Crusoe Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Last weekend, my daughter asked to have a go on my guitar. She heard me play a single note that reminded her of something and asked me what "that song is? You know, the one that goes (hums tune I don't recognise)". Eventually, after a few more clues and using my dad psychic abilities, I realised she meant "Misirlou" by Dick Dale and the Deltones. SO I worked out the notes for it and she spent most of the weekend trying to play it. Now, she has never really played guitar before and had a strumming action similar to a stuck windmill sail, but she was enjoying it. She also had a go at Master of Puppets and a bit of Nirvana. Then when I was out of the room I heard a couple of recognisable tunes and realised that she was looking at one of my books and was having a go at "Sex on Fire" and "Cigarettes and Alcohol". I was impressed that she was having a go and even managed to produce something recognisable, so I've decided to get her an electric guitar of her own. I've ordered a Mooer Hornet modelling amp (£105 from Thomann) and today went down to the local guitar shop to look at one of the new Squier Sonic series Telecasters (I considered a TE-62DB from Harley Benton, but wanted to get a guitar from a shop that would be set up already, without having to worry that I might have to return it or pay for a setup). I went in and asked to try the black model. The guy got a cable, got the guitar, plugged it in and left me to it. I played for a bit and then started to examine the guitar and that's when I noticed a lump out of the finish where my arm was resting. I had a notion that they only had one black one in stock. I pointed the chip out to the guys in the shop and they were gutted, not at me obviously. The guy I'd been dealing with even said that he wouldn't have minded if someone had done it and said to them. To damage the instrument and hang it up again before walking away is just a really sh***y thing to do. Anyway, they've ordered a new one for me and it should be here within the week. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted June 7, 2023 Author Share Posted June 7, 2023 The little amp has arrived. I opened it just to check that it works and had a very quick play through it. It's very light, but the knobs, buttons and switches all feel fine. It sounds great. I played through the a few of the presets they all sound superb. There's a built in tuner, which will be useful for my daughter. It's all boxed up again until her birthday. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randythoades Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 Good one. Really nice when the children are interested. Niether of mine interested in guitar at all, but my son was keen on learning my upright bass and settled eventually on the accordion (of all things), so at least we can have a minor jam... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted June 8, 2023 Author Share Posted June 8, 2023 Hopefully, she'll get interested in it, although the other day she said she wasn't sure about getting an electric guitar (she doesn't know I've bought it). She has an acoustic that she never touches and alluded to this. I said that if you have the guitar sitting out on a stand, you are more inclined to play it. Fingers crossed. If she doesn't get into it, at least I can nick the amp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 Hope it goes well! I tried to interest my late cats in plucking the strings years ago (I had these crazy notions of trying to record them, sample it into something...) but couldn't get the into it at all. Not tried this with the dog, but she'd probably try to eat the guitar. Bless her, she's enthusiastic about *everything* but about as subtle as half a brick.... When I was twelve, Iasked for a keyboard for Christmas. My parents spent a small fortune one something really nice, but despite several years of piano lessons I just never took to it. I think the problem, ultimately, was I got big into guitar music, then didn't have the motivation for keys. Could be with a n electric around if that's the stuff she listens to, she'll take to it more than the acoustic. Is she still a bit young for Riot Grrl? WE're surely due a revival of that and the grunge end of things now, aren't we? All the 90s stuff I've been hearing about the kids getting into now has been more the Britop end of things, but we're doubtless one more episode of The Gallaghers away from that getting old.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted June 11, 2023 Author Share Posted June 11, 2023 I never knew you took piano lessons. She likes a bit of Nirvana and as a result of Stranger Things, has a go at Master of Puppets. She was even trying Misirlou. She downloaded a tab app today, so has been trying things, few of which I recognise. Its mostly stuff she's heard on Spotify. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted June 12, 2023 Share Posted June 12, 2023 15 hours ago, Crusoe said: I never knew you took piano lessons. Oh, yeah - way back in the day. I wish I'd discovered Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard much earlier, I'd love to be able to play boogie woogie like that now, but I don't think I have the patience / time / coordination any more... 15 hours ago, Crusoe said: She likes a bit of Nirvana and as a result of Stranger Things, has a go at Master of Puppets. She was even trying Misirlou. She downloaded a tab app today, so has been trying things, few of which I recognise. Its mostly stuff she's heard on Spotify. That is the big bonus of the web - for kids so motivated these days, it's a great way of finding cool old / niche stuff. (Mind you.... old..... *our* music..... I taught kids this year - final year undergraduates that will be graduating next month - that were born in 2002.... Kurt Cobain was dead by then over three times as long as Hendrix and Morrison were when we were born. Nirvana is like Elvis for them, in terms of relative timeline. This gives me the willies..... I make it a point to tell them their youth disgusts me. They think I'm joking...) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted July 5, 2023 Author Share Posted July 5, 2023 I'm still waiting on this guitar to arrive. Apparently one came in but it was also damaged. I called in to the shop at the weekend and the guy said he'd get the boss on to it and will give me a call when it comes in. Her birthday is in two weeks time and I'm worried that the guitar won't arrive in time, so I have ordered a Harley Benton TE-62 DBBK, just in case. I was wanting one of these for myself anyway, so hopefully the Squier arrives in time. The alternative is that I call in to the shop and ask if I can take one of the othes colours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted July 15, 2023 Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 I still hadn't heard back about this, so went down to the shop again and asked if it would be possible to get a different colour. The guy was very apologetic and said that would be no problem. They had a red one with a black scratch plate, so I asked if I could try it. He lifted it down and I had a quick look over it. Big chunk out of the body work in more or less the same spot as the black one. Like most guitar shops, they get a lot of kids going in at the weekend and lifting the guitars down to try. Obviously, they are less than careful when putting them back up again. Very unfair on the shop. I ended up trying a pale blue one and took it home. Her birthday is next week, so fingers crossed she likes it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted July 20, 2023 Author Share Posted July 20, 2023 Well, today was the big day and she loved the guitar (though she seemed to be more excited by the Batman car Lego set ). The guitar looks great and the pale blue colour goes really well with the vintage look of the Mooer amp. The only flaw I can see with it is a slight gap in the neck pocket, on the top side, but it doesn't affect the playability and she'll not notice it. The amp is great fun. It has chorus, delay, reverb, flanger and vibrato. She loved the sound of the flanger. It sounds good too. There are clean, overdrive and high gain presets (plus bass and acoustic) and a bunch of amp models. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
