michigan kid

[ka9-o-caster]

hey everyone, my name is matt, i'm from northern michigan...the top of the mitten. I joined The Fret because of a class i'm taking at central michigan university, i'm required to join a virtual environment and write a report on my experience interacting online with others.
Enough about me and school, I picked The Fret because I love playing my guitar. I have a mexican made stratocaster arctic white with maple fretboard, and a lehland H. made by oscar schmidt acoustic, its a real peice the finish on the fret board is fading and stains my fingers when i play it too long. i have a fender amp FM 25 series with two channels and loads of effects, hooked up to that is new digitech rp355 processor with usb port and looper. I'm still learning a lot and i feel overpriviledged to have such good equipment but I've been blessed with a great family who knows how to ask others what they should get me for my birthday.
Hope that wasn't too much info, glad to be on the Fret, and looking forward to talking with all of you knowledgable people.
Peace, Love, and Music

[FrankenFretter]

Welcome to The Fret, Matt!

[mainestratman]

Welcome aboard Matt. Hope you learn lots and get good info for your paper. :-)

[evenkeel]

Welcome to the gang!!!

[Robert]

Welcome to the Fret, Matt!

We don't mind being your guinea pigs. ;)

[marnold]

My name is Matt.
I grew up in Michigan.
I had a girlfriend back in the day who attended CMU. Hmm.

[mainestratman]

I love family reunions!

[ka9-o-caster]

hey i appreciate the response gents! it's all very useful to my paper and makes me feel very welcomed. thank you all.

[ZMAN]

I am from Canada but spent a LOT of time in Northern Michigan hunting and fishing. My brother was a VP at TRW, and lived in Brighton Mich. We stayed in Indian River, Gaylord, Mackinac City. We travelled in the area around Petosky. Also over the bridge into the UP. Absolutley beautiful country and nice hospitable people. Loved the Brown Trout restaurant. Stayed at the Star Gate Motel in Indian River because they would allow our hunting dogs.
Most people would not beleive the white sand beaches in the UP.
A very pretty place.
What area of the "mitten" are you from. Not too many people realize what you are saying about Michigan looking like a mitten!

[peachhead]

From one Matt to another, welcome to the Fret. :AOK

[ka9-o-caster]

ZMAN, you've been around my area i'm sure, my hometown is charlevoix, its a small town close to petoskey, located on three lakes; round lake, lake charlevoix, and lake michigan. It is my favorite place in the world.

[pes_laul]

Hey matt welcome to the forum :)

I am also another michigander.

Im from the grand rapids area

[just strum]

In the spirit of "It's a Small World After All", although I wasn't born in Michigan, most of my family on my father's side was from the Detroit area and in the automotive industry back in the 60's and 70's. When one has uncle's with names like Edsel, Hudson, and Ford, you know there is automotive background in your blood.

I reside in northern Ohio.

So, what sort of things are you looking to include in your paper? You have a real mix of talent levels here and people from various parts of the world. We all use our real names except for Robert, his is a cyberspace name.

No, not me.

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[sunvalleylaw]

Welcome Matt! I know very little about Michigan, other than I like the Michigan football team, as they were sort of regular football opponents of the UW Huskies in the Rose Bowl games of yore. I root for them generally if they are not playing the Huskies.

I did recognize immediately what you meant about the mitten, though I never really thought about it that way before. Cool!

I also have a MIM strat, and a nice acoustic that my talent does not really require. I enjoy them nonetheless. I hope you have a fun, productive time here. I think you will find this virtual environment to be a nice one!

[ZMAN]

ZMAN, you've been around my area i'm sure, my hometown is charlevoix, its a small town close to petoskey, located on three lakes; round lake, lake charlevoix, and lake michigan. It is my favorite place in the world.
Yes been to Charlevoix, and Petosky. Hunted ruffed grouse in the area, and fished over in the Cheboygan area. We probably spent one or two weeks every spring and fall in the area for about 10 years. In the last 5 or so my brother moved back to Canada and we both miss the area a lot. And by the way it is very similar to Northern Ontario.
Hope you enjoy your stay.

[M29]

Welcome Matt!

I am near Flint Michigan and my relatives are from the UP, Munising and Cooks.

A white and maple Strat is sweet, what color pickguard does it have? I like white Strats.

[ka9-o-caster]

my mexican strat has a white pick-gaurd, i wanted my first electric guitar to look like Jimi's 1968 Stratocaster that he played at Woodstock. I love that guitar, and i think they look similar (minus the fact i'm right handed)

[M29]

Cool :rockon

[oldguy]

Welcome to TheFret, Matt! Glad you joined us here, and hopefully your stay will be a pleasant one. Ask questions and get to know the gang. :AOK

[kidsmoke]

Welcome aboard Matt. I was born in Ann Arbor, family all over the state, upper and lower. Was last through your area '05, spent a couple of days at Mackinac and Sleeping Bear.

This is a good place. I'll be interested to hear how your experience compares with your classmates.

[ZMAN]

my mexican strat has a white pick-gaurd, i wanted my first electric guitar to look like Jimi's 1968 Stratocaster that he played at Woodstock. I love that guitar, and i think they look similar (minus the fact i'm right handed)

Yes the woodstock strat kind of influenced my taste in Strats as well.
The thing is I was offered a ticket to go to the actual Woodstock concert but turned it down, my buddy went instead. Now that is another story.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/3lightsbrighter.jpg

[MAXIFUNK]

Welcome Matt!

[Brian Krashpad]

Michigan. Brrr.

Welcome and don't freeze to death!

;)

[ka9-o-caster]

Yes the woodstock strat kind of influenced my taste in Strats as well.
The thing is I was offered a ticket to go to the actual Woodstock concert but turned it down, my buddy went instead. Now that is another story.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/3lightsbrighter.jpg

what! woodstock! ticket! didn't go! you must have had a really good reason. those strat's are beautious, mine looks like the middle one, almost eggshell white.

[ZMAN]

The main reason I didn't go was that I was a blues guy even back then and there weren't very many blues acts. I probably would have liked to see Hendrix.
The guy who had the tickets was going out with my friends sister, and was a minor Marijauna, and hash dealer. Which was pretty normal in the late 60s. Another reason I didn't go was that I knew it would be a major drugfest, and it was.
My drug of choice was beer!
In hindsight I am glad I didn't go because of the way it turned out.
The middle guitar is a CIJ (crafted in Japan) 68 reissue, in vintage white,
It is a 96 model and has gone a lovely creamy color. When you see it in person it looks much more white. The one of the left is a 60 Ann. MIM in Blizzard Pearl, and the right is a Squier Deluxe in White Pearl Metalic.
I think Jimi's strat was Alpine white.

[mrmudcat]

welcome!