So the last couple weeks I have been put into a place where I question my life and what the guitar means to it. From PT inquiring to why I play guitar in Episode 80, to JMan writing about his hobby in his blog, to people asking what my hobbies are. Anyway, I have been thinking about it.

When someone asks me what my hobbies are, my response should instantaneously be guitar, right. I don't think so though. I don't see the guitar as a hobby. It means far too much to me to be a hobby.

I mean my guitars, ESS, Samantha, and Sandra are more like friends then they are instruments. I mean think about it for a second. If we are all pissed off about something, what do we do, chances are we go vent to one of our friends, right? Well I vent to Samantha, I plug her in, turn up the amp and get my angst out with some strong power chords. Feeling a bit lonely? Call up Sandra, quietly strum an emotional little ballad and she will quickly show you that you are not a lone. The list could go on.

What does it really mean to be or to have a friend? If I had a dictionary I would look it up for you, but I don't. To me, a friend is someone you have a close relationship with, someone with whom you have a lot in common with. Someone you enjoy being around. Someone who understands and respects you. Someone who listens to you. SOmeone who is there for you.

Now, while I do have friends that are real, living and breathing, why can my guitars not be considered friends too? In all seriousness, I think they are. I do believe they have a soul. You know common sense tells me that they are inanimate objects and that this whole post is, well, silly. But somehow it really isn't.

I mean honestly, have you ever a guitar that didn't have it's own personality? Have you ever heard two guitars that sound exactly the same? We sit there spending time, money, and effort into personalizing them, whether it be by a new strap, or swapping out the pickups. If you don't work at your relationship and just ignore them, you don't get better. And when you do pick up that guitar you have to make up for all the time you spent away before you can talk the same way. Hell, you get cocky and think you are gods gift to guitarists. Well, your guitar will quickly put you in your place.

My point here is this. Guitars, yes they are man-made objects. But they are so much more. They are like close friends. Don't believe me? Next time you need a friend, pick up a guitar, close your eyes, and play. Open you mind and let your guitar be your friend. Just like your relationships in the real one this takes work. Keep playing, grow closer, open yourself up to your guitar. In the end, you will have a friend that will always have your back.

Hobby? Nah, guitar is not a hobby. Just some friends I like to hang out with. One day I will tell you about my hobbies, but today I just wanted to talk about a few of my friends.

Currently Listening to: The HorrorPops - Julia

Talk Hard, Play Harder! This is Pipes, signing out!

Last night I took a trip down memory lane into the mind of my misspent youth. This was all prompted by my idea to try and get in some shape and start running again. Back in High School I ran a lot. And I was quite good, very good actually. However at some point during college I burnt out and really havn't run since.

Anyway I am getting ready to run and I came across a horrible situation which was lack of music. My ipod is dead in every way. So I thought I would take my wifes ipod shuffle which I had hid some Social Distortion on in case of emergency. However she has not charged it and has also lost the charger. The prospect of running without music was just too much to ask. So I went down in the basement and dug up and old friend. My walkman. Yeah that is right, old school cassette walkman. It is with this fine piece of electronics that I spent a lot of time in High School and always ran with it. Next came finding some music to enjoy. A bit deeper in the box was my old collection of cassettes. I pulled out a handful and looked through them.

Nevermind the Bullocks, Here the Sex Pistols
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Far Beyond Driven - Pantera
A Misfits mix tape
A Danzig mix tape
Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables - Dead Kennedys
Soundtrack to Pump Up The Volume (thats right, talk hard)

Funny, in a way I havn't changed much at all, I am listening to a lot of the same music. So I picked out the Misfits mix and headed out. I chose the Misfits mix simply because I remember a fellow runner making it for me. I ran a lot with that tape and it treated me well. So I figured I'd give it a shot.

Here is where everything gets a bit surreal. Now first consider I live in the same neighborhood I grew up in. So anywhere I run I have already ran there back in the day. So there I am running, listening to the Misfits and it was almost like going back in time. The tape sounded exactly as it always have. I could remember it so well that I could even remember what song would follow the one playing.

Really I just found it so interesting how not only can music take you to a different place, but here music in it's original media for me took me to an even different place. I mean I have heard every one of those songs a thousand times since I retired my walkman, but never had this effect, yet listening to it on the old tape did. Kinda funny that way I guess. It was interesting either way...and now because I am sore and tired from running I am gonna stop typing too.

Talk Hard, Play Harder! This is Pipes signing out!

For those of you who don't know, here is a little guitar background information for me.

I love the guitar. It is the most emotional, sexy, and soulful instrument. I am passionate about everything guitar. I love to play guitar and have been playing for about 12 years or so. I am not great by any means, but I enjoy it. The guitar represents to me freedom. It is my relaxation on a stressful day, it is my punching bag on a bad day, and it is a way for me to free my soul. That I truly believe. On a quiet summer night the neighbors get a chance to hear me set my soul free as I sit outside and just let my emotions out through this bautiful instrument.

Unfortunaly for them my skills are no where near my passion. I am not gonna lie, I play a decent rhythm and soulful lead, but it is mediocre. I am no guitar god, I don't try to be, nor do I pose as one. The guitar for me is enjoyment.

Currently my guitar collection consists of 3 main guitars. ESS (Endless Summer Strat) - a 1997 Fender American Big Apple strat in surf green metallic with a maple fretboard, LSR nut, and Sperzal tuners. She has been by my side for a long time she is worn but still feels incredible in my hands.

Samantha - Samantha is a goddess! She is a 2005 Dean Hardtail in gloss black. Recently the pick-ups have been replaced so she now bears 2 custom Searcy S-90 pick-ups with a red/black carbon fiber cover. She is also set up with two push/pull pots one acting as a kill switch, the other a phase shifter. She is so beatiful and she screams a dirty rhythm like no other guitar can.

Finaly we come to my tele. Formerly known as Black Magik Red Spade, she is currently awaiting a new look at which point her name will be changed to Elizabeth. She is a custom Benford Tele. Black with a red pearl pickgaurd. She was specially wired for me. The pickups are as follows: Fishman Power bridge, Searcy Vintage Tele Bridge pick-up (Pipes Special), standard American strat middle pickup, and a Searcy S-90 in the bridge. Here was the thought process, I wanted a tele sound, but I also wanted the P-90 sound in the bridge as well as the acoustic bridge. There is a song I love to play which switches from the acoustic verse to a warm P-90 style chorus. So yes, I had this built around a song, but it is not limited to that song alone. She packs a bite that cannot be found in another tele.

There you have it 3 guitars. The unfortunate thing is that I rarely have time to play.

Being a father who works all day and plays all night with my kids, I am left with an hour or so every night of "free-time" in which I play. Lately, the songs I have been working on have been perfect for Samantha, so while Elizabeth is awaiting a paint job, ESS has sat lonely hanging on the wall.

The other night I decided to play something and attempt recording something that needed ESS. I will play anything on Samantha normally, but this was plugged in with the intent of recording. Anyway, I picked up ESS and started to tune her up. To my surprise she was filthy. It was like she spent a year hanging in some smoky bar. Her fret board had this film on it, everything felt dirty. I proceeded to tune up. Starting with the low E everything went fine until I got to the high E. The tuner was stuck! Like a car engine that has not been started in 20 years, this machine head refused to move.

I guess that is all, the moral of my story is simple, take care of your guitars and they will take care of you. I am not saying you need to spend an hour every week polishing them. I am just saying these sexy machines were not made to hang on a wall,
even though they look phenomenal doing so, they were made to play. So if you have an axe that has hung there unplayed, do her and yourself a favor and pick her up. All I am really saying is for the love of god, play your guitar!

Currently Listening to: Without You - Foxy

Talk Hard, Play Harder! This is Pipes signing out!