But if I am right, then you have all to gain because I can teach you how to find a great sounding guitar. But it comes at a price... you sometimes have to give up specifications, preferences and looks. On the other hand, sometimes these great guitars are beautiful in their own right that you had never thought about -- like my recently acquired Suhr Carve Top with a beautiful top chosen and speced out by no less than John Suhr (less than a month ago). Or as Strange a shape as the Albert Lee Model (acquired last week). Maybe, nothing closer to Van Halen than the Axis Sport (acquired last week). Maybe something unique and one off as the Fender NAMM Butternut Tele (acquired two weeks ago). Or maybe revisiting the possibility of a signature model that sounds great today -- the Fender SRV (acquired three weeks ago).
In a world where I am NOT limited by anything other than location, am I NOT the least biased to select a guitar? Compared to Skybox, who would you bet on to choose a better guitar?
I actually gained a lot from Sir Alex.
madali naman solution sa isang "POV" na ayaw mong paniwalaan. you ignore.
but for me, the quest for tone was very real. i sincerely wanted to sound good. so despite what i've been hearing from different people at the time, i decided to EMPTY my cup. and contact FM55. diba nga sabi ni Bruce Lee: absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own. but of course this should be done via experience and not theoretical construct. and in order to experience, your cup must be empty.
the first contact was whan i gave him my budget for an amp, and what was available in my State. i followed his suggestion and true enough, i was able to maximize my money.
the second contact came with my personal guitar. I brought the guitar to him. it was an Fender MIJ. then he said, na may Hiyaw. but moderately strong, all it needs is a matching amp. nagulat ako, sabi ko, sir alex, MIJ lang to, meron pala
then i remembered Sir Alex having written in this forum, na meron naman mahahanap sa lower price categories ---- maghahanap ka lang and it will take time and effort and it will be easier if you just go up sa price category. true enough. my friend and i went through hundreds of guitars para lang mahanap yung fender mij na yun....
but since binati ni alex yung MIJ ko, it became my measuring stick. dahil na realize ko, at narinig ko with my own ears, i sold almost all my MIJ and all my MIA guitars and made sure the guitars i buy must be night and day compared to the previous one. i had to make it like that, kasi ayaw ko magaya sa iba na paikot ikot lang pag dating sa gitara, pedals and amps...na tipong 10 years nang lumipas, nalilito pa din.
i wanted na linear lang ang growth ko. i bought a few guitars after that MIJ guitar. lahat sila malayo sa MIJ, night and day ba naman ang basehan bawat laktaw.
Am I happy? F**k yes!! I'm very happy and thankful i approached FM55. I'm happy na may nag gagabay sa personal kong journey.
kailangan lang maging honest sa sarili at sa dun sa gusto mo para sa sarili mo.
kailangan lang:
1. accurate perception and correct expression sa gusto natin makamit (goals) at sa mga bagay bagay sa paligid natin. single pointedness din sa goals
2. iwas sa mga blind na pakikisama. hindi porket may contra na sa isang tao, makiki contra ka na din. alamin mo din bakit sila kumocontra. kadalasan bitter lang.
3. mag basa ng mabuti. himayin ang sinusulat sa forums.
example. ilang beses na kasi sinabi ni FM55 na hindi exclusive sa high end ang hiyaw.
pero madami pa din naka focus sa sinabing high end. so in essence nagbabalat sibuyas sila...pwede naman mag banat ng buto at maghanap sa lower price categories
but the truth is, mahihirapan ka talaga.
as for Ibanez, i was able to find an early ibanez prestige guitar. nakaka excite. but not as good as alex's guitars, not top 2% but still above average. natuwa ako doon. i would rate it as a bit over my MIJ (the one i mentioned above)
4. if you don't believe. be professional lang. just ignore and continue with life. yung bitter lang sa buhay ang maiingay. and yung bitter ang kadalasan nahihirapan umasenso.
kaya ngayon bihira na ako mag forum. masaya na ako. are my guitars like alex? nope. hindi sila top 2% iba talaga ganda ng mga gitara ni alex. but the point is, im happy and ang LAYO ko na sa sarili ko noon.
magandang araw sa inyong lahat!
