I have been playing guitar on and off for the last 25 years or so and have owned quite a few different breeds in that time. I am not a performer, just love to be able to jam with the family and friends once in a while. Lately I noticed how when I get together with everyone, people always have something to say about my Gibson Epiphone. They love the sound, the feel, etc.. It was my first guitar that I actually owned, and I bought it I think in 1986. It really is not anything special but out of all the guitars I have ever owned, it was my favorite. Every song I play on it feels right to me. It was there in high school when I "needed it", it tagged along with me through college and many a road trip, not to mention countless jams with friends. The only story I can remember about it off the top of my head is how a friend asked me to play backup for him at the popular night club at the time.. I had never performed before and I was so nervous I was basically was frozen with stage fright. However, the guitar played perfectly.. I say that because I was so nervous I wasn't even thinking, and everything I played came out perfect so it must have been the guitar playing itself.

Here is a pic of it:



So I ask: what is your favorite instrument and why? Any good stories about it?

I bought a Martin D 19 in 1977, it's been my main guitar since that time. That's an absinthe label (bottom left) over a hole I knocked in it about twenty years ago.

I'd say my autoharp and my mountain dulcimer. My late hubby Mike had 2 Epiphone guitars. He let his brother have the oldest one to learn guitar on. I still have his newer one and treasure it.

That looks AWESOME! I wish you had a bigger pic. I am betting there are some deep tones coming out of it!

Any pics?

I'll have to see if I have any. My puter quit working and my cousins friend is supposed to fix it but right now he is busy. My dulcimer looks like this one and is made by the same folks who made this one. But the color shade is a wee bit different.



Knowing nothing about dulcimers at the time, I went looking up online to find the cheapest priced dulcimer that didn't seem like a kids toy. This one was cheapest and looked nice. So I had Mike get it for me. I treasure it and my autoharp too and guitar and bowed psaltery.

That is actually a bigger pic. I sized it down so it would fit here. It does sound good. Plays really well too. I'll try to put a bigger one somewhere and send a link.

As an assassin of fine music I tend to playing this modern version of an ancient instrument.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=bag ... D4&first=1

Cool! My late hubbys cousin had one played at her first hubbys funeral. Pretty neat.

Cool! I've always wanted to try bagpipes.

The bagpipes are decidedly different and deceptively complex as they look so easy. You only need 9 of your 10 fingers to play a tune. However the pipes are as affected by weather conditions as any other wood wind or stringed instrument. The chanter, the part that plays the melody, is double reeded and the cane can cause even the most zen like player to go all midevil trying to get the tonal qualities just right. With determination and practice the average person can be playing the most basic tunes on the full pipes within a year.

hear that goofus? :)

What do you do with the other finger?

I do hear that. Bagpipes are about the only thing I lack...

I just got an Alverez guitar. Not as good as my Martin, but pretty sweet.