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Yes DMiller. I used to hang with The Seldom Secene at the old Red Fox Inn which burned down at some point in time. And the song "Muddy Water" was about my dear old Potomac River. Beautiful vocals and Dobro on that one. I loved those guys for having taught me to love the sweet sounds of "wooden music" and four part harmonies. We were kids, and they marveled that we teenagers came to their shows every Thursday night at the Red Fox Inn.

And so, if any one can find a photo of a "Johnson Lily Of The Valley" resonator guitar, and post it here, you will see here the beautiful present that I bought my son for his graduation from high school. I have tried to post it here, but my lack of computer confidence has not allowed me to do this. DMiller, can you help me out? Her flat out loves that guitar! If you can find a pic, please post it...

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Yes DMiller. I used to hang with The Seldom Scene at the old Red Fox Inn....

Dang!!! What a treat that must've been! I grew up in southern Indiana, 20 miles from Bean Blossom, where Bill Monroe had his *Bluegrass Jamboree* going on, and the famous Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival.

Once I got *bit* by the bluegrass bug, I was there whenever a show was going on. I saw Marty Stuart picking mandolin as a kid (teen-ager), for Lester Flatt, saw and picked with Kenny Baker (fiddler for Bill Monroe) up close and personal (we drank out of the same jar of moonshine between tunes), got a chance to pick with Jack Hick's (banjo picker -- for Bill Monroe), camped just across fron Dry Branch Fire Squad, heard Carl Jackson on banjo sit in with Father Bill, picking the Orange Blossom Special (1979, I think that was), and Ralph and Carter Stanley were regulars at the shows there before that even.

But those shows were seasonal only. What a treat it must have been to go to a club week after week, and hear the talent you did. :)

Edited by dmiller
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Wow, where to start with everyone else's posts?

I'll tell you some about me. I have been a "gearhead" all my life, actually worked at Sam Ash and was one of the stores top salespersons in the guitar department, still ravage the guitar and store catalogs. It has been a life long love. My first guitar that I asked my parents for at 7 years old, after carefully reviewing the only catalog I had, the Gretsch Guitar catalog, was - the White Falcon - LOL (for those of you who know what the White Falcon is). Naturally, they said no, but, it was a start for me.

I Consistently played in bands through H.S., here and there in TWI, then after TWI in NYC - at that time it was the "hardcore thrash" scene, so I jumped right in. Now that I'm older and living in the midwest, I have consistently been in bands - so, its been a life long thing. I have also over the years, picked up instruments I thought may be collectible in the future.

In my "collectible" collection I have: a '69 SG, a '71 SG, a '79 antigua strat (mint), a '79 cherry sunburst strat (ash body, rare color), a 1980 "The Strat" in red, another in Blue (for you collectors, these are under the radar right now - if you can find a "The Strat" get it - they are the best sounding strats I have ever played - amazing, the pickups were higher output); recently acquired an '86 Kramer Baretta with rare graphic (all Kramers are starting to skyrocket - the Barettas, pacers and Focus, if you have a chance, get one); am currently working on acquiring a late '60s Gibson SG special (with P-90s).

For those of you talking about great sounding, but relatively inexpensive acoustics, the Martin D-15 mahogany model is excellent. All mahogany, beautiful for fingerpicking - $500-600 - its a Martin.

Socks, the Epi Elitists are excellent Epiphones, check out Musicians Friend for them, they are blowing them out because they are so good, that everyone was buying these instead of the high-priced Gibson, so naturally Gibson is discontinuing them. They are made in Japan - just excellent. I recently picked up the Elitist faded SG from them and love it to death - much better than the two Gibson SG '61 reissues I have been through.

DMiller - you have a great collection! That mandolin is awesome, plus the other guitars you mentioned. Also, that Yamaha you have by Soldano is very sought after - hang on to it.

If you guys ever want to read about something you are thinking of buying, whether guitar, amps, effects, etc., go to Harmony-Central.com. Go to guitars, and go to reviews. They have reviews by people like you and me and you can check and find out if something's hype or the real deal. Its an amazing database.

OK, I've talked too much now, hope I didn't kill this thread!

Edited by Sunesis
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Sunesis - So... when can we come over to play? Sounds like you have a fun collection!

We visit Harmony Central very frequently and hubby writes reviews. If you want to read some very funny reviews, go to the reviews about the Estaban Guitars (you know, the guy who sells them on HSN) - you will laugh your fanny off!

I love looking at guitars - and just musical instruments in general. It's interesting to see all the different styles and how the play, etc. I play guitar a little, but prefer bass. Bass works for me because I love rock and roll and like to finger pick - so bass was rather easy for me to pick up. It's also neat to hear about how people choose the instrument(s) they play.

=================

Socks - Scary about those Kay g'tars, ain't it? I can't imagine all the ones which sold at garage sales for $20 just a few years ago. I think eBay has some really inflated prices for guitars and gear. We've had a few very good wins - like we got the Epiphone Wildkat for just $185, and my bass was $150 - a steal! But overall, we've seen some stuff go for more than you'd get it brand new on Musician's Friend! CRAZEE!

=================

Bluesman - thanks for the postings about the resonator and bouzouki. There's actually two kinds of bouzouki - Greek and Irish - weird, huh? I don't know how that happened - my guess would be that Irish sailors/tradesmen probably brought the instrument back with them to Ireland and it was adapted from there. I do know that the tunings are different. Hubby is Greek - first generation American - so we go to all the Greek festivals, etc., and always enjoy the music. I'd love for him to get one of those. I figure since he plays 12 string, and is one of those disgusting people who can pick up just about any instrument and play it, that it shouldn't be too hard. He's got the best handle on music theory of anyone I've ever known - he just knows his stuff. I'm more of a trained musician than he is - took lessons almost all my childhood and almost had a full scholarship for flute (if I hadn't gone WOW!)... So, I envy people who can play like that. I'm totally in it for the fun.

==================

DAMN, I wished y'all lived closer!!!

Edited by ChasUFarley
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My first guitar that I asked my parents for at 7 years old, after carefully reviewing the only catalog I had, the Gretsch Guitar catalog, was - the White Falcon - LOL (for those of you who know what the White Falcon is). Naturally, they said no, but, it was a start for me.

Sunesis my friend... did you ever get one?

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Hey Thanks DMiller for posting that photo of my son's guitar! If you ever get the chance to buy a copy of Jonny Winter's "Progressive Blues Experiment" CD (a recent re-release, out of circulation since like '73 but available now), there is a picture of that same guitar on the album cover. Great blues tunes of course.

And yes, the Seldom Scene were so fine to listen to. I went to a lot of the festivals in Virginia and West Virginia during those high school years, and just loved it. I sat in with my harmonicas out in the camping areas, and did drink some moonshine too! Loved those summer nights at those festivals. I saw the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band during the Will The Circle Be Unbroken tour, and met Jimmy Fadden (harps) Earl Scruggs, Vasser Clements, and a bunch of the rest. Oh Yeah Roy Acuff was another whom I met. Great times and I fell in love with stringed instruments. Had a banjo for a while too.

But now, Sunesis, I have that red Strat, and am having fun with it to be sure. It'd be nice to get to be playing it fairly well, but I do have a long way to go...

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OK, I've talked too much now, hope I didn't kill this thread!

Not at all! I want to hear more about that huge collection you have!

Oh, and it was me, not dmiller that has the Soldano/Yamaha. Unless I missed something and dmiller has one too. :) His mandolin IS SWEET though!

Rick

Edited by Bluzeman
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Chas - a couple of those Esteban reviews are hilarious - its made the rounds under Electric Guitars on HC.

Tom, no, sadly I never did. Let's see, they're almost $3,000 new now, in '62-4, I think they were $1,000 - one/tenth of the worth of my dad's house! But, a pattern was set...

Johnny Winter is amazing, I learned most of my "fast" blues playing from him. I used to wear out his albums, especially Johnny Winter And Live figuring out his licks. He was one of my main heros and influences on guitar.

True story - My band in NYC rehearsed at a place called Rocket Studios, a very popular rehearsal studio on 30th Street - a lot of famous people rehearsed there. The old hippe metal head, Scotty basically ran it. Anyway our band did a slow blues tune, which we practiced. I went out to take a break and heard someone playing in the large studio next door. I said, Scotty, that sounds an awfully lot like Johnny Winter - he was my hero. Scotty says, it is Johnny. I almost fell over. I begged Scotty, please, please let me meet him! Scotty said, we'll see.

So I went back to rehearsal. Rehearsal ends, our time in the room is up (in NYC, you pay so much an hour for a room). We packed up. Scotty comes in our room and says, would you like to meet Johnny? I looked at the rest of the band and said, well, the rest of the guys have to be allowed to come too. He said, ok.

I went into the huge rehearsal room, there was Johnny with his band (Frankie Paris on bass, forget the drummer), in his black t-shirt, tattoos, a large glass of orange juice (with vodka), his black cowboy hat - Wow!!! He looks just like the legend he is!!! The first thing he said was, who's the lead player? I said I am. He motioned me over. I told him how much he had influenced me and had been my guitar hero growing up. I asked a couple of questions. Then he said, well, when I finish here, I want to jam with you, I'll come over to your room.

I nearly fell on the floor. I said, I'd love to jam with you, but our time is up, how about I stay here and jam when you're finished your rehearsal. He said he was getting ready for small tour and had to keep playing, but maybe next time when he was there we could jam. I thanked him and walked out of there floating on a cloud. I mean, having Johnny Winter ask to play with you!!!???

On the way out I asked Scotty, why did he want to jam with me? Scotty said he had gone out on a bathroom break, heard you playing a blues song and wanted to know who it was and meet you. I guess that's why the first question he asked is who's the lead player. I think he was a little surprised I was female.

I've seen him quite a few times, the Beacon in NYC was awesome, and a surpise appearance with I went to see his brother Edgar. He's just awesome.

Edited by Sunesis
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That Life Is Hard song is now playing as I write. So very nice! Socks, you said; "I just think he's visiting sometimes". Hah! No kiddin. that lead I'm listening to now in Life Is Hard is pure smoke and sweetness.

And Socks, that photo on the front of the Progressive Blues Experiment album doesn't quite show the similarity of my son's Johnson guitar, like the picture on the back side of the album in that that pic shows the front of the guitar. But it does look the same. But I seriously doubt that the guitar Johnny Winter used on that album is a "Johnson". I may be wrong, but I have the feeling that Johnson copied whatever guitar Johnny Winter used/uses. I wonder how to find out about that guitar that he is reflecting his face off of on that album cover...

Hay now. I just got inspired by my own quote. Wouldn't the term "Smoke And Sweetness" be a great name for a blues album? :spy:

Edited by Jonny Lingo
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Damn, Sunesis. Cool story about Jonny Winter. Too cool. Glad you had that opportunity. Glad he got to hear you play! The guy was truly fortunate.... :)

I met Edgar Winter at a concert in Oklahoma City at the Cajun's Wharf. I was to be turning 34 years old, and I'd read that Edgar Winter would be in town on the 8th of May. So, I told my wife that we should go see him for my birthday, but she said she didn't want to because she didn't like the smell of smoke in the bars. So, I took myself, and got a front row seat in a packed full house. But still, it was only a crowd of about 200 people. But man, it was way cool! They played Live like they sounded on their albums as I remembered it, which, is unlike the Rolling Stones who play crappy Live (IMO). And when he would play, and they would do the songs, he would orchestrate like a conductor to his band members. Very cool to see.

And interestingly, there was this other albino dude in the audience near me who was one of their roadies. We'd smile at eachother through out the concert when there was a lick or an awesome vocal thing from EW or the guitarist or keyboarder. And when it was all over, but before they packed up, they went to party in and out of their motorcoach, and since my truck was parked really close, I smiled and waved and said thanks, and the other albino dude waved me over, and I got to talk with them and meet Edgar as well. I told them all how we used to get stoned back in highschool daze and listen to the album "They Only Come Out At Night" which got a bunch of laughs. And somewhere in that get together, the other albino dude told me he was the "other brother" but that he didn't play music like his brothers. But, now that the internet has come along, I tried to look that "fact" up, but couldn't find anyhting to support it. At both JW and EW's websites with all of the photo galleries, there were no pictures of him or a mention of him in any of the bios. Maybe he was an angel sent so I could meet the band?

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:offtopic: only a little bit but a fun story

when i was ex chef at a big ski area in maine

they had a charilie dainles concert

the list of what the crew was not too demanding

different drinks and whiskeys food etc

i had the time so for a center piece for the cheese display i carved a fiddle for the center piece{from a watermellon]

soon after it was dilevered to one of the moter coaches

one of charlies roadies came back to the kitchen and said charlie wanted to see me in his motor coach

what a bus!!

he complimented on the fiddle and what a nice manh e was

and what a concert

it was

very small only about 500 people

so it was intamate

i think he changed bow every other song as the horse hair was just flying :dance::beer:

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