Friday, August 7, 2009

Guitar Hero Update

The son-in-law Brad came in with my daughter Megan this weekend and he was bearing a gift for my guitar prodigy son, John. The initial plans were to travel to Dallas to visit them, but Brad had his eye out for a Reverend guitar and the Backstage Pass Music Center in Waco just happened to be on the way to our house and just happened to be one of the closest dealers to Dallas. Hard to believe that Dallas doesn't have a dealer.



So, Brad came in and lit John's eyes up with a Dunlop Crybaby 535Q Wah pedal. It is the copper model, which according to Brad's axe mate, Justin, just may be better than the models on the market today. It didn't take long before they were wah-wahing the dickens out of the air.

John plugged his new Cruzer into the Sear 5XL (which, by the way, he's getting great distorted tones from now) and Brad plugged his brand new Reverend into my Kalamazoo. I thought I could remember the Reverend model that Brad bought, but alas, I can't. Really nice looking and sounding guitar, though. Meant to get pictures of the two jammin' down--Brad even mentioned it once, and alas again. Not like me to disregard that type of photo op.

John's rendition of Voodoo Chile sounded really good with the wah waving the notes around. He and Brad bounced back and forth and then I brought out my Dan Echo to give Brad's Reverend a little alternative vibe. Brad has been a very positive influence on this new hobby of John's and had some nice licks to throw at him. Things got wild when he suggested to John to chain both pedals together. Can you say psychodeliac?



They spent some time afterwards looking for wah-wahed guitar examples on the Internet, so I just had to break out my Earl Hooker and lay some of his Wah Wah Blues on 'em. They were impressed. Not too many bluesmen took to that pedal like Hooker did.

John's playing is progressing rapidly. He impressed his guitar teacher (of only three lessons), who said that he has never been able to move so fast with a student and that he thought that John could actually teach guitar. Don't know about that, but he sure picks things up quickly. Now, to lock him in a room with some Hubert Sumlin and Otis Rush. Anyway--'nuff for now.

P.S.--I'll get Brad to send me a photo of the Reverend and post it.
P.S.S--Here's Brad's Reverend Charger 290 & his Fender Blues Deluxe:

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