HI,

I thought i would share my thougths with you lot, this is my first ever blog, which is unusual as I work in IT (Storage) but there you go. Having started playing guitar 4 months ago I now find myslef with 2 guitars, 3 amps, and 1 stomp box. My shoulder has however decided to put the Ki-bosh on my learning and I know face myself with a very nasty shoulder condition which prevents me from carrying out my 2 fave pastimes, Guitar and indoor wall climbing. I live in Sheffield UK which is a bit of a mecca for UK climbers as we have the peak district within 10 miles and at the last count at least 4 indoor climbing centres (3 dedicated). So its only natural that I climb. My 7 year old boy does as well and is developing his technique faster than his old man.

As a kid I always wanted to play guitar, but times were tough back then and mum and dad couldnt afford to get me one. By the time they could I was in my mid-late teens and had discovered beer, women and being an army reservist. I never did find out what happened to that old classic guitar thing they got me. It certainly didnt inspire my brothers or sister. I now have a boy of my own and towards the end of the last school year he announced that as school now had a guitar teacher that he should rightly learn. Remembering my younger days I correctly obliged him with a nice new 1/2 sized classical piece. Whilst I was in the shop I started to look around and came out with not only the boys guitar, but a nice shiny black HSS strat copy complete with 10w Amp.

I really should have waited and gone with someone that knows how to buy guitars. First of all the Amp is essentially crap. The Guitar also is a bit on the cheap side but it is quite playable. Being a Strat however it doesnt produce the kind of sounds that I want it to make, namely hard rock sounds. So I've ended up buying another Amp (Line 6 Spider III 30w) and another guitar - Trev Wilkinson designed copy of a PRS Custom 24 - Vintage VRS110c.  A mate at work also sold me his Peavey Bandit 112 (early mk1 I believe) for £30. Has to be the best £30 I've ever spent.

Now I have the tools I need I just need the skills!!