Day of guitars

This was a day of guitars. In the late afternoon, Linux King picked me up from my brother's place, and we stopped by The Trading Musician.



I've mentioned it before in my blog, as a spiffy, used-guitar, used-amp, used-synth, used-drum-and-cymbal store. Racks and racks of guitars, electric basses, and a whole cabinet of (used) effects pedals! A spiffy-keen range of products, and darned reasonable prices!



Sigh. I miss it.

Found a old DOD Chorus pedal that takes two 9V batteries (I have the distortion pedal counterpart) for fifty bucks U.S. -- gonna go back and take a closer look when I have more time.



(Note: Many thanks to the nice store manager that said Yes, I could take a few pix for my blog. If you're in Seattle [and you like musicial instruments -- they also have a few band/orchestra instruments, and folk instruments], check it out! http://www.tradingmusician.com/)

Then, Linux King and I went to the Experience Music Project (EMP). Usually twenty-seven bucks a person, but for some reason it was only twenty bucks. We later found out -- when the security guard came around and told us we only had ten minutes left (even though we hadn't visited the top floor yet) -- that the discount may've been due to their closing two hours early that night, due to some group renting the venue. Gar!!!

About what I expected the EMP to be. Worth seeing once if you're into music. (Got to see an original Devo yello jumpsuit and red-flowerpot ''Power Dome''!!!) But the display on the top floor were pitched a little low for someone who's actually in a band. (''Play a real electric guitar!!!'') Although they had a little display of f/x pedals stuck to the wall, to which I dragged Linux King over and proclaimed, ''I have that one... and that one... and...'' ;) Out of the sixty(?) displayed, I owned about a quarter of them. Not bad! :)

I would've taken more pix, but after shooting the ''tower o' guitars'' pix (below), I saw a sign saying ''Please, no photos or videotaping.'' I didn't delete my existing photos, but I stopped shooting.

Also had a room showing the history of the rock guitar, from acoustics thru electrics. Many, many rare and collectible guitars. Standing in this room, I realized that, no, I don't have too many guitars. ;)
Also learned that Frender's electric bass was not the first electrified bass guitar! That honor actually goes to a guy in Seattle: Paul Tutmark, 1936, Audiovox brand. Even has frets! However, Tutmark never mass-produced it; just sold it to some local bands. So, Fender's version definitely was the first ''mass-market'' version.






Maybe the coolest -- but also the saddest -- display was this huge ''whirpool''-shaped statue made of electric guitars and other instruments bolted to a steel frame.









Six hundred-plus guitars were sacrificed to this display -- completely ruining their functionality and taking them out of the market forever. Analagous to a very well-crafted mosaic of animal pelts, made from the fur of endangered species: artistic, yes -- but oh, what a waste!




None the less, a good guitar day. :)


--GG