There are the most stunning and unique things there. When I told the store owner (who's like, one of my heroes, I so want to be like him when I'm older. He looks kinda like Bob dylan or kieth richards, a greying rockstar peering over his glasses and protectively guarding his cache of high end instruments) what I was looking for, he says "I have JUST what you want!"
Now I've played a lot of guitars in my time, some vastly vastly out of my price range. Pro musica had a kickass martin for ~1200 for ages but they had sold it. I was kinda looking around for a good acoustic (better than the one I have, though the one I have rocks) with a cutaway, so I was willing to just look idly and dream.
This guitar is the best I've ever played. The action is like an electrics... which isn't too rare on an acoustic over 500+ euro, but with this, like the martin, you could really *pound* it and it dosn't buzz or distort. The tone is bright, very different from my other acoustic's dark mellow rumble, perfect for a "lead" guitar to cut through the mix. It dosn't have a pickup, but as I've seen with my old acoustic that's easilly fixed.
I played it until they threw me out 'cos they wanted to go for lunch, and I feel I passed the audition (with any high end guitar it seems like the store owner tries to intimidate you into not buying it. When you ask to try it out they raise a skeptical eyebrow and look you up and down, like you were asking them to take their daughter to the prom. They stand over you and assume a "lets see what you got" stance as you try out the first few chords).
Couldn't find a pic of this model (it's new) but here's a similar model:
http://www.guildguitars.com/gear/gear.php?partno=3810400
Mine has all rosewood backs and sides rather than mahogany on that model.
All that and a hardshell case too.
The store onwer guy and I gushed over the guitar for another little while. They got 12 in (in a variety of shapes and sizes, mine being the only one with a cutaway). The store owner bought one. All his buddies he showed them to bought one.
I returned after lunch and put down a deposit. It was no. 11 of the 12. I didn't feel like a mad rush to a cash machine and hope I could take out that much money... but between Colin paying the rent money and various birthday cards I now have it in cold hard cash. It will take a supreme feat of willpower not to blow off hillwalking tomorrow and just go in and get it. Acording to the forcast it might rain. Hmmm...
So in other news life has calmed down a lot. I mean, a lot. If I could sum up one major emotion for the day, it was "Calm". A kind of contented, zenesque, calm of peace and general wellbeing, and wishing the world no ill whatsoever. Which is rather cool for strolling around a sundrenched city center on your birthday.
In the back of the store, leaning up against the wall... my eyes still adjusting from plunging from light to darkness, gradually details resolved. Her gentle curves, her long graceful neck. I sat down and laid her back in my arms, caressing her neck... so slight and birdlike. I ran my hands over her shoulders and over the smoothness of her face.
"She's a beauty isn't she?" Said the store owner.
"She sure is! But she's way out of my league."
"Not as much as you think! She's an evaluation model, first of a new line. Normally she'd go for more than 2 grand, but she's yours for 640. And she comes with a hardshell case as well".
As you no doubt realise she of course is not a woman but a guitar.
Russels music is kinda like the guitar shop equivalent of that shop in Gremlins where the dad gets gizmo. There are the most stunning and unique things there. When I told the store owner (who's like, one of my heroes, I so want to be like him when I'm older. He looks kinda like Bob dylan or kieth richards, a greying rockstar peering over his glasses and protectively guarding his cache of high end instruments) what I was looking for, he says "I have JUST what you want!"
Now I've played a lot of guitars in my time, some vastly vastly out of my price range. Pro musica had a kickass martin for ~1200 for ages but they had sold it. I was kinda looking around for a good acoustic (better than the one I have, though the one I have rocks) with a cutaway, so I was willing to just look idly and dream.
This guitar is the best I've ever played. The action is like an electrics... which isn't too rare on an acoustic over 500+ euro, but with this, like the martin, you could really *pound* it and it dosn't buzz or distort. The tone is bright, very different from my other acoustic's dark mellow rumble, perfect for a "lead" guitar to cut through the mix. It dosn't have a pickup, but as I've seen with my old acoustic that's easilly fixed.
I played it until they threw me out 'cos they wanted to go for lunch, and I feel I passed the audition (with any high end guitar it seems like the store owner tries to intimidate you into not buying it. When you ask to try it out they raise a skeptical eyebrow and look you up and down, like you were asking them to take their daughter to the prom. They stand over you and assume a "lets see what you got" stance as you try out the first few chords).
Couldn't find a pic of this model (it's new) but here's a similar model:
http://www.guildguitars.com/gear/gear.php?partno=3810400
Mine has all rosewood backs and sides rather than mahogany on that model.
All that and a hardshell case too.
The store onwer guy and I gushed over the guitar for another little while. They got 12 in (in a variety of shapes and sizes, mine being the only one with a cutaway). The store owner bought one. All his buddies he showed them to bought one.
I returned after lunch and put down a deposit. It was no. 11 of the 12. I didn't feel like a mad rush to a cash machine and hope I could take out that much money... but between Colin paying the rent money and various birthday cards I now have it in cold hard cash. It will take a supreme feat of willpower not to blow off hillwalking tomorrow and just go in and get it. Acording to the forcast it might rain. Hmmm...
So in other news life has calmed down a lot. I mean, a lot. If I could sum up one major emotion for the day, it was "Calm". A kind of contented, zenesque, calm of peace and general wellbeing, and wishing the world no ill whatsoever. Which is rather cool for strolling around a sundrenched city center on your birthday.