Les is going to hate this but.....

aristotle

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So.... I'm splitting my time between multiple locations. I have this new place on a river just off of the Chesapeake, but it's in the midst of renovation, so I'm not really completely moved in there. I have a condo near the office that's cool, but not really the sort of place where I can set up big rigs, and I have a warehouse with all of the good stuff. The thinking, temporarily, was that I'd get something super portable that I could take back and forth between the condo and the house on the water. I have an old Super Champ XD that I could use, but other than making noise, that amp isn't really super duper. I also have a Marshall JTM-1 which I run through a Vox 2x12 with Celestion Blues, which sounds fantastic...but it's actually quite loud for the condo, and that form factor with the external cab isn't particularly portable anyway.

There was a super blow-out at a local GC for a floor model of a Yamaha THR10C, and the price wasn't more than a dozen packs of strings, so I figure what the heck. Played through it for a few minutes to convince myself that it wasn't total junk, and bought it.

So, the Vela, the Yamaha and me go to the shore house. I gotta say, I'm shocked. I have (and appreciate) a bunch of high end amps. I can't imagine a nicer home practice amp than this thing. It might have been just dumb luck, but the Vela seems to be its perfect match...
 
I've had one for a couple years. I love it for those times that I only have 15 or 20 minutes and don't want to warm up the tubes. I think it's a great little practice amp. Much better than a lot of what's out there.
 
I do have one actual thought here. It's great to be able to play and it doesn't matter what you play on.

I tried practicing today, couldn't hold an open E chord. Very humbling. So enjoy 'em while ya got 'em boys, and anything that works for you, works for me.

I've decided to start selling the guitars and amps off, and concentrate on keyboards. Because the real joy is making music, not owning cool stuff I can't use. I can still play keys, the hand functions differently on the keyboard; although my left hand has lost its speed, I can still play.

Enjoy everything that helps you make music. Doesn't matter what that is.
 
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I do have one actual thought here. It's great to be able to practice. We take so many things for granted.
There is that.... Kidding aside, having met you, this is just a temporary thing that happens to be annoying the heck out of you, but will pass in a month or so...
 
I have the THR 10X, awesome little amp when I do not want to play one of my bigger ones.
Still, that little Yamaha can get me in trouble with the noise police where I live.
 
I've decided to start selling the guitars and amps off, and concentrate on keyboards. Because the real joy is making music, not owning cool stuff I can't use. I can still play keys, the hand functions differently on the keyboard; although my left hand has lost its speed, I can still play.

Enjoy everything that helps you make music. Doesn't matter what that is.

I really hope you're not serious about selling off the guitars and amps. I understand the situation you're in, and don't pretend to know what that does on a daily basis to your mental well being, but you shouldn't part with those wonderful tools. You've got to have faith (or hope) that surgery will help with your current abilities. Even if it does, and you still concentrate on keys, I'll bet your grandkids would love to have a chance to learn about music from grandpa. Don't make a hasty decision.
 
There is that.... Kidding aside, having met you, this is just a temporary thing that happens to be annoying the heck out of you, but will pass in a month or so...

No, the hand's getting weaker. It's amazing how quickly the muscles stop working. Things I could do on Tuesday I can no longer do today. That's only a few days!

The docs say 18 months to 2 years to recover the nerve function. It's pretty obvious that the hand muscles will be utterly useless by then. And I'll be pretty old.

So, it's like being an athlete. There comes a time when you simply have to accept the facts, hang up the cleats, and move on to the next part of your life.

I can still play keys. I think it'll be best to invest what I have sunk into guitars and amps into instruments I can still play. The hand functions differently on keys than it does with guitar. And the right hand - mine still works fine - is the dominant "skill hand" on keys.
 
No, the hand's getting weaker. It's amazing how quickly the muscles stop working. Things I could do on Tuesday I can no longer do today. That's only a few days!

The docs say 18 months to 2 years to recover the nerve function. It's pretty obvious that the hand muscles will be utterly useless by then. And I'll be pretty old.

So, it's like being an athlete. There comes a time when you simply have to accept the facts, hang up the cleats, and move on to the next part of your life.

I can still play keys. I think it'll be best to invest what I have sunk into guitars and amps into instruments I can still play. The hand functions differently on keys than it does with guitar. And the right hand - mine still works fine - is the dominant "skill hand" on keys.

Be that as it may.... I'm still not buying it...

Sort of reminds me of the Buddy Guy song...


That was the opening track to his album "Sweet Tea" which he made at the age of 75 or some such. Then, after this track, the rest of it was better than anything he'd ever done before...
 
He was Buddy Freaking Guy.

I'm just that guy.

My god, that song is depressing as hell. LOL. Talk about the blues!
 
No, the hand's getting weaker. It's amazing how quickly the muscles stop working. Things I could do on Tuesday I can no longer do today. That's only a few days!

The docs say 18 months to 2 years to recover the nerve function. It's pretty obvious that the hand muscles will be utterly useless by then. And I'll be pretty old.

So, it's like being an athlete. There comes a time when you simply have to accept the facts, hang up the cleats, and move on to the next part of your life.

I can still play keys. I think it'll be best to invest what I have sunk into guitars and amps into instruments I can still play. The hand functions differently on keys than it does with guitar. And the right hand - mine still works fine - is the dominant "skill hand" on keys.

While I hope you do get enough of your left hand back to play guitar again at some point, I'm glad that you're still able to play keys and that you can still move forward making music despite the problems you've been facing. :)

If you do end up selling any of your guitars and amps, I know some people here would love a chance to buy them (I would, but probably all I could afford is a cab or somethin'), but we'd rather have you! I hope you still come around and talk to us once in a while, whatever you decide to do.

Not that you need my advice, but personally I'd put off a final decision until after the surgery to see how the early stages of healing went and what the doctors said at that point.

Whatever you do, I'm glad you're moving forward with the desire and ability to make the music you've put off making for yourself, even if it's not on guitar. I like keys/synths/etc. too and started with organ and piano, so I know there's still plenty you can do with a DAW and a keyboard. :)
 
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I've had a two location situation for a few years. The Boogies and the MDT are at home. I tried a few things in the apartment and settled on a V Twin preamp into a Fishman solo PA. It gives me some character and let's me play with an acceptable sound at tolerable volumes.

The problem is that quite a few guitars have assembled in the apartment and it is going to be crowded when they all go home.

Les: I feel for you. I have great respect for your thought process.
 
There is that.... Kidding aside, having met you, this is just a temporary thing that happens to be annoying the heck out of you, but will pass in a month or so...
Agree. As someone who's been there, I know this feeling. It will pass.

Technology has brought us so many new and very musical options. The Yamaha box doesn't surprise me because it already surprised me! Really good stuff.

Now, how many days away until we fly into Baltimore?
 
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