Surprise NGD!

[Brian Krashpad]

Yesterday was wild. Went to church and got all my gear set up in the Fellowship Hall, along with my big bass rig I was lending our bassist, and then worked on getting the PA all connected. Two hours into that our band leader arrived and said we were playing... in the sanctuary!

D'OH!

So, I moved everything over to the sanctuary.

Then we're about to start practice, and our band leader says, "Brian, we have something for you."

I'm totally puzzled.

He gets out an Epi hardshell case and sets it on a table and says "Open it."

I look at him like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? So I say, "I hope this is something you got for the church..."

I open the case and it's an Epiphone Casino. Last weekend someone had asked what my next guitar would be, and I said I hadn't bought a guitar in 2 years and wouldn't any time soon, but that there was a sweet Casino on Craigslist.

The nutters bought it for me! He said "It's for your birthday next month, but we thought we'd give it to you early so you could play it at Praise In The Field (our next out-of-church concert downtown in a couple weeks)!"

I'm still totally flabbergasted.

Seller's pics from cl:



(w/apologies to those who already saw this in the Weekend Thread)

[Duffy]

Even though your band leader sounds like he needs a thorough thrashing that was more than a nice gesture - that gift has some meat to it for sure.

Beautiful guitar man. I like that natural finish and the Bigsby looks good and gives it all that metal in the string path. It should be capable of a lot of great tones including some super screamy solos. A friend of mine has an old one, given to him as a gift, that has the old chrome covered P90's on it and a highly weathered checked finish, but it is a natural finish like yours. He says it is an incredible guitar all the way around, including a beautiful sound.

From the way it sounds that he has treated you, I bet you were mega surprised. I can see where that would be an attitude changing event. Obviously they put some considerate thought into that purchase and followed thru with it.

[FrankenFretter***]

That's great, Brian! Very nice looking guitar. That was really cool of those folks to give you such a gift. And happy early birthday!

[riverrick]

What a lucky guy to have such good friends. Its a great guitar Brian...enjoy!

[Brian Krashpad]

Even though your band leader sounds like he needs a thorough thrashing that was more than a nice gesture - that gift has some meat to it for sure.

Beautiful guitar man. I like that natural finish and the Bigsby looks good and gives it all that metal in the string path. It should be capable of a lot of great tones including some super screamy solos. A friend of mine has an old one, given to him as a gift, that has the old chrome covered P90's on it and a highly weathered checked finish, but it is a natural finish like yours. He says it is an incredible guitar all the way around, including a beautiful sound.

From the way it sounds that he has treated you, I bet you were mega surprised. I can see where that would be an attitude changing event. Obviously they put some considerate thought into that purchase and followed thru with it.

I think you may be confusing my band leader with someone else? Possibly the Music Director? The MD has never personally treated me badly, it's just that he is more concerned with the vocal choir, handbell coir, and traditionally-trained musicians, than us. He has, I'll admit, driven me quite batty from time to time. I really think that our church needs a fully contemporary service, and though we have never discussed it, I get the impression that both he and our Senior Pastor probably disagree.

Our Senior Pastor has a pending call to a bigger church elsewhere, maybe if he takes the call we'll get someone who has a more modern outlook.

[Duffy]

You're totally right. I got that one wrong. It was the musical director I meant. I was thinking both were the same evidently. So I guess it is fair to assume that the musical director wasn't the prime motivator behind the new guitar effort. I was totally thinking about comments that I remember you mentioning about the music director hiding you guys up in the loft, etc.

My apology. It always seems the wrong guy gets the heat for something someone else deserved.

How does that beauty sound? I can see you having a blast with that awesome guitar.

[Brian Krashpad]

You're totally right. I got that one wrong. It was the musical director I meant. I was thinking both were the same evidently. So I guess it is fair to assume that the musical director wasn't the prime motivator behind the new guitar effort. I was totally thinking about comments that I remember you mentioning about the music director hiding you guys up in the loft, etc.

My apology. It always seems the wrong guy gets the heat for something someone else deserved.

How does that beauty sound? I can see you having a blast with that awesome guitar.

No worries, I'm surprised you remembered my "trials," haha. From what I read online, it's very common for church guitarists to go through exactly what I have, and even much worse! Despite the stuff at this church, I never had a problem at my prior church, and at both churches I've actually been very blessed to have been essentially given carte blanche by my bandleaders as to what I want to do with whatever instrument (here I play guitar, some mandolin,and very rarely banjo; at the last place it was guitar and a lot of bass and very rarely banjo) I play on a given song.

When First Things First played at another church last year, despite them having an all-contemporary service, I was surprised that their guitarists said their pastor did not want them doing guitar solos. At least at my church solos are OK.

I played her this morning and it was great fun. We had 2 rockin' songs where I do a LOT of soloing, and she played like buttah. Will hafta get the toggle switch fixed eventually, but I can work around it for now. Although I didn't use the Bigsby this morning, from messing with it I can tell it's the best Bigsby of my 3 guitars with those. And that I will definitely need to get a less stiff spring for the Bigsby on my Wildkat-- these 2 are like night and day.

[Katastrophe]

What an incredible gift! It is a beautiful guitar. I don't think I've played a bad or poorly constructed Casino... great guitars. Congratulations, and may it give you many years of P90 and Bigsby happiness!

[sunvalleylaw]

that's awesome Brian!

[markb]

That's great, Brian

[stingx]

Sweet guitar! Rock that baby!

[NWBasser]

I hope that an operating casino in the church isn't frowned upon.

Very nice. Congrats Brian, I think you really deserve that for all the service you've given the church.

[otaypanky***]

WoW! What a great gift !

[Brian Krashpad]

Thanks guys.

I hope that an operating casino in the church isn't frowned upon.

Ha!

Very nice. Congrats Brian, I think you really deserve that for all the service you've given the church.

Actually I kinda feel guilty accepting it, it's not like I actually need any more guitars! I already have a ludicrous amount. However this was an incredibly sweet gesture and since they got it on craigslist there's no taking it back, haha.