Do any of you play?

[Kid A]

So yeah, this is an Atari/video games forum. But this is in the radio and music thread! So do any of you play guitar, bass or drums or anything else? Trumpet? Violin? Anything?

Edited March 3, 2018 by Kid A

[RickR]

I have been known to play guitar, but have not touched mine in a long time.  One of my kids has "borrowed" my electric guitar, as a matter of fact.  I've been thinking of buying him his own so I can get mine back.

 

And on an unrelated note, my wife and I just started playing "Guitar Hero" on PS2, and we both stink!  It takes a lot of practice! 

[greenween]

I've been playing guitar for almost 35 years. I haven't been able to play for almost a year due to an injury. I just picked it up again today!

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Keyboard and bass player here. Yamaha keys are my preferred keys of choice but I only have a vintage Casio MT-240 I have been using to play some of my favorite NES game tunes. Been playing for 31 years. Most of my work are custom creations and originals.

 

Ibanez 4-string bass was my first bass about 7 years ago. Use to perform at my hometown's church doing songs from Hillsong London, Delirious?, Chris Tomlin, and similar groups. We played Saturday nights and two Sunday services. I miss those days sometimes. I don't have a bass now, sadly.

[RadioPoultry]

I play keyboard and theremin. I don't think I'm coordinated enough in the right way for guitar!

[RickR]

I play keyboard and theremin. I don't think I'm coordinated enough in the right way for guitar!

I would love to hear that theremin! 

[Sabertooth]

Guitar, bass and vocals. I play at home regularly but haven't been in an active band in years. Once in a while, I will do a one off filling in for friends.

 

Stylewise, I am all over the place: indie, post-hardcore, post-punk, metal (traditional, speed and doom), new wave, classic rock, etc.

 

Gearwise, I am a huge fan of Reverend guitars out of Toledo, OH (formerly located in MI). I have their Decision Bass, Volcano Custom H90 and Reeves Gabrels Spacehawk guitars. Looking to add a Double Agent soon. If you haven't played a Reverend, check them out.

[Atarileaf]

I envy the musically talented. I would love to learn guitar or piano. I think my fingers are too short for guitar though. When I did try I could never seem to get my hands around the neck properly. I have small hands I guess. 

[RickR]

I envy the musically talented. I would love to learn guitar or piano. I think my fingers are too short for guitar though. When I did try I could never seem to get my hands around the neck properly. I have small hands I guess. 

I have small hands too -- yep it can be hard to find a guitar that feels right.  It's just a matter of finding a 3/4 sized guitar or getting one that has a very thin neck.  Electric guitars can have thinner necks, so I'd start there instead of going acoustic.  It does take a lot of practice, but the learning aids they have these days are incredible.  Pawn or thrift stores can have really nice selections of guitars, and it's fun to try them all out to see which feels best in your hands. 

 

My guitar is a 1965 Silvertone strat-style electric.  It's small.  Feels great to me.  I got it from a pawn shop probably 30 years ago. 

 

I say if it's something you really want to try, then go for it! 

[TrekMD]

I used to play the organ.  It's been a while, though.

[RickR]

You can tell from his videos that GeminiGamer is a good drummer.  I've been thinking about buying an electronic kit and giving that a try.  Someone needs to help me talk my wife into this idea, though. 

[Kid A]

I personally play guitar and some bass. Picking it up again after not playing for like 8 years. I just picked up a new strat and been playing a lot since I've bought it. Here's a pic of it.

 

 

It's a Fender EOB Sustainer Strat. I love it so much. Plays so nice and sounds amazing

 

Let's see some of your gear!

[dauber]

Music is my first love, actually. One day in 1988 when I was home alone during summer vacation between 8th grade and high school, I got bored. Some kids when they get bored start drinking or doing drugs. Me?? I found a guitar instruction booklet from the '60s, so I grabbed that and an acoustic guitar my dad had and taught myself to play. So I'd play on my dad's guitar and my brother's electric. Got a Korean-made Fender Squier II Stratocaster as a HS graduation present in 1992 -- it's a cheap-o model, but IMHO, plays and sounds just as good as a "real" Strat. I have a Gibson Epiphone PR350-12 acoustic 12-string I got as a birthday present that same year.

 

When my wife and I got married, a lot of guests gave us cash (we never once thought of presents or a wedding registry!), and at my wife's (!!!) suggestion, we took some of that cash and got a CD burner (a new thing then), a DVD player, and a Fender bass. Another cheap bass -- a Fender Squier P-Bass. Interestingly, my wife never actually plays it. She tried a few times but didn't dig. I play it though. And when my wife and I were part of a pick-up band that opened for Peter Tork in 2013, this happened to the bass.

 

Anyhoo...my dream guitar from the moment I first played a guitar....its looks and its sound...the Rickenbacker 360 12-string. I tried one in a store...wow. A friend let me try his out....WHOA!!! Summer of 2013..my wife and I were vacationing in San Francisco. We stopped into Haight Ashbury Music Center. Above their counter is a wall full of various Rickenbacker guitars. I had just started a new job earlier that year after six months of unemployment. While I was drooling over those Rics, my wife said it looked like the price tag on one of the 370s said $1200. She looked at me and said, "You know, you have a job now! Just sayin'." I asked the guy behind the counter if I could check it out. He handed me the guitar. Price: $3200. (The font on the price tag made it look like $1200 from a distance.) Uhhhh...no, thanks.

But I kept what my wife said in mind. When we got home I went on Guitar Center's web site, did a search for used guitars, and learned that they have an interest-free financing program. So for a much more reasonable price, I ended up with this beauty:

 

I also play a bit of piano and blues harp.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

One of the things I loved to do was going to my hometown's music store called Guitar Smiths.  You could walk in there and test out any instrument and amp.  I would frequently go in there and play on the Ibanez 5-string bass I had always wanted but never got.  I remember a few times I would start strumming out some 80's rock tunes, mostly Journey stuff, and it wouldn't be long until a few others would pick up a guitar, plug it up, and join in.  Even the owner and the two employees who repaired instruments and trained wannabe musicians would join in sometime.  We'd play the whole song I would start and it was a lot of fun.  Most often the song would end with other customers clapping...a feeling that sticks with you forever.  

 

If you want to learn how to play guitar there are lots of tools and websites.  There are some Strat knock-offs that sound OK and are budget friendly.  I would also recommend getting what are TABs instead of piano-style sheet music.  There is a website called Ultimate Guitar where other players have tabbed out popular songs.  I have even made a few bass tabs on the site years ago that one still gets reviews...Kids In America.  I have found those to be easier to learn songs with.  If you find that your hands simply are having a hard time with a 6-string guitar you might find learning a 4-string bass a bit easier to learn to build up skills...then try a six string again.  I can't play one because my fingers adjusted to piano keys over the years and my two index fingers are permanently curved due to playing keys so long.  They won't let me play certain chords on guitar but will a bass.  

[Kid A]

. So for a much more reasonable price, I ended up with this beauty:

rkt.jpg

 

 

It's so beautiful. Ric's are such nice guitars! Love it!

 

 

 

So a couple weeks ago I saw an ad on offerup for a fender squier guitar for 20 bucks. I've never seen a fender like this ever so I went to go pick it up. When I saw it, I noticed right away is that someone drilled 2 holes in the bridge and screwed it directly to the body and it was tge body only. No electronics in it at all. Here's what it looked like when I got it.

 

 

Its a 1989 Fender HM (heavy metal) squier strat. It cleaned up pretty nice. Nevermind the fingerprints though. Hahaha.

 

 

I ordered a all the parts I needed to put this back together. Needed all electrical, replacement locking nut clamps, trem springs and claw and screws to hold springs in place, pots, knobs and I found the exact same bridge to replace the one with the holes. And it came with the whammy bar! Just finished putting it together. Only need to solder the wiring. It's pretty much done though!

 

 

Action feels great. Can't wait to hear it through an amp!

Edited March 3, 2018 by Kid A

[Clint Thompson]

*for some reason my browser doesn't include quoting*

 

Beautiful color on that Fender! Always loved red or in particular, metallic crimson red but over the last decade or so, this color specifically always leaves me lusting.

 

@Atarileaf - when I was a kid, my cousin would come over could play The Entertainer and the Beverly Hills Cop (Axel F) theme song like it was no big deal. He grew up with a piano in the house from an early age and we had just picked one up from a local Church for my birthday that was shutting down. I could barely play chopsticks.

 

Fast forward a few years later and I was fortunate enough to receive an Atari 800 for Christmas which included some music creator program that had a lot of different music files already and when played back, would show the piano on-screen and all the keys depressed when the notes played. Using the 2600 joystick you could speed it up or slow it down and that's how I learned how to play Halloween on the piano and a lot of other songs.

 

So just pick up an Atari 800! =)

[Kid A]

For some reason I've been itching to pick up a 6-string Bass even though I'm more of a guitar player. We got a really nice bonus paycheck at work so I picked this up a couple days ago. It's a lower-end model but I'm having lots of fun with it!

 

[RickR]

It's so beautiful. Ric's are such nice guitars! Love it!

 

 

 

So a couple weeks ago I saw an ad on offerup for a fender squier guitar for 20 bucks. I've never seen a fender like this ever so I went to go pick it up. When I saw it, I noticed right away is that someone drilled 2 holes in the bridge and screwed it directly to the body and it was tge body only. No electronics in it at all. Here's what it looked like when I got it.

 

IMG_20180217_174147~2.jpg

 

Its a 1989 Fender HM (heavy metal) squier strat. It cleaned up pretty nice. Nevermind the fingerprints though. Hahaha.

 

IMG_20180219_203518~2.jpg

 

I ordered a all the parts I needed to put this back together. Needed all electrical, replacement locking nut clamps, trem springs and claw and screws to hold springs in place, pots, knobs and I found the exact same bridge to replace the one with the holes. And it came with the whammy bar! Just finished putting it together. Only need to solder the wiring. It's pretty much done though!

 

IMG_20180222_191017.jpg

IMG_20180222_200823.jpgIMG_20180302_191425.jpg

IMG_20180302_195208.jpg

 

Action feels great. Can't wait to hear it through an amp!

Now THAT is a fantastic refurb.  You did good.  Very nicely done indeed. 

[Kid A]

So a few months ago my dad told me he was thinking about selling one of his basses that he has because he never plays it. I told him I was interested in it because I thought I would be awesome to have a bass that he owned. And the price he thought about selling it for was a pretty good deal.

 

He had heard that that the new Call of Duty was set in the World War II era and he was pretty big on the Call of Duty franchise when there was set in the world war era for the first few games. So he really wanted to play it.

 

I had recently picked up a PS4 Pro and I had a launch model PS4 so the launch model was extra. I had asked him earlier if he was interested in it and he said he was. When I asked him about the bass when I heard he was going to get rid of it he asked if I would do a straight trade for it. I totally jumped on it and said yes

 

 

That's the bass I got. My dad's favorite band is the Beatles and his favorite bass players is Paul McCartney. He thought he'd play it a lot more than he did but he went back to his Fender Jazz basses and he recently picked up this sweet Music Man Stingray bass. That music Man instantly became his go to bass.

 

I traded him for a PS4 with all the connections a controller and a small stack of games. One of them was the Call of Duty World War 2 game.

 

It's awesome to know that I actually own something that used to belong to him. While he probably got the better end of the deal, I really don't care. I'm totally going to cherish this bass.

Edited July 10, 2018 by Kid A

[dauber]

Wow. HOLD ON TO THAT THING -- Höfner no longer exists; they sold off all their properties to Gibson, so if you were to get that bass today, it'd have a Gibson logo on it.

[RickR]

I'm with dauber on this. You got a sweet deal, and it's only going to go up in value. The awesomeness of who you got it from makes it even more special. Great post!

[Atari 5200 Guy]

For some reason I've been itching to pick up a 6-string Bass even though I'm more of a guitar player. We got a really nice bonus paycheck at work so I picked this up a couple days ago. It's a lower-end model but I'm having lots of fun with it!

IMG_20180314_183555.jpg

Is that bass an Ibanez? If so I have a friend with a 5-string that looks just like that.

[CrossBow]

I was a 1st chair trumpet player for 6 years throughout middle school and high school. But sadly I never touched it after I graduate. I still have it as I found out pretty quickly that the price my step-dad paid for it was quite the bargain.

 

My trumpet is a silver Benge ML made in the latter portion of 1974. In fact I pulled it out recently from its case to see how badly tarnished it might be. Wasn't too bad but there are some pretty dark spots on the bell. I'm thinking seriously of getting it professionally polished and small dent in the flare of the bell straighten back out. I don't have any current pics of it but I did register it on this website (#16674) when I found out about how cool and awesome Benge trumpets are. My band directors always preferred to use my horn when demonstrating something to the class even when their own was sitting right next to them. I later found out it was because of how bright and directional the Benge horns are. 

 

http://www.musicbyjoelill.com/LABenges1.pdf

[RickR]

Here's a picture of my guitar.  It's a 1965 Silvertone Bobkat model 1476.  Very nice blues-y sound. 

I've been seriously considering selling it to buy a much less valuable thrasher. 

[Kid A]

Is that bass an Ibanez? If so I have a friend with a 5-string that looks just like that.

 

Yup. It's an Ibanez.