my new hobby

As previously mentioned, I have a need for a hobby. I’ve come to realize I have a significant amount of free time on my hands and no particular direction to channel my energy. The dance class won’t commence for another 22 days. Even then, it will only take up 90 minutes of my free time per week. Therefore, I have solicited my friend David (guitar repairman / teacher at Dale Music) to help better my guitar-playing abilities. I do have a guitar, but it’s in need of some repair, so David will hopefully remedy that later tonight. It’s a Yamaha electric guitar, purchased at age 14 when I first started taking lessons in the ghetto Chatham Mall, which has since closed down. Coincidently, my guitar teacher then was also named David. At the time, I didn’t practice as much as I needed to because I was young, careless, and also on the lacrosse team (benched mainly), which took up most of my free time. Now, however, I don’t seem to have that problem. As good as my intentions may be, I don’t exercise, and I don’t read, and I don’t meditate. That being said, I do have time and the means to sit on my couch and play my guitar.

Last night David and I took a field trip to Guitar Center, where the employees seem to know the basics, and nothing beyond. Luckily, I had my own personal tour guide to show me all the guitars and explain the differences, and then the fun part—we got to play with a bunch. David was like a kid in a candy store, and I could tell I was feeding off his excitement. He was even excited about practicing with me every week. :) I also got some purple glittery guitar picks.

I have come to the conclusion that I would like an acoustic electric guitar—best of both worlds. I won’t have to hook up the amp to avoid the quiet twang of an unamped electric guitar. The sound quality will be just the same as if it were a normal acoustic. Of course if I were so inclined, I could easily hook it up and play really loud too. :)

As I perused the store I found a glittery guitar, which I got excited about, and another black one with a pink star on it. I came to my senses, though, and decided to find a more practical one. A Gibson Acoustic Hummingbird caught my eye (pictured above), and David picked it up and started playing. The sound was incredible. He handed it to me so I could get a feel for it and try it out as well. It felt good… but I was nervous... I had never held anything worth $1900 before. The Elvis Presley King of Rock Guitar would suit me well or the Elvis Presley Dove guitar (replica of his Las Vegas days) but “slightly out of my price range” would be an understatement (over $3000). The incredible cost of these guitars are unimaginable for me, but it makes the idea of purchasing the below pictured Fender guitar seem not so out of range, for $399. It has a tiki monkey on it. Who can say no to that??? (ignore the practicality statement above) I am saving my money so I can have this one…