I'm back, I think...

dharma66

Hi,

I'm not a new member, but I've been away for some years, so it feels right to re-introduce myself, as I'm sure things here will have moved on somewhat.

Last time I was around, I was completing a partscaster build, and had just bought a Gibson "The Paul", which was the guitar I played on an awful lot many, many years ago.

However, I slowly became more and more discontent with my lack of ability to make any headway, and my playing and attendance at the forum slowly tailed away.

Six months ago, I started playing violin, and am making decent progress. But a couple of weeks ago, I cam across a piece for violin that I used to play on guitar, and I wondered...

It seeks that playing violin has got my fingers moving again!

Many, many years ago, I played electric rock guitar for a while, then switched to classical, before stopping completely. When I was last on the forum, I was trying to get back into electric. This time, it's the classical revival. I've been plinking for a couple of weeks, and it feels ok. I'm not going to give up violin, and that will remain my primary instrument, at least for now (I'm paying for lessons, and don't want it to be a waste!), but I'll find a little time each day to practice guitar.

So, as I remember this being the friendliest guitar forum by a country mile, I thought I'd pop back in and say hello.

Hello!

nicholaspaul

Nice to meet you, Dharma (if I can call you that!). It's good to see another violinist too. I've been playing for a while, but recently got into jazz so it's like starting all over. I did all the classical grades, but couldn't see a reason to carry on with classical and had a bit of a wake up call that went something like "Hey, I don't even really like this stuff" so now I try to play jazz. It's slow but fun.
Anyhoo, good to see you back!

Megi

Welcome back Dharma - I do remember you of course, and it's good to have you back on the forum mate. I remember that partscaster build as well - it was looking rather good, I recall you'd done a particularly cool headstock logo for one thing. And you got that Ibanez jazz guitar as well I think?

Violin is a tough (but great) instrument, you have my respect for tackling that one. I struggled up to grade 5 at school (I was never all that enthusiastic if honest) then gave up when I was 15, and started playing the guitar. It's now over 35 years later - about 10 years ago I picked up a friend's violin, and virtually everything I ever knew about playing violin (not a huge amount) had vanished, I was a total beginner again. Should have kept it going! too late now though.

This place is still a very quiet corner of the internet, and nice to have you back onboard.

Lester

Hi Dharma, welcome back. It is lovely to hear how everyone's course through life is different. I am so pleased to hear how the violin has reopened up the guitar world for you. Long may it continue.

ESBlonde

Ah yes I remember the Paul, welcome back.

Kevin Peat

Hi Dharma,

Classical violin sounds... High Drama.

I did classical gradings on guitar to grade 7 (passed grade 6) and kind of missed the objective. And that's to like what I was doing rather than complete some mission.

I'm sure everything transfers over - it's all music after all.

dharma66

Awesome to see some very well recognised names

The parts caster did come together quite well, with some very nice pickups. It never got completely finished, though...the neck pocket didn't quite match the neck angle of the neck I got making the action a bit higher than I'd like. Four (is it?) years later, it's still waiting for a tiny shim. That might have to happen now the subject is raised. Also, for some reason, I ordered the neck with stainless feel frets. Big mistake. Levelling was ok, but dressing is a nightmare. They are still nowhere near as smoothe and shiny as I'd like. I can't find an abrasive paper or cloth tough enough, and I think I'm going to have to invest in a couple of very fine files to get anywhere.

It's great that this is a quiet corner of the internet. That's why I think it's one of the very best fora out there - for any subject matter! Quality over quantity any day!

I eventually sold the Ibanez as I wasn't playing it at all, and it brought my number of un-played guitars up to four. One had to go, and it drew the short straw.

Surprisingly high number of violinists in this small sample! In such educated company I'll have to reiterate that my "making fair progress" is in the context of just six months playing

Funny how past experience with guitar made violin easier than I anticipated - even though I'd been frustrated trying to get back into guitar - and then making some headway in violin seems to have removed a bit of a block on playing guitar!

Megi

I do remember the 15 year old me making initial attempts at playing lines on guitar, and finding that my brain was wired to expect 5ths tuning, especially it took a while to ingrain that the second string is a B, not an A. But that went after a while. I'm sure it's more than possible to play both instrument though, of course.

And that partscaster does sound like it needs the frets finishing, even if it is a bit of a tricky job, and then you might have a lovely instrument on your hands.

Mark P

Welcome back to the forum Dharma.

Funny the way guitar comes in and out of our lives, and the type of guitar playing changes. Interesting that playing another type of instrument helped get the guitar going again.

I started with classical, went to electric, stopped, went back to electric, then to classical, but stopped when I got RSI (and also got fed up with it all). Then electric but specifically blues, branching into modes and a wider variety of genres. Then in my late 50s I suddenly derailed on electric and went all Acoustic. Nearly 4 years later and still acoustic but who knows about the future. The worry is I never got much good at any of it!

I applaud your abilities (and all you other forumites) to even get a note out of a violin yet alone play music on it!