Skip to main content

Gratitude

In this episode - Gratitude . . .

Have you ever experienced a giddy feeling of lightheadedness? I’m not talking about an event that calls for a trip to the hospital but rather a delightful moment that fills you with wonder! Such was the case for me just yesterday during my first visit to Normans Rare Guitar in Tarzana. CA. When I left that day, I experienced an immense feeling of joy.

I’ve wanted to upgrade my favorite practice guitar - a Squire Strat - and decided we needed professional advice. If you are shopping for a guitar, watching YouTube videos is fun, but you must get your hands on one and find an instrument that sings to you. One that tickles your ear with a sweet sound and has a remarkable feel in your hands. Today, there are so many variations of acoustic and electric guitars; how can one decide?

Admittedly, I was intimidated planning the trip to Los Angeles to pursue my dream guitar. For those unfamiliar with Normans Rare Guitars, I would best describe it as a specialized “guitar club” - a family of guitar professionals serving a client base of some famous guitarists. Check out the video on YouTube, Who Shops at Norms. Norm Harris has been in business collecting and procuring some very rare and valuable guitars since 1975.

I’m not famous and hardly a professional musician - just a guy moving into retirement who has been nurturing a passion for playing guitar for many years. After a three-hour drive, we pulled into the parking lot of Norm’s and strolled into the shop. At the register was Brandon Soriano.

“Good morning; how can we help you today?”

“Good morning, I’m Patrick - You’re Brandon, aren't you? I know you guys from watching Guitar of the Day videos; you’re the “Spec Check” expert from the “Guitar of the Day” YouTube channel.”

“I would like to upgrade my Squire to a Fender Stratocaster - but there are so many variations.”

Brandon’s expertise and willingness to share his knowledge about the Stratocaster line were remarkable. He answered all my questions and guided me through the vast collection of instruments, making the process an absolute joy. As previously mentioned, it is crucial to listen to the instrument you are considering and connect with the inner inspiration that drives your musical performance.


To that end, Michael Lemmo created an environment that made me feel valued as a customer and fellow musician. He demonstrated the guitar I had tentatively selected from the American Ultra Fender Stratocaster group.

He effortlessly played tune after tune, as he said, “To play Stevie Ray Vaughn, use this setting. For Van Halen, use this one. And for a smooth jazz sound, try this combination. This guitar is the most versatile in the Stratocaster line.”

And play he did, folks; this guy is an accomplished musician. Watch a few Guitar of the Day episodes he hosts on YouTube.

My new Fender Stratocaster is not just an instrument; it is now a cherished part of my musical journey. Also, we made history yesterday; I own a guitar played by the great Michael Lemmo. I'm confident that it will inspire me to create beautiful music for years to come, and I am incredibly grateful.

Again, Michael and Brandon, thank you for your unwavering commitment to providing outstanding service and creating a haven for amateur guitar enthusiasts like me. Be sure to check out Lemmo’s album Blue Comet on Spotify.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Morning Coffee

In this episode, Morning Coffee . . . Now, I’m not saying everyone needs coffee. Some folks get by just fine on, I don’t know, sunlight and positive thinking. Me? I’m pretty sure I started drinking the stuff sometime around the Reagan administration. Reading John Gierach’s "Ode to Campfire Coffee" in Trout Bum (a book that should be required reading for anyone who sees sleeping on the ground as recreation) got me thinking about how we’ve managed to complicate something as fundamentally simple as boiling water and adding grounds. Taste, you say? Look, black coffee is an acquired taste, like tequila or cilantro. I just don’t get it. Gierach, bless his heart, mostly drinks his java streamside, probably while wearing wool socks and waders and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. As for me? My outdoor coffee experience is a bit different. Picture this: the High Sierra, where campfires are banned (to avoid agitating Smoky Bear), and I’m huddled over a Whisperlite , coax...
1 comment
Read more

The Endless Work of Wisdom

It always makes me smile. The moment people learn I've officially entered what I like to call the Great Un-Working (retirement), they almost immediately ask the same question: “So . . . What do you do now?" I think they're expecting me to say I'm restoring a vintage sports car, hiking the John Muir Trail, or finally becoming fluent in French.   Instead, I tell them: "I live life deliberately." That's usually the point when I get a polite nod, followed by the unmistakable look of someone wondering whether I've simply found a more sophisticated way to say, “I’m becoming a bum.” Apparently, "living deliberately" sounds suspiciously like unemployment, just better branding. The truth is, what living deliberately looks like for me right now is taking time to synthesize a lifetime of experiences into these weekly reflections. It's slowing down long enough to ask what those experiences have taught me, while keeping the door wide open to the poss...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Tucson Typewriter Tale

One of the great joys of wandering without much of a plan is that the universe occasionally rewards your lack of organization. During my recent visit to Tucson, AZ, Robert and I were strolling through the Annex this afternoon, doing what tourists and newly minted retirees like me have elevated to an Olympic sport: meandering. The Annex is one of those places where every few steps there's another handmade candle, artisan coffee, or vintage object someone rescued from a garage sale and convinced the rest of us was always destined to become art. Then I saw something that genuinely stopped me. A young woman standing quietly behind a manual typewriter. Not a laptop designed to look like a typewriter. Not a quirky Bluetooth keyboard. An honest-to-goodness mechanical typewriter—the sort of machine that once announced every sentence to the entire office with a satisfying clack and enough force to wake nearby pigeons. With an iPhone 16 sitting in my pocket in an age when people write novels...
Post a Comment
Read more

A B+ Kind of Life

Welcome back to this week's On the Fly . Retirement has taught me something unexpected: life gets a lot more enjoyable when you stop chasing perfection. Lately, I've been having an absolute blast playing executive par-3 courses like Rancho Carlsbad . A short iron, a sunny morning, and nowhere to be except the next tee—that's my kind of day. This Thursday, though, I'm raising the stakes. I'm heading to The Links at Lakehouse in San Marcos, a full-size par-71 course with enough water hazards to keep the local fish well-stocked with my golf balls. After shooting a 64 on a par-3 course, I've set myself a new goal: shoot an 89 before my birthday next August. Why 89? Because on a par-71 course, that's bogey golf—one extra stroke per hole. For non-golfers, think of it this way: par is like earning 100% on a final exam. Bogey golf is a solid B+. You got the job done, learned something, and probably had a lot more fun getting there. The older I get, the more I appre...
Post a Comment
Read more