New (Journey) Acoustic Guitar day

Col Mustard

Ambassador of Perseverance
Country flag
Well and so... People have been discussing G.A.S. in my presence, and I had held myself
aloof from the syndrome, thinking that since I'm retired I don't NEED any more guitars.
I still own (count them) eight acoustic and electric ladies. So it's true: I don't NEED any more.
music room case rack@100.jpeg
Wouldn't y'all like to know what's inside those cases, eh? When our North Country weather moderates a bit,
I'll line 'em all up for you.

But right now, listen to this:
 
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Now me droogies... I haven't recieved this paragon yet.
It's in "transit" (in February) but will arrive in time for my upcoming trip
to Maui.

Here's another link if you are as intrigued as I am:

 
I have recently endured prostate surgery... and I am recovering.
Such things give a man some different perspectives on life as we know it.
So I'm takin' my lady to Maui. What am I saving up for now, Posterity?
Louise has never seen the Island. Reason enough to take her.

But she has stood by me staunchly through the most humiliating and
scary ordeal, and continues to do so. If you could do something for your
guardian angel, what would you do? (take her to Maui, not buy another guitar!)
*grins
Louise and me*.jpg
...but she's on my side, so she watched the reviews of the Journey FF412C with me, nodding approvingly.

I'm also going in order to spend some time with my brother, who is facing his own
battle, and facing it bravely and well. Louise and I get to stay in my sister's time share
so all we have to do is pay for the flights (which I have done). Last time I went to the
Island, I rented a guitar from Lahaina Music. They supplied me with a non-POS rental,
and I was able to play it.

But I learned as a young man that if you go to an orgy, it's best to bring your own grapes.
So the review of the Journey instrument got my attention, and with Louise' encouragement
I pulled the trigger on a "demo" which Sweetwater had available, and they gave me a
decent deal on it. They like me there... must be the G.A.S. or something.

My brother is the one who taught me to play, when I was about 14 and he was about 20.
So he wants to spend as much as possible of what time he has playing music,
and that's a powerful incentive for me to accompany him. I considered buying a U-Bass
which would also fit in the overhead. But I like this Journey guitar better.

Like I said, I ain't got it yet. So I'll show ya some pitchas that Sweetwater sent me:


a whole guitar.jpg


angle upper bout.jpg

body back.jpg



headstock back.jpg
 
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NGD!
now tell me… what would you do?
would you wait until tomorrow to open the box?
that’s what the big green warning sticker says to do.

here in the north country, we aren’t s’posed to subject new guitars
to harsh extremes of temperature change.
what would you do?

what would Brando do?
it is true that the instrument has been in the hands of fed ex
since Friday afternoon when Sweetwater shipped it.
that’s how remote my new place is.

temperatures over the weekend were near zero F (-18 C).
do we think fed ex parked it in a heated garage…
or out under the stars in a snowdrift.
l confess I don’t know.

i wish to open that box… but will give it a day to warm up.
at least I know where it is.
515613E5-6A9F-49E7-A25F-7A70564802CF.jpeg
 
I gave it almost eight hours undisturbed in its carton, and then I decided
"It's my guitar, I'll open it when I please."
So after taking my supportive and enthusiastic lover out to dinner, and having a couple drinks
I came home and cut the tape.
02 case@100.jpeg
note that it really does fit in the overhead compartment of most airliners.
it's carefully engineered to be just the right size. And there are wheels as
well as backpack straps.
03 unzip@100.jpeg
note the clock on the wall behind me. That will give you an idea of how long
it takes to do this, even if it's for the first time.
05 neck@100.jpeg
It's weird to be able to do this with the neck. I always liked Bill Kitchen's idea of
installing steel inserts to his Telecaster so he can unscrew the neck any time and
take the guitar down for travel in the overhead... without damaging the wood.

07 fiting neck joint@100.jpeg
This Journey guitar neck joint is TIGHT, and that's a good thing.
But it fits. I like it when things fit.
11 tightening more@100.jpeg
okay, the site won't let me attach more, so I'll make another poost...
 
got the neck on, let's take a look down it...
12 checking the action@100.jpeg
note the clock in the picture below
13 Tuning 01@100.jpeg
getting there
17 getting there@100.jpeg
Every pitcha tells a story donut
18 sounds good@100.jpeg
and it rings like a bell through my little Fishman Loudbox mini...
lots of sustain when plugged in.
20 in service@100.jpeg
The neck feels great... it's a satin finish, I don't know if it's lacquer or not, but it
really feels fine to play. The tone is really good, plenty of bottom, and clear sweet
highs. It balances on me just fine, which an acoustic ought to do. I really like the
small body size: it's bigger than a "parlor" guitar, and about the same as my
Martin XC1T which is OO size I believe. Anyway it's comfortable, it's a full size
neck and it doesn't look like a toy on my 1.7 meter frame.

There you have it... NAGD! This is a totally 21st century guitar innovation.
And as long as it sounds and plays well, it will be worth the price of admission.

One of the reasons I'm so excited to be going to Maui is to spend some time there
with my brother. His cancer is more advanced than mine was, and he has fewer options
than I did. So it's important. When he was in Vietnam in 1970, he got his first leave and
they flew him to Maui (for R&R which means rest and recuperation). His wife met him
there and the place has been sacred to them ever since. So I'm going too, just to be
there with him. Also to take Louise there, she has never seen it. He left his guitar home, and
took his Ukulele along in the overhead. *laughs

Louise is looking fwd to seeing his face when I unpack my 'backpack..."
 
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so ya wanted some pictures eh?
Here's the best shot I've gotten of a jumping whale.
breaching whale@100.jpg
I got this picture from the shore where we are staying. The whales were less than 500 meters away. This one was smaller than a school bus.
Pretty cool. Louise and I can wake up when we please, and meander out to the Lanai with our coffee cups and some sourdough toast, and Humpback Whales like this one will be sporting offshore.
"They broach and they spout, and they lift their flukes out..." --Stan Rogers

Maui guitar 03-07-22@100.jpg
Here I am playing the Journey guitar in our time-share condo at Kuhleana.
The instrument has a really decent tone, with plenty of sustain. It was fitted with Elixir strings at the factory, and I haven't changed them. I shimmed the neck pocket like a Telecaster in order to adjust the action slightly lower. This worked fine, just like it does on a Fender guitar. Action and the feel of the neck are just what I like now.
We get a few more days before we fly back to the North Country.

guitar in overhead@100.jpgHere's the instrument in its case, which fits perfectly into the overhead compartment on the aircraft that flew us here. No problem at all.

Oh but wait, you guys were more interested in images like these,
isn't that so?
311@100.jpg
312@100.jpg
 
That is very cool. I like your perspective on what's important.

Congrats on the NAGD. Nifty idea and looks classy when assembled, not toy like at all.
 
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