How I stumbled into guitar playing...

Some of you know, but probably more of you don't know about my recent transition into the world of electric guitar. It is an interesting journey.

I started playing guitar in my early 20's after becoming incredibly enamored with the music of Indigo Girls - Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. I had played piano since age 5 and had lessons through age 15 and had never had particular interest in plucking the steel strings. However, my parents had relocated to Florida after retirement and I was dwelling in a condo that definitely could not accommodate a piano. Thus - my piano moved to Florida without me. I lasted about a month without some sort of musical outlet and my roommate wanted to upgrade his guitar so I bought it from him. I didn't know how to hold it, much less play it.

So, fueled by my desire to make music and my new found love of acoustic folk-rock - I set out to give myself blisters on my fingertips and might I say - I did quite a fine job of it. I remember all too well of many sore fingers that made my day job which involved a great deal of typing quite challenging. However, my need to make music outweighed the inconvenient pain. 

I soon met up with other acoustic rock fans and learned about interesting things like alternate tunings and capos and my least favorite thing about the instrument - breaking strings - followed by my second least favorite thing about the instrument - restringing guitars. Strings, blisters, whatever - nothing was going to make me stop. I played on and before I knew it, I bought another guitar and then a 12-string. 

All was well with my acoustic world until Jim Nichols (guitar player for Talisman the band) rocked my world by introducing me to the gizmo. More on that later...