When I was sixteen years old, I bought my first guitar. It was a 1982 Rickenbacker solidbody electric, and I got it for a steal of a price. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anyone to really teach me how to play it, and I was pretty useless at teaching myself. A couple of years later, in need of quick cash, I sold it to a friend right before I moved to Georgia.

I had always regretted this, and said one day I’m going to get another guitar and learn to play it. But I put it off, and I put it off, and I put it off some more. Sooner or later, I said, there will be time and money for it.

In 1998, a near-death experience reminded me that there won’t always be time to get around to things, and I might want to think about not putting off those things I really want to do with my life. So once I was adequately recovered, I went out and bought a new guitar, a Fender DG10/12 12-string acoustic. And I signed up for a group class at the nearby MARS music store, and learned to play it well enough, and set about learning to play songs I liked and actually performing at filks and filkcons. 13 years later, I’m an adequate if unexceptional accompanist.

Still, there’s a part of me that still has an itch for electric music. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always say “I wanted to be a rock star. In many ways, I still do.” So yesterday, I went down to Guitar Centre to take advantage of a good coupon I had and picked up a cheap electric guitar and a small amp. It’s an Epiphone Les Paul Studio, and it’s very very pretty.

(While I was there, I also test drove a much more expensive acoustic: a Taylor 8-string baritone. It took an immense amount of willpower and a reminder of what I’d already committed funds to over the next few months not to change my plans, because dear lord I sounded good playing it. But I digress…)

I’ve been playing around with it for the last 12 hours. First impressions: I love the sound of it. I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with it. Good grief, I don’t know how to play it. 🙂

It’s a whole new ride. Let’s make some noise.