Learning on a pawn shop guitar. (20)

[whvick]

I had an older gentleman in the exam chair and asked if he played guitar. He said he had a good Alvarez, but did not play much any more. He said his hearing was down enough that he just could not enjoy playing. However, he was hoping to get hearing aids to help.
“ But let me tell you the story of my son and the guitar I got him.
About 35 years ago when he was around ten years old, he wanted a guitar. In fact he brought me a Musician’s Friend catalogue and pointed out the $400 guitar he wanted. I wasn’t putting that kind of money into a guitar for a boy who had never played. So I went to the pawn shop and brought home a descent $50 guitar. I showed him one chord and told him to practice that chord until it consistently sounded good, and then, I would show him another. I warned him his fingers would hurt and he would have to work through that. I listened and for about two days you could hear him strumming and picking a good bit. And then I heard a little less each day until I didn’t hear any practice happening. I peeked in his room and the guitar was standing in a corner.
So I gave it a month or two and then pointed to the guitar in the corner and told him that could have been that $400 guitar standing there going to waste. I said you have to really want to play to get over the sore fingers. Let me know when you do.”
So I asked if that was the end of the story?
He replies, “Oh, no! A year or two later I heard that practice happening a lot. He learned good. He went on to learn to play banjo and mandolin also. Never quite got the fiddle though. He’s a preacher now and plays in church all the time, and he’s really good!”
He stopped there and we went on to check his eyes. I never really got a moral to the story, so I guess I will let you guys fill that in.

whvickl

[Bob Womack]

My first electric guitar was a pawn shop special. It had four(!) pickups, no name, and an action high enough that it actually did draw blood on long gigs. It actually led me to a situation where I spent the afternoon with someone famous. More, HERE.



Bob

[whvick]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

My first electric guitar was a pawn shop special. It had four(!) pickups, no name, and an action high enough that it actually did draw blood on long gigs. It actually led me to a situation where I spent the afternoon with someone famous. More, HERE.



Bob

That’s a great story! I got my first guitar at that store. I too grew up in Knoxville.

[redir]

There is a bit of a risk in buying too cheap a guitar. IF it plays out of tune and has high action that is difficult to play a kid might just think he's no good at it and give up.

Not sure what you mean by the eyes but I suppose a moral to the story is an old saying, if at first you don't succeed, try try again.

[whvick]

Originally Posted by redir

There is a bit of a risk in buying too cheap a guitar. IF it plays out of tune and has high action that is difficult to play a kid might just think he's no good at it and give up.



Not sure what you mean by the eyes but I suppose a moral to the story is an old saying, if at first you don't succeed, try try again.

I am an optometrist.

[raysachs]

I started learning on a $60 pawn shop acoustic. It was awful. Ridiculously high action, could only be tuned so close. Sounded bad, played way worse than bad. But it was my only guitar for a little over a year. Learned to play the cowboy chords on it and learned to improvise in the pentatonic scale (not sure I got past the second or third position). I was a student when I bought it but a year later I was working and had no expenses to speak of ($125/month rent in those days) and I was still playing and loving it. So I went to the best guitar shop in Tucson and played everything I could find under $500, which was the budget I'd set for myself. Walked out with an 11 year old used Martin D28 (a '68, BRW) and it was such a VAST overwhelming improvement I could barely stand it. Played it alllll the time and it was my only acoustic for 25+ years. Bought a used strat not long after and got more into playing electric.

But all of it started on a horrible $60 pawnshop acoustic. A terrible guitar, but really glad I decided to buy it that day. Set me on a course to a lifetime of enjoyment playing music.

-Ray

[Guildman]

Originally Posted by raysachs

But all of it started on a horrible $60 pawnshop acoustic. A terrible guitar, but really glad I decided to buy it that day. Set me on a course to a lifetime of enjoyment playing music.

-Ray

Great story. Shows you really wanted to learn and had passion.

[Scott O]

Originally Posted by whvick

I am an optometrist.

That's perfect because pessimists have a much harder time leaning guitar.

[redir]

Originally Posted by Scott O

That's perfect because pessimists have a much harder time leaning guitar.

LOL I read it that way too and it took me a second ...