The Saga of the Baritone Guitar

Since I play the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and bass guitar I already own for maybe a half hour to 45 minutes a week tops, I decided that for my 30th birthday I wanted another instrument (?)

Way back in the days of One Cent Spent - my band in college, I used to play bass. I used to use a pick, which among bass players is considered very un-kosher, but I didn't care because it was "punk rock"... which I think sounds better with a pick. When using a pick, I used to experiment with playing melody on the upper strings, rather than just a boring bassline. Of course, using just the top two strings was kind of limiting, and they're kind of thick, so while it sounded cool, there was only so much to do with it.

Low and behold, I found out a couple of years ago about an instrument that is designed specifically for the range that my ears were trying to get. The Baritone guitar.

You may have heard it in music like Interpol, The Cranberries, Pinback, The Cure, and also was used a lot in 60s surf music and spaghetti westerns. Its that instrument that you can't tell whether its a bass or a guitar (because it isn't either one).

Anyway, I've wanted to try one out since I heard about them, but they are pretty impossible to find anywhere, and they are also usually pretty expensive (and I only buy cheap instruments - being that I'm cheap). However, I found out that Sam Ash online has/had a nice knockoff that was only $250 (less than half the price of any other), the OLP MM5. So I ordered it for my birthday... in July... Its a little "metal" looking, but it supposedly sounds good.


Its now the end of September and I still have no baritone... Right after clicking, I noticed that it said it was on "back order". I've called regularly since the end of July and keep getting told it is about to ship... I've been pretty patient, because its really not the end of the world if a guitar takes a few extra weeks to ship, its not like its a new kidney or something. But its starting to get a little rediculous.

Anyway, I think I finally got through to someone who actually intends to do something about the situation, so hopefully I'll be rocking out in the basement (quietly - baby's sleeping) pretty soon.

I'll keep you guys posted, as I'm sure you're riveted. And if I happen to write the second greatest song in the world, I'll post it... (FYI, Tenacious D wrote the first greatest song in the world, but tragically forgot it)

Perspective

I noticed on my Outlook calendar at work a reminder that thankfully no longer applies. It did, however, remind me yet again how blessed we've been lately... It said:

Put house back on market

I wrote it just a few days before we got the offer that sold our house. It was about a week or so after we got our first extremely low-ball offer (after 8 months of nothing) and actually met them halfway, then they disappeared, and we were completely discouraged.

We had finally come to terms that the house wasn't going to sell no matter what we did, and had started preparing plan B: to take the house off the market, rent it out at a monthly loss, long distance, and hope to not go broke waiting for the market to "improve". Everyone's obviously aware how much better the housing market has gotten since February...

Our situation could have very easily been a lot different for the past 7 months.

Oh, and here's another cute picture of Laina, because every post has to have one.

feeling so domestic..

First things first, let's start with a cute picture of Laina...


OK, now on to the post. I have been feeling very domestic lately. The sewing machine that I picked up at Goodwill several months ago has finally been put to use. First I had to take it in for the timing to be adjusted, but other than that it is in perfect condition, and the guy at the sew shop even said if it weren't for the "Brother" label on the machine he would swear it was a Viking, which is a very expensive sewing machine. Good deal for $12 plus $35 for the adjustment.


Anyways, I've made several burp cloths (a couple of which I've even sold on a diapering bulletin board I've been addicted to lately) and a couple throw pillows for the couch. I have some fabric to make 2 more pillows and then I want to try making some little "lovey" blankies for babies and also some baby leggings (which yes are very eighties but oh so cute!)

Laina modeling the new pillows
A close up of the model and the pillow (oh, and what's that you see in Laina's ear? That's right, an earring. We got her ears pierced on Saturday)
Here's the fabric I'm going to make the other pillows out of
This wasn't mentiond but here is Laina eating her rice cereal
And so Jay doesn't feel left out, here he is reading her the baby Bible