The guitar is nice, but...

When I got home from work yesterday there was a large box standing outside the door to our kitchen. I was a little unnerved that UPS just set the damn thing on the doorstep and left it there. I would think they'd need a signature.

I was glad to see it, though. As soon as I got it in the house, I opened the box, emptied the popcorn, opened the bubble-wrap and laid the guitar case out on the floor next to my amp. Without opening it, I turned the amp on to let it warm up. Then I went down to the kitchen and got a cold beverage. I cleaned up the loose popcorn from the floor and went back upstairs. I had savored the anticipation for as long as I could and it was time to open the case.

The ES-137 is very nice looking. Its top is 'tri-colored sunburst' maple which means the edges are dark, dark red - almost brown and the color fades to a yellowish gold in the center. Very pretty.

When I picked it up out of the case, I was immediately impressed with its weight. According to my bathroon scale, it weighs about 10 lbs. Very heavy compared to my Fender Stratocaster which weighs about 7 lbs.

The body, neck and fingerboard are larger than those on the Strat and it's taking some getting used-to. It does feel natural to me, though.

It plays very differently than the Start. I put a set of .010 gauge strings on. They are heavier than are on the Strat, but I think this guitar needs heavier strings. It plays very nicely, but not as effortlessly as the maple-necked Strat. (This one has an ebony fingerboard.) The word I would use to describe the action is 'substantial'. It isn't by any means hard to play, but it requires more grip than I'm used-to.

The tone is interesting. It has a LOT of bite. Hotter, brighter and more aggressive than I prefer, since I'm concentrating on jazz and sight-reading. I'm thinking of replacing the pickups, but I'm going to play it for a while before I make any changes. The sustain is incredible. A note plyed on the B-string will hold for 8 to 10 seconds without using any vibrato or distortion. The wound strings sustain longer. Very solid.

All-in-all, I would not have bought this guitar if I came across it in a music store. I got a good deal on it, and I DO enjoy playing it, but I was crazy to place a bid on an instrument sight-unseen (and unplayed.) I won't do it again.

My ES-137 Custom

I just bought this guitar ES-137 Custom
on eBay. I feel foolish having done so since I NEVER buy a guitar without playing it first. Every instrument is different and I have no way of knowing if I will like the way it plays or sounds. I bid on this one on a whim and didn't expect to win it. It will be here tomorrow. I'll let you know what I think

Lori's birthday is this Friday!

Joseph's Web Log has Begun

I'm starting this web log with the hope that family and friends will read my ramblings, and post their responses here. I plan on monitoring it actively and keeping it up-to-date. I invite you to post comments on any of my entries, or start a topic of your own.

I'm excited to see how this goes!

Closing the pool

So yesterday was Sunday, September 19. It was cool, sunny and windy. Lori and I finally closed the pool after a long, enjoyable summer. It was kind of melencholy stowing the lounge chairs, deflating the rafts and putting the cover over the pool.

But I also cut, split and stacked the firewood we'll use this winter. It's on a pallette outside the family room door where my favorite pool chair was just the day before. Fall is definitley in the air and we're looking forward to our first fire. Perhaps you'll be here for it!