G.A.S. Report — ACQUIRED: NUAD & NAGD

(NUAD = New-to-me Used Accordion Day & NAGD = New Acoustic Guitar Day!)

Yes, that's right, I've been busy!

Weekend before last, my family was in Gainesville, MO, out in front of our vacation house playing acoustic guitar with a friend. Someone started to play the song "Kiss Me" by Six Pence None The Richer and I made the comment how fun it would be to put my guitar down and pic up an accordion and play that actual accordion part in the song!

So I did some research and found a great company in Phildelphia, PA named Liberty Bellows. That's mostly what they do, sell new and used (they refurb all used they sell to perfect playing condition) accordions & concertinas!

I ended up getting the above Hohner MM12 Student model from 1950...something in it's original case. It's fairly used but plays so great!! It has that true french musette sound I was craving. No polkas here...okay well maybe I'll learn the Chicken Dance song, eh? I also picked up the trusty Palmer-Hughes Accordion 1 book that everyone starts on. I may take some lessons from Mr. Bob Boyd though.

Next up:
I sold my beloved 2005 Fender Malibu, with soft v mahogany neck and solid top spruce, solid back mahogany and laminated sides. I loved it for it being so very fender, but unfortunately that also meant it sounded and played like a Fender acoustic guitar.... you know, crap! :(

My good friend Bryon Knight from Little Rock Frets purchased it for his son. Actually, I take it back, it doesn't play and sound like crap, it just didn't meet my needs when traveling. IT was actually a very very good low volume office guitar that I will miss. His son should really love it too!

I replaced it with the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Top! LOVE IT! It's perfect. Plays like a Taylor. Sounds like a taylor! Nice case too. I plan to travel with it a lot and also bring to the office on a regular basis.

My watershed moment: Piano is fun but nothing like playing guitar!

Well, I made a decision about my musical future, at least the near future. After seriously pursuing and playing the piano for almost a year, I'm heading back to guitar full time.

And to commemorate this "re-connection" with my musical past, I've invested in a better instrument to hone my skills on. In tennis, often instructors and players say to always "play up!" The same goes for music, IMHO.

I acquired a NOS 2007 Taylor GC5e. Wester Red Cedar top, solid South American Tropical Mahogany sides and back. It has the famed ES (expression system) built in, which, incidentally, is one of the best renditions of an acoustic sound I've ever heard amplified! It has a slotted headstock, which I love on my Kala Ukulele. It's almost perfect, just need to get a proper set up after the guitar has settled into my home and then I'll have it as I like!