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Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 7:58 pm
by Mark P
Hi everyone. I've just joined the forum so I thought I should introduce myself. :)

I've recently turned 61 (a bit of a shock to have to start to say that I'm now in my early 60s as it sounds so much older than saying I'm 60) and have been playing guitar since my teens with that traditional long break so many players have when they have a growing family. All my playing has been in a strictly amateur sense.

I got quite serious about classical guitar for several years but overdid it - finger strain and a feeling of a lack of creativity then caused negative feeling s and a bit of a break in my guitar playing. The finger joint problems from then still remain with me but lower tension strings are now helping to make it bearable. As it happens the Newtone Heritage Strings that Gordon recommends - great sound and a boon to my aching joints.

After that break I took up electric blues - played with fingers (great suggestion by my wife) - and then branched off into modal playing and lots of improvisation to backing tracks. The creativity of improvisation probably has kept me (relatively) sane over recent years. Playing music when I get to take part in creating it is so much more fulfilling - for me at least, but maybe not any unfortunate listener.

About 2 1/2 years ago I finally saw sense and converted from electric to steel string acoustic guitar, and have been getting lots of help and encouragement from members of the UK Acoustic Soundboard forum. I now have built a collection of 5 steel string acoustics (plus a shared one with my better half) and the most recent is a Gordon Giltrap signature. More of that in a post I'll do later elsewhere on the forum, but I will say here it is very good indeed. I mainly play in altered and open tunings and the new guitar seems to love those too!

I had not realised about Gordons health issues until I researched getting the new guitar and I hope that all goes well for you Gordon. I understand that you're currently in hospital and I hope they are treating you well and that you are progressing well on the road to recovery.

I will try and post about the Signature guitar soon and I must explore the topics already on the forum - I am very, very busy at work at the moment so it may take a few days as I seem to have so little spare time. I look forward to finding out about you all and about your guitars.

Mark

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 2:52 pm
by Roger USA
Welcome to the forum Mark, I am sure you will find it interesting and useful.

All The Best,

Roger

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 7:01 pm
by Tom McCauley
Hi Mark!

Welcome to the forum!!! :)

All the best!
Tom :)

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:23 pm
by Roger
Hi Mark and a warm welcome to the forum :D

As a player you will find Gordon's Guitar Anoraks Forum second to none for advice on all things guitar.

All the best,

Roger (UK, as opposed to USA :wink: )

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 7:32 am
by Mark P
Thank you for the welcomes Roger, Tom and Roger. :D

I have been finding some very interesting posts around on the forum, and I would agree Roger (UK) that there is a lot of good advice in the guitar anoraks forum.

Three weeks have now gone by since I took delivery of the GG signature and my other guitars must be feeling a bit left out of things as none of them have been played at all. That tends to happen with a new guitar though so I'm sure they'll all understand ... they've been in the same privileged position themselves once upon a time.

Cheers

Mark

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 6:43 am
by piotrwargan
Hello Mark,

Welcome to the forum :-)

All the best,

Piotr

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 7:52 am
by Mark P
Thanks Piotr

It's now nearly 6 weeks since the GG signature arrived and still my other guitars remain unplayed.

I should have got one much sooner!

Mark

Re: Just Joined the Forum

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 2:35 pm
by AndrewD
Hi Mark - welcome. You'll enjoy the Vintage GG Signature, it is (as you have discovered) an amazing instrument and for the price it is unparalleled. I too have several guitars and I get around all of them by keeping them in different tunings for different pieces. As I practice the pieces I use a specific instrument for each. My Vintage Viator stays in Open C for Mrs Singer's Waltz, Gordon's arrangement of Here Comes the Sun, From the Four Winds, The Picnic and various others. My 'highly strung' guitar is set with a fretlock on the high E-string at the 10th fret for Appalachian dreaming and Rain in the Doorway. My GG Signature Deluxe and Gordon's Armstrong '92 hover around standard tuning, DADGAD (Isabella's Wedding, Christmas Carol) and DGDGBD (Heartsong) but have different actions. The GG signature currently has a higher bridge making it better for my weak attempts at Michael Hedges and some Will Ackerman. None of them feel left out :)

Enjoy!

Andrew