Hello everyone...

p90fool

....I'm back

Some of you may remember I took a break from this forum after dislocating a couple of fingers on my fretting hand in February, giving me a chance to take stock and get on with a few other things in my life outside music. 

I have made a pretty good recovery all in all, I can now use my third finger although it's very weak, but my fourth finger is pretty much useless still. I carried on doing the PA for my band and contributing the odd two-finger(!) solo, and can add a fair bit of textural chordal stuff with heavy use of a capo. 

I've actually been very lucky - although I can no longer do three-hour acoustic sets I hated them anyway, and have been enjoying just noodling around on the guitar at home purely for my own pleasure. 

I did do a short acoustic set with our singer on top of (and inside) a dam, simply because I'd never done that before, and have done some easy festival sets with the band.

I also got my hands back on my old '63 Strat after a 20 year break, after the death of my ex-missus. She told me and everyone else that she'd burnt it in 1997, but actually just threw it in a cupboard and eventually left it to me in her will. I gigged it from 1982-97, but having lost it once felt no attachment to it whatsoever, so promptly sold it.
It was a pretty tired refin tbh, with a very worn neck with a painfully thin veneer board, though it still sounds as rowdy as I remember. Here's a video of my clanking out some noise just running through switch positions.

Having a break this summer has been fantastic, long days on old motorbikes, cooking over bonfires in the woods, drunken canoe trips - all that stuff you fantasise about when you're gigging all the bloody time!

So.... what did I miss?!

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IvisonGuitars

Nice to see you back @p90fool sounds like a most eventful summer!

Great playing as always

thomasross20

I'd struggle to do a 3 hour acoustic set - electric so much easier (though personally I'm more into acoustic just now). Good to have you back and... badass beard!!

Bucket

Welcome back! Glad you're on the mend and enjoying life.

As for what's been going on over here... where should I start

thomasross20

Oh regarding acoustic...!! I always had zero problems playing a little Martin.. but it just isn't as good as a larger guitar... But aside from steel string, have you tried a nylon string guitar? Much easier though perhaps not best suited for all types of song. It's something I've been thinking about, anyway.

richardhomer

Welcome back - the Strat story is incredible! It must be wonderful to have it back - ‘63 was a great year for ‘big’ sounding Strats.

boogieman

Hello again. Great playing on the Strat (if that's you with a weak hand, then god help the rest of us). It sounds very sweet too, must be great to have an old friend back. 

Jimbro66

Good to have you back. I always enjoyed your posts and your playing. Looking forward to more

blueskunk

Glad your getting better. great playing as usual 

guitarfishbay

Welcome back!

TheBigDipper

thomasross20 said:

Oh regarding acoustic...!! I always had zero problems playing a little Martin.. but it just isn't as good as a larger guitar... But aside from steel string, have you tried a nylon string guitar? Much easier though perhaps not best suited for all types of song. It's something I've been thinking about, anyway.

Welcome back! Regarding Thomas's point...  I've got an 0-16NY Martin strung with Silk & Steel strings that has similar tension to a nylon-strung classical but sounds like a steel-strung guitar. Very easy on the fretting fingers. Decent tone (within the limits of the small body).

thomasross20

Silk & steel....? Are those on a "nylon string" guitar? Interesting!

Bidley

Welcome back chum.

menamestom

p90fool said:

Having a break this summer has been fantastic, long days on old motorbikes, cooking over bonfires in the woods, drunken canoe trips - all that stuff you fantasise about when you're gigging all the bloody time!

Great story.

I feel like doing this at the minute.  Strangely I'm finding being out so much is making me a worse player.  Fingers hurt and I'm not getting time to just sit and see where the guitar takes me.  I think not playing for a bit, or at least not playing unless you want to is great for creativity and developing new techniques.   

Jalapeno

Wotcher guv !

DesVegas

Marnin'

ESBlonde

3 Hour acoustic sets!
Yes I have done them, but so rarely that hand strength was usually an issue. I had my Electro acoustic Epiphone setup with a slick low action as best I could to get me through. It worked surprisingly well but you will get some fret buzz when you dig in and thrash it with a plectrum, a gentler technique made this acceptable. So consider changing the guitars setup if it enables you to do more.
I gig less these days, well in my yoof it could be 3 times a week or more, but selecting the right gear and material can make the whole experience better for this old guy. I enjoy other aspects of life more and look forward to them and recognise you summer 'vacation'.I wish you good fortune with playing in the future.

axisus

Welcome back! Sorry to hear about your fingers, I think we all dread stuff like that

That strat has real mojo! I love it!

Skipped

I like your posts and I am glad you are back.

Zoolooter

Did I read that correctly.......you sold the 63 strat when you got it back after 20 years! 

professorben

Welcome back, it's actually been pretty quiet recently. 

Oh @Bridgehouse went away but nobody noticed.